Big Fight Remindful of Fourth of July Says Robert Lobanoff, One of the Boys

August 17, 1918
My dear folks:
I am going to ask you to accept a general letter as time is scarce, also paper, as we try to travel with as light a load as possible.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE WILMETTE BAND
I received your letters written on Easter Day, we also had an Easter service although there were no flowers only the sunrise and our regimental band, but I enjoyed the simple service rendered by our chaplain.
My mind is so full of the many things that I should like to write and cannot, it is not possible to describe on paper all the different conditions that confront us, after it is over one may be thankful that he cam through it and wonders how he did so. We are having a taste of what real fighting is. Our division was the first full division to fight on German soil.

Like Fourth of July
Our stay in the Alsace sector was more quiet perhaps but served to fit us for what was to come. It may seem strange to say, for one who is amid the roar of cannons, living out in the open, sometimes in the woods, underground and in the trees, but the beauty and marvel of it all is indescribable even with all the attendant horrors. It is like Fourth of July every day, with the rockets and flashes of fire at night to help along.
The scenery in Alsace is very beautiful, often majestic, and the many little farms throughout the hills, gives one the impression of a painting. The quaint dress of the pesants adds materially as one sees them in the fields with their broad bladed scythes cutting the grain and hay, the oxen standing nearby waiting for their load.

Overlooks River Rhine
From my observation post, on a clear day I could get a view of the country for many miles around, being able to see the Black Forest, and the River Rhine. At the base of the hills and to the east lie the different cities and villages surrounding Muelhausen with its many factories. At least half a dozen potash mines with their tall shafts protrude above the trees. To the south the view was of a rolling country which led to the Alps and, once, on an exceptional clear day, I could make out the lines of some of the famous peaks.
One day while shaving under a cherry tree and trying to eas cherries at the same time, an Aerial battle was going on over head when all of a sudden a piece of shrapnel fell about six inches from me. I figured I had had a close enough shave for one day, in fact, I have decided that a beard would afford bettery protection as it will keep me from cherry trees and shrapnel. Our dream life finally came to an end as far as Alsace was concerned and we were on the move again, amove which has brought us up and into the big drive.
From our place of unloading, we took up the chase to catch up with the dough boys. After four days of traveling both day and night, sometimes in the rain, we traveled along the route of the advance of theday before, giving us a very good opportunity of seeing what we would be up against very soon.
The destruction and wreckage along the way was beyond description. Our route took us past the famous town of Chateau Thierry where we stopped one night. It was while there that I had a chance to take my second real swim in France.
A number of fellows came to the conclusion that a bath would not hurt them, so off to the river Marne. We used the remains of some of the bridges the Germans tried so hard to cross to dive from.
From Chateau Thierry we took to the road again and put up for the night in a big woods, about 10 o'clock whhat should come along but some Boche planes, they were very polite in dropping us their calling cards in the form of a few bombs, no one was hurt.
The next afternoon we moved up to our position where we revieved a battery which had been in from the start and were very much in need of a rest. It was frm here that the real fun started. I had to run a line to an observatory up ahead of the [unclear]. While in the woods we were shelled with gas and explosives, but we managed to finish our job although it was certainly a difficult one, working with a gas mask on and shells dropping all around.
We stayed there just for one night which meant reel up our wire again, and that is the way it has been ever since. We have changed positions as often as three times in twenty-four hours and that means work and little sleep for everybody. After moving up we finally got to a position again from which we could fire. We were all set and had let the Boche have a few rounds, and had decided that would be enough for the night, so we turned in for a few hours of much needed sleep.
About 10 o'clock the Boche opened up on our position, sending over some mustard gas shells mixed with high explosives. They kept it up for four hours. We managed to get out of here before anyone was hurt, but lost many horses and nearly all our equipment, it being useless to try to use anything mustard gas has once gotten into. We laid around all next day as our guns were put out of commisison. Not having had anything to eat all day we were glad our rations came up that night so we were sure of a breakfast.

First Casualties in Battery
The next morning while we were eating breakfast a shell landed right in the middle of the yard. It was here we had our first casualties. It was only due to the fact that many of the boys were in the buildings that they were not more injured. After taking care of the injured we moved back to our Echelore [unclear]where we stayed a couple of days.
Having received another set of guns we moved up again. Just the other night when everything was nice and quiet along come the Boches planes again dropping bombs all along this sector. Two or three landed right near our position getting one of the boys and sending several others to the hospital. Sherman was right "______" This is worse than that. I will write as often as I can.
My love to all,
Bob