but it felt like old fashioned grip or perhaps 'The Flu. ' '' . U.S. soldier survived Spanish flu pandemic not once , but twice . 1918 Spanish flu ravaged military camps where soldiers trained for WWI . The first time it was a mild case of the flu; the second time it killed more than half its victims in less than two weeks. `` Al '' Culhane in letter told his brother to keep infection secret from rest of family .
U.S. soldier survived Spanish flu pandemic not once , but twice . 1918 Spanish flu ravaged military camps where soldiers trained for WWI . The first time it was a mild case of the flu; the second time it killed more than half its victims in less than two weeks. `` Al '' Culhane in letter told his brother to keep infection secret from rest of family .