The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-10-24
From Harry Hilbrich.

16I Indiana ave. Hammond.
Friend George:
Having plenty of time to spare and
was just thinking of you. l will use
by spare moments in writing you few
sheets.
Well. old top, 1 arrived back here in
the old home once more in plenty of
time Arrived in camp ten hours ahead
Of my time. The gang was sure glad to
see me back and also seemed good to be
with them When / came in the section
Of the barracks where I hang my hat
the gang all hollered "the gang is all
here now so what the hell do we care"
surely had some stories to tell that
night All the boys that live in Chi
cago Gary and Hammond sat on my
bunk and each one had 20 or so ques-
tions to ask me- 1 never felt blue or
homesick George until came back from
this trip. I was blue for week. but it
has worn off now. so II is better sailing.
Well. George. 1 have changed posi-
tions. ha. ha. if you would call job in
the army a position. I am now cook,
ha, ha l can hear you laugh now. but
say. its the only job in the army. 1 am
on duty hours and of "A hours. a raise
in salary of eight bucks, now making So
a month 1t looks small to you. don't II.
but oh how big it loks to us. l will tell
you OF few meals | have run up
against When we have biscuits FOR
breakfast we get up at o'clock in the
morning and bake to hundred bis
cults before seven o'clock beside the
other things we have. Last wednesday
night we had friend oysters for supper.
had TO fry nine hundred of them and
each one in corn meal. Friday noon we
friend 125 pounds of fish. Now how
would you like to be a cook? Today /
run up against a pounds of homeless
hogs liver. Ia. Ia but boy have pick
ed up part of my % pounds I lost.
From what 1 hear the old flu has
hit the old burg kind of hard It has
not hit our camp very hard. We have
but As cases and the boys are pulling
through It fine. Camp Bowie. the draft
camp here. has is hundred cases yes
terday They lost boys and turned 90
loose that had pulled through it. Dallas.
Texas. which has five thousand cases
lost 81 people yesterday. Here at this
camp when a fellow feels bad he Is shot
TO the hospital. We take our beds out
in the morning and they stay out all
day until evening and then are brought
hack in. but most Of the boys got tired
doing that so InEX steep puNHlQt now
Last night il got very cold and the old
joy-killer. the bugler blew his bugle at
six O'Clock. You should of heard the
gang hollow. You would think that 1t
was a buch of wild men just turned
loose. The weather out here is great
lust as it was in July.
George I want to tell you about
Liberty Loan we put over here in
camp. the quota for eleven hundred men
that is about all we have. including Of
flcers and all. was twenty-six thousand
dollars So we went over the top and
nut il TO ffty-two thousand. ] don't see
why the people in civilian life should
hold back their loan on account of the
peace news which you have read in the
papers when the boys that have given
IN most everything they have ever had
ana then buy bonds for their little thirty
dollars a month, now don't you think
lhat is great7
81 YOU have football team anyway
from what / could see in THE TIMES,
but say boy you should see our field
team out here. l went out to see them
practice. we have three teams. in one
s3 men. it is made up OF lieutenan,=.
CADETS and enlisted men and say boy
they knock 'em dead.
George, l will enclose a picture OF
myself in my cooking OUTFIT. Ny side
kicker did not have a clean apron or
can so he came Off the way he was TO
work that day, The building in back or
us is part of the mess hall. Well. 1t
looks like we ought 70 be on our way
home soon. George. don't blame VII
son for not receiving the terms from
Germany as the suckers know they arc
IN for a trimming and don't want their
country destroyed like they did TO Bel
rium and France You know we arc
only 95 miles from the old beer river
now and boy We will sure put the old
foam on ii and shake their country for
them soon.
When / reached here from my fur
Tough | ran UP against an awful shake
IN they moved one squadron to Wichi-
IA Falls, Texas, a few men to Dayton.
q and a week later a bunch went to
Mineola n Y. They are picking
another buch TO go to Mineola and !
might have the chance to move with
them if they need cooks. Have you
folks heard from John or Eddie? What
do they say and think about IT?
Well George. / must close now and
hope this letter finds you all we'll and
in good health. If you have a few
minutes TO spare write me a few lines
as nothing more pleases me than let
ter from friends of mine back home.
with best wishes to you, your wife
and son,
As ever.
HARRY s. HILBRICH.