Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-02-26
Army Experiences
In The PHILIPPINES
Luther Hussey Writes Home Of Big
Army Circus Staged In Manila

The first week of December we, the
31st infantry staged circus for the
benefit ofthe Infantry Memorial Stad-
ium at Camp Benning, Ga. and we
made a huge success of it and had
to runtwo days longer than we PLAN
ned We cleared about 5000 pecos on
it. This was the first circus ever stag
ed in Manila, and it went over big
you see.
The second week in December was
the week ofthe annual military tour
nament at Fort Mckinley. 1t was
good too, with free admission and
free transportation even to civilians.
The affair was in some respect like
track meet at school only on a bigger
scale. Every organization of the SER
vice was represented. The Cavalry had
horse racing and trick riding. The
heavy Artillery fired large guns. The
Infantry had competitive drills bet
ween the 31st and 18th Infantry ill.,.
Guiding sham battle. The air serv-
ice had trick flying and dropped
bombs on some condemned barracks
and destroyed them. The anti-aircraft
shot down two old planes and the pl-
lots jumped from them in parachutes.
The Chemical warfare service pulled
off some tricks with about $4,000
worth of chemicals. They made smoke
screens, shot liquid fife, etc. The sig
nal corps had competition teams es-
tablishing communications between
given points We had young war and
a jolly good time altogether. 0 yes,
we had prize fights every night and
there are some good fighters in the
army. About $4,000 worth OF cups,
medals and etc. were given to Wlnil-
ers in the various fetes.
Now we are having two weeks OF
Christmas holidays. | took horse to
take care of during the holidays for
the privilege Of riding it every day.
You see we have a lot OF fine horses
here and if lust a few men had to take
care of them all, these fellows would
not get much vacation so they give
one horse to every good soldier that
wants one and also a riding pass to
90 almost anywhere until January 5.
Right after Christmas four OF us boys
are going to roll pack, take our hor-
ses and roam around the Jungles tor
\ few DAYS. We find great sport shoot
ING wild boars though we leave them
for SOME other animals to eat. The
hardest thing to kill is a young monk
ev. worse than squirrels or deer. This
week | go horse back riding every
morning. to a ball game in the early
afternoon and swimming in the bay
in the late afternoon, after putting
bottle of beer in the sand to cool and
drinking it when | come out which
gives me a fine appetite for supper.
On January we go back to McKin-
lev to fire on the pistol range and
from there we go to the rifle range,
spending about e weeks and using up
about $4,000 worth of ammunition.
Everyone wlo qualities on this
range shooting will make more money.
There are three qualifications-mark-
man. sharpshOoter and expert. L
expect to make expert this year with
the rifle and marksman with the pis-
toll
When we come off the range We
will do a couple of months straight
duty and then it will be time for me
to go back TO Mckinley to school.
am going to take up radio next year
and l know what l am going to do
every day until September