The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1918-01-31
Nolen HolIen Sees a Different
Aviation.

+'4Vt ADtAAg a. Vf4AAf ~ 49,
Dear friend: ! am getting the
Herald regular, and the only frOu-
bic is that it does not come more
often. II seems as tho you are
having a very mild winter in Ida
no. II is different here. We are
: having a very severe winter for
this part OF the country. The
! drainage system has not been com
! pleted in our camp, and the mud
and water are fierce. Part of the
time it is frOzed solid and then
there is a thaw. Well, ] guess yop
can imagine what we have TO con-
tend with. / am working inside
so the weather does not bother
me 80 much as ii does the fellows
who have TO work out side. was
an orderly for a while, but was
taken out of that job and put into
the ordnance department Of this
camp. ! do not have to work very
much and we work short hours.
i was told, when / joined the
aviation branch, that / would get
chance 10 learn some kind Of q
trade, but instead of being taught
something new / was put to work
digging bitches and clearing for
ests and many other kinds Of labor
which / understood before enlist
ing, but / am not kicking. If ]
do not do this kind Of work some
one else would, so what is the diff
ference. This war surely must end
some time and then / can get TO
do the kind Of work ] like. For
the benefit Of those who do not I'M
derstand aviation work, / viii try
10 explain how il is: When we get
up in the morning we put on our
flying suits, commonly known to
all Nezperccrs as oyeralls and
as soon as we have eaten break
fast we push out our machines,
known to all Irishmen as wheel
barrows. and after oiling them
thoroughly, we take a short fight
TO the scene Of some ditching
work. As soon as we get to our
destination and have made a safe
landing, we take out our tool kits,
containing picks and shovels, and
start to work building hangers for
our machines. After we have
looped the loop and done various
other stunts with our machines
filed with dirt, we are then quail
fled for the elbow" line. Then
we fiy back TO camp and rush the
elbow" line, and then rest for an
hour and do the same things IN
the afternoon. Tell them all that
we are some flyers. OF course ii
is not that bad, but you under
stand now TO a certain extent what
We do, or at least what most of US
do. In order TO become a real fly
er one has to pass severe exam
nation. and IL successful you are
sent 10 a school for three months
and there you have to qualify to
be sent to the regular flyers
training camp TO be trained to OPP
crate a machine. Here is where
many lose out. When it comes to
real flying they lose their nerve.
I am going to try the exams, and
If pass / may some time get
chance to fly.
There is no other way of get
ting to fly; so do not enlist with
the intention Of going up the first
day that you are in the service.
There is 10 be a shipment of
men from this camp to France IN
a short while, and ] sure would
like 10 go, but l guess that l win
have to wait till my squadron goes
over.
am on guard in the supply Of
fee tonight. Ny duties are TO
keep heat enough in the building
va keep the fire extinguishers
from freezing. Some class to this
job.
| win be of duty all day tomor-
row, so that will help some We
are getting better eats now than
we have been used to, end we are
10 be paid tomorrow All in all,
this is not such a bad army after
all. In fact, it is the best army
that ever had the pleasure Of be-
ing in. 1 have been a member for
nearly six months and it does not
seem half that long. In fact, | !
rather enjoy army life. It is hard
but have lots of fun,
md am looking forward 20 the
time when / will come home a
veteran.
A German spy was captured IN
his camp last week. He was a
lieutenant in the German army,
md came to this country in the
German boat U-23. Quite a few
people were found to be in cahoots
With him. He was trying to set
ire to the magazine when he was
and it is supposed he
vas the instigator of the Norfolk
V<..4.s F,.f4.r.I