The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-02-07
MARINE LETTER
BY Oscar Wilson
Marine Barracks, Company 70,
Paris Island, S. c.,
January 81. 1918.


My dear Brothers
| am now on my sixth week o
training, and | can truthfully say /
has been very interesting. wa
sworn in on the nineteenth day o
December,' when became Uncl,
Sans boy. He surely works a fellow
hard, but on the other hand.he take,
care Of him.
There are only three requirement:
for a marine: First. obedience; Sec
ond, obedience; third, obedience
After being under Berea's rules
have no difficulty in obeying these
am also very much indebted TO Be-
rea for teaching me Domestic Sci
ence, as | have gotten A plus on my
bunk making, house cleaning, etc
We drill from three to four hours
a day, and the rest Of the time il
spent in various ways. The follow
is one days work:
Hit the deck at 500 a. M; scrub
house, 5:0O-6:OO; double time, 600
$50; breakfast, 6:30-7:OO; morning
parade, 100000; rest, 9:30-9:45;
drill, 9:i5-ii 80; dinner, ii:30-i2 80;
hike, ~ miles,, i2:30-i:00; supper,
i:OO-4:3O; sunset parade. 4:3O-6:3C;
washed clothes, 6:30-S:3O; hot show
er, g mile walk, S:30-9:i5; retire,
9:i5-iO'OO; sweet dreams all night
long.
We have no tender-feet in the
Marine Corps. All red-blooded Am
orleans working for one ultimate
purpose. Everything is taken and
executed with an inward smile.
Surely it would not do for Mr.. Tay-
Tor to fall in ranks with his sunshiny
smile, for at once an officer would
look him in the face and say, wipe
that d. smile off your face for
you're here 10 soldier" We have lots
of fun repeating what is said on the
drill ground.
We will be on the Island for
twelve weeks in training and after
that time no one can say where we
will land. Most all our company
wants a trip TO France, but the re-
port is no more Marines in France;
as for me nothing would please me
better than speedy trip to France.
The marines serve both on land
and sea. and go all over the world.
AZ present there is a saying: Join
he Marines and see the world"
From all reports, we are the super
or part of the Navy, but we do not
iress like Navy men. Our suits are
iifferent from any I have ever seen.
md I like them very much.
Chester Parsons and are the
'nly Berea boys in the Marines that
know Of. Chester is Company Bar
'er in Company II, and | am Com
ANY Barber in Company 70. We
axe care Of about rs men each. We
lave plenty TO do. We get three
ines the pay Of the regular private
y being BARRIERS, and are excused
rom all detail and guard duties. The
ocular Marine gets $50 per month
nd expenses.
I took out the $4,000 insurance
'hich costs me about Sc per month.
don't know what | am worth alive,
ut my total value dead il $1,000.
addie may wish for me TO die, ha,
al i
The Y. NJ. C. A. is doing a great
ork for the Marines. and without
he "Y" we would almost go insane. +.
he time when we are the bluest, ,
lie "Y" calls us down for Sole
entertainment. ,
Many other things I could. say I
)out the u. s. M. c., but I will give
)u summary'of the Marine Corps
/ our song: Y
rom the halls OF Montezuma
D the shores Of Tripoli; I
e fight our Country's battles '
4 land as on the sea. I
1miration Of the Nation. A
ere the finest ever seen: I
nd we glory in the title +
ne United States Marine. A
'om the Pest Hall OF Cavite. Il
the ditch at Panama;
~ will find them very needy v
Marines. That's what we are. Ii
ere the watch dogs Of pile Of
coal A
we dig a magazine. II
10 our joblot are quite manifold Z
no would not be a Marine IT
in Ga0fa ttnf..pIaA Al ox,o,.. Luoo.ol