The Nenana daily news., 1918-06-05
WALTER RQWSON
 ENTERS SERVICE
 OF UNCLE SAM
Former We'll Known ortherner Tells of Experiences In Getting
 Into Army.

A. Finlaysen, of this city, Walter
 Rowson, former we'll known resident
 of Fairbanks, tells of his experiences
 in becoming a member of Uncle
 Sam's fighting forces, and at the
 time of writing was awaiting orders
 for transfer, perhaps to France.
 Rowson also makes mention of the
 fact that he has become a benedict
 since leaving Alaska. He was mar
 ried early in the winter at Carmel
 by-the-Sea, California, and the pie
 ture of the young lady which ac-
 companied the letter, shows that she
 is both young and beautiful. Mrs.
 Rowson was with her husband at
 the United States flying school at
 Austin, Texas, where Rowson was in
 training.
 "The end of April, 1917," writes
 Rowson, ''I was called to Los An geles for examination for the first officers training camp. I was passed and certified, but somehow my papers were mislaid and didn't turn up until July following-just in time to send me to the second training camp. In the meantime, had joined as a ranker and made sergeancy. and had this in re- serve while trying for commission. In November l was lucky enough to make 1st. lieutenant in the infantry, and was assigned to the goth regu- lars at Fort Douglas, Utah. Prior to this I had volunteered and passed the preliminary tests for flying ser vice, but my transfer order didn't materialize until January 20, when l war ordered here (Austin, Texas).
 ''I have been through the hardest course of study and hard grind that has ever come my way, but last Saturday l finished the last of my exams and am now awaiting further orders. These will probably arrive tomorrow, and may land us any where. I say us, as my little wife is with me and quite resolved to stay by my side until I board transport for the other side"
 Rowson has two brothers in the war, one of whom, at the time the letter was written, had just returned from the Macedonian battlefields a cripple. "A letter just received from my sister Eva tells us," he writes, that Bert lies in awful agony and that it will be months at best before he can move His injury will leave him with one leg shorter than the other. He was transferred from the Western front to Macedonia fifteen months ago.
 "Eva's husband was killed in France last June. She had T two months's old baby and it died within a few days of it's dad, leaving poor little Sis in double sorrow. Archie is still going strong as far as I know, though I have heard nothing direct from him for almost a year.
 My cousin, Walter Rowson, was wounded with the Canadians last . October, but have heard cothing i of him since seeing the casualty list i His brother Arnoli is also g,ing i strong in the navy, as far as car 1 hear. Walter was captain a, the time he wrote me last.
 "I met number of Alaskans In San Francisco last year. Jack Bar ker was in camp with me ard made a 1st lieutenantcy. Phil Knowlt on, formerly head of the Fairbanks high | school, was also there but arrived | late for service with the navy, and 1 generally met with hard luck. I ran across him again in Salt Lake. in civilians, and he was conternplas- ng the air servce. Judge Overfield | attended the first officers camp. | but his eyes disqualified him. We were in Los Angeles together on examination for the irst camp. Hunter Scales and wife (formeriy Martha Miller, Fairbanks school :, teacher) and Blanch Watson are in San Francisco. saw quite little | of Jack p~-~. during my week-ends at traininp camp and carly in the