East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-06-11
f. III. Young Tells of Life
90 go % 90
With Ordnance Boys at
90 ~AH %A 80
Camp Hancock, Georgia


Georsia Is a warm place these days
but nevertheless Uncle SANS boys
down there are doing well, accordlns
to n letter received by NJ. r. Chess
man from F. II. Young. former high
school instructor who IS in an ord
nance school at Camp Hancock.
In part the letter Is as follows:
Don't mistake any possible mois-
ture marks on these pages for tears
Of regret for joining the army. Rath-
or know them to be drops of sweat
boiled out by Georgia's blazing sun.
for today promises to repeat yesterr.
days record of % degrees In front
Of an electric fan in this Y. NJ. c. A.
building. and los degrees on our
white sand drill field. But we or at
least / am. nicely acclimated, al
though last Thursday about 80 men
were taken to the hospital. having
collapsed fro the heat and strain of
standing at attention during Decora-
tion Day services in a cauldron of
heat waves. an abandoned reservoir.
About 10000 men were present and
Il was my first experience to be an
atom in along column OF khaki wind
Ing its way along the red clay road,
past sweet smelling magnolia trees in
bloom, chattering negroes and aban-
ooned southern homes.
It's hard life we're in, but IN bet
there isn't man who is not taking II
like man. But let me tell you.
there's nothing empty in any support
those at home can give the Y. NJ. c.
a. and Red Cross activities. There
are three Y. NJ. c. a. huts, large. fine
buildings. well equipped and in charge
Of capable men,, within reach OF our
supply school, and they are the oasis
of rest and service for the men here
They provide rest. entertainment. the
spiritual stimulus and all kinds of
services too small for the govern
ment to handle through ther can
teens. The Y. NJ. c. A. ts certainly
giving the men a haven in this place,
which / dare say is as hot and dusty
as any army camp.
Well Cared For.
Let no one fear either that a camp
even In the south where conditions
you know aren't the best, Is not Ia
ken good care of by the army. Fine
food. we had grape fruit, scrambled
eggs, bacon, coffee and bread this
morning. plenty of hard drill and
schooling that b good considering the
facilities at hand. Sanitary condi-
items are splendid. regulations very
strict. in fact every precautlon to /
safeguard the men in every way.
At present this camp IL mostly or /
dinance and machine gun men. about /
2000 in the ordnance supply school /
There are a lot OF New York drafted /
men here. in fact the school had to /
move out of good boarded floored
tents on hill and move to Death
valley" a sandy, dusty valley with dry I.
sand tent floors to make room for
the selectmen from New York city.
secs Local Boys.
/ have seen Lou Steelhammer, Sayreh
and Willard Bond. on Instruction fre-
luently. Steelhammer is fortunate :
n that he Is generally above tho cloud
If dust that every marching column
makes as 1t marches along. In fact
he dust hero from the dirty sand Is
he worst thing about II. but all there :
$ 70 do Is to keep straight ahead ana :
lose your mouth, against the dust :
nd thoughts that arise.
Glad to hear that Miss Wilsey has :
nlisted as a yeomanette. She win :
make good. Tomorrow the South :
the birthday Of jefferson
)avis. never knew that before. We :
re four miles from Augusta ON the :
avannah river. have walked to :
outh Carolina already. but aside
rom the historical Interest attach s
ig TO the old. old houses OF thor s
1ghly typical Southern design and s
he old Spanish style buildings on :
ugusta's main street. there Is noth- s
g but smells and slovelincss about 3
le place.
Sincerely, =
r n VOfrNrrs