A fast train was leaving at 7:50. We missed that one, so we caught the 8 o'clock. It was a slow local but the trip was great and we were glad we took that train. It did not go through Chateau-Thierry but around it on a new railroad because the old one was blown up. In fact, there was only one track here, the other one wasn't repaired yet, it was in such bad shape from the bombing. All the villages were in ruins, every bridge we passed destroyed, and the numerous trenches with rifles, helmets, haversacks, etc. were still lying scattered over the ground beside the different shells. Many places had a stick with a helmet upon it, marking where the enemy was buried. This book is a collection of journals kept by Sgt. Arthur G. Franke as he served in the U.S. Army during World War I. These entries were written in the States and overseas, documenting experiences that include traveling from Chicago to France, staying at some unusual places, exploring the country as it recovered from war, and witnessing Armistice Day celebrations as a member of the Peace Commission.