Over There

By Bill Hunt P.A.-C

In his first published work, Bill Hunt has actually produced a multitude of stories in one book. As the reader progresses through the four short stories narrated by the Grandson of George Hunt, the main character, the readers will find themselves thinking, Huh, did I miss something?

About half way through that will change to a Hmmm.
The main story involves the backgrounds and interactions of four individuals who end up together in the Argonne Forest during World War I.

The final story is the Grandsons, and his turn to serve, fifty years later in the Disneyland of Southeast Asia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496926562

Bill Hunt P.A.-C

Graduated with the first class of Army Physicans Assistants Retired from the US Army with 22 years service. After retirement taught in public and private high schools After 2nd retirement, moved to a 40 acre farm in Indiana. Bred and trained horses and riders for competition in the equestrian sports of eventing and polo.

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© 2014 Bill Hunt, P.A.-C. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/22/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-2655-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-2656-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014913384

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Front Cover Photo courtesy of Arlington National Cemetery

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

THE FIRST STORY GEORGE R. HUNT – GRANDDAD

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

THE SECOND STORY WALENTY TOBLINSK – THE IMMIGRANT

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

THE THIRD STORY CHARLES REYNOLDS - THE DRAFTEE

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

THE FOURTH STORY TOBIAS Z. HERRMANN, III - THE PLATOON LEADER

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

THE FIFTH STORY THE AMALGAMATION

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

EPILOGUE

The cover art shows the Argonne Cross, which is located in Section 18 of Arlington National Cemetery. It was placed In Memory of Our Men in France, 1916- 1917 and Erected Through the Efforts of the Argonne Unit of the American Women’s Legion.

Also depicted is the Shoulder Insignia of the 78th Infantry (Lightening) Division.

DEDICATION

Of all the folks who have had an influence on my becoming what I am, the two most influential were my Granddad and my Dad. They both, each in their own way, insured that I received instruction that made me well versed in those intangibles that make the individual parts become the individual.

To me the most important of these is the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and adhere to the right. When, and there are many examples, I didn’t they provide the guidance to have me assume the responsibility for not making the correct choice and accepting the consequences thereof.

Additionally they were instrumental in forming my beliefs and core values especially in the areas of philia, agape, and patriotism. In regards to the area of eros, I did ok there all by myself, thank you very much.

When my mother returned from the war, carrying more than her duffle bag, any disappointment that my Grand dad may have felt, was never displayed to me.

Likewise, my step-dad never treated me any differently than his natural children. I truly believe the only reason he never formally adopted me was purely financial.

With that said, I dedicate this book,

To

All Dad’s and Granddad’s, Especially My Own

THE FIRST STORY

GEORGE R. HUNT – GRANDDAD

PROLOGUE

They heard the Germans talking and smelled the burning tobacco. The three flattened themselves on the ground and low crawled toward the voices, Charlie on the left, Walt in the middle, and George on the right. Charlie saw the emplacement first; he lifted his head and chest off the ground and took a grenade from the pouch, primed it and came up on one knee. And he pitched it underhanded into the machine-gun emplacement. The German traversed his gun and the short burst entered Charlie’s body. The first round hit him in the right shoulder, lifted him off the ground, and spun him into the fire. The second pounded into his chest left of center and directly on the nipple line. The third and fourth pulverized his left lung. He slammed backward into the ground, the lip of his helmet, held firmly in place by the chinstrap, dug deep into his neck and it snapped.

Walt jumped up and called to George for cover. George threw out smoke grenades, but before the smoke was thick enough to conceal him, Walt ran to Charlie, picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. The Hun’s bullets took his legs out from under him.

George ran through the dissipating smoke to Walt. He picked him up, carried him back to a covered area as a bullet struck his leg dropping him to his knees. He laid Walt in the underbrush and went back for Charlie. That’s when a second round tore into his neck, barely missing the vital structures, but he crawled back to Walt dragging Charlie with him.

A few days later, the following appeared in the Gloucester City News: The News learned from a national news dispatch of two Gloucester City natives seriously wounded and one killed in action, in the Meuse-Argonne region of France. The three men attempted to locate and destroy a German artillery battery when they encountered a series of German machine gun bunkers. The names of the dead and wounded have not been released pending the notification of their next-of-kin.

CHAPTER 1

George Rodgers Hunt was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania about 1894. The second son of George Hunt and Sarah Rogers was born at home and the exact date and time went unrecorded. George picked 9 September 1894 as his birthday. Coincidentally on that date in 1908, George and his wife Margret, along with his brother and his wife, moved their families from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. It was the tenth of September 1912 that George entered High School.

George Hunt?

Here, Ma’am, George responded and raised his right hand.

Jack Hunt?

Here Ma’am, and Jack raised his right hand like his cousin.

Levi Johnson?

He replied in the same manner. The teacher looked at her attendance roster and continued down the alphabetical list until the rest of the class answered. After the roll call, the teacher had the class bow their heads, read the twenty-third psalm and then everyone rose to pledge allegiance to the flag.

His thoughts that day revolved around his future. He just knew that if he worked hard at it, he might be the first ever in the family to become a high school graduate. He fantasized about going to college with the hope of becoming a history teacher, and he would play football to pay for it.

In his freshman year, he played left halfback, behind Charlie Reynolds at quarterback. His cousin Jack played right halfback. Had a freshman been able to beat-out John Gamble for the fullback position the ninth graders would have control of the entire backfield. The team went four and zero, that season and then on Thanksgiving Day they beat Gloucester Catholic for the City Championship.

By the end of his junior year, the coaches at Temple University in Philadelphia had scouted him. Temple’s mascot was an Owl. The school chose the owl because of its renown as a night hunter and Temple was one of the first schools to offer night classes. This fit right in with Georges plan. He could still have a part-time job, attend football practice in season during the day, and attend classes at night. God was in his haven and all was right with the world.

At the start of his senior year, George fell victim to Influenza and by the time, he recovered the football season ended along with his hopes for a football scholarship. Despite having, a year of eligibility left and the insistence of his parents and teachers to continue, George left school and became a truck driver for the Gloucester City Lumber and Millwork Company.

Shortly after that he married, Ruth Margaret Paine, they had three children the oldest, Ruth Evelyn, was my mother.

It’s strange what you remember from your childhood. One of my strongest memories is whenever Grandmom would block his view of something, Granddad would say, Peggy, you may be a Paine but I can’t see through you.

Not having a father image to look to for guidance and direction Granddad filled that role.

CHAPTER 2

On Flag Day, Monday, June 14, 1954, I went home from school and eagerly anticipated Granddad’s return home from work. When he walked up on the front porch, I had already pushed open the screen door.

Did you hear what President Eisenhower did today?

Granddad leaned up against the door jam and slipped off his shoes.

Nope, what did he do today?

He changed the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. What do you think about that?

I don’t know. How did it change?

He added ‘One nation under God’ to it. It comes right after, ‘for which it stands’.

We went into the house where he put on his slippers gave Grandmom a kiss on the cheek and pinched her butt.

What’s for supper?

Stop that, George. Not in front of the boy, fish.

He laughed and picked up his pipe, loaded it with tobacco and we went back out on the porch. Before he left for work that morning, he had placed small American flags all along the porch railing. He sat down in his rocker and I sat in Grandmoms.

Well, what do you think? I asked.

I think, I should put up a flagpole in the yard, and have one big flag instead of all these little ones.

"No, Granddad, what do you think, about the change to the pledge?’

Oh that, well a couple of things, he replied. One, it wasn’t the President that made the change. That’s the job of the Congress and the President approves it. Second, since I believe in God, I think it is a good idea. Third, since there are a lot of folks who don’t believe in God it probably won’t stand the test of time.

You know when the guy that wrote it way back in 1892, name was Bellamy, a Baptist preacher. He had the first line start with, ‘I pledge allegiance to my flag.’ That changed ‘to the flag of the United States’ around 1923 or so and then about a year later they added of America." He also wanted