The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1918-01-11
DESCRIBES TRAINING
CAMP FOR JACK TARS
Nat McGehee Writes Interest
ing Letter From Camp At
Newport, r. |.

Mr. and Mrs. E. B. McGehee, o1
this city, are in receipt of a letter
from their son Nat, who is in the
| U. S. Naval Training Camp at New.
port r. l., which furnishes interest
ing reading, inasmuch as it Is de-
scriptive of camp life in the Naval
Reserves. The letter follows:
"Our camp is located on an island
IN the Narraganset Bay and is con-
nected with the main land by bridge
We live in shacks about 20 feet wide
and 100 feet long. There is nothing
ing in the place except two stoves
and radiators and 80 cots. Each
fellow has folding cot, a mattress,
two white mattress covers, 8 blankets
and a bag for keeping his clothes In.
Everything must be kept in this bag
so you you see our space is limited.
1--WE are aroused every morning
at 5 o'clock. We must get up, fold
blankets, place them on the cot, also
everything else and take the cot out
side. The house is swept and scrub
bed each morning.
"There are nine of these shacks In
row, and each one contains about
80 men. Each shack contains one
company and the whole nine COM
prise regiment. Thus you get the
third regiment and we are in the
9th shack or the 9th camp of the
3rd regiment. There are 10 reg1-
ments on the island anG l can't say
how many officers to each regiment.
"The Y. M. C. A. building is only
a one story frame building composed
of one large DOM and an office This
room contains benches, chairs, q VIC
trola, long tables to write on, and
a stage for little exhibitions. 1t is
only loafing place for the fellows
when not otherwise engaged.
II have so room mates and about
5000 mess mates, so you see how
many eat at my place.
eve form in ranks and march in !
to our meals. AS we go in we pick
up bowl, a plate, knife, fork and
spoon. All enamcled ware Except
the silver.) We then march by the
serving tables and our food is dished
out to us by about to z seven fell
lows. Our coffee or tea IS on the Ia
BILE when we get there. We stand to
eat. If we have not enough, we can
get in line and go back. They feed
us very good considering the number
to be fed times a day.
"You must not worry about my
ever being sick, for the Naval Hos
pital is located here in Newport with
the best Of medical aid, and we are
taken care of there.
"Now 1 shall tell you the list of
clothes we have: two suits of me-
dium weight underwear, two suits
of blue serge clothes Jumper and
pants,) blue sweater heavy pea
coat (same as my mackinaw, only
blue,) pair Of leggins, two pairs of
shoes, pair of arctics, two pairs of
white sox, two pairs of black sox,
a blue knit stocking cap, blue dress
hat, two white sailing hats, 3 hand
kerchiefs, big silk neckerchief, or
black tie, two white suits, two suits
Of summer underwear, bathing suit
two heavy turkish bath towels, two
big cakes of salt water soap. think
this is all of the clothes we got. Then
there are two military hair brushes,
a whist broom, shoe brush, tooth {
brush, needles, two spools thread, .
comb believe that is all. I
All of this must be put into the one
bag.
"They prefer the knitted goods
being gray, however they use the blue
some. You can't make the mufflers {
too long. The helmet may be either ]
blue or gray.
II sleep warm but it is pretty cold I
drilling in the wind, however we are
only out two hours at time"