The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-11-08
Interesting Letter From
Bingham County Boys
American Expeditionary Forces.

| american ExpeultlOnary fOrceS.
Via New York.
Mr.. Byrd Trego,
Editor of the Idaho Republican.
Dear Editor:
AS we glide quietly along over the
vast area stretching from the Pacific
coast to an unknown destination in
the east ,enroute from Camp FIRE.
mont, CAL, our thoughts are min
gled together in remembrance of
home, loved ones and friends. And
as we, few of the boys from Bing-
ham county are travelling together
our conversation naturally drifts to
old familiar rememberances and
scenes at home in Idaho.
We have spent some nine weeks
at Camp Fremont, leaving Blackfoot
August 20 and arriving at camp two
days later. During this time we
have been In training, and have
learned much pertaining to the life
and duties of soldier. We have
enjoyed our work and out door life,
regular habits, drills and varied ex-
periences which so far we have had
thus early in the service of the great
est and grandest of nations, the
United States.
| Upon arriving in camp we were
initiated into the service in man
ner seemingly rough to some of us.
After being examined and found fit
for the service (by the way all of our
little bunch, twenty-one in number
passed the exams o. K) we re-
ceived series of vaccinations for
smallpox, typhoid fever, commence
ing with a short in the arm fright
ARM as it is known to soldiers, and
the regular smallpox vaccination,
followed at intervals of seven days
with the other innoculations for
typhoid.
After this period of time thru
which We were held in quarantine
in a part of the camp known as
Casual camp, we were assigned to
regiments in the infantry, all of us
being assigned to the 62nd.
We were then out of the casual
camp quarantine and enjoyed the
privilege of going where we pleased
in the evenings between the hours Of
6 O'Clock and II p. M, when we were
supposed to be in bed. Also from
Saturday noon until Sunday night
the soldiers were at liberty to go
where We cared to, and most of our
boys took advantage of the opportun-
ity, visiting most Of the surrounding
towns and places of interest.
Quite a number of the soldiers
were so unfortunate as to contract
the flu and were removed to the base
hospital this rendering them I'M
able to move with the regiments
when the eighth division was shipped
east.
Some few of the Bingham county
boys were numbered among the sick
but with one or two exceptions we
all pulled thru and are now on our
way to join our companies in the
east.
While at camp the soldiers do not
lack for recreation and entertain
ment, as the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A.,
K. of C. and various other organiza-
tions spend countless sums of money
alogn these lines erecting buildings
for entertainments, giving lectures,
musical programs, moving pictures,
and many other interesting and in
structive amusements. Also there
are Libraries reading rooms and writ
ing tables for the convenience of the
soldiers.
Also enroute at the various sta
tons, Red Cross workers and others
desirious of making the trip pleasant
for the boys, meet the trains with
candy, ice cream, tobacco, post cards
and other articles for the pleasure
and convenience Of the men.
Everywhere we were met with
smiles, cheerful greetings and en-
couragement. 1t is needless to say
that all of this is greatly appreciated
by the boys and we might add that
the letters and papers from home are
the biggest and best source of plea
sure and encouragement that the
boys get, therefore in behalf of the
boys from Bingham county, we wish
to say that if the home folks will
write more letters and tell us all the
things of interest that are taking
place at home, it will help greatly
to Eliminate the respondent feelings
which the boys SO often have.
In conclusion we wish to say that
we are pround to represent the peo-
pie of Bingham county in the great
est of all causes for which the ma
tons of the earth have ever strug-
gled, and we trust that we may play
our part honorably in this work of
abolishing autocracy and of estab-
fishing a permanent and lasting
peace that will be universal
Best wishes to all the people of
Bingham county, from some Of the
boys in kahki