Judson W. Dennis
Sergeant, Company L, 119th Infantry
American Expeditionary Forces
March 18, 1892 ~ October 17, 1918
“Oh! They should not grieve about their sweethearts or sons so. They ought to be proud that they have a son or sweetheart to uphold Old Glory, the red, white and blue. I will stand and die by her…” Judson Dennis May 6, 1918
Monday May 6, 1918
Dear Mother,
How are you all by now? I’m just fine and all o.k. Well Mother, we leave camp tomorrow (May 7) for New York, N.Y. We will spend a few days there. Our captain told us yesterday that the ship on which we sail will land us safely in France. Now Mother, I don’t want you to be uneasy about your soldier boy. We will not be gone long. I think we will go through safely and someday return to our Land of the Free. We will be gone about two years I think. But we are going to win the victory though we are not a mob. Nor are we murderers. We are a band of peace makers and we are going to right the wrong.
How is Minnie and the kids? I wish I could have heard from you all once more before I crossed the waters but I guess the next time I will get to hear from you I will be somewhere in France. We have certainly been having a big time in camp for the past few days. Mothers and sweethearts and friends have been coming to bid their sons and sweethearts and friends their farewell goodbyes. The most saddest sight I never saw in my life as has been here this week. Oh! They should not grieve about their sweethearts or sons so. They ought to be proud that they have a son or sweetheart to uphold Old Glory, the red, white and blue. I will stand and die by her.
Well, Mother, tell all my friends I’m now ready to sail for a foreign country and that we are going to win the victory before we return. Give them my best regards. I will write you as soon as we get to New York. You need not write until we settle in France.
The captain said that we would stay long enough for them to show us the big City of New York and then we will go from there to Hobo, New Jersey where we will embark for France. We have a long, long voyage before us, but I hope we will have a pleasant voyage. I’m your son-
Corp. Dennis
Pride Won, Patriot Lost – Biography of Judson Dennis
Sept. 1917 Letter from Judson in Greenville S.C. to his brother Thomas Milton Dennis in Tip Top Tennessee,
28 Apr. 1918 Letter from Judson to his mother Minnie Dunkap Murphey in Granite City IL
28 Apr. 1918 Letter from Judson to his brother Thomas Milton Dennis in Tip Top Tennessee 28 Apr. 1918
6 May 1918 Letter from Judson to his mother
ca 1918 from Judson in Camp Merrit NJ to his brother
2 June 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his mother
21 June 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his mother
14 Aug. 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his brother
17 Aug. 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his mother
6 Sept. 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his mother
4 Oct. 1918 Letter from Judson in France to his brother
19 Nov.1918 Telegram from Army re Judson’s death
19 Jan. 1919 Letter from Sgt. P. Andrews in France to Thomas Milton Dennis re the death of Judson