Maler, Anthony P. letter - handwritten     Page I: "4-05 E. 117th St., N.Y. Feb. 5th 1920 Dear Mr. Gordon, In reply to your letter of recent date, I take great pleasure in giving you all the information possible concerning myself and my brother Charles, who took part in the World War. As for myself, I really cannot mention much, for my time in "Uncle Sam's["] service was rather short ranging three months during the signing of the Armistice. But still, I attempted to do my share, for as soon as I was eighteen years old and had graduated from the Patchogue High School in June, 1918, from whence I know you well, when..." Page II: "...you were our Superintendent, I immediately tried and succeeded in getting into the service thru enlistment. The enlistment resulted in getting enrolled into the Students Army Training Corp at Columbia University on Sept. 21st, 1918, where at present I am studying Accountancy. These are about the only important facts that I can relate concerning myself, but regarding my brother, Charles, who was killed in France, in the 'Baccarat Sector' on June 14, 1918, the day before our graduation exercise, I can give fuller detail. He was a member of the 77th Division, Corporal of Co. B, 308th Infantry and trained at Camp Upton from Sept. 21, 1917 to April 5th 1918 when the entire Division left America for France. After arriving to England's shores, their route was thru England and then to France, their final destination, but reaching the the first of May. About a month's hard training..." Page III: "...was sufficient for the Boys who were at that time in urgent need for action and relief work in the trenches. In [i.e., On] a few moments notice, Charles was placed in action with Co. B, in which he was a corporal. At first, they were ordered for action in the second line trenches and continued fighting from June the 5th until June 14th, the day on which he wrote us his last and lovely letter saying everything was going on nicely in the trenches. They were then relieved until June the 20th, when the entire Company was ordered to advance to the front line trenches. There for the first time, the Boys fought really hard and stubborn[ly] against 'Jerry' for three days in the 'Baccarat Sector.' Finally, on the early morning of June the 24th at 2 A.M. a guard received orders to get up a platoon of 40 willful men, mostly corporals, serjeants [sic] and lieutenants who were skilled and knew accurately..." Page IV: "...how to cut 'barbed wire fencing'. Among this unexpected call of 40 men was my brother Charles who also knew his duties well. The platoon advanced to do their duty at a distance away from the first line trenches in 'No Man's Land'. In the Meantime 'Jerry' was constantly popping bullets here, there, above and below, with rifle, shrapnel and machine gun. Thus after working steadily for 4 hours in the dark cutting barbed wire fences, at 6 A.M. a sharp, sudden terrific attack was made on the platoon which instantly gassed, killed and wounded all with the exception of four who miraculously escaped instant death. My brother was taken to the trenches from the place of unexpected attack, gassed and mortally wounded in the hip, left arm and side by pieces of shrapnel. But though still pale from the loss of blood, deadly wounded and lying in a semi-conscious state in the trenches, he recognized his best pal, his 'Buddie' who was sadly looking on and said to him 'Lange remember me to mother and Leo.' He lived shortly, only two hours later he died on his way as he was being taken from the 'First Aid Station' to the 'Red Cross Hospital." Enclosed is his picture as corporal of a squad which he trained at Camp Upton. Yours Sincerely, Anthony P. Maler"     NOTES Charles R. Maler's war (brother of Anthony P. Maler), is chiefly recounted in this letter. Roll of Honor: Citizens of the State of New York Who Died While in the Service of the United States, During the World War: Last Names Beginning with "M" (New York State. Military Museum and Veterans' Research Center) -- scroll down to "Maler, Charles R." http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/wwi/HonorList/HonorList_M.htm Camp Upton - World War I - Training Trenches (Brookhaven National Laboratory) http://www.bnl.gov/ewms/cresources/files/pdf/trenches_%20april_2007.pdf History of the Seventy Seventh Division, August 25, 1917-November 11, 1918 (Longwood's Journey) http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/upton/seventy.htm The Baccarat Sector (Longwood's Journey. History of the Seventy Seventh Division, August 25, 1917-November 11, 1918) http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/history/upton/phase3.htm