Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-06-28
AUDUBON BOY
LIKES ARMY LIFE
Though Thousands of Miles Away
From Home, he is Well Pleased
With Uncle Sans Treat


ment
Elmer McCaw, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
! w. j. McCaw, who recently, moved to
Audubon from Dixon, Nebr, writes
his mother very interesting letter
from Honolulu, where he is enlisted
in the coast defense branch of the
service. The letter is so full of news
that We print it in full as follows:
Fort kamehameha, Honolulu, II. T.
June 8, 1917.
Dear Folks:
How are you and everyone else out
there. | suppose this will be sur
prising to you, l have got the mea-
sizes and am in the hospital now, did
not think would ever get them again
but did. Haven't been the least bit
sick; started to break out Wednesday
morning. went and asked the doctor
what he thought it was and he said
1t was the heat, but it kept getting
worse so | went again Friday and he
told me it was the measles and sent
me to the hospital. Am about over
them now, they have started to go
away.
Have felt fine all the time, don't
get very much to eat here, but get
plenty at the fort; no fancy dishes
but plenty of potatoes, meat, coffee
and beans. We get all we want to
eat though that is the main thing.
got your letter Thursday, was sure
glad to get il. A letter from home
looks good out here because | am
about five thousand miles from from
home but may get back some
time this winter. II never gets cold
hprn a he
Our trip on the water was fine, was
sick about two hours. That wasn't
bad, some of the boys were sure sick
though. Made the trip in eight days
POO miles. 1t was sure slow tray-
cling, about 10 knots an hour was
our speed, which is going pretty
slow.
Got letter from Elsie and Jim
Tuesday night; said they had the
corn all planted and most of it up.
They had target practice here
Tuesday night with the big guns
the l4-inch guns; was sure some
noise. We We're shooting at targets
nine miles out in the water. They
didn't try to hit them, just get as
close to them as possible without
hitting them, because if they hit
one 1t would tear it all to pieces
and would have to take out another
one. We could see the targets out in
the water and could see The bullets
MT the water; they sure had got
things down pat" We have some
coast defense. Have from 5-inch
guns up to 16-inch guns. and will
shoot as far as 30 miles We have
not had much drilling on the big
guns yet, mostly foot drill but will
start on the big guns in about two
months. Then is when it will be in
teresting. | like the foot drill but
not like the big guns. They are
pushing us right through on the
drills. | will be turned over to
guard duty in about two weeks. VIII
nave TO go on guard once a week or
once every two weeks; can't tell. il
all depends on how many there will
De IN our company. We all have TO
take turns at it. 1t takes from - to
Is on guard every night. There are
three reliefs, each relief has from
II to is men and each relief guards
hours then rests hours, goes ON
again for more hours, so it is not
bad at all. l think the army life is
a lazy mans job; there is no hard
work to it. It's a great deal like
going to school only you have to
drill. There is great deal of study
ing. We have to memorize a whole
string of stuff.
| don't think we will get paid till
July. If we don't | will have about
$40 coming. Don't need much money
out here, | get everything furnished
except tobacco. If We get these two
months pay all at once think will
send some home, for l don't want
too much money in my pockets. for
there are all kinds of fellows here,
and some of them would do anything.
IL wouldn't be lucky for them if they
were caught stealing, but some of
them are pretty slick.
Well | must quit for now; have to
write letters 10 Dixon yet. Tell ev-
erybody hello for me and tell them I
am getting along fine My address
is still Fort Kamehameha, Honolulu.
H. T.
Your loving son.