The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-04-13
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Young Men Who Have sted in the
United States Army Write of Their
Experiences in Camp; All National
tiles Are Represented in This Branch
Of MiIito.y Service; Enjoy the Life;
Some History of the Past
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Last Tuesday The Free Press pub
lished a list of the young men who
had enlisted in the regular United
States Army at the local recruiting
station during the past month. Cor
poral J. F. Mueller, who has been
recruiting officer here for the past
year, has a collection of some very
interesting kodak views sent to him
from young men whom he has en-
listed in the service, and also re-
ceives many interesting letters from
the new recruits, all expressing
pleasure in the life of a soldier
! Some very interesting history at
taches to many of the men who apply
for enlistment: The recruits come from
all nationalities and walks of life,
| but are generally farmers, or labor
ers in other branches of work.
J Among the recruits the past month
! was Richard G. Reysack, a braWny
young farmer, who apparently had
plenty of money. Reysack was born
| in Emden, Germany, but has been in
! this country for many years, having
made a success as farmer, and
coming to MnkatO from farm near
| Lake Crystal. He stated that he
didn't care to enlist unless we have
war"
Wants to Serve This Country.
81 see things are getting pretty
! bad" said he II like this country,
and | want to serve her if we have
war. l want to enlist as a volunteer"
He was very patriotic in his utter
ances, and was finally enlisted in
the coast artillery.
John +. Gram of Springfield was
another recruit whose life so far
has been full of adventure and
changes. Gram was born in Fredriks-
hald, Norway, and came to America
when very young. He served in the
United States Army during the
Spanish American war, and after
receiving his honorable discharge he
held civil service position for some
/ time. Now that war is imminent his
thoughts turned again to a desire
for active service. Gram is now
thirty-seven years of age, and has
been out of the service for thirteen
years, but he stated that "the Army
is a pretty good place after all, and
| want to serve my country again,
whenever she is in danger
Eleven men enlisted during the
month just closed, the other recruits
being Albert H. Ady, Mankato, in
fantry; Herman J. Mock, st. Paul,
| infantry; Richard E. Hewson, Amboy
infantry; Elmer Griffin, Mapleton,
infantry: Ralph E. Whitson, Garden
City, infantry; Arnold j. Baschena,
Fulda, coast artillery; Hugo Sell
strom, city, born in Sweden, infantry;
Peter Jakimei, Cloquette, born in
Waterville, infantry.
Mankato Boy at Jefferson Barracks.
Zala Hassell Mankato boy, for
merly employed at the Heinrich hotel
who spent six months with Company
H. on the Mexican border, enlisted
with the regular army some time
! ago, and is now at Jefferson Bar
racks In a letter to Corporal Muel
! Ter he speaks enthusiastically of the
life of a soldier, and states that
Privates Wiggens, Cox, and Corcoran
all Mankato boys, formerly at the
barracks, have been sent to Loredo,
Texas, for border service, and that
he expects to go the following week
Speaking of the new army school
for chauffeurs and mechanics, the
United States Army National Re-
cTuiter, which is devoted to the pub
lication of matters of interest con-
corning the army, states:
".An illustration of the thorough
ness pursued by the government in
organizing and maintaining all OF the
various branches of the army is found
in the school for chauffeurs and
mechanics recently established at
! Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Although
the subject of this new feature, which
: was made necessary by the acquisf-
ton of so many motor trucks by the
army for transportation, was brought
up and endorsed by the War Depart
ment last October and November, the
school for study was not opened until
January 20, 1917. Nearly fifty men
have been enrolled and are receiving
instruction More are expected to
join in the near future
Some important Points.
S. A. Campbell, infantry captain
and recruiting officer, has sent out a
circular letter, containing the follow
ing important points:
"All able bodied male citizens
under So years of age who desire to
prepare themselves for the military
service in the national defense, and
who have no one dependent upon
them for support, may be safely adj
vised to enlist at once in the regular
army, the greatest military training
school of the nation, and the back
bone of the first line of land defense.
Young men under eighteen years
of age may enlist if they fully meet
the requirements, but only with the
written consent of their parents or
guardians.
application for enlistment may be
made to any postmaster of the second,
third, or fourth class, or at any re-
cruiting office.