The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-08-30
BACK HOME AGAIN
SOLDIER BOY rs GLAD TO LEAVE
THE PHILIPPINES.

The following letter has just been
received from Cecil Freeman son of
MIR. and Mrs. NJ. S. Freeman, GA North
ID street, who has been in the Philip
pines for nearly three years in the
Regular Army and just got back to the
states:
81 thought that 4 would write you a
few lines to let you know that ! ar
rived o. X. and am feeling fine. You
can't imagine how good it seems to be
back in. good old u. S. A. again. We
pulled through the Golden Gates last
Monday and when we saw good old
American soil we nearly went crazy.
Well folks we had fine trip, never
saw a more beautiful sea than when
We came over. All the way from Ma.
gasaki, Japan, it was smooth as a
dancing floor. We arrived in Maya
saki, July IS, and left the following
afternoon Nagasaki is beautiful
place and has a land locked harbor,
there is also a dry dock and shipyard
there and it is busy place. Every
thing is very cheap there. One can
ride almost all day in Rickinshaw
for zoe. | bought few little trinkets
and still have few pieces of Japanese
and Chinese money left certainly en-
joyed myself while here.
The Japanese are the most clean,
polite and Industrious people ! have
lever seen. Nearly every inch OF
ground is utilized They work the
ground on the hills in huge terrice to
the top so the ground will not wash.
Disappointed in Honolulu.
We left Nagasaki the Goth of July
and arrived in Honolulu August A
Honolulu is very pretty town, but
was greatly disappointed in it. One
hears so much about Honolulu that
he expects it to be a regular garden
of paradise. 1t is very beautiful
place however. | was out to Pah
which is a high cliff nearly 5000 feet
high. and one can see the entire IS
land of Oahu, which is the Island of
which Honolulu is the capital. 1t
was here on Pah where one of the
Hawaiian kings rushed dis enemy
army over to Beath by the way OF
the. cliff. Pine apple and sugar cane
are the chief products. One can see
fields of pine apples for miles. We
saw our first glimpse of American
states for nearly three years in Hawaii.
Good Old america.
We left Honolulu August 5, and ar
rived in Frisco, August 10, after being
a month on the way and believe me
II felt like getting on my knees and
eating a mouthful of good old Amer
lean soil. We are camped at Preside
which is right in Frisco. We nearly
froze while here for day or two. We
had nothing but the lightest of sum-
mer clothing, and they wear overcoats
here the year around, but we were
issued our overcoats the third day and
also stoves for our tents, so we are
getting along nicely now. ! do not
know how long we will stay here, but
1T is safe in saying that six months
from now will now find us in France.
Now please do not worry for | know
there Is no German bullet made to
get me- / wish that | could come
home and see you but it is impossible
te get furlough. But il get any
closer home am going to see you all
if | possibly can. | see that the Iowa
National Guards have been called to
the colors, so suppose that gets Har-
old and Chester. Please let me know
where they are at. Tell the girls |
will write to them soon.
1t only takes four of five days now
to get letter so We will not have to
wait SO long. Well goodbye for this
time.
Your son, Cecil c. Freeman,
% 18th Inf ntrY ~