Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-05-15
VICTOR H0EG NOW
ON WAY TO FRANCE
Left Camp Sewer i'm South Caro-
About Ready to Go Across.
RED CROSS WOMEN
E.' GOOD TO THE SOLDIERS
Treated Fine on Two Day Trip
From the South to New York.
Writes His Friend Otto
Anderson.
Camp Mills, l.. l., N. Y
MAY 5, 1918.

Friend Otto:
Hello Otto, how are you?
Caught any fish yet or ar'nt they
biting? We are in New York now
getting ready to go across the pond.
New York City extends right out to
this camp. Arrived here yesterday
afternoon after a fine trip of two
days. There are lots of aeroplanes
here, Counted twelve of them in
the air at once. l think l will go
to New York this afternoon, some
of the boys went last night. We
have all our equipment spread out
on our hunks now and the officers
are checking it up and we receive
more yet. We have received anu
milton already, have 100 rounds in
my cartridge belt now. Just had
an examination now.
We left Greenville Thursday after
noon and came through the follow
ing states: S. Carolina, N. Carolina,
Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pen
Insylvania, New Jersey and into New
York We stopped at Raleigh,
Richmond, Washington, Baltimore,
Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton,
Newark and New York. We march
ed about four miles through Rich
mond, and it is the least patriotic
city we went through. / don't
think any one Of the people even
cheered us. The further north we
got the more patriotic and en-
thusiastic the people got. We came
Through Washington, d. c. at mid
night but l stayed up and saw the
capitol building and the Washington
monument. We. crossed Chesapeake
hay before entering Washington.
AS we got further north the country
became thicker settled and from
Baltimore on we were passing thru
cities all the time, seemed like
one big city from Philadelphia to
New York. Philadelphia showed
their patriotism more than any other
place. The men and women were
waving and cheering us from all
sides and the engines kept blowing
their whistles all the time. Just
after we left Philadelphia We witness
sed an accident. A man was stand
ing on another track watching our
train, when another train struck
him and killed him. Our train
fcome near having collision with
"a fast flyer, we just stopped in time
if we had of gone four rails farther
/. it would have struck US. At several
places along the way, Red Cross
women gave us postal cards, cigar
Iettes and flowers We passed thru
the tube under the Hudson river at
New York, also saw the Brooklyn
bridge. / had intended to go to a
ball game today but they do not
tplay bali here on Sunday, so viii
Iwait until next Saturday, If we stay
here that long. l think the Cor
Iporal and l will go to the city anc
take in some show just the same
fThere are saloons here but the sol
oilers are not allowed in them.
Twill finish this letter later.
| / can't go to town today. but an
lgoing to ask the Captain for a par
iof tomorrow. The men in the Is
and End platoons received passes to
tday. / am in the 4th platoon.
lam in the Y. M. c. A.. now, listen
ing to the phonegraph and LOOKING
}, az books. Otto, / tell you, the Y
I'M. c.. A. is the finest organization
on earth and deserves the backin
lof every American citizen. Yo
can never know how much good
does until you get in the army
) They have piano here also an
| the boys are playing it and singin
now.
Well Otto, l can't think of NOR
now. Say hello to Art Lomen fror
me, and greet the others also.
think if you write me as soon
You get this letter it will reach m
before we sail.
Goodbye,
/. VICTOR HOEG.
3 leo. B. 117th Inf.
, Camp Mills, Hampstead, l.. |.
j New York.