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The Minnesota Historical Society preserves and makes available a wide range of materials chronicling Minnesota's history and culture. The goals of the Collections Department are to collect and preserve; provide access and interpretation; and engage in education and outreach. This blog is a tool to share these stories and let people know what is happening in the department.
"The Hardest, Grandest, Finest, Worst Experience Anyone Could Have"
Willard W. Bixby was an ambulance driver with the Red Cross in Italy. In this letter to his family, Bixby writes that this war has been the hardest, grandest, finest, worst experience anyone could have. He also explains that even though the war is over, his work is not done yet. Bixby tells his family not to expect him back until after the first of the year because of all the work the ambulance men have yet to do.
Nov. 12, 1918
Dearest Family,
As you can imagine there is so much to tell that I would be cheating the R.C. if I tried to use enough paper. To say that this has been the hardest, grandest, finest, worst, experience anyone could have is just a short way of saying what it really was. As all my experiences are of the past and I have only time to write of the present I will leave them 'till another time. Of course you have read of our grand advance, the thousands of prisoners, the first three days of heavy fighting and then the mad pursuit of the enemy and when I tell you I was the first ambulance to pass over sector of the Piave you may know I was there. I was there that’s all and at times I was there when I wished to heaven I was some place else but now that it is “toute finito” I think I have seen and done the biggest thing in my “poco” life. Well, to make a long story short our section was cited and again I am recommended for the Croce de Guerra. While the war is finished there is still a lot of good we ambulance men can do as the conditions of the people in this evacuated territory are not of the best and there is a lot of work getting the poor unfortunates back where they can have proper medical care and attention. […] The thing I can't understand is why this thing of the last two weeks hasn't put me under the mat. Here I am, little me, with nothing worse than one of my colds while three of our huskies are in the hospital. One almost died of pneumonia and one of the others is in a pretty bad way. Tell Doc Campbell about it will you and he said I shouldn't go. Why I wouldn't have missed it for 10,000 dollars. [...]
All love and kisses.
Willard.
Citation:
Willard W. Bixby and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, Minnesota. A/.B624