Theodore Stalemo was the son of Norwegian farmers in the Fisher area. He was born Sept. 8, 1894, and so he was 23 years old when he was drafted. He entered the service on May 27, 1918.
His first stop, along with many from that part of Minnesota, was at Camp Lewis, Washington, where he did basic training. This first letter is to his sister.

Camp Lewis, Wash.
Sunday 2. 18

Dear Sister-
As it is Sunday tonight and I have nothing to do, I'll scribble you a few lines. Passed my examination today O.K., but my stomach is not very good. There was five rejected. The examination here was not different than in Crookston. Hope I'll get better or worst so I know what they will do with me. I'd just as soon stay as I think Andrew would go to class 1 if I am sent home anyway.
The Gunstenson Boys like it fine here. Thor is on this floor and Beiswinger and George Haggerty too. Well, here is where we learn to do housework and washing. I have not done anything but wash my clothes and sweeping. Here is where you learn to be on time, and be quick about it. Just so far, I have had good luck. If you ain't on time or something, you got to go and work in the kitchen a few days.
This camp has room for one hundred thousand men and has about 80,000 now. It is 70,000 acres. Sure is a nice camp. I sent you a picture. Good grub too. Only it is so cold at night and cloudy or foggy in the morning.
There were quite a few swell people out from Tacoma in autos today.
Well, I guess this will be all for tonight. We got to be in bed by 9# and up by 6# in the morning. Goodbye.
Theodore Stalemo
20th Co. 5th Bn.
166 Depot Brigade
Camp Lewis, Washg.

Stalemo's next stop in his Army career was at Camp Kearney, California, where he was likely assigned to the 40th Infantry Division, 158th Regiment. The division was called "The Sunshine Division" and was mainly made up of men from the southwestern United States.This letter to his brother describes his life at the camp and hints that he is about to ship out.

National War Work Council
Army and Navy
Young Men's Christian Association
Camp Kearny, California

Y.M.C.A.
Sat. 27 – 1918
Dear Brother,
Will drop you a line tonight as I'm not doing anything today. I'm O.K. Got your letter. Had a letter from Albert K. and Andrew Anderson. They both think they'll have to join our company. They sure are going fast. So much the better. Hope we'll get it done quick.
Some here have the idea that the war will not last very long and are looking for a change by fall as the Huns are getting in a pinch. Sure would make a happy day when peace comes for a lot of people.
Gunsten Gunstenson left for home today. He got fifteen days furlough so he won't be along with us. He got thin here from that operation. If I could go too and get a month furlough, I'd do it. There sure has been a lot of people seeing the men this last week.
I've been doing everything this last week. Was up to the horse center and unloaded hay the other day. Some fine and well-matched horses, about 7,000 with the mules. Some bunch. A carload of hay don't last many minutes here. They are all nice and fat and feeling good.
It's the same way with the men. Most of them are getting to straighten up and get fat as we got the right exercise. I weigh about 160 now. Seen Will Logan tonight. He is hog fat too. He said they did not hail out much home.
Well, we all got Gillette Safety Razors, so I sent my razor and strop home last night. I'd sooner had it as it was a dandy one. But we got to use what the government issues to us, and I think it will be better  when I get used to it and we don't need to bother with the strop.
I took some Valentines out, but I got 4 short and won't have time to get them before I leave so I ordered them to send 'm home. I sent one to Gertie. You can get your picture taken here whenever you feel like it as most everyone has a Kodak.
Well, I guess I'll have to quit this scribbing as they are making too much noise here. We got something going on here every evening at the YMCA. Tonight, it's an Indian girl singing. Indians are common here. I'll tell, some of them are smarter than we got any idea about.
So good bye.
Theo S.
Don't think you'll hear more from me in this camp.


This letter to Selma was also from Camp Kearney. The area in the letter represented here by X's was blocked out, probably by an Army censor.

Sunday, July 21, 1918.
Dear Selma,
Received you letter a time ago and as I'm not very busy, thought I'd drop you a line. I'm at the YMCA now waiting for the services to start. I'm getting along fine, but will have to leave this camp soon. I'd like to stay here a little longer as I was getting used to it now.
But the whole division will leave XXXX about XXXXX XXXX men. I don't know where we will go or when.
You ought to see me now. I'm as dark as a Dago in the face and had to cut my hair short so I look like a tough now. Had my picture taken July 4. It was so hot that I thought I'd die that day. You can see it on the picture. You don't want to show it to anybody.
You asked if I run the big cannons here. I have not seen 'm, but I heard a few shots. I think we got 50,000 men in this camp or two divisions.  I see in the papers the Huns are getting chased back now so they will have to give up some time. Hope they will finish it this year.
Well, I guess I'll have to give up my writing now as news is scarce at present. So if  you don't hear from me for a while, you know I'm on a move. So Good By
Theo Stalemo
I got to go and wash clothes now. Some jobs I don't like. You see we got inspection every day. One of the main things in the Army is to keep clean.

By late August he was overseas with the 40th Division. The division was later broken up, as he alludes to at the end of the letter, with the men going as replacements to other divisions.

Some where in France
Aug. 29, 1918
Dear Sister,
Will send you a line today to let you know I am getting along fine. Have been on the road for a long time on the train and on the feet with full pack, so it gives us a good appetite. By this walking through the country, we see quite a few interesting things. The towns are close together and the farms are all small. All buildings are made of brick, some 3 or 4 hundred years old. The people here sure are savvy. I think they can learn U.S. some in that line.
I never thought this country was as nice as it is. They have nice stock, especially horses and cattle. I wish I could get a chance to see some of the Fisher boys that got here before.
I guess I'll quit this writing for this time. So goody.
Theo Stelemo
Co. F 158 Inf. AEF via New York.
I may be in another Co soon. Tell Gust I got that stuff he sent. I'll write him soon.

Censored
Lt. R.C. Diafy
Co. F, 158th Inf.

By October, Stalemo had probably seen quite a bit of war. He had been transferred to the 77th Division, a unit out of New York called the "Statue of Liberty Division." He was in the 306 Regiment. The division was active in the fierce fighting in Meuse-Argone front fighting with the American First Army. During the war, the division had 1,486 men killed in action.

Knights of Columbus
Overseas Service
On Active Service with
American Expeditionary Forces
A.P.O.

Oct. 12, 1918
Dear Brother John,
Well I must drop you a few lines and let you know I'm feeling fine. I got your letter and Annie's and Gust at the same time and the 5 $ you sent too, but had to leave for the front just then so I did not have time to answer before today. As we are back for a relief just now, don't know how long we will be resting. Some place up there, hope we have peace soon. Anyway, we sure are chasing the Huns back now. I have not seen the Germans, except prisoners, but you sure can hear the bullets and the shells bursting. I got a shower of dirt from a shell over my head and the dead men I got used to now. But it was not pleasant at first I must say.
The other company I was in is all split up now. You needn't send me any money as I got enough. I can't buy anything here anyway. We must get back to some city and rest for some weeks, then I'll answer some of the letters. I have not had time to so far. My address is now, Co. H, 306 Inf. Via New York A.E.F. Hope by the time you get this, the war is over. We sure have enough rain and mud here. Well, I have no more news for this time so I must quit. With best wishes.

OK
JO Galen
Capt. Inf.

The "OKs" on the end of the letters are from the Army censors. The previous letter was written just two days before Stalemo was greivously wounded by an artillery shell. In the letter below, he explains to his brother, John, what happened.

Oct. 26, 1918
My Dear John:
No doubt you have heard from the War Department that I was wounded on Oct. 14, and I am writing this to let you know that I am in a base hospital and getting along nicely.
A shell burst near me and I was struck by pieces of it. It was necessary for the doctor to amputate my left foot just above the ankle. I also have a fracture in my right leg above the knee and my right arm above the elbow and my right hand is cut but not badly though I cannot use it very well so have asked another wounded soldier here to write this for me.
This hospital is near Nantes in the south of France not far from the coast and I am being very well taken care of. Came down here on an American Red Cross train which has all conveniences and the ride was very comfortable as the beds have springs and mattresses.
I do not want you to worry because I am out of danger now but will write again in a week to let you know how I am getting along.
Better not answer this letter because when a solider has lost a foot as I have he is sent back to the states when able to travel and I will probably see you before your letter would reach me. I would not be a bit surprised if I were with you for Christmas.
Hoping you are all in the very best of health, I remain.
Your brother,
Theodore

Stalemo was lying to his brother. He was not out of danger, and, in fact, he probably knew that he was near death from blood poisoning. He had to be very sick. He died two days later.
His courage shines through the previous letter as he tried to keep his family from worrying.
The following telegram, however, which may have reached his home before the letter to John, gives the family the grim news. The telegram was hand written.

Western Union Telegram
Washington DC

Mrs. Sarah Stalemo
Fisher Minn.
Deeply regret to inform you that it's officially reported that Private Theodore Stalemo, infantry, died October twenty eighth from septicemia and pulmonary edema.
Harris, the Adjt Genl.

Stamped on the telegram is a Minnesota Soldier's Bonus Board endorsement from 1922. The family was apparently trying to get a state benefit for their lost son.
The following letter was a remarkable act of kindness by an employee of the American Red Cross. One can only guess at what comfort such a letter brought the grieving family.

Base Hospital No. 11
AEF   APO 767

Mrs. O.J. Stalemo
Fisher, Minn.
Dear Mrs. Stalemo
Will you accept my sincere sympathy for the sorrow that has come to you in the death of your son Theodore at the hospital? I am a stranger to you, but as representative here of the Home Communications Service of the American Red Cross, I come in touch with many of the boys who are here to be taken care of and when, in spite of the care and devotion that is given in each case, there is one which does not recover, I always feel as if I want to send a word to the mother that she may have the satisfaction of knowing that her boy was well looked after and that if human skill and care could have saved him, she would have had him back.
You probably know that your son came to this hospital badly wounded and, in spite of all that could be done, blood poison ensued and he passed away on October 28th. You will be glad to know that his going was without suffering and that he realized he was going and had the courage to go like the good solider he was, bravely and uncomplaining.
His physician, Dr. Tormey, one of the most skillful and kindly of the staff, took a particular interest in him, and did all that was possible to do to make him comfortable and Theodore liked him and seemed to look forward to his visits and to being worked over by him. He was also fond of Mr. Wolfe, the man in charge of his ward. And they were quite chummy in a way that was I am sure helpful to both.
The nurse, Miss Lillian Olson, is a most kindly, generous, conscientious girl, and she too devoted herself especially to your boy, who seemed to have the happy faculty of winning friends easily. It was a personal sorrow to them all when he slipped away from them, but his poor body had been so hardly treated by the fortunes of war that I cannot help feeling that it was a relief to him to go, and that we must none of us wish him back. He was made happy by receipt of a letter from a friend of his the day before he died and wrote one to his brother promising to be home for Christmas and as well did he fight that I think until towards the very last he really expected to win through.
He was buried in the little American hospital cemetery just outside the city of Nantes, among green fields and trees, and his coffin, covered with the beautiful stars and stripes he had loved so well and served so faithfully, was borne by comrades. The brief, simple military burial service was read by the chaplain, and a salute of three volleys was fired across the open grave, followed by the sweet notes of "Taps" from a bugle in the woods nearby as his last farewell from earth. The grave is marked with a plain white cross bearing his name. And the French women from the nearby village will keep it fresh and bright with flowers from their own gardens, in tribute to him and in sympathy to you. They understand as well because they themselves have given… (copy of the letter is unreadable for a line) … quiet garden spot, and I am sure you'll be better satisfied to think of his sleeping there rather than at some crowded battlefield at the front and to know that he was among friends at the last and made as comfortable as possible.
His was a brave, bright spirit, and while I know your grief will be great, it must be tempered with pride in having giving so much to the greatest cause the human race ever fought for, and to which he gave his all.
Very sincerely yours,
Mary R. Cate
Home Communications Services
A.R.C.

Theodore Stalemo's body stayed in the French cemetery until September, 1920, when the family had it brought home. His final resting place is in the Lutheran Cemetery at Fisher.
American Legion Post 242 in Fisher is named after Stalemo.
He was 24 years old when he died. The war ended 14 days after his death.




Editor's Note: Many thanks to the descendents of Theodore Stalemo who preserved the letters and presented them to the post, to Fisher Post 242 for providing the information, and to Kurt Brickson of the post who did research on Stalemo's life.