"Most of the men were drinking water out of shell holes, taking a chance, as most of the holes were full of gas." (Typescript diary, page 24)

Harry Frieman

Harry Frieman [1920] War: World War, 1914-1918 Branch: Army Unit: 313th Machine Gun Company, 79th Division Service Location: France Place of Birth: **

As a member of the 313th Machine Gun Company, Harry Frieman spent much of the war buried deep in the notoriously brutal trenches of France. His diary offers striking descriptions of the World War I combat experience: constant artillery fire, very little fresh water or food, and trips "over the top." Frieman's notes include his personal account of the day that it all ended: November 11, 1918. At the time of the Armistice, Frieman's unit was caught in a trap, surrounded on three sides by German troops, and might not have survived much longer.