Pvt. Lester Hensler, Heading Overseas, Assures His Parents He Is Excited to Be Off to War—“a Man’s Game”

With less than 130,000 soldiers (and 80,000 national guardsmen), the United States was far from a world military power. Six weeks after the official declaration of war on April 6, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act, drafting more than 2 million men into service. Another 2 million volunteered. Of the 4 million troops, nearly one in five was an immigrant. (During the war, mail censors had to scrutinize letters penned by soldiers in dozens of different languages.) President Wilson and his administration propagated a sweeping campaign to unify the country behind a single, “noble crusade” for democracy. Draftees were given parades. Movie stars pitched Liberty Bonds. Inflammatory films—To Hell with the Kaiser—were produced. (Anti-German hysteria, not unexpectedly, blazed nationwide. German Americans were harassed and beaten, and at least one was lynched.) The campaign had its desired effect: American soldiers, imbued with patriotism, were now fully persuaded they were embarking on a daring adventure to save the world from tyranny. Lester Hensler, a tweniy-six-year-old private from Cincinnati, expressed this gungho spirit in a letter home moments before heading out with the American Expeditionary Forces. (German soldiers were often referred to as “Huns” or “Boche,” a derogatory French word for Germans.)

Camp Meade, Md.

Dear Mother and Father

Well Mother, this is the proudest day of my life. We leave for “over there” tonight, and I am thankful that I can take a place among men who will bring freedom to the world. I do not want you to worry about me at all, for I am coming back and will be 100 percent better for having gone, for in the army one gains a knowledge of life, that is impossible to gain elsewhere.

All I want of you all is to “Keep the home fires burning” and it will not be long until we will come marching home our mission accomplished, and happy to have suffered the hardships of war.

When you speak of me in France, do not do so with a heavy heart, do it in a proud way, for it is indeed, a thing any parent should be proud of.

I feel this way about it I would rather die in war, than to have stayed out and lived a “Coward” and a “Slacker” and Mother there are many of those and think just how their parents must feel when ask about their son or sons.

This is a man’s game, and let me tell you Mother when Bat. “E” 312 F.A. (which is recognized to be the best of Bat. Of Field Artillery in the U.S. army) starts in there is going to be a long line of Huns in line at roll call in hell for breakfast. I would like to have my picture made in my overseas outfit but I will not have a chance. One of the boys, my buddie, had a camera, and we will take some pictures over there and I will send you some. Well I will say good bye to all and “don’t worry.”

Love and best wishes

Your loving son Lester

P.S. Put this number down someplace and don’t lose it. In case anything happens you will need it to get my insurance. “2.695.642”

Lester Hensler would return home after the war, almost to his disappointment, without even a scratch.