Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-09-20
ALMA BOY WRITES
Dallas Brock Tells, About Men at
Camp Custer

mnt 81 Battle Creek, will prove
highly interesting 20 Alma people and
to others who will have friends or
relatives going there in the near flu
ture.
Mr.. Brock was among the first of
the young men of Gratiot county to
90 to Battle Creek, which makes his
letter the more interesting;
Sept rs, 1917.
Mr.. Chas Brown,
Alma. Mich.
Dear Mr.. Brown.
You probably would be interested
Il know how Gratiot county's men
Jared when they came to Camp Gus
ter, delegated as the first contingent
Of 5 per cent AS far as have been
able to learn in regard to my com
rades we all arrived safely and have
seen most Of them | believe since
they have been assigned to their var
ious companies and branches Of the
service You see this information
BIAS to be obtained on ones own in
itative inasmuch as we are separated
when we first arrive through a pro-
cess of questioning by the various
officers who meet us at the entrance
and then are taken away and as
signed TO our various companies. i
haven't the list OF fellows names
here SO | may not remember their
names, all Of them. bat can tell you
about most of them. Bill Scarf of
Ithaca, who came the first day is in
the supply train unit of the infantry;
Walter Brown, also of Ithaca is in
the 33Sth infantry Co. c. | believe,
some unit Of infantry | am at least
came the same day is in the same
company and regiment as myself,
Co. ID. 310th engineers and is train
ing for a cook Haley and Millington
Of Ithaca. who came the second day
believe are in the 32Sth regiment Of
field artillery Rhodes and the rest
Of the fellows Tam reasonably sure
are in the 339th infantry You see
this is a great big place over six
miles long and couple wide so we
] don't see each other much, that is
those who happen TO be in different
regiments. All of us are in the infan-
! try at present and from the time we
arise in the morning, 5:45, until tattoo
or taps at night we find plenty to do.
/ We have physical exercises even be-
fore breakfast which is at six a. M,
/ then after morning mess we are
given until 1870 to police (clean up
and put in good condition. our little
outside and start the days work with
calesthenics tsetting up exercises
! followed by verbal instruction i'm the
school of the soldier and then inten-
sive infantry drill formations in the
school of the soldier and squad units
About three quarters Of an hour is
devoted TO each in sequence until
! IL 80 when we go in to wash for noon
mess which is at -. Then out again
at 1870 to continue a repetition of
the mornings work until 4:30, then
evening mess at 500 and at 900 we
assemble again for retreat which is
evening roll call for the entire regi-
ment and dress inspection. This is
rather an impressive ceremony for
one not acquainted previously with
military customs Then the guard
mount is placed (sentinels for the
night guard and we are at liberty
to roam about camp and frequent the
Army Y NJ. c. AS which are splendid
on CARNATIONS here where we can
write letters, read, play the victrola
Oh pianos, sing and enjoy our even
lrgs until 9:l5 when we are usually
to be found in our hunks tired out
and glad to get there. You see 9:15
is tattoo and lights are out in our dor
mitories at that time. We can re-
main up of course until II p. m.
which is known as taps but we are
s. tired you know and who likes to
undress in the dark anyway. Then
we sleep curled up in our wooden
blankets until 5:45 a. m. again when
reveile sounds and we all get up to
repeat the preceding days program.
the process which will soon make US
al finished products in the soldier
line to 90 forth on our way to do our
"bit" in crushing Kaiserism and
autocrocy We fellows find the life
very different from that as enjoyed
by us as civilians but few complaints
are heard We are we'll housed and
well fed Not much resentment is
heard from the men and the longer
they remain here and become more
ard more accustomed to the life Of
a soldier still less resentment will be
voiced The war is seldom discussed
here, strange as it may seem.
guess everybody has too much else
to occupy his mind and so when
recreation time comes are glad to
think of things less serious. Posi-
bly, Alma people might be interested
ir this recount of Gratiot county,
representation already here in the
cantonment. If so you have my per
mission to give them a summary OF
what | have informed you in your
Alma Record.
Truly yours,
Dallas d. Brock.