Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-03-14
LEROY SMITH TELLS OF
HIS "ROOKY" EXPERIENCE
Interesting Account of Canaan Boys
Experiences After Enlistment IN
the Aviation Corps.


boys in camp are faring, i take pleas
ure in writing about few of nv ex--
periences.
Leaving Canaan on Dec. 18th and.
after saying goodbye to friends ana
relatives / made sufficient time to be-
come a member of Uncle Sans Avia-
ton Corps on Dec. 3. Just at this point
we began to have some trying expert
ences and must confess that was
somewhat dissE pointed in the under
taking about which and every one
else had been 20 enthusiastic.
A tip for those who are TO follow In
our footsteps-do not judge conditions
in the army by what you have he@rd
enlistment. When man enlists In tine
army he has made the first step toward
becoming a part of O vast military
machine; but before he can be properly
placed where he may do his .'bit", am
well as enjoy his work be must be
sifted thru, sometimes. several organi.
cations camps. In these camps Ia where
he finds his hardship. Many times.
beirg unorganized, he has no officers
over him and is very badly cared for.
There is no criticism to be made
against anyone for this; It's just Ina
evitable while being organized.
We suffered from cold and lack OF
sleep while being initiated" at Fort
Slocum. Everyone knows the reason
for this:-the boys were applying for
admission from all quarters. so great
was the number that it speaks well for
those in charge, that we Jared even as
we'll as we did. We were placed upon =
very much crowded boat and taken To-
Hohoken where we took pullman cars
for the rest of the journey, which,
lasted altogether six days. While In
Hoboken we received royal reception
by the Red Gross which under the
circumstances left all the more pleasant
impression. We were very cold and
hungry and after dispelling the former
they proceeded to satisfy the latter vita
rolls, coffee and cake. I think thls
Little touch served 20 make everyons
feel more keenly the ard and sympathy
of our sister organization.
At the end of six DAYS we arrived nc
Kelly Field, San Antonio, tired am
utterly disguised with eating cornea
beef sandwiches as about our only
ration, / think no ore was more
healthy or less wise for this trip. OUR
hopes of the Sunny South, from
the beginning were somewhat blighted
as we saw nothing that spoke we'll for
our stay at Kelly Field. Altho ths
weather was warm and we ceased to
suffer from cold. there were many
other features 1 should gladly have
exchanged, for the 10y climate of Oun
necticut.
Very often a cruel wind swept down
from the Northeast carrying such am
abundance of Texas sand that yop
could not see your way evAS infdav~
light. We babe farewell to thaFpertiom
OF earth which was not left In our
blankets, our eyes, our pockets or OUR
food, as it passed on toward the GuIr
of Mexico. There were several othar
Objectionable features 30 that pY@ss
which it seems to me, makes it mn
unfit place for camp. should like te
| see the place condemned as q sanitary
and economic policy.
shall have 10 "hand &c to- Eeliy
Field for q Xmas Feed. We hnds
dinner good enough for anybody. 10
consisted of turkey, cranbe ry sauce.
pie, dressing, biscuits, nuts, oranges.
apples and coffee. It was a repast very
much out of place with its surround
ings but very welcome visitor.
After being picked over about N
dozen times I was taken with tire
thirteenth picking, to Camp Mace
Arthur, Waco, for further organiza-
ton. Many unpleasant rumors were
abroad concerning Camp MacArfhwr
before We left kelly, but suols .
pleasant surprise as was In store for mo
is rarely experienced.
Waco and Camp Macarthur In unw
of the beauty spots of the South. Here
we began to drill, eat properly, sleep
comfortably, and live very regularly
in general. Anyone can guess the re-
suits. There was little dust OF sand ee
cause irritation, the air was pure ana
the sun shone most of the tine.
We had got settled down In snuw
little home and did not care to be dis-
Jurbed about moving again until GO
least the ice and snow had disappeared
from the North. But as our ultimate
purpose is to serve our country wesdsa
not object when they gave MS the order
to move North.
We had become quite attached to QUE
officers, Lieutenants Brown and Hons
ton Of the. old 22d squadron, who or
ganized MS into the new 256th SQUAD
ron, drilled Ms and supplied MS. But
were obliged to leave them behind -
continue such work as they did for ms
On learning that they could not ~
along to Wright field we gave them
banquet, and some presents, which
would do credit to like affair In any
organization. We had feed, music.
folk songs. toasts and presentations all
of which showed the differeI ce betweem