Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-12-26
SERGEANT ALEX BEAR
WRITES FROM CAMP
Member Motor Section 311th Am.
+ munitiOn Train at Camp Grant,
Illinois.
HE LAUDS WORK
OF THE Y. NJ. C. A.
Physical Condition of the Men is Ex-
ce.ent and Everyone Shows the
Benefit of His Three
Months Training.
Camp Grant, Ill.
December 20, 1917.

DeCemDeT ~, 1871.
My Dear Editor:
| am writing what l have starte,
10 do several times before, of tn
activities at Camp Grant and Will
| am little lat. in sending this let
ter | hope thar you will find it non,
the less welcome
The camp here for the last mo1tl
or so, has been drained of it's maj
power to a considerable extent. du,
to the transfer of several thousand tC
southern territory for the purpos,
OF hlling up organizations there o.
perhaps for further training. Quite E
good many of the men experienced
In certain work have been sent Eas
Tor immediate overseas service anC
more will follow before long. Nearly
1000 men have been rejected foI
physical reasons which indicates that
Uncle Sam wants only strong men to
make up its army.
The commanders are anxious for
more men SO the work of completing
the division may be carried on. There
is plenty of room in the barracks for
hundreds of additional men, but
there is still lacking sufficient equip
ment for new recruits. At the pres
ent time however everyone is in full
uniform. The huge task of training
and equipping a division grows up
on the person who has been here
from the start / can appreciate that
especially as | happened to be in the
first IL men who came here on Sept.
9TH. However it is being accomplish
ed and done with a thoroughness
that is surprising.
There are no more awkward
squads to be seen now, and the daily
drill is gone thru with such snap and
precision that it is fine to look at.
The infantry companies have the ap-
like they are ready for a battle any
time. Just recently the engineers
demonstrated that they were in good
shape, and left for unknown parts
last Sunday. The machine gun bat
talions, field artillery regiments as
well as other organizations have made
much progress. While many things
have been learned there still remains
a great deal more before we can take
our proper place.
OF late we have been practicing
throwing bombs and hand grenades.
Bayonet practice has consumed a
lot of time as the use of this weapon
has been brought into great play
during this war.
While many of the men have taken
their turn at digging trenches the
ammunition trains have been lit
tie more fortunate in not having to
do this work, as you know it ISM
so very pleasant though neverthe'
less we'll worth knowing.
Setting up exercise have been dis
continued during the cold weather
but the usual physical drill take:
place indoors for an hour every NOR
ming. Practice marches are taken or
ten so every man is as fit as a fiddle
The physical coalition OF the mel
is excellent and every man shows IL
his face the benefit of his training fo
the last three months. The real stou
fellows have succeeded in taking OF
many pounds and it would be inter
esting to know just how much sur
plus fat has been trained OF.
Il haven't the slightest idea hoy
long we will be in the service, bu
| believe that the only thing and by IA
the most important that man VII
receive from his experience In tn
army. will be a stronger body am
| better health. 1t Is WORK anu tho'
more work with plenty OF good sub
stantial food to keep the boys L
good humor. The meals are simpi
fine and there is 40 complaint iron
not receiving enough.
The good men here are the one
who have gone ahead and today ar
wearing chevrohs of sergeaats an
corporals. A few fellows trained !
certain lines have won commission
though it is an exceedingly diihcul
matter to become an officer out OF IN
caaks. Throughout the different car
tonements situated in 9inerent par'
Of the country they are mostly oihcei
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