La Junta tribune., 1917-07-19
SOLDIER BOY AT MARES ISLAND
Vernon McCuno Relates Inteseating
Tale Of the Daily Routine Of
Uncle Sans Marines


listed in the navy as an electrician.
and is now located at Mares Island,
near Vallejo, Calf. He says:
have received two Tribunes so
far. don't know how long 1t is go
ing to last, but hope Mason keeps
II up, as 1t ia mighty nice to get
paper from home The fellows
are making SO much noise that |
can hardly think to write. Some are
playing musical instruments. others
are writing or studying or reading.
and the rest of them are getting
ready to go ashore. ] am doing pa
troll duty on the wharf at the foot
OF Georgia street in Vallejo. II is
a provision patrol. / have to look af-
ter all the packages OF food coming
over TO Mares Island.
There are about 5000 marines on
Mares Island at the present time.
with about 1000 sailors. and It
makes quite mob all in bunch.
The night of the Fourth of July about
two-thirds of the marines and nearly
all the sailors were ashore. Ralph
Sherman tried to get across at 10
o'clock and did not get across un-
I'll nearly midnight The marines
had to use their clubs several times
TO keep the crowd from pushing
each other off the dock. Nearly all
the men from the University OF Min
nesota are here In the marine corps.
II is funny to see the marines and
sailors fight for each other when
ever the civilians start anything.
am on duty one day out Of four
and that makes II pretty nice for me.
There are three marines on duty at
the same place. Two look after the
passengers and one after the provis-
ions. We have q pretty good time
together. Some Of the marines Just
returned from the Philippines with
n bunch OF German prisoners.
They sure drill the marines some
about eight hours u day OF II.
There IL one marine that does guard
duty In the yard that nearly scares
-the new recruits to death the first
time he halts them when they are
coming In from shore leave. lie
stands out In the dark ana yells nj
them. and as he has voice like
a foghorn they sure pay attention.
lie always gives them the laugh af-
ter he halts them.
have not heard from Arthur but
once. ] answered his letter right
away. but he has not written again.
I wonder what Is the matter. ought
TO have had = letter from him three
days ago. (Arthur In vernon's broth
er. who is located at Camp Kelly. with
the Areo Squadron. near Ban An
tonic. rsxas)
Joha Decker b here. He came
dowa from Brsmmerton. wash.
about Q week ago. I don's know what
be b going 70 do here. About twsa-
ty-fivs. came down II the same bunch
vt~h hin. They are all nrst-eisss
asd sscoad-clsss asa. They we're TOLD
that they we're coaias down here 70
20 70 school. but ws might wake
W soas aosaias AID find the
whole bunch goas. That b the way
thiass hapees around here. We are
as< surprised q aaythiag aay Ders.
% svesythIns 10 secret.
have net bsea hoaeslck yst. but
some Of the fellows from Ia Juata
have had severe attacks Of Il. and
With soneeos them Il 10 almost coo.
tisuous.
There vas quite Q little excite
meat around here on July 9th. A.
sxDlosion shook thinsr ~ BIT. aad
aid some damage. but that II about
ail We are allowed 10 Say. The
nswspapsss say enough for the rest
Of ~. The very nearest that Q
aswspapss man succeeded II ssttias
70 the sceas Of the aecideat WAS q
mile away. - you csn judge for
yourse,f % 70 how much be kasv
abeut The damage that Vas doss.
I an afraid wiil have 70 81 sict
- you viii have 10 cons out here
u would - . flss tsip for you. aad
bssl1ss that ! would liks 70 - you
An anl I ere ss,as 70 tsy aad gs'
. susSeush q The saas tine - VI
co ~ q hons tessthss. bet thal
wi1l - nsasiy yeas sroa the tinl
I M.
I have ~ slastsl - schssl ~
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g ooOosmAes. ~ 01oAe jase q
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