The Letters are mostly from James Hammer an Illinois Native who Joined the Army in 1917, Trained at Camp Dodge and Camp Travis Texas, Deployed to England and immediately to France. His Unit, the 357th Regt. Spent most of its time in France in the trenches and in combat. The letters don’t tell of the tragedy of war. He mentions being in mud and uncomfortable but never mentions the combat, as was the case for many GIs writing home not wanting to worry there families.  All the letters are written to Helen, His Wife or wife to be.  Approximately 55 letters total, 19 Postcards, a W------ Union from Helen, 

WW1 357 Inf. Regt 90th Division Letters 1917 -1919, Postcards, Erie Railroad Map, 1917 Soldiers and Sailors Songbook, 

A letter to the US Troops from King George V

Postcards

Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa

Army YMCA

Red Cross Postcard from Paris, France

Postcard on Christmas Day, France

Postcards from San Antonio and Jose

(2) Helen M. Kay Calling Cards (wife)

(32) Letters from Camp Travis, San Antonio, Texas and

Letters from Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa (most on letterheads)

Men are training and some have shipped out overseas already

1. Letters written from Overseas Assigned to the 357th Infantry, 90th Div. American Expeditionary Forces Soldiers Letters with Censored Covers and nice Cancellations 

A letter written on board the Transport going overseas

Sept 3,  In England and are boarding boats for France

In France and Fighting   Mentions the rain and mud, How nice the French are to them. 

The constant “PUSH” the American give to the “Hun” never letting up.

Haven’t slept in a bed since he left the states, Sleeps on a barn floor with a little hay,

Some of the boys drinking wine

Mentions Being gassed and it was hard to learning to Walk again

Got Gassed at night and is in the Hospital, mentions conditions and spending Christmas there, He went to a Red Cross Show and had helped a Boy with one leg go

Letters mention longing for home and wife

Transfered to the 85th Div and shipped home

The war ends   The 90th went to Germany for Occupation Duty, This soldier stayed in the Hospital for being Gassed 17 days before the end on the war. The Gas did not get to his lungs but just his legs and eyes

We are selling this week and the following weeks Military items that we acquired over time buying out estates. We have had some of these items for decades and are finally getting to them.  ALL are fresh to the market and direct from the Vet or his family. We are selling them as we found them... Sometimes a single piece and sometimes a whole archive with uniforms and medals. We’ve enjoyed looking at them!  Please view our other auctions for related items, email any questions