The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-12-21
FORMER LEAVENWORTH BOY
WRITES OF CAMP LEWIS
Describes Encampment as Big
Boys Playground-Praises the
Work of Y. M. c. A.
Camp Lewis, Dec. 10, 1917

Dear Friend:-
The long delay in not acknowledge
ing the valuable present and your
sincere kindness has been due to a
couple of weeks of La Grippe and
then lot of work.
We arrived here on Sunday
night and had supper about p. m.
and Gee! but what tired and hun
cry bunch we were. Hadn't had a
thing to eat since 11:30 that morn
ing in Seattle, where they treated us
fierce-cold mush, two scrambled
eggs and stamped postal card for
sixty cents. I am glad in one way
that General Greene put the pe.n on
them.
After we had our supper they is
sued us two blankets, two towels
one mess kit, one cot, straw mat
tress and comb. Maybe you think
we didn't snore. The next morning
at 5:45 the bugler was playing
"Can't get up" and hardly anyone of
us could speak above whisper, due
probably to singing on the train on
our way over. Then followed about
three weeks of homesickness and
blues. You see it was complete
change from what any of us had
been used to-but after we have got
used to it, we like the simple life
and what's more there isn't a one
of US would quit now short of the
Kaiser's scalp. You should have
seen the review some time back
there was 10000 of us out, all in
Khaki, marching down the parade
grounds with seventeen military
bands playing patriotic airs-I'll tell
you it certainly made one glad he
was able to serve "Old Glory" 1t
took two hours for them all to pass
the reviewing stand.
All the boys who came with me
are seventy five per cent more eff
ficient in every way. We go to bed
at o'clock every night except We'd
nesday when we can stay out until
II pm. and Saturday we can stay
out all night if we care to-. But
after one forms the habit of going
to bed early you can hardly resist
it-and it's regular meals and sleep
ing that gives one the vim and
vigor. All of US are rosy checked
and from ten to twenty-five pounds
heavier If we ever get across
the Kaiser will be real sorry he ever
started this war.
Here's the way we train-get up
every morning at 5:45 except Sun
day when the call comes at 6:15-
stand reveille at 6 a. m.-sick call
at 6:45, and at am. drill call.
First we double quick for half
hour to warm up-then squads right
and squads left-then setting up ex-
cersize, battalion awhile-ten min
utes at baracks-out on the parade
grounds again in bayonet practice,
bomb throwing, trench digging,
sIgnUIng ana cleaning your gun,
ter which comes retreat. Then comes
inspection and every soldier in camp
stands at attention. The officers in
charge salute while the buglers play
the colors. Then comes mess again
at 5 p. m. After mess the boys
study, write letters and go down to
the Y. M. C. A., My, but they
mean everything to us. They have
reception rooms, reading and writing
tables, a victrola with lots of rec
ords and piano to amuse ourselves
with and there's always someone
who can play both. They also have
a school where you learn French,
Engineering, Music and in fact most
anything one would care to study.
They also have basket ball courts,
punching bags and gymnastics of
all kinds. We would be lost with
out them. The government fur
nishes recreation rooms tho and
gives all the chance one needs. In
reality its just great big boys play
ground and we are all for one good
cause-how can we help but win ?
A word about our officers. Every
company thinks they have the best
captain-they are all courteous
obliging in every way and there
isn't one of us that wouldn't go
over the top for them at the drop
of the hat. Our company is mo-
tor organization. Everyone can drive
a truck. On the 18th of October l
got a warrant as mess sergeant.
NV duties are to buy food and see
that it is cooked well-wages $3S
per month. A number of the Che
Ian boys have done as well or bet
ter. Chelan county has a remark
able standing at Camp Lewis
Fred Getchman, Ed Sharpe and
Cahill from Leavenworth are in our