The Raymer enterprise., 1918-10-17
LETTER FROM PRI-
VATE A. B. ALLEN
Mr.. G. R. Graves.

to the army and navy life are OF in
terest to your readers, | am writing
this letter in hopes that you may inti
room for its publication
as Dan Wyatt "a here WI + me
shall write for both OF us. We AZ
uived at Camp Freem ,nt on the stn
OF August Lrhp - mr. ~ . i'tt
camp located about thirty miles south
OF San Francisco, and ~ miles from
Paloblto where Lealand Stanford un-
iyersity is located. The camp is IN
q beautiful country among the live
oaks.
Knowing that many OF the boys
write a great deal about the country
they are in we will try and write
about the arm9 an let the sccnry
go.
First. and to a soldier most impor-
tant. what do we eat? Our food or
chow as 1t is call ed is good but plain,
We get meat and potatoes is some
form or other and good white bread
at all times. better than can be bought
At the bakeries. Usually vegatble
H.. toi,atoes, cucu hers. lettuce. etc
gravy and desert. Fruit, we nave
apples. peaches. cantalopes, water
melons and pears. or pudding. m.'stl?
starch or bread Occasionally pie,
The majority OF the men In camp
are mostly from the south and west
and are getting better chow than they
had in civilian life. The only KICK
is the lack OF sugar, and the mess
kit that you have to eat 1t on. A
mess kit is an oval shaped aluminium
nan about ten inches long and Six
inches wide with cover that Is
slighly dishei and you must put all
YOUR chow in the pan or the cover.
Sometimes the prunes get mixed with
the fish but we are hard boiled and
don't mind that any more. We can
sure take nourishment at that. Dan
and | have been gaining weight ever
since the first two weeks we came
here. Dan says that he has gained
fifteen pounds and have gained sew
enteen, 30 you can see that army
chow agrees with US.
What do we do with our time?
We drill ave days a week and Satur-
day morning Is inspection. That is'
they inspect guns, ordinance pack
mess kit, bayonets, first aid packages
canteen, and beds. Then We are at
liberty from then until Sunday night
at IL a. m, unless we are on some
special fatigue detail like k. p. name
" kitchen police. On drill days we
get up at $40 having to stand re-
yely at $50 then breakfast at $3.50.
Then we clean up quarters and shave
at 1870 fall In for drill. Drill until
twelve noon and believe me you ac-
cent the drill. Marching at l2O steps
to the minute with half hour ply
sical exercise as rest period. AT
twelve, go to quarters and at 1880
dinner. 1920 fall in for more drill.
Drill till four then go to quarters.
Supper a FIVE, retreat at 900, then
nothing to do till tomorrow except
washing clothes, mending clothes
Oh! yes We mend our own clothing!
Cleaning gun and thousand and one
other things. Taps sound at ii p m
and good night until morning comes
aroud again.
Amusements. My chief amuse-
ment Is eating every time | have a
spare moment and a spare dime to-
gather | beat 1t for Y. M. c. A. or
the canteen or some place where ]
can get something to eat. Preferably
pie or cake but anything will do II
these are not available. Am always
hungry and often full but always
hungry although not different than
the majority fthe boys.
Then there are three big US in
camp. A X. C. hall and Y tent at
each regiment where they put on
movie shows. sing songs, and vaude-
vile shows every night. These are
m free. Then there is liberty thea
Ire where you can see good show
lor two bits. On Saturday and Sun
! lay you can go to Frisco II you wish.
& There is a fine library in camp, al
= defenders club, also one at Palo-
+ Ito which are the same as any club
the cities. So you see there are
Ienty Of places to 60 to. Just word
two about ourselves in conclusion.
m il a machine gunner in a ma
line gun company Of the 62nd Inf
] IA likes It fine. am in the End ba-
&lion Intelligence section Of the
M Infantry. The intelligence sec
a 10 new branch OF the Infantry
g has only been in existence about
months. Its chief work is to fur