Patrick Mosher's  great-grandfather, Peter Devine, fought in WWI and was sprayed with mustard gas in the first battle. As a result, gas masks were issued to the soldiers for future battles during WWI.  Devine returned home to his wife, Mary Townley Devine, and family. Over the years Mosher's great-grandfather told  stories to his children & grandchildren about his life and experiences during the first World War.

Oral family history! Decades later Patrick Mosher researched his great-grandfather's war records and discovered that Devine had been awarded a $10 per month disability check for a hernia incurred during his WWI service. Since Patrick knows his great-grandfather was in the first battle that included mustard gas, he concluded his great-grandfather may have sustained the hernia from running back into the trenches to pull and/or carry other wounded soldiers out of harm’s way.  He's NOT sure about that, but it seems plausible and he's an Irish storyteller – so that's the story he's telling future generations.

Mosher also talked about the marvelous job Lakota indians have done, preserving stories of their ancestors going back many generations. The elders sit down and tell the stories to the younger generations at every gathering.

Photos courtesy of Patrick Mosher. A special thanks to Randimary for the report.