Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-08-07
WlLLMAR BOYS IN 49,. /
OLD DOMINION STATE
Camp Abraham, Eustis, Va.
Jn1v q 1919

L
July 81, 1918. I
Tribune Printing Co.
Dear Mr.. lawson:
Just line or so to thank you for |
the Tribune. We sure appreciate it |
and read every inch of news. We al
ways look forward to the day when
it usually comes. In spite OF moving
around considerably the past month,
it has been forwarded to US so we
have not missed any of the local news
We are now in the 4th anti-air-craft
battalion and slated for oversee duty
as soon as circumstances will permit.
The battalion consists of Coast Art
illery Corps troops, taken from all the
Coast Artillery posts in the U. S.
Most of the men are old regulars hav-
ing or 3 and some all the way be-
service.
An anti-aircraft battery has three
or four guns mounted on automobiles
or caterpillar tractors. 1t has accom-
plished its purpose If it downs, drives
any enemy scout planes which may
be attempting to get data on the U. S.
troop movements.
T..
months ago, we transferred to the
4th trench mortar battalion at Null
| berry Island, Va. Here we spent a
month getting instructions in trench
warfare. The order came in for ten
non-coms. to be transferred, by draw
ing lot, to the 4th anti-air craft bat.
talon. Both our names were drawn
so we were transferred to Camp Eus-
tbs, Va. This is a new camp and we
are practically the first soldiers here,
but in the near future it will rank
with the largest camps in the country
and will be capable of holding 10000
men.
Sgt Hans Peterson who is now the
ranking duty sergeant in battery B,
of the 5Oth Regiment is also at this
post. We went to Ft. Monroe with
him last Sunday to visit the other
Willmar boys there. We ran across
Enoch Hoglund at the Y. M. C. A
He has just completed a course in an
automobile school and is now instruct
ing men on the caterpillar tractor
We also saw Harold Larson who also
has just finished a course in an auto
. mobile school in Florida and is nov
waiting for his assignment to some
' oversee Regiment. At Buckrce Beach
in the evening we came across Ches
, ter S. Nelson who is now third elias:
t quarter on the U. S. S. Denver an(
is conveying transports across the AT
I lantic. The six of us Willmarites hat
t some reunion and needless to sa!
7 some time.
Received a letter from "Buck" John
son, who it at Lafayette, Indiana, h
said, while on M. P. duty trail
came thru and he was surprised to SCI
Minnesota written on the first cal
and still more surprised when he saw
Meeker and Kandiyohi counties on tn
!. following cars and Herb. Hengstle
, on the platform. The train didn'
, stop however, so he had no chance t.
! speak to them. He enclosed a lette
written by Norman Tallakson. It wa
= postmarked Lee Hall, Va, small
town three miles from Camp Eustis
We had supper Immediately and Sc
out for the 9th Balloon Co., at tn
Balloon School about two miles iron
here We found him inside ef al
), hour and needless to say were glad tt
! see each other. He is at the Balloon
School, in the Aviation Section of tn
Signal Corps.
We walked down the the Jane
r River and had most enjoyable swim
Q There must have been four or fiv
i hundred soldiers in swimming here a
s a good percent of the 10Th Regimen
i were there.
:, Will have to close for this time
n thanking you again for the Tribune
we are,
Il Yours respectfully,
Sgt. Robert B. Johnson,
Battery B.
Cpl. Daniel J. Burns,
Battery A. 18th
Anti-air craft battalion.