TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD NOVEMBER 30, 1917 P. 2
November 18,1917
Editor Star Herald:
Enclosed please find one dollar for which please send me the Old Reliable Randolph county paper, the Star Herald. I have never gotten a Star Herald since we have been located in Camp Beauregard, and it has been greatly missed. I know most every body of old Pocahontas, and thereabouts and the home papers help to lift the homesick feeling that naturally settles on anyone that is so far away from home.
Although we have a good time, there is nothing except the interesting letters from home, together with the home paper that console our thoughts. We get the Walnut Ridge Blade and the Times Dispatch and get some home news from them.
We have a camp twelve miles square, and is large enough for about 100,000 soldiers. We have about 30,000 in camp now, and soldiers are coming in daily. With the exceptions of the quarantine, we are under for spinal meningitis, measles and mumps, all are very satisfied, but we are passing the time away as best as we can and faithfully waiting for our officer to give the command for us to break camp, prepare to leave the good old U.S.A. for France, to help “round up” the Germans and teach the Kaiser a lesson that will last through history.
We have the Y. M. C. A in which to spend our idle time reading, writing, playing checkers, dominoes or listening at the grafanola or piano, or watching the “movies” three nights each week.
We have religious service each Sunday and talks from the Chaplain, or from other well educated men quite often. So you see that army life at present isn’t as bad as lots of people seem to think.
So trusting to receive the Star Herald Weekly. And to be of service to Uncle Sam until the German-American war is ended, I am a volunteer,
Marshal Belew,
Co. A 154th. 39th Div.
U.S.N G. Camp Beauregard, La.
NOTES: Marshall Ervin Belew (his name is spelled with two l’s) was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas on August 2, 1893 and died at Popular Bluff, Missouri on October 21, 1956. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Pocahontas. His military headstone identifies him as a Pfc. in the 889 Casual Company. He is writing this letter from Camp Beauregard, Louisiana.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY
November 18,1917
Editor Star Herald:
Enclosed please find one dollar for which please send me the Old Reliable Randolph county paper, the Star Herald. I have never gotten a Star Herald since we have been located in Camp Beauregard, and it has been greatly missed. I know most every body of old Pocahontas, and thereabouts and the home papers help to lift the homesick feeling that naturally settles on anyone that is so far away from home.
Although we have a good time, there is nothing except the interesting letters from home, together with the home paper that console our thoughts. We get the Walnut Ridge Blade and the Times Dispatch and get some home news from them.
We have a camp twelve miles square, and is large enough for about 100,000 soldiers. We have about 30,000 in camp now, and soldiers are coming in daily. With the exceptions of the quarantine, we are under for spinal meningitis, measles and mumps, all are very satisfied, but we are passing the time away as best as we can and faithfully waiting for our officer to give the command for us to break camp, prepare to leave the good old U.S.A. for France, to help “round up” the Germans and teach the Kaiser a lesson that will last through history.
We have the Y. M. C. A in which to spend our idle time reading, writing, playing checkers, dominoes or listening at the grafanola or piano, or watching the “movies” three nights each week.
We have religious service each Sunday and talks from the Chaplain, or from other well educated men quite often. So you see that army life at present isn’t as bad as lots of people seem to think.
So trusting to receive the Star Herald Weekly. And to be of service to Uncle Sam until the German-American war is ended, I am a volunteer,
Marshal Belew,
Co. A 154th. 39th Div.
U.S.N G. Camp Beauregard, La.
NOTES: Marshall Ervin Belew (his name is spelled with two l’s) was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas on August 2, 1893 and died at Popular Bluff, Missouri on October 21, 1956. He is buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Pocahontas. His military headstone identifies him as a Pfc. in the 889 Casual Company. He is writing this letter from Camp Beauregard, Louisiana.
TRANSCRIBED BY LARAE SHURLEY