Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-04-04
Glacier Boy
Writes from
Camp Calla,,
Camp CAllAn. Caltfoenia
Gan Diego. California
March a. 1871

Dear I'd:
Just . line to let you know that I
have finally stopped with the Coast
Artillery Training Unit At San Diego.
Camp CallAn u . very new camp.
not over eight weeks Old. We were the
second bunch Of men 70 be sent In
here. The other bunch arrived here
the day before from Michigan. The
camp IS located Is miles north Of San
Diego. right beside the ocean. and also
along the highway between Los An
geles and San Diego The camp itself
Is three miles long from end to end
and about three-fourths Of . mile to
one mile wide. The barracks are en-
ttre,y new. completely all frame con-
stzuctton, and are very nice and com
Portable. Construction crows are still
and the Like and Are working In -
hour shifts. By night they work by
flood lights. II Is very amusing to me:
army regulations Of Lights out 1t nine
and With the flood lights outside being
bright enough 50 that YOU can stu
read . paper inside the barrackS
In one sense feel that I was very
fortunate to be In this camp and this
| branch OF the service. but then on the
other hand We are denied lot Of priv
ileses. ETC.. due to the fact that things
are not well organized. although I
know I will be able to stand 1t.
Seven or eight Glacier men are still
with me. They are: Thomas Schwenke.
Alvin Kennedy, Walter Blevins. Max
| Tenney. Virgil Dillon. James Persicke
Most Of the other fellows were sent to
Camp Roberts out of San Francisco
Harold Dye was put in the Field Ar
! tillery at Fort Lewis: Phil Bird WAS
kept at Fort Lewis. as well as Walter
Mclaughlin and Warren Kapp. Percy
Watkins was also held at Fort Lewis
and was assigned to the Medical Corps
! Ben Kapp was sent to Fort Warren
| Wyoming. so We have all been pretty
split up although have a very good
bunch with me.
Most Of the men al this camp are
made up Of contingerts from Michi-
gan. Illinois and Washington All of
I the officers are from Fort Warden.
! Washington. and are very nice bunch
of men. There are just a little over
5000 men and officers in camp today
with another troop train due in from.
Michigan Tuesday.
The weather has been unusually
warm for me here. being about 80
degrees during the day. but it cools
off in the evening and We sleep very
we'll due to the breeze from tn ocean
" have had considerable rain but the
weather forecast is for dry from nov.
on. Everything is entirely green here.
with flowers Of every description in
full bloom. 1t is like a fairyland TO me
I for this time CT the year.
I saw submarine sneaking along
the coast this afternoon and it really
makes you stop and think Just what
could happen when you see those ST.
lent monsters slowly slipping along
Today they issued us rifles. bullet
belts and swords. and II is finally be-
ginning to dawn on me that Uncle
sam really does mean business. For
long time I thought that Uncle Sam
was JuSc kidding me. You can see
that am Just rookie calling cart
ridge belt a bullet belt and a bayonet
a sword. We stood inspection under
arms for three hours this morning
Saturday while Colcnel Hardaway
walked around
Say he. 0 TO everyone for me and
will appreciate hearing from you at
your convenience.
As Ever.
J. e Curry
Batter c. 53rd Battalion
Coast ARTILLERY Training Center
Camp CaI!an. San Diego. California