Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-01-24
A Young Soldier Writes Home.

IA
Rev. and Mrs. |. D. Woman have
shown us an interesting letter from
their son Charles, one Of Shepherds
towns most youthful soldiers, who as
a member Of the aviation corps is now
at Waco, Texas, having recently been
transferred to tina t place from San
Antonio. The letter in part is as fol-
| lows
In my last letter told you that we
were equipped for oversee duty. we
were ordered Thursday morning not
10 leave our tents till further orders,
and so we were not surprised when
in the course of the morning we were
issued an extra olve-drab suit and an
extra suit Of heavy underwear, In
Guiding socks. In half an hour an
order came from headquarters for US
10 leave. However just before leav-
ing mail was called and ! got your
letter mailed on the fifth OF Deem
Der to Columbus.
We were put in the train at i a. m.
and started on a trip to an unknown
place. slept most of the way, for |
had been on guard duty the night be-
fore. AT 8 a. m. Friday we got off
the train at Camp Macarthur. Waco,
Texas. We marched to our new tent
homes, and found that they had cots
set up for us, fires in the stoves. and
straw in our ticks. We went to bed
at once and did not have to get up
till 10 o'clock. What we are here for
| do not know. | do know that it is
the largest training camp in the United
States and there are companies here
from every branch of service.
This the best place have struck
yet, and | would like to stay here all
winter. We have larger tents and
plenty of room. Just think, the tents
are wired and we get wooden floors
this next week Some class for SOL
ders. We have our own mess hall
now and sit down at table and take
off our hats to eat. II really seems
foolish, after sitting on the ground in
sand for three weeks.
did not get my mail very regu-
larly at Kelly Field, but | believe |
got all the letters you wrote. The
only packages | received were your
box of candy and one of the Red
Cross boxes from the town. Stan and
got a box from the Senior class also.
| don't know who was responsible for
that Red Cross box, so can't write a
thank-you letter to them. They don't
know how good il makes fellow feel
TO realize that his sacrifice is appre-
ciated by his town and to know that
his town is behind him. 1t makes his
shoulders a little straighter and his
chin little higher and his heart eased
a whole lot.
In your last letter you wanted to
know what kind Of underwear | got.
| got three suits of heavy wool, the
best obtainable, and two suits OF light
weights for summer. | have had six
pairs of good heavy wool socks issued
to me. My shoes are good fits. They
are slightly larger than did wear Il
won't mortify you with the size), but
they are Just the thing. have kissed
well, not exactly kissed them, but at
least waved my hand at 'em) all corns
and bunious good bye and will never
again wear an English shoe. | have
three pairs, two tan dress and one
pair of heavy trench shoes. They are
"some shoe" and built for wear. The
uppers are one good beef skin with
rawhide strings and no seam across
the toes. The soles are double in
thickness and have SO large hobnails
scattered over the surface. The heels
have an eighth-inch iron plate shaped
like a horse shoe running around the
edge. If wear one pair OF said
shoes out while in the army | will be
in service for at least ten years.
They cost Uncle Sam S12 a pair, and
strange as it may seem, they are
comfortable work shoe. am going
to make a request for some things
pretty soon, but first want to ask a
few questions. don't know whether
you can answer them all, but here
goes.
/. How can you keep wooden un-
derwear from shrinking when you
wash it? Is there any way to make
it dry in less than three days?
2. Which finger is one supposed to
ornament with a thimble while sew
ing?
3. How does one darn the heels of
socks T.?
That candy you sent me was mighty
good, but | think the mice must have
found the box. for it only memory
now: And did tell you how good
that piece of fruit cake Bill Snyder
gave me tasted? II didn't, do
now. CHATS a gentle hint.) When
you send me another box. if there is
any room to spare, PLEASE send me
a jar of your jelly or preserves. |
haven't had a taste of anything like
that since | came into the army, and
| have a real ache for some. went
to the hospital. but they couldn't cure
it. Oh | almost forgot the most
important thing. sure want a box
of loaf sugar more than anything else.
| crave sugar like Walter does the
girls. We get very little sweet stuff
here, and | am too poor to pay twen-
ty-five cents for a half pound box Of
it.
Captain Donaldson, one Of the Reg
ular Army surgeons at Camp Lee,
Virginia, held a conference with re-