Evening star., 1917-09-14
EXPERIENCE IN FRANCE
Of A WASHINGTON BOY
Chester A. Snow, Jr.. Writes of Life
in Training Camp for
Aviators.

Chester A. Snow of this city has re-
,.,rsd severaI letters from his son,
Chester A. Snow, jr., who is now in the
American air service in France, con-
tanning interesting incidents OF MS eN-
uertences "over there. EXTRACTS oA
sorne of the letters have been maze
public by Mr.. Snow.
letter. dated August IA, reads:
am still waiting. waiting, waiting. lHeS
say now that We may get on IN W % %
10 certain am very lucky indeed 10
have passed the United states phys
examination, as NUMBER w!
ed We are now told TO await orders,
which may come any day, to report ana
sign up; after that we Will start 'raln- train
ing Immediately, 1 hope. We got over
TOO late to join the EafaEette, anu
while a few are trying to go straisht
into French service, there are weeks %
red tape and no certainty then: me
royal English air service is stun less OF
a known quantity, so the only thing
can do is to wait some more
This life in Paris, with tood so eN-
pensive, has caused some of our group
who were not well provided for TO go
"Vice conditions are very bad here
now. as there are always thousands OF
soldiers back on permission from the
'front.'
Enlisted as a Private.
Another letter written the following
day says: My turn came at last TO-DAY
and l went up and enlisted IN the
L. S. Army as private. we VIII De
commissioned first or second lleuten-
ants. 1 think. when we get our hyins
brevet. Until then we Will be rated as
corporals or sergeants, l think. The
blanks we filled out We're very long ana
complicated and my name ana aour ess
as well yours tny fathef 81 We're
taken down several times. ana one
blank filled out was who to notify in
case of accident We Will also wear
Identification tags on our wrists. pc
lieve. So don't worry as long as you
get no bad news. After this We were
sent around to the medical department
and had our finger prints taken Tor
further identification in case OF deser-
tion, l think. We Will go to Tours IN
two or three days Meantime l am
going to get the pest Sossies anu
. gloves l can find
An extract of one letter. under date
of August II. reads; 4 nave enHsteG
in the American air service. ana VIII
leave Paris tomorrow. ] am glad TO De
on as l have seen enough of Paris for
the time being. and going around mere
without a uniform one feels hke
ouitter, or what the French call an
'embusque.'
Training at Aviation Camp.
Another letter. under date of August
o. reads in part: Il am now training
at this aviation camp. Tours, France
Coalitions here are splendid-ccmfort-
able quarters and an abundance of
good, substantial food. The work is
extremely interesting. and 1T would be
hard for you to realize how l like it,
We start work at sunrise and end at
sunset with a siesta in the middle OF
the day. The weather has been ideal
Il would like to send extracts from
my diary but because of regulations
] must wait until ] bring it home after
the war. only six OF the bunch OF
eleven that sailed with me from New
York to join the Franco-American
army are down here.
A fifth letter. under date of August
81, contains this extract: II am get
ting along in fine shape, and am learn
ing a great deal This is very beau
tiful section of France-green helds,
chateaux, little hamlets. etc OF course.
] see the country for miles around dur
ing my flights.
Here at camp we live like healthy
anirnaIs-mostly eating and sleeping.
The food is so plentiful that ! am
afraid of gaining weight. Much OF our
time is spent in the open air. and / am
in fine health.
"Of course / am most ntereSted in
what goes on at home, ana as your
letter is the only one | have had in the
ten days l have been here, / expect
some more soon.
Il am right in my element here, and
talk flying morning. noon and night.
The most wonderful opportunity for
learning one could have