Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-10-29
LETTER WRITTEN
ABOARD GEORGIA
Eugene Meller, Member OF Graduating
Class in Webster City in 1913,
Writes From U. s. S.
Georgia.
STILL ON THIS SIDE OF POND
Tells Of Life of United States Marines.
May Get Chance to Cross
Ocean Soon.


Webster City man, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
E. J. Meller and member of the high
school class of 1918, writes interest.
ingly to Miss Bess Lyon, his former
history teacher, on his experiences on
board the U. S. S. Georgia off the At
lantic coast, on which ship he is
United States Marine. He hasn't lost
his interest in the Webster City high
school where he was prominent flg-
ure not long ago. He is one OF those
young men who is interested in all OF
the interesting things Of life. He took
part in everything worth while at
school. Debating was one of his fav-
orites while the sports Of football and
basket ball occupied good share OF
his spare time. All of these are
touched upon in the opening para
graphs of his letter. He supposes
Miss Lyon has her history classes the
same as of old and hopes they are all
as interested in their history and as
good as the old class Of '13 He sees
that the w. C. H. S. football team -suf-
fered defeat once. (Wait till he hears
about Saturdays game)
The letter was written October Il,
passed by the censor, and not any OF
the contents had been detected. Re-
garding the censorship he, says: I'VE
cannot write anything as to what we
are doing, or what we have done, or
anything in regard to the fleet at all,
so it makes it hard to write letter OF
interest to anyone"
"Jim," as he is Familiarity called by
his friends, enlisted early in the year
and he says that, although not UNI
heard of in the middle states, the
branch of service with which he is
connected has not attracted nearly as
many from Iowa and her neighboring
states as from those on the coast,
Wanted to Go Across.
you've possibly seen posters OF the
U. S. Marines, first to fight, first to
land and all that" says Jim, in ex7
planning about this service. We'll
that is what took my eye. But am
not of those marines who is first to
fight He seems somewhat down
hearted to think he hasn't had an OPP
portunity to whip or be whipped by
the Germans He says, "You know
every battleship has from sixty-five to
hundred marines on board so they
called all the old timers off the ships
and also those on the islands. and put
new men in their places. And l dldpfn
even land on an island-just "
this ship-and was very mub
appointed in not being in the regiment
of marines to cross. They say the
marines are going to have 10000 in
crease, so if that goes through we may
get out of here and go,across."
"The u. S. S. Georgia is not as good
as some of the new ships just out"
he says, "but it is a second liner and
third class ship-came out in 19O6--
but Just the same it is a $7,OOO,O0O
home for me for some time to come.
1t isn't everybody that can say they
have a $7,0OO,O00 home"
Is a Corporal.
1t is Corporal Meller" now for he
writes, 81 passed the examination for
corporal last month and assumed the
office September a." =
II spent three months in training at
Norfolk, Va, two weeks on the rifle
range at Winthrop, Md, and then
came on here" (meaning the U. S, 5.
Georgia. He is growing fat on the
good food served aboard ship but the
monotonous life has only once been
varied with bit of color. That was
last Saturday." according to the let
ter, when they were ashore for two
and a half hours "Af course we get
along alright without going ashore"
he says, "as they have an exchange
where we can buy the things we need;
we can save our money, which is
good advantage" -
His two and half hours were spe@
profitably though, visiting the histo
cal place where CORVALLIS surrent
ed to Washington and several G
places that date back to the CO.
days. Prior to his enlistment
Meller spent three weeks traveA
through the east, when he visited
ton, Worcester, Springfield, Chicoy
Falls and many Of the historical plaS
es in Massachusetts. Then he trave.
ed up into New York and spent som,
time sight seeing before entering tn.
marine corps.
The many pleasurable trips OF u
nature afforded the soldiers on an
eastern coast are almost worth tho
hardships they will have to undergo
later.