Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-01-09
AT HAMPTON ROADS
LEE g. WELSH WRITES WILBUR
FROST OF LIFE AT A BIG
NAVAL STATION

most every state of the middle west.
northwest and west, but the greater
part from Missouri Illinois and Colo
RADIO. A trainload of 1913 had come
from st. Louis and at Cincinnati we
were joined by 116 more from Den
yer.
The trip from Cincinnati to Nor
folk was one Of great interest to most
Of us, especially those from Missouri
and Illinois. 1t was our first time to
see real mountains when we hit the
Blue Ridge. We went through them
by moonlight and prettier scenes /
never saw before. Going over some of
the highest places three electric mo-
tors were required to move us. All
the people seemed to be glad they were
living in the dear Ole y. S. A., for all
who saw us pass cheered us and
waved handerkerchiefs and flags at
us. They all knew that ours was
trainload' Of either soldiers or sailors
from the noise we made. Really there
is nothing to keep people Of these
mountains from being happy unless it
is the difficult places in which they
have to cultivate crops. Corn fields
were located on slopes we would think
it impossible to climb back in Nilsson
ri. I must not linger too long on our
trip, for I have a great deal to tell
Of my seventeen weeks experience in
the station. Suffice it to say that we
enjoyed it to say that we enjoyed it
immensely
AS soon as we arrived at Norfolk
we were marched to the first deten-
ton camp. This was a very pretty
and comfortable camp. 1t is the small
lest in the whole station. There isn't
room for over three or four hundred
there. 1t was crowded though. Our
first night we slept on the floor of
the main building. The next day we
were assigned to bungalows, given
uniforms and put in companies of 108
men each. My company number was
90, and l have been lucky enough to
stay with the same bunch ever since
Many of the boys have gone to the
hospital and when they returned have
been put in different companies, but
/ never have been healthier than since
| came into the navy. We are well
fed, have good quarters and are given
plenty Of exercise.
l suppose many who read this will
all ready know the daily routine Of
the navy but for the benefit Of those
who do not 1 will give it here. Reveille
call blows at $3.50. We must roll out
promptly, get things in order and
ready for roll call at 800. We then
get ready for breakfast at 700. The
bugle calls for drill at 1880 We fall
in and march out to the drill field
where we work until HOO Dinner
comes at 1900 and you can imagine
how ready we are for it. Uncle Sans
food bill must be enormous if all his
boys eat as much as l do. We fall in
and drill again from 100 to 400.
From then until six we wash clothes,
write or read. After supper have
until nine TO ourselves. Then taps
blow and all lights must be out and
everything quite This is our daily
routine except on Saturdays when
we have all afternoon off and on Sun
days we, of course, have all day off.
We spent three rather pleasant yet
lonesome weeks in the first detention
camp pleasant because of the new
ness. of it all anC lOncsA1ne because
We got no liberty Here we got our
small pOX vaccination and typhoid in
noculatiOns. We usually had two or
three picture shows each week and
church on Sundays SO our first three
weeks passed quickly although we
were penned up.
Our first move was short; only a
half mile to another detention camp
Here we spent two weeks. They call
this camp Happy Hollow, but it did
not impress me that they had named it
right. Rain fell almost continuously
while we were there; as a result mud
was ankle deep. I'm sure these were
the two most miserable weeks / ever
spent But our real rookie days were
almost over when we left there and
ever since l have got to like the navy
better Each move and we have made
several, has given us better home.
On our sixth week we moved to the
IudlL camp. VIC Wei IuS1I Jul VI uC
tention for good and had "a hours
liberty each week. We usually went
to Norfolk, just across the Elizabeth
river from the camp, and spent our
time very pleasantly. Norfolk is a
nice town of 100000. The camp we
were then in was much larger than
the two former ones. l think there is
room tor five or six thousand. There
is Y. NJ. c. A. and a fairly good IL
brary. Things were arranged so we
could spend our time off duty read
ing, writing, playing games, etc.
Our quarters here were small bun
gaIows as we called them. They were
14x14 fit. and from eight to ten of us
were in each. We had to hang oul
hammocks in two layers, one above
the other to make room. We were
crowded but soon got acquainted an(
used to close quarters. We also haC