Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-11-13
LETTER FROM JOHN PRAHL

LETTER rhUM JUHN PRAHL
The following is taken from a LETT
ter written by John Prahl, who is
located ct Camp Grant. Rockford, H..
to three of his Wausau friends:
"Will give you little Camp Grant
news-I am pleased to inform YOU
that | am now Battalion Sergeant
Major. Isn't that fine sounding title?
1t is outranked as a nom commissioned
officer by Regimental Sergeant
Major only, and pays $51.O0 month,
which is equal to that of Regimental
Sergeant Major What looks the best
to me is the $51.00 per- | went out
and bought new suit on the strength
of it. Am also glad to have received
the appointment, for my duties as soon
as we get organized will not be con-
fined to the Office. | will be out on the
field part of the time as assistant to
the Battalion Adjutant, and. am in
formed that when we get in the field
| will have one of the biggest Jobs
in the Regiment, sending out and re-
ceivins orders, which will include
wig-wag and semiphore signals and
Geographic orders, at all three of
which | understand | must be pro-
ficient, besides having charge of the
Battalion supply wagons. So you see
| have some work cut out for me.
There were two other Battalion Ser
geant Majors appointed at the same
time, one Lowe from River Falls.
and the other MoultOn from Chicago,
and they are both mighty fine guys,
and for a while at least we will work
together, which will be mighty fine.
1t was necessary to transfer me to
Headquarters Company in order to
receive the appointment, and | like it
there first rate. They have nice
bunch of fellows there. Charles
Bernier, Albrecht (who was operator
for Western Union) and Frank Ohm
from Wausau are also in the Head
quarters Company, so it is not entirely
strange to me. Also Torgy emil
Torgerson) has had himself attached
there for rations, and | eat with him
at least once day. All of which
helps to make it agreeable.
Schultz, LaCerte, Sampson, Paulson,
Hip Miller and a Barnett of Co. L,
have been made Sergeants, which will
pay them $500 per, which is of
course much better than privates pay.
Today our Regiment was out on
the rife range, about five miles
from camp. | wanted to go out with
them, but the other Battalion Ser
geant Majors are not so well posted
On the work in the office, so | had
to stay and they went. However,
they are little better posted on the
| field work, one of them is Fort
Sheridan man, and so as soon as they
| can do the work around the office,
| am going to spend some time out
| on the field and studying.
Art Friedman, who you will remem-
Der put it all over a 240 pound guy
in a boxing match, boxed at the Y
last night for the Regimental cham
pionship, and got quite a beating. /
didn't see the bout, but the fellows
said Art took it gamely even though
the other fellow outclassed him.
Oh yes, / almost forgot to men
ton the fact that our steam heating
plant has finally been completed and
we have had steam on for the past
week or so, and it surely does seem
good to take a warm bath It's the
first warm bath l have had since get
ting here. ! like cold water all right,
but its mighty hard to scrub Camp
Grant mud from your carcass with
cold water.
The other night / took my shoes
out to the latrine and scrubbed them
with scrubbing brush and water,
with the result that l smeared the
| mud all over them, but didn't seem
to get any of it off. However, we have
had the same spring weather (the
same kind which you report at Wau-
sau, and the streets are dry enough
In places now so we can walk with
some degree of comfort.
You can imagine how glad i was
to have you boys here; it surely
did seem good, and it sort of made me
wish | was going back with you How
ever, this work has lost none of it's
interest and fascination to me, and |
want to get into it with everything l
have, learn all | can, and if possible
bring little credit upon myself and
the friends and relatives who have
been so fine to me before and since
my coming here.
AHy va Val rJllll, were
here Saturday and Sunday, bringing
with them box of eats, and although,
as | have said before, / haven't been
lonesome since coming here, l felt SO
good all the while they were here
that must have missed home more
than realized. We went down town
together Sunday night, had a good
feed and show after and | came
home happy and contented.
| sincerely hope that the W gets
good membership, now that the Wau-
sau men have so generously come
forth for its welfare The .Y' here
is sure a good thing for the soldiers,
that one can't help but want it to sue
coed everJwhere-more particularly at
home. l surely miss the gym and
swimming pool. We have good shower
baths here in our latrines, but there
is nothing to take the place of the
gym and pool The 'Y's here are
crowded most every night"