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Mock, Joseph M. (First World War correspondence)
2017.429.w.r
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Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Joseph M. Mock First World War correspondence
Creator:
Mock, Joseph Milton
source:
Jackson, Donna F.
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.429.w.r
Physical Description:
0.08 Linear feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1918 November 24 - 1982 November 24
Date (bulk): 1918 November 24 - 1919 March 29
Abstract: This collection contains an original letter, photocopied correspondence, photocopied obituary, and photocopied official military
and government documents from Pvt. Joseph M. Mock, AEF during the First World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWI 4
Container: 8
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Donna F. Jackson.
This collection is arranged by material type, author, and date.
Private Joseph Milton Mock, American Expeditionary Force (7/13/1895 - 3/16/1984) was born in Fairfield, Nebraska to John and
Ethel Campbell Mock. He worked with his father as a farmer and enlisted on June 18, 1917 in Curtis, NE and served with Headquarters
Company 10th Field Artillery in France before being discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa on August 29, 1919. In october he married
Mimi Matilda née Conklin and lived in Wyoming, Colorado, and Oregon where in each he worked as a dairy farmer. He continued
work as a farmer and worked as a fireman at the air base in Walla Walla, Washington and security guard at the Veterans Administration
Hopital for many years before retiring 23 years prior to his passing in March 1984 at the age of 88. He was interred at Milton-Freewater
Cemetery in Oregon.
[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Joseph Milton Mock First World War correspondence (2017.429.w.r), Center for American
War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
This collection contains original correspondence from Pvt. Joseph M. Mock, AEF to his older sister, Bertha Phelps, as well
as two photocopied newspaper correspondence of the same letter to his father, John Mock, during the First World War. The collection
also contains a note from the donor concerning the original correspondence, a transcribed narrative told to the donor by Mock,
a photocopied certificate of graduation, a photocopied enlistment record, a photocopied honorable discharge record, a photocopied
death certificate, and a photocopied obituary.
The original correspondence is dated March 29, 1919. The donor note concerning this letter states that the letter was written
by Mock in Kruft Germany to his older sister, Bertha Phelps in Frontier, Nebraska. The letter was later given to the donor.
In the letter, Mock exclaims that he has not received a letter from his sister in three years, but it seems like he is over
exaggerating. He also remarks that he would not be coming home until 1995. He states that their new mess hall is currently
being built but in the meantime there are holes in the roof which makes the rain and snow even more unpleasant.
He discusses his re-enlistment in the army, saying,
"If need to stay any longer might just re-enlist stay in the army the rest of my life and take care of the whole U.S. someone must do it you know and I can't make a living on the outside the best thing to do is remain a soldier. Well I have changed my mind all ready I am coming home just as soon as possible."
In the photocopied newspaper clipping correspondence, Mock is writing to his father and discusses what he has been up to and
where he has been. He also discusses his position as a messenger, saying, "It is not so dangerous any more you know, but when
I first started it about two months ago, they told me the average runner's life was from 15 minutes to 24 hours. However,
none of our bunch were killed, altho' we were all close to bursting shells." His time as a messenger is elaborated in the
transcribed narrative dated November 11, 1982. Mock tells the donor that he was the messenger that told the batteries about
the cease fire at 11am November 11, 1918. He was sent to give the message an hour before the ceasefire and was forced to walk
due to the exceeding amount of horses killed.
"It made me disgusted that the Generals knew of the cease fire a couple days before but wouldn't stop the firing because the big wigs wanted the publicity of the 11th day, month, and hour."
More information on Mock is given in his obituary and his death certificate.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1914-1918)
World War (1914-1918) -- Germany
Correspondence -- World War, 1914-1918
United States -- Army -- American Expeditionary Force.
World War (1914-1918) -- Communications -- Military courier
Phelps, Bertha
Mock, John
Jackson, Donna F.