La Junta tribune., 1917-12-27
81 UxCI1 aAI1 20 = yLY1
tcea.sausd froa yIrss rsss,

0Dy0 tDok Vo-oD00S 0DOO0 ~ oS0sOs
unsadurahls torrid rays Of the Tszas
- vAsa ve we're assisnsd 70 I'll
eeets Of duties sueA % the diegiss
q liteAes for drainage and The gen
ee,l constructors Of the camp. Be-
1ns one Of the pionseSs Of the New
Kelly Field. had the honor Of help
1.s to pitch the first tent, whore b.
fore many days was . tent city OF
many thousands. Az I recall those
Aitehes, and how could one whose
hands has known many blistsrs for
ret them, call to mind thing that
happened to one OF my newly made
army friends a big chap from Mon
tana. He too was digging his way
through the army in those days. Re-
eeiving q letter from his mother. who
like all dear mothers, was anxious
for the safety Of her son. she warned
him against needless wrecklessness
in his early attempts to fly. to which
his answer to her was that she need
have no fear SO far ss his flying was
concerned. That he was perfectly
safe 80 long Is his fellow comrades
did not strike him down with .
"pick-axe" from behind while he was
laboring In the ditch.
All the time recruits were daily
pouring into this camp which at that
time was the concentration post for
all the men taken into the aviation
service. Even yet can feel the sand
storms that would blow blindingiy
getting into our eats. our clothes.
and our hunks. But these are the
things that make soldiers, and OF the
lipd ,ha: win Be required 70 with
stand re kind OF experience that
will be the lot Of many Of the men In
foreign service. When I first arrived
at the OLD aviation field in San An
tonic. there were but about three
hundred men stationed there. re-
mained At that post or rather the
new field for . period OF three
months. and during that time saw
the camp increased In capacity 20 -
TO accommodate ten thousand men.
the number that was there At the
time OF my departure. Al the pres
snt time Kelly Field has = strength
Of about twenty thousand men. n
the war is TO continue . great many
OF these will eventually become fly
err. .OW
The three months spent In this
camp were crowded with events for
me. many amusing. some sad as I
look back upon them At this time.
but they were hard Al times and
do not hesitate TO say that serving
ones country neceasitates sacrifices.
which At first are difficult 10 become
accustomed TO. I want TO add here
that one Of the most pleasant exper-
fences that I had while IN Texas was
one day. a very hot one as remem-
her. I was beating II TO the canteen
10 get n cool drink. and longing for
. Coca-Cola from the fountain OF the
Opera House Pharmacy. when I heard
my name called from the distance.
and looking up saw Arthur MeCune
and Robert Belt. They had Just ar
rived from Fort Bliss. having all the
water marks OF recruits. Well they
were certainly given . glad welcome
1nto camp by me and after that time
] saw them quite often while 10
camp. when I left Kelly they were
- the 3Sth Squadron. and have Of.
- wondered since II they have gone
ever ssas. - many Of the squadrons
q the fisld at that time have since
oess across.
] vas bounced abovt quite Q bit
Was Transferred 10 the Esd Squadron,
theo 70 the l>th. and finally 20 ths
1etA and rsnained with them Ia
1sgas until July 3sth. when We en.
tsaiDel for Wright Fisld. ! wish to
~ ~ there was certainly no feel
lAe q reiuetsacs upon leaving the
0outh for - sil had had our full
Oe sand and sun. Ths 18th and Seth
oeuaSrons II oss train came up froa
rssa. h record besaklng tias. Asv-
lag beea moved ever he line q The
u. X. . Z. ia dsoesstPatSea Of the
spsed that oould b 0sds n the
enasfsrsins Of troops evss hat road.
To give 6escsiptioa b . manner
that would - Justice 70 tAh reid 10
very diff'euA. ed oas wouId really
nave to visit 4 70 realise bow uAels
Ban has IN - short . tine provids1
Tor the trstaiae Of nso b thls. .
Aishly specialized bsnach e the sse-
vice. wilbur wrisAt Visll y leeatsd
n that section os 0Ale whsss ne
HAD begins 10 rsesde 70 ~ oAle
ssvsr. and lies betwssa tve q ~
A.