The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-10-03
IN CAMP MERRITT
HAROLD GUNNAR DESCRIBES
TRIP FROM TEXAS.
Camp Merritt, New Jersey,

Dear Mother: This is a very nice
camp. set in the midst of beautiful
country. | wish we might have trained
here instead of in Texas, but this is
not training camp. it is just
a camp where the men are held
until they are equipped and ready |
to sail and until the transports are
ready. No drilling is done here in !
fact there are no drill grounds. We
sleep in big wooden barracks which
are quite different from the tents TO
| which we have been accustomed. We
have nice steel cots and good mat
tresses to sleep on. The weather isl
pleasant and cool and we sleep fine.
| have done very little sweating sincei
we left Texas. 1t certainly is a relief
| TO be in a real country again. Every
thing is so beautiful around here. The
trees are fine and there is plenty of
grass. Take it all in all the scenery is
simply lovely. We are not far from the
| ocean. HobOken being the nearest
port, think. We are only forty-five
minutes from Broadway, but think Il
shall not go don't know what would
do in that great city alone and | am
pretty well separated from all my
friends. We will probably sail soon.
| am still in the Headquarters office
and like It fine. Have had more work
to do today because we are catching
up with the work which was not done
| while we were enrOute
| / certainly had wonderful, trip.
Every city and village welcomed us
if we stopped, but we didn't make
many stops. Just at division points
where engines and crews were
changed. On the New York Central
we took water on the run from troughs
in the middle of the tracks, so you
see that we didn't even have to stop
for water on that road. The n. Y. c.
has four tracks between Cleveland and
Buffalo.
/ like Cleveland ssreception the best
of all. After we changed engines there
they pulled us about five miles from
the station out near the lake and we
got off and went into a beautiful park
and down to the beach and went in
swimming. The water felt fine and We
enjoyed it very much. After the plunge
we went back up in the park and the
Red Cross ladies gave us chocolate
candy. grape Juice, cookies, gum. post
cards and magazines. They clapped
and cheered as we came along. Coming
into Cleveland we passed the ship
yards on Lake Erie and the tugs,
boats, etc, certainly whstIed. The
factories and switch engines blew
their whistles and men and women
working in the big buildings flied the
windows and cheered and waved at
us 1t certainly was royal welcome.
1t was the same way every place.
We went through Nation, Illinois,
and some of us were taken around
town in a Red Cross truck by some
girls We were treated fine there.
We hit Rochester. New York, CThc
home Of the Kodak about Sis Thurs
day evening and got off and went up
town We We're welcomed there. We
didn't go through New York City. We
were switched off and shot down here
in New Jersey.
The trip along the Hudson surDasses
my ability to describe. | can only say
that it was beautiful. superb and
grand. The CatSkill Mountains are
very pretty and a dreamy haze sur
rounds them. The lovely river winds
| hn II
cannot describe it. Parts of the seen
cry reminded me of Colorado. GER
tainly am glad to get out of Texas.
l like the beautiful green trees and
grass. Texas had nothing but runts of
trees and very little grass-too dry for
anything TO grow. We also get good
cool drinking water here.
In day or two We shall get aur cute
little overseas" caps. They are funny
little caps. Spiral wooden leggings will
also be issued to us. Our barracks
bags have been taken from us and
whatever We take with us now will be
carried on our backs.
! The war news is very encouraging
and | hope that before long we shall
all sail back home. The Huns are run
mig now. If they only keep running.
Lots of love TO all hope to come
back safely some day and that Ger,
tainly will be time of great rejoicing.
| Your son,
! Cpl. Harold Il. Gunnar,
| Headquarters Co. Gath Inf.
! Camp Merritt, y. J.