Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-04
DIARY BY MAN
WHO WENT OVER
Former Delaware College Student
Describes Trip Across
Atlantic.
Special Correspondence of Every Evening

| Wilson ot east Mann street has received
AN interesting letter from her grandson.
Lieutenant James \ ODancl. telling
of h1s experiences on his trip To France
Lieutenant O'Danicl is former Della
ware College student and while attending
college made his home with hls grand
mother.
Lieutenant O'Danicl was a corporal
in Co +. National Guard Of Delaware,
when the Delaware soldiers were ON the
MEXICAN border. After returning TO New
ark with his company aud before gong
to Camp NcClcllan. he was appointed
a lieutenant. He remained nj Camp Me
Clcllan for some weeks with the Della
ware contingent and WAS then assigned
to the aviation section ot the army and
trained for several months rs m observer
He sailed for France IN March where he
arrived safe carly IN April. \ brother,
! Wilson Opaniel. also 4 former Della
ware College student, won a commission
NJ the OihccrN' framing Camp and he
Is also now IN France.
Lieutenant O'Dancls letter 10 his
grandmother Is IN the form OF diary and
IS dated y River IN France April 1,
and follows
Dear Grandma
We'll. as tins is my last day on the
water had better begin to write my little
diary, which ! have kept from day to day
Thursday March 81
arrived It the picr 1t . \ m and
bearded the boat at l0 The minute that
We lcfj the dock and touched the deck
| that meant that VIZ rould not - oti
again w we're then assigned 10 state
rooms As rh~rr were only three of lis
| Austin boys on board and IN fact he only
| three out al the - who got the orders and
| Transformation IA traucC at once Will
| explain that later Nly huukIcs name
Is Paul. and hc has proven t0 To about the
best scout on the boat His mother
name was 0'Damc and tie looks quite a
bit like me Had the lights on tonight
but this RIllh"thc last night hctwrcu sun
set and sunrise that We Will have them
until We reach port Have had dinner
and supper ON shlphoard and they were
pretty good There arc Two lieutenant,
| TO a Statsroom.
FRIDAY March -
'Toorav We lctt the dock 1T > p m
. At about 50 a call to quarters sounded
and evcryorr had 10 leave the deck IA
othCcr summoned Is is assemble In the
library and road to tlS the rules and regu-
atlons Of the transport Officers Wcrc
I put IN charge ii lookout posts and ai-,
| assigned to the ereW 5 nest - far !
have missed AL 81 thcm \o one real
lzcd n hrst the purpose of the meeting
winch was - bring rs oti Of deck until
VIC were we'll ont OF sight of New York
| All OF sudden everyone seemed to realize
he meaning Of ii, that We were At last
leaving the deck And the feeling that
came over me aS we'll aS every one else
| guess, Is utterly impossible Ia describe
+ " lth me 1t was a feeling oi Jov that ! was
at last on my way To Franco aud the re-
verse that | was leaving the old [ :
and everyone dear t. me The lights went
put al sunset and OF course We were not
hllowed - smoke on 0ech We nave Is
70 through tins every dal tt the pres
mt minute We are anchored N the har-
nor aWaItlnC the other transport ship
hat Is 70 60 along with Us We viii prob /
bly, set out 10 SEA early IN the morning /
SATURDAY, March 23
We'll We are at last on tho ocean
We LETT the hay TINS morning ST 3 So
clock. 50 when / aWoke 1T 10 O'Clock +.
Xe were N lie Atlantic Al / clock /.
xe were assigned To lIicbaa,s There were
bout to TO a boat We have fire drills .
: wO or three times D aat Had MOVIES .
his evening after supper also band music 4
and singing furnished - the J VI c 4 .
tlnen II charge % an4~encntS on the
transport. Had pretty good picture
show. sat in the dining saloon and read
T. book untI. j. o'clock " hiie ] was
reading the sea became much rougher
|so that when | sol up ! thought that
was standing on my head but il did not
get me down The funniest experience
Is SIX meals o day three up and three
down. Some have had many already
sunday. March "A
Il awoke Tins morning rocking from
side 70 side q rnx bunk took !. hot salt
water bath. q shower and 50 felt a little
better then went 70 the promenade
deck where the MAJOR informed me that
was 70 90 IN the lookout tonight IN the
crow hest " ell have finished my
first watch and freI much better that il
Is over II seems that i has cleared IN,
head up 50 maybe ! Will not be seaslcE
20 on again from - i III There /
are two crow 5 Uc-rS t9 tins boat lore /
and aft and .>re about 100 fcet from the
deck. Have = olHuii . rope ladder H. gct
there Wlss il l1f+le Tit sh;.ky at first
about gong up hu' Ike il nov
A1onday Nsr~h p.
JUST finished breakfast after M
second watch Tho ,imc changed one
hour curing tie night K changes IN.
hours On fhe We. over Iid rlor 90 bac,
70 bed Ii:-d breakfast tosl fatt
shaved and Wen t. bed until s. j. cIock
just In time IL mss . boat dr %
on watch again tonight from - l. = and
from t. 10 Saw another fnoy.e after
supper II IS raining hard HOW .nd tlgU-
ing q g.lIe I h.sre trie,i about f. .a.ertIves
10 de~-rbo the night Tie wave uasi
clear over The deck - lol have % Keep
OF Of i But ! guess the We4vc- viii h..rdk
reach the crow NEST but It wiII ,,IreS
be a perilous task - climb tic ladder Ii
such gsie The Wiud cut> yoT f..cc and
nearly blows one off I'll, ladder Vel
II Is time u % up now VIII wrItt the
rest AFTER fIE tlInr in heIi is oYcr
We'll llyed through il O Is and an
here to tcil about Il Il surely Ws.s hard
sticking and certainly thought that /
would be blown 81 he ladder did
not have any old clothes with mc So had
10 wear my serge trousers Tore them
on The NAY up aad completely runcd
them ,etoud repair Al7o got soa6ing
vet going Up After came down dIa
not ferl tire least III ,Ich 50 vent down
to the ttchcn q - bitc q at The
smell Of the place laid rac oat and Ii 4 fcu