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Elizabeth McKenna

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Elizabeth McKenna

Tag Archives: war

World War I: Letters from Camp Zachary Taylor

11 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by Elizabeth McKenna - Author in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

1918, 1919, Armistice Day, Camp Zachary Taylor, Flu, History, Letters, military, Pandemic, Veterans Day, war, World War I, WWI

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, later known as Veterans Day. On November 11, 1918 – at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month – World War I ended. It is estimated that the “war to end all wars” killed 20 million and wounded 25 million. From the United States, 116,516 soldiers were killed and 204,002 wounded.

My great uncle Tom Slattery (8/3/1888-2/7/1974) was stationed at Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, along with 50,000 other soldiers. Though over the years I have learned about WWI, I didn’t know what was going on stateside during this time until I read Tom’s weekly letters to his family back in Covington, Indiana. He ran a medical ward at the camp’s hospital and did not hold back when describing the illnesses, deaths, and suicides that became part of his daily life.

At thirty years old, he was the tenth child of eleven born to Eliza McCabe (Trim, Ireland) and John Slattery II (Limerick, Ireland). Not all of the children made it to adulthood, including the eleventh son, so Tom was considered the baby of the family. In the family photo, Tom is the boy in the lower right-hand corner.

Tom arrived at the camp in March 1918 and for the first six months, he thought life there was pretty “swell.” He writes about the variety of entertainment available to the soldiers – all for free – and the abundance of food that is making him fat. He expects any day to be sent “over there” (France) along with his friends, but instead, he continues to take care of the sick, earning a few promotions along the way.

In September/October, the camp was overrun with the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic. Suddenly, Tom is comparing the camp to hell.

September 30, 1918

Dear Folks:

Well we are sure having a time of it now. The whole camp (it seems) is getting influenza (Spanish type). An epidemic which is in several camps over the country. The Great Lake camp is in quarantine with most of the men sick. It started three days ago and I have been working most all the time since. This is my fourth night on duty and two days. We are about all in and there is no sign of a stop of the stream of patients coming in. Have been admitting better than five hundred every day and today it was 600. We all had to move out of our barracks this morning to give room to them. Made wards out of every available building. We are sleeping in tents (or will when we get a chance). I am Ward Master in a big barracks of four rooms and porches and every inch of them full of bed. Have from 6 to 9 orderlys under me. Have from 175 to 200 patients. Are very short of nurses to since have had to open so many new wards. Everything will be filled up here today and then I don’t know what we will do with them. Hang them on nails I guess.

October 5, 1918

Dear Folks

This is one H-L of a place. Working 24 hours a day and everybody about all in. Admitting about a 1,000 influenzas a day and they are getting pneumonia by the hundreds. 21 died yesterday that was the ones I know of. There is no telling how many more. Every available place has a cot. We are sure having a time taking care of them. I have worked all day and night 2 days this week and to 11 pm every nite. Some Dr haven’t been to bed at all. I am feeling as good as ever though. Just get a little tired. We are quarantined so can’t leave if we wanted to or had time.

October 9, 1918

Dear Folks:

Conditions are not getting any better. Admitting about 1000 influenza patients a day. And a big percentage of them change to pneumonia. Death rate has been awful. I have nothing but pneumonia on my ward or barracks. Sent out all Influ’s yesterday and got in 125 pneumonias all with a temperature of 104 and up. Had five die already in one hour. We are all about crazy. Working about 18 or 19 hours a day and still not get any thing done.

It is estimated that 25 million Americans contracted the flu, and it killed 675,000. According to the Camp Zachary Taylor Historical Society, the flu killed 21,000 servicemen in the United States, with 950 of them at Camp Taylor. Approximately 43,000 servicemen died worldwide of the flu.

I inherited Tom’s letters from April 1918 to July 1919. After the war ended in November 1918, he hoped he would be discharged right away, but soon realized, as a member of the medical staff, he would be one of the last to be let go. Unfortunately, I don’t have that final letter from September 1919 where he would have shared the good news with his family, but I do have dozens of other interesting ones. I have transcribed the letters below. If you are a history buff, I hope you find them as fascinating as I did.

April 1918

May 1918

June 1918

July 1918

August 1918

September 1918

October 1918

November 1918

December 1918

January 1919

February 1919

March 1919

April 1919

May 1919

June 1919

July 1919

If you are interested in seeing the original letters that I scanned and then donated to the Camp Zachary Taylor Historical Society, please click here.

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​Dawn of Destiny by Lee Stephen – Book Tour

19 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Elizabeth McKenna - Author in Book Tour

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Action, Giveaway, military, Science Fiction, war

 

Dawn of DestinyBook Description:

Some men go to war for the glory. Some men go to war to escape. For Scott Remington, war is entirely different. It is a belief. It is a calling. It is a destiny. Leaving everything behind—his fiancée, his future, his life—he embarks on a mission of faith into a battle he can barely understand. This is his story. This is his war. This is only the beginning.

Audiobook Description:Dawn of Destiny  Audio

The Dawn of Destiny audiobook project is a full adaptation of the first book in the Epic series. It’s not your typical “audiobook,” even though technically that’s what it is. When people hear “audiobook,” there’s a certain type of thing that usually comes to mind. Most likely it’s the thought of someone reading a book to them, occasionally with music playing in the background. This isn’t that.

What you’re going to hear in this project, is more of an audio “experience,” the audio equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. Over thirty voice actors played a role in this. This is ear-splitting sound effects, bombastic music, and characters shouting back and forth in the middle of a war zone. This is unlike anything you’ve ever heard.

Lee StephenAuthor’s Bio:

Born and raised in Cajun country, Lee Stephen spent his childhood paddling pirogues through the marshes of South Louisiana. When he wasn’t catching bullfrogs or playing with alligators in the bathtub (both true), he was escaping to the world of the imagination, creating worlds in his mind filled with strange creatures and epic journeys. This hasn’t stopped.

Now a resident of Luling, Louisiana, Lee spends time every day delving into the world of Epic, the science-fiction series that has come to define him as a writer and producer. Alongside his wife, Lindsey, their son, Levi, and their dog, Jake, Lee has made it a mission to create a series that is unique in its genre—one unafraid to address the human condition while staying grounded in elements of faith.

In addition to writing, Lee works full-time for the Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. He has also spent time as a church deacon, guitar hobbyist, and New Orleans Saints season ticket holder. He is a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville.

Connect with Lee:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Where to buy the book:

Amazon

Barnes & Nobles

Giveaway:​

Prize: ​10 prizes for 10 winners: 3 X posters, 3 X $25 Amazon Gift Card, 2 X Dawn of Destiny series, 2 X Kindle Fire HDAll prizes open to US & Canada only, except $25 gift cards open internationally, Ends March April 17.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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WWII Love Letter

11 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by Elizabeth McKenna - Author in Random Thoughts

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Germany, Historical, Letter, Love, war, WWII

photo(5)My mother died a year ago last May, and I’ve been going through some of her keepsakes. Before she married my father, she had a long-term relationship with a man named Ken. I found a few letters that she kept that were written during World War II. I thought I would share one with you. It was written April 19, 1945. My mother would have been a month shy of 19 years old.

Dearest Sweetheart,
Hello Honey – Well – sweetheart – I’ve joined my unit and am real busy now (except today, we’re resting). We’re deep in Germany, practically out the other side. The Jerries are on the run and we’re right after them. In a few days I’ll send you some watches and rings – “souvenirs” that the Jerries are contributing to us.
There is so much racket I can’t concentrate. There was some Heinie aircraft – but now there is a whole slew of ours up there now. So far it hasn’t been very dangerous.
I have everything I need except stationary and air stamps – but I’ve told you about. I haven’t got any more mail from you except those letters we got right off the boat, so one of these days I should get a slew of them. How did you like getting all those letters at once. I guess that made you feel sorry you balled me out about not writing.
I have had lots of funny experiences over here so far haven’t fired a shot. Haven’t had to. The Jerries have been giving up by hundreds – but I guess they are soon going to start fighting. There just was a burst of fire a little ways in back of me. I wonder what caused that!
Well – honey – I hope you like the post war plan I outlined. You’ll have to let me know what you think of it. It will start pretty soon – for the war over here will be over in a few weeks – I love you –
photo(4)Ken

I’ll leave you with a saying that mom had next to her high school yearbook senior picture – and was also in another letter that Ken wrote to her. It must have been one of their favorites.

“Late hours are bad for one, but they’re all right for two.”

letterphoto 2

 

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