Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-07-11
LETTERS FROM OUR
SOLDIER BOYS
From Different Posts And Train
Ing Camps Of Uncle
Sam.
Oscar SWenson.

Oscar SWenson.
Fort Sill, Okla, July 4, 1917.
Well, landed here in fine shape af-
ter a AZ hour ride. We left JEFFERSON
Barracks at $500 and got here this
morning. Jefferson Barracks July 2,
and Fort Sill, July 4.
This sure is hot country; its
about 10 right now so you can just
imagine how l feel. We drill seven
hours a day and have the rest Of the
time for washing and other things we
have to do. don't get much time to
myself.
This is an awful dismal looking fort,
nothing but sand and hills and very
little grass. The buildings are made
of cement and look like they had
stood there for a thousand years or
more.
Three-fourths of the people are
Mexicans or negroes, so you know
what kind of country this is.
They feed us much better here than
they did at Jefferson Barracks. We
have meat, potatoes, fruit pudding,
iced tea, brown gravy, peas, bread
and butter, so when it comes to feed
ing, why we have it on the boys at
Jefferson Barracks.
There are eight of US that sleep in
a tent and it makes us kind of crowd
ed. l have four Russians in my tent
We will only train ten days here
and then go to the battery for the
rest of our drilling. We may go tt
Oregon before two months are over.
OSCAR SWENSON,
U. S. Army, Fort Sill, Okla.
| From Peter PIincL<.
Fort Grant, Panama, June 30, 1917
| We arrived at Colon, Panama, las
| Wednesday morning about O'Clock
This sure has been great trip. I hat
to work in the butcher shop on tn
boat all the way coming over, and tn
trip took US about twelve days. Thi
is fine country, with fine climate.
There is only one railroad here, an
it is owned by the Government. It
dandy. They have good sized round
house here, and there are quite fe,
machinists working here. The Ell
gines are about as large as those o
the Great Northern. Some of the 81
gines burn oil instead of coal.
We are quarantined now for abou
two weeks, after which we 60 to tn
Ud1AdGh we 6CC q AACO SpA Liz OS<
place to put our clothes, shove
bath, library, pool room, everythin
you can think of, and three squa1
meals day. Today for dinner W
had pork chops, potatoes, coffe
bread and pie.
/ These forts at Panama are the be:
equipped forts in the world, becaus
they are just built and everything
II kc@ o<@ "
! ing right on the bank of the cana
but it is not very wide. The canal
self is nothing to look at Rigl
le across the canal there are big mou
e. tains. They are one mass Of jungle
" These jungles contain mountain lion
e. that stuff. I saw about twenty mo
" keys coming on the train.
le We are just one mile from Panan
Ia City. This is quite big city. Thel
are lots of saloons, but they don
s, bother me.
Is PETER PLINCK,
d. 5th Company, Fort Grant, Canal Zon
IN Chester S. Nelson.
- Inc IOuOW1ng ID an extract IRON
letter written to Art Limperich:
U. S. Naval Training Station, Norfol
Virginia, Co. l, July S, 1917.
Dear Art:
Tread in the Tribune that I receive
e today that you were home for Il
summer. Right now, old scout, I CT
TX honestly say that I'd like to be the
III also.
The Navy is pretty hard for ra
IN recruit but as a fellow gets broke
in to the drilling, etc.. things begin
look different. I'd like to go to scho
again this winter and if by good lu,
I'm able to will, but If Uncle Sa
wants me to heave coal or wash decl
IN on some of his boats I'm the b.
- who's going to do my best for him.
~ We wear white uniforms here al
oe are quite busy let me tell you betwe'
keeping them clean and drilling. E
&c tween sleeping, washing and drillin
we have but little time to ourselvf
NJ After Monday, the company am
III Will be senior COMPANY at the static