Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-10-25
LETTER FROM
A SOLDIER

Mr.. and Mrs. H. NJ. Smith, who went
from here short time ago and is
now with an aviation corps on Long.
Island. Ernest writes an interesting
and cheerful letter and intimates that
he is anxious to cross the water and
be where he can be of more service
in relieving the world of such people
as the Kaiser and his cohorts. Here
is the letter in full
Hampstead, New York, Aviation
Branch, Hazelhurst Field, 81 Aero
Squad, September 80, 1917.
Mr.. Givler:
1t has been just two months and
two days since I left Wa-Keeney for
short time l have had some of the
experience of army life and have seen
many sights.
Sunday, July 28th, Arthur Barker
and / enlisted at Ellis, Kansas, and
left for Fit. Logan, Colo. l passed the
examination o. X. only I was too tall
for my weight, but I got by and was
sworn in on the 3rd of August and
on the 9Th of August we left for
South San Antonio, Texas. We were
on the way two days and nights.
While on the journey we did not get
much to eat, but enjoyed what we did
get. We had coffee, beans, bread and
corned beef or tin willie, in other
words nothing but wind and dust We
arrived at the Fort about four o'clock
in the afternoon and marched two
miles to our tents. 1t was so hot there
that I thought I would smother. 1t
seemed as if the sun was but a few
feet from the ground and the drink
ing water was very warm. We were
under quarantine fifteen days after
our arrival and it was very unpleas-
ant to be jailed up in a strange place.
After we got from under quarantine
we went to the barracks which was
much better, but it was so hot that
we could not sleep at night, we were
there for six weeks. At first thought
they would kill me drilling. We drilled
six hours day and the rest of the
day was spent in getting the dust Of
of us. We had fine places to take
shower baths which was enjoyed by
every one after drilling.
Meal time was the jolliest time for
me and for most all of the boys. We
would line up to get our meals and
after we got our food we, would sit
down in the dust and eat. If there
happened to come Texas whirl wind
we would eat what it left in our mes
kets as a desert. Everyone always
had good appetite.
After had hoon IL, oor,n
days, they began to vaccinate and
innoculate for diseases. This was done
to each man in the camp every ten
days for several times. 1 never found
one that enjoyed it. Some were so
sick that they were sent to the hos
pital for several days. 1 sure got my
share of vaccination.
Monday, September 18th we left
San Antonio and arrived in Mineola,
Long Island, Friday, September 22nd.
We were all glad to leave Texas and
go to a cooler place, and as went
through several states we saw many
sights. We journeyed through Ar
kansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania, Georgia, Maryland and New
York. The scenery throught Virginia
was the best, especially along the
Blue Ridge mountains. We saw large
fields of cotton and corn. We stopped
in large cities and gave parades which
gave each one an opportunity to see
the cities little better. 1 have seen
more since left home than 1 ever
expected to see.
There are $50 of we boys to the
squad, and eight squadrons come on
three different trains, sixteen coaches
to train. There were 1900 of us in |
all. We have a fine bunch of boys in
our squad and we got the name of
being the best drilled squad when we
left Texas.
We came through New York about
2,o'clock and the train was on could
not go through the tunnel under the
Hudson river so we had to take the
cars and strip them and believe me
almost choked with smoke. We were
certainly some time going through
New York. 1t is some larger than
Wa-Keeney but I will take Keeney
for mine. We are eight miles from
the coast and thirty miles from New
York. The nights are sure cold, get
along all right until night comes and |
it is time to go to bed; then is when
think of home. My cot is not long |
enough by twelve inches and I have |