The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1917-11-01
WRITES ABOUT EX-
PER|EhCE IN ARMY
Lexington Boy, With American Ex-
peditionsry Force, Sends Local
Man Interesting Account
Of Experiences.

peditiOnary Force, Sends Local
Man Interesting Account
Of Experiences.
w. M. McAlister, Of Lexington, now
, in France, has written the following
interesting letter to DR.. N. E. .Winnard
of this city. It is indeed an interest.
ing account of the experiences of On
American soldier in France, as far a.
the censor will allow 1t to be, and the
places marked with stars show where
the censor has taken out parts of the
message. p 80
Sunny France, s-27-17.
DR.. N. e. winnard,
Heppner, Oregon. U. s. A.
Dear Sir:
As It has been almost two months
since left the States Tor France !
will try and write youa'few lines and
tell you Of my travels. but 1t will be
very brief as our mail goes through
the censorship and we are cautioned
to be very careful what we write and
how we write. But will try and not
say anything l shouldn't, yet expect
quite bit Of 1t will be cut out.
Our stay at the training camp on
the western coast was short but all
the time we were there we were quite
busy drilling, excepting at first; all
of US were new at the business and
therefore 1t was rather light work.
But as time passed the famous
word "Co. e. Fall In!' could be
heard quite frequently and so fire.
Quently the last 3 weeks we were
there we were failing in" and fall
ing out" In our dreams. From the
time reveille blew at 5:45 in the
morning until taps was blown at 10
D. m. was one continual round Of
pleasure-to some but not to Others
then It was 60 to your bunk, 60 to
bed and not sound was to be heard
or the tap sergeant would be around
looking for fatigue men the next day.
and the busy night owl was the one
that generally got It.
Keeping quiet was pretty soft for
some, however, after ten hours Of
hard drilling-provided you don't
lie on your back. as some guys In the
tent and the ones close by don't wait
for taps to quit blowing, until they
start theirs, and tis lovely music un-
til q shoe flies thru the air and goes
bling"
For q while at the camp we were
taking practice marches from one
mile 10 i've miles day and upon be-
Ing issued new army shoes, which are
quite different from the shoes tn civil
life, many of us we're somewhat foot
sore by having our shoes too large
which was requested by the captain
In order to have them large enough
for wool sox in the winter-which is
a long ways off (then June) and upon
going down hill, every corner OF the
shoe was filled, and the consequences
were our feet swelled until now the
shoes are a good fit. Numbers of them
look like mud scows.
To most of us 1t seemed like we
were victims Of professional fad
dists.
The second issue, the regiment,
which consisted Of about 100 men,
used their own judgment in the sizes
of shoes and now are quite satisfied.
In the meantime it was drill, drill,
drill, and about all could be heard
was the top sergeant's voice, but not
gentle, Fall in" and after an hours
drill. 'twould be Fall out" About
ten minutes would pass and those
words would be shouted thru the air
again.
Many a time we met ourselves 60
ing to and from our tents.
But the location Of this camp was
great and up to the present time
have been in about dozen different
training camps and the boys who are
there in training should be satisfied
for 1t cannot be excelled.
The last two weeks of our stay
there we were all very anxious FOR
the good word to move, and all were
prepared in half an hours notice, bu,
It never came until July 81 and there
was one continual uproar until l2:4o
D. M, August /, when we left.
The Washington National Guard
escorted all the companies to the
train with their band and on the de-
parture of each section 6 In ALL
they played the we'll known airs
while the great crowd was cheering
and bidding their fiends and sweet
hearts their last farewell and good
byes."
As our journey had started WI
passed through many important cit
les and II it wasn't too late In tn
night, we were always met with
large crowd and warm reception.
Quite a number of places wher'
we stopped we were treated to fruits
candies, cigars, etc. by the young la
dies which was very nice mad was ap
preciated by all.
Our first welcome was received a
Milwaukee, Wis, which Is almost un
describable, but was great.
About this time we were ordered t
stop at a rest camp which was YER
nice place to stop, but our only shel