Corporal P. G. Sheehan

SHEEHAN, NEUHAUS, HAYCOCK

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 10/15/2002 at 21:34:26

Corporal P. G. SHEEHAN

The Dubuque Times Journal
Thursday, February 20, 1919

SOLDIER WRITES TO PARENTS; SON DEAD

Mr. and Mrs. Sheehan Receive Letters From Captain of Company in France.

WAS VICTIM PNEUMONIA

Corporal Sheehan Died in October -- Made Home on a Farm Near Melleray.

Mr. and Mrs. Sheehan, parents of Corporal P. G. Sheehan, Bernard boy who died in a hospital in France last October, have received two kindly worded letters from comrades of their son who were with him at the end. One letter came from the captain of the company and the other from a Dyersville boy who was in the hospital at the time of Corporal Sheehan's illness.

The kindly sympathy expressed by the Dyersville soldier was calculated in a measure at least to console the grief stricken parents. The letter follows:

"Ribeaucourt, France, Dec. 28
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sheehan,
In regard to the death of your son, Corporal P. G. Sheehan, I wish to write a few lines. We almost took sick at the same time and were taken to the hospital at Hericourt, France, together. While there we had our beds side by side. Every effort was made to save his life by American doctors and untiring Red Cross nurses, but in vain. I saw him enter the sleep of death. He was well fortified with the last sacraments of the Catholic church as a Catholic priest was constantly laboring among the sick in the hospital.

In his delirium, he was frequently talking about his good home far away and was longing to see his good mother once more before he died. I also know the place where the remains were buried.

Private Blake was in the same hospital and most assuredly had the same care.

Sympathizing with you, I am your friend,
CORP. EDW NEUHAUS
Co. C. 352nd Inf
Home address, Dyersville, Iowa."

NEAR SWISS BORDER.

According to the letter written by the captain of the company, Corporal Sheehan was buried at Hericourt, France near the Swiss border. The captain says a cross marks the grave and assures the parents that some day the government well have the body removed and sent home. His letter reads:
"Although your son, Corporal P. G. Sheehan, died in the hospital at Hericourt, France, he was not alone. Corporal E. V. Neuhaus, of Dyersville, Ia., was sick in the same ward with him and I have asked him to write a letter which I am enclosing along with my own. They were both from my company and fine young men.

It is indeed hard to write to you because I know how grief-stricken a mother and father must feel to lose a son so far from home. But be comforted to know that he had all done for him that loving hands could do. He gave his life while doing his duty and in a noble cause.

My dear friends, you had a son of whom you may well feel proud, a fine and upright fellow who was loved by all the men and officers, and his death is deeply felt by all. His good behavior and manly-bearing showed clearly how good a home he had come from and what a good mother he must have had too.

Your son was buried at Hericourt, France, a town of about 5,000 near Belfort in the east central part of France, not far from the Swiss border. A wooden cross marks the grave, which of course is only temporary, as the government intends sending the remains of all soldiers home, I am informed.

If this letter brings any comfort to you I shall indeed feel very happy, and if there is anything else that I can do or any questions that I can answer, I shall only be too glad to be of service if you will write me.
CHESTER P. HAYCOCK
Captain of Infantry Co. C, 352nd"

Submitter's note: There was a photograph of Corporal Sheehan with the article.