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Edgar D. Andrews was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up there with his parents, George and Sarah. Later, he joined the Massachusetts National Guard.
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Before World War 1, Andrews went to the Mexican border with the National Guard. They were sent there for the Mexican Expedition. It helped him get ready for real combat later.
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Andrews and his unit traveled to France with the American Expeditionary Forces. It was his first time leaving the country. They trained with French soldiers when they arrived.
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Before America entered the war, Andrews was already training with the Massachusetts National Guard. He worked hard to get ready for battle. The U.S. joined the war soon after.
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In 1917, the U.S. entered World War 1, and Andrews went to France with the 26th Division. He was in Company A of the 102nd Machine Gun Battalion. They trained under French officers before fighting.
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This was Andrews’ first big fight in France. The battle was rough and many soldiers were hurt or killed. It showed him how hard war really was.
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Andrews fought again during this big battle. The fighting was fierce and stressful. His letters showed he missed home a lot.
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Andrews fought in the Battle of Seicheprey and later in the Aisne-Marne Offensive. The fighting was hard and dangerous. After a while, he got sick and had to go to the hospital.
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After the war ended, he came back to the United States. Andrews was happy to be home and done with fighting. His letters showed how much the war changed him.
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Andrews became a stockbroker and married Margaret Nichols. He had two kids and joined the Freemasons, becoming Worshipful Master in 1947. He lived a long life and died on April 19, 1974.