Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-22
M'KELVEY P&ANS
THE JOYS OF WAR
Former Wilmingtonian Tells of
the Zest of Soldiers
Life.

The bro, herhood Of the pen and type
writer, those cheerful chaps who write
out OF the fulness , { their souls Tor the boy
and entertainment OF other humans, lost
rare companion when William Nc
kelyey. son of Fx-C Councilman James
Mckclyev, who now lives IN l.ockport
n. Y, didn't train for that craft instead
of gong in for mechanics. Most anybody
can wiscn up sufficiently TO monkey
success fully with tools. and wEe'l Sami
engines. but few can ct such glow ca
color into a letter rs is IN one Mchelvey,
who is lieutenant ''ovcr there, has
sent to Whtelcy q foolc, son ot James
O'Toole. Of this city Mckclvey fairy
prans the soldiers life and windsii MI M
with I'VE hunger and thirst. we'll az
hut first we live. bv God. sir, We'll 1--we
Here is his letter
'Nr Whit Icy OToolc.
Wilmington. Del
Dear Sir: 1t has been long time since
| have written YOU letter, but somehow
and rs the poets say III the sprngtuno
Youths mind gently turns Ia love, but rs
the long dark nights of fall and winter
approach. n soldiers mind turns To home
anu the loved ones he left behind. |
always consider Wilmington as my home,
no matter how long ! am away from II
because most OF my friends are there.
counting YOU rs one. rs the feeling ior
friends oi Eoyhood days can never hc
usuIped by new ones.
II Joined the Army Of Dcmocra y
last winter-the highest and loftiGst
branch, the aviation. | have always hal
high ambitions, but have never been
much of q climber have been sort oi
rolling stone. and It would not take much
4. of Fsarph n
The level OF the ranks. as rank Is but The
dollar mark. and n mans q man Tor
a that Aviation is somewhat similar
20 n deadly poison one drop, and IT
Kills YOU.
Il spent the spring months It the
Curtss airplane plant IN Buffalo. and was
able 10 sec my mother and father. Who
are at Lockport, which is close 10 the
aviation field
II belong to special regiment, or
ganized under the order Of General Perish
ing himself. and il Is the highest paid one
in the entire army 1t is comprised OF
The hest motor mechanics III the enlisted
personnel of our country. The officers
were especially selected | received the
FIRST commission out Of $50 applicants.
] don't know how they selected me. but
] suppose that they wanted a black sheep
or maybe a lamb to lead them.
Il shall tell you something Of our trip
from the training camp IN the states
80 my present location IN France. The
regiment left IN several sections from n
gigantic cantonment IN the sunny South,
destined for New York. tho empire state
i was rather a nonotonouS wait uptfl the
trains finally pulled ont on the initial
mile Of our long pilgrimage 70 distant
and foreign land.
The Journey recalled tho trilnphal
return OF Caesars leglons with All the
attendant ovation and clamor, Il was
one continuous and Cordial reception
from the time when we left Inc Caro!naS
until we arrived trainworl and weary
in Brooklyn. 1t was actually inspiring
and made one feel IS though his services
were appreciated
we sojourned for i few days in rest
camp at Long lsia ii, where ! was able
IL bid my wife ant family goodbye
The las: glimpse ] had of them was from
q recedn2 Train, with two SINAI! baby
hands frantically waving AT their de-
parting father Il I nd ana affecting far
well
I'VE embarked on rrtn--- Atlantic l'ne.
III large conv j. !; was a kind .f
monofonou>, irkSome voyage coming
over Oh for sailor lie VI vitC 4, L
used 10 he when We were hids Twas
worse than trip 10 Reading ol the
Wilmington Northern, but hsc every
thing else came - IN end There Nas
no excitement until wc arrive in ~1.Gcorga
Channel. al the coast ii Ireland We
then and there received one afternoon
our FIR; look i. otl Old and mutual
fricn FRITZ
Twas the most discourteous and unclYii
thing that ] have ever witnessed. 'TWa-
worse than out on our marshes the
first day day of reed bird season. and
Fritz had about ~ much G -ance aS--Well
the Liverpool papers gave Is credit for
three. and England IS reknoWned for
her conservative press
Twas 4 grey morning vhcn We came
up the channel. and our ship carried the
commodore Of the fleet a convoy Of over
two dozen ships and each with an army
on board ] shall never forget my first
glimpse OF the good old shore. as the
fog was lifting Brighton on our right
and Liverpool on our left The former
n q summer resort like our Atlantic City,
The beach was throngcd with thousands
Of women and children. and as the mighty
feet steamed slowly up the MeEsev the
bands playing on board ship, the bows
cheering. the answering cheers from both
sides of the river. the band on the Cunard