The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1917-12-06


Sioux City, Iowa. He enlisted three
months ago and is now in training at
Fort Monroe, Va. His letter in part
follows:
Fort Monroe, Va,
Nov. %, 1917.
Dear Cora:
l have been so busy since received
your letter that I had to neglect my
correspondence.
We are through with our training
however, and expect to leave for
Sioux City, next Tuesday morning on
a fifteen day furlough. | Jared pretty
we'll when the commissions were an
nounced. l am to receive a commits.
sion as first lieutenant in the Coast
Artillery Reserve Corps. ranked
about the 155th man out of a camp
of about 1900 men, so ! feel pretty
good about it. expect that if 1
should make good, that | will be re-
commended for a commission as cap.
tain before many more weeks. Begin
ming on the 9th of November will
draw salary of $166.66 per month";
and have my quarters furnished and
in case get ordered to France will
draw $4,000 per month. expect
however that we will be kept in this
country until spring at least. 1t is
rumored, however, that some of us
will be sent to France at once for six
months training in the French artil-
lery school at Paris.
We have had very pleasant three
months in spite of a few disagreeable
for four weeks and have spent the re-
mainder here at Fort Monroe. The
first month was largely infantry drill
but the past two months has been
devoted to the most concentrated
study that I have ever done, besides
about four hours every day as drill on
the big guns. We finished up our
work on the 12 inch rifles today. We
were firing at target 10 miles away
and the fourth shot we hit it and so
completely demolished it that we had
to stop target practice.
The fort here is one of the most
historic places in the U. S. 1t was
fortified in 1925. The old fort includ-
ed large enclosure surrounded by a
high parapet and a moat which was
crossed by four bridges. Our barrack
buildings are inside of this wall. At
one time the guns were all mounted
on this wall but at present the arma-
ment consists of twenty-one IL inch
guns: six 10 inch guns and number
of smaller guns mounted on emplace-
ments which extend for a mile or
more. The guns that l have worked
on most are the IL inch. The gun is
about IS feet long, and with carriage
weighs about 200 tons. The projectile
weighs 1910 pounds and the powder
charge weighs 262 pounds. The maxi
mum range is about 18 miles. The
concussion of the air is so great when
the large guns are fired that it some
times breaks windows mile or more
away. The first time was near when
one was fired, the explosion knocked
the hat off my head and almost knock
ed me off my feet. I am getting used
to it. Today was working right near
the muzzle during the firing and did
not mind it very much.
In our work we have to make cor
rections for numerous errors in shoot
ing the gun and the study of these
corrections is large part of our work
One can see the projectile as it is
hurled through the air. 1t looks like
a small black speck.
A couple of weeks ago my company
chartered boat and went up to York
town to see the Atlantic Fleet. We
were on water about all day and 1 had
my first experience of sea sickness.
We visited the dreadnought Delaware.
sister ship of the North Dakota, and
saw it from top to bottom. We also
went on shore at Yorktown, and visit
ed the monument which marks the
place of the surrender of CORVALLIS
to Washington. always supposed
that Yorktown was quite a place, but
I was disappointed. 1t does not even
measure up to some of the small
North Dakota towns.
There are many interesting things
near here. The Hampton Institute is
only about Is minutes ride from the
barricks. Some of us went over one
Sunday evening to hear the large,
negro chorus of about 500 voices.
There is also large National Sol
diers' Home here and a good many old
buildings and relics of early days.
I must close for this time.
Sincerely,
Will H. Payne,
LIST 1t. C. A. r. c..