Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-11-22

y. w e ilau llODcu 10 get liberty
here, hui no such luck. We
marched directly from the depot
to the wharf. We're placed i'm
launches and taken right out to
he good ship Hancock. The Han
cock is marine transport, hut
she made he trip across the
ocean with the marines of Gen.
pcrshine 5 forces. I became ac-
qualnted With AN engineer who
told me lot about The ship. 1t
WAS the first TO cross the Atlantic
IN less than eight days. Ii has
the largest three cylinder marine
engine in he world. II is an old
boat, about 10 or 4 years.
slept ON deck so much that |
almost have callouses all over
my body. later borrowed a
hammock for he last three days
Of the trip. I'm spite of all have
heard about falling out and cv-
|crNtlline, cnioycd my sleep
much.
On Il L. $. navy vessel ham
m"cks are plpcd down at $50 and
lights uut al s. In Il harbor lights
out O. We didn't have to get up
until and We enjoyed that a lot :.
Ever since we have left the island
~ lam ln Ma, AZ NM,
mum mess gears, With our big
spoon and little knife and fork.
SO of course we have to wash our
own gear. The water isn't al
WAYS warm and Inc gear is some
times cleaned with towel. For
people OF very fastidiOus tastes,
there is little to crave about ma
lnr chow. Honestly, though.
am growing fat ON it, weighed
2o9 pounds yesterday. This is
Thursday, he 23th. so you see
how long have taken for this
letter.
Tomorrow we are going on am
other 20-mile hike. which makes
our second since we've arrived.
We NOW have our company all
organized. We have at present
a commander. Captain King; two
llculenants, Il gulncry sergeant.
FIRST sergeant, sergeant. mess
sergeant, and nine corporals.
seven OF US are appointed cor
porais. | have been on guard as
sergeant of the capitol guard
twice. You see ADMIRAL Knapp is
military governor of the Domin-
lean republic for L. S. The ma
rines guard his house and the
capitol and his offices. They
have a little brush with the
Splrks every once i'm while.
nope we get a chance at Them
soon. II seems Il shame to train
for three or four months and
never get a chance To use my
rlllc after | made 'sharpshoolrr.
ne day before yesterday | gol
your letter mailed to me at Paris
island ON Sept. 30 The first
NAY" Had I'm nearly month. /
am 9'ad you are feeling 50 we'll
and ntl> WISH HAT YOU MAY con-
llnue so. and when | come home
to lake care of YOU folks we will
never need doctor around the
house. Tell father that shall
send a draft or check home, or
else Il registered letter. whichever
Is easiest. After November | we
VIII have To put three cents ON
lel'"fS and Two on post cards
from here.
Inc admiral ; office gels MIRO
ieNS reports every morning 1t
seems Germany is losing fast. /
like the service very Well. or
course il is moi like being al
nome. ne sum is very warm here
al noon, and in fact all day. /
am sitting out i'm my tent i'm nv
llndcrshIri. All sides of the tent
are rolled up to get the breeze.
| Ju>l bought Il dozen oranges for
Ten cents. They are fine. The
bananas are good. There are as
may different shapes and sizes as
apples at home.
! also had Il letter from Ethel
and Leroy. Tell them | will an
sWer soon. The old fort here.
ozaIna. S over 300 years old.
There are old brass cannon and
cannon balls all around the place.
Some of the walls are about eight
feet thick and they are we'll nut
together. The fort is Situated on
a mi overlooking he bay and the
OZama river flows by ON one wall
ana water comes up to the foot
Oh the rocks under the walls. We
can look out to sea and see sail
mig vessels at almost any time.
Believe me, the tropics are beau
ilful. especially the vcrdure.
ON. yes. have been given my
sharpslootrr's medal. II is quite.
pref a bar With "sharpshoot-
err: underneath this a maltese
cross with Il little target in the
center OF the cross.
harn ,,,,,, 1g.l