The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1917-03-23
Camp Gordon, Ga.

OaAAp aOA4oti, ia.
| Gentlemen. Thought perhap
you might be interested In som
i Camp Gordon dope, inasmuch a
there are great many Tennessean
here.
OF course things here have under
gone quite a change since the South
ern boys were transferred, and re
! bunch all the 81 varieits are rep
resented. And when they assembl,
in the mess hall for show" innocen
passerby often stop to see whether
this is Ford factory or Jazz bant
rehearsal.
The men are rapidly being whip
ped into shape for the charge, "ovel
| the top" One could almost imagine
that this place was in the midst Of
| the great conflict ''over therefor
modern warfare Is being staged here
daily. Men are being instructed in
the use of the bayonet, throwing the
handgrenades. and modern trench
warfare in all its intricacies.
See, few days target practice will
be taken up, and the rockies will
have their first chance to do some
real shooting.
The work, although out of our line
of endeavor heretofore, has grown
quite interesting, for we are all here
with but one purpose, and that is ia
get the Kaiser.
The value of discipline, which
seems just a little severe and alto
gether necessary at first, to us, Is
being impressed on us more each day
and now it's Importance can easily be
seen by the most hayward as we'll as
the dullest recruit.
The majority Of the 500 selectmen
who were retained here as non-com-
missioned officers are of course Ten
nesseans. And we might add, they're
making good. OF course we think
Company e, 326 Infantry, Is the best
company of the 82d division. Our
company officers are all good fellows
and realize that even raw recruit is
human, after all. Their patience
seems inexhaustible. M 80
Some very amusing things happen
here. For instance yesterday, the
coolest day of the season, we were
supplied with mosquito netting. To-
day it has been awfully warm, and
tonight we were supplied with over
coats. OF course we're not supposed
to Understand the strange and mys-
terious workings of the war depart
ment. Our company has the unique
distinction of having retained Ten
nesseans altogether as non-commis-
stoned officers, viz: Wallace w. Par
son, Memphis; Fred A. Mailing, I'm
ion City; Harry f. Brown, Nashville;
Gilbert b. Dickeyl Somerville. All
are making good in their respective
positions, and will be heard from
"over there.
get the news from dear old Tennes-
see, for it's there that our interests
lie, our little world, so to speak. And
it's for the protection Of tbSse that
we have left there that ne risk our
"all" willingly, even gladly.
The desire to cross the old pond
and get into the ARRAY is very much
in evidence here.
Last, but not least, we have the
Y. M. c. A. buildings located very
conveniently to each company. The
writer cannot. say too much in COM
mending the work they are doing
here. 1t is at these buildings the
lonely. hoesick soldier finds well
come awaiting him, and d homelike
atmosphere seems to prevail. The
Us furnish such amusements as
music, dancing, lectures, athletic
stunts, moving pictures, and in fact
everything a soldier could wish for.
except his mother, or his best girl.
They also furnish US with stationery
and their slogan is, Write letter
home.' The armies of the past must
have been bleak and dreary indeed
without the VS..
Anyone wanting to do their bit
toward the great struggle cannot pos
sibly go wrong in contributing in any
way to the Y. M. G. A. organization.
We are all looking forward to three
very important happenings, viz:
Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas and
trip home. / have written this lit
tie article just to remind you people
that all Tennessee boys are not in
Camp Jackson and Camp Sewer, and
that Camp Gordon would like to be
remembered sometime in your paper.
With very best wishes, l am
still, A ROOKIE.