TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER-INDEX JULY 26, 1918 P. 1
Ithaca, N. Y., July 14, 1918
Dear Dad:
We arrived here Friday about __p. m. and have been a busy ___since that moment.
Had a grand trip up. Left Dallas Wednesday morning; went to El Pas over the Santa Fe, crossed the Double Bar and Circle X ranches. It was a grand sight to me. ___up an aero squadron at El Paso on their way east, ready for ____service. Came through Arkansas Wednesday afternoon and we had supper at Fort Smith___ we were crossing the Ozarks as sunset; a grand sight, in fact I don’t believe we had a prettier ___on the trip. All the ___told me they would take back all the hard things they had said about Arkansas, after seeing the ____.
We arrived in St. Louis bout 5:30 ___day morning and went to the Y. M. C. A. where they served us breakfast and then we all had a ___and a shower, after which we took in a few sights of the city. ___ about two and half hours in St. Louis.
Took the Wabash from St. Louis through Illinois and Indiana and into ___Ohio. Saw some fine farms through Illinois and Indiana; farmers thrashing wheat and cutting hay____. The people along the route through these states were very grand to us. Met the train at rural towns and gave us baskets of fruit, cakes and candies, cigarettes and magazines. The Decatur people were exceptionally nice to us, also at Fort Wayne.
Went from Toledo to Detroit and had supper there Thursday night at the Y. M. C. A., and got another ____and shower. We had almost ___hours in Detroit but it was ___and we did not get to see much of the city except the business district and the lake front. Left Detroit about 10 p. m. Crossed into ___and traveled until almost ___Friday. Passed Niagru Falls had a chance to see the falls from the train. Arrived Buffalo N. Y. about noon. Spent two hours ____and took a march through ___the city for exercise. ___through nine states and ____fourteen hours and the ___trip was one of much interest ____.
____is a grand place. We are ___in the new state armory, ____located on the Cornell campus. You can see Lake Cayuga from our barracks, which are on a small ____some 2,000 feet above the ___of the valley below. This is the prettiest place I believe I ever ____there are some of the prettiest ____, right in the mountains, there are some of the pdettiest ___ canyons on the campus ____.
___have about fifteen or sixteen ____work here before going to ____ school, so if I am successful ____ work here and pass I will ___ here about four months, it is the greatest sport in the whole world and that is to fly my own plane when I master that art I will sure get a chance to help kill Huns.
___ lots of hard work and study ____ and will not get to write ____ as I did at Camp Dicks, but ___ to write to someone at home once a week; but you need _____ to hear from me for I am anxious to here from home, how you are getting along, etc., write me as often as you find time to do so.
I have to close now and get ready for supper. Have good food and weather fine. I sleep under two heavy army blankets and ____ little chilled then, at times we wear our coats until nine or ten o’clock most every day, so with good weather and food I expect to get right along.
With love to all the family and remember the Mann family when you can.
I am
Devotedly your son,
Julius
NOTES: Benham was born in Marianna, Arkansas on October 6, 1891 and died of influenza at a hospital in Dallas, Texas on October 26, 1918. He is buried in the Cedar Heights Cemetery in Marianna. During his funeral two airplanes circled overhead dropping white lilies. He was in training at the John Dick Aviation Camp in Dallas at the time of his death. The Julius Benham American Legion Post #5 was named in his honor. Before he enlisted he was a manager at a local ice plant.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Ithaca, N. Y., July 14, 1918
Dear Dad:
We arrived here Friday about __p. m. and have been a busy ___since that moment.
Had a grand trip up. Left Dallas Wednesday morning; went to El Pas over the Santa Fe, crossed the Double Bar and Circle X ranches. It was a grand sight to me. ___up an aero squadron at El Paso on their way east, ready for ____service. Came through Arkansas Wednesday afternoon and we had supper at Fort Smith___ we were crossing the Ozarks as sunset; a grand sight, in fact I don’t believe we had a prettier ___on the trip. All the ___told me they would take back all the hard things they had said about Arkansas, after seeing the ____.
We arrived in St. Louis bout 5:30 ___day morning and went to the Y. M. C. A. where they served us breakfast and then we all had a ___and a shower, after which we took in a few sights of the city. ___ about two and half hours in St. Louis.
Took the Wabash from St. Louis through Illinois and Indiana and into ___Ohio. Saw some fine farms through Illinois and Indiana; farmers thrashing wheat and cutting hay____. The people along the route through these states were very grand to us. Met the train at rural towns and gave us baskets of fruit, cakes and candies, cigarettes and magazines. The Decatur people were exceptionally nice to us, also at Fort Wayne.
Went from Toledo to Detroit and had supper there Thursday night at the Y. M. C. A., and got another ____and shower. We had almost ___hours in Detroit but it was ___and we did not get to see much of the city except the business district and the lake front. Left Detroit about 10 p. m. Crossed into ___and traveled until almost ___Friday. Passed Niagru Falls had a chance to see the falls from the train. Arrived Buffalo N. Y. about noon. Spent two hours ____and took a march through ___the city for exercise. ___through nine states and ____fourteen hours and the ___trip was one of much interest ____.
____is a grand place. We are ___in the new state armory, ____located on the Cornell campus. You can see Lake Cayuga from our barracks, which are on a small ____some 2,000 feet above the ___of the valley below. This is the prettiest place I believe I ever ____there are some of the prettiest ____, right in the mountains, there are some of the pdettiest ___ canyons on the campus ____.
___have about fifteen or sixteen ____work here before going to ____ school, so if I am successful ____ work here and pass I will ___ here about four months, it is the greatest sport in the whole world and that is to fly my own plane when I master that art I will sure get a chance to help kill Huns.
___ lots of hard work and study ____ and will not get to write ____ as I did at Camp Dicks, but ___ to write to someone at home once a week; but you need _____ to hear from me for I am anxious to here from home, how you are getting along, etc., write me as often as you find time to do so.
I have to close now and get ready for supper. Have good food and weather fine. I sleep under two heavy army blankets and ____ little chilled then, at times we wear our coats until nine or ten o’clock most every day, so with good weather and food I expect to get right along.
With love to all the family and remember the Mann family when you can.
I am
Devotedly your son,
Julius
NOTES: Benham was born in Marianna, Arkansas on October 6, 1891 and died of influenza at a hospital in Dallas, Texas on October 26, 1918. He is buried in the Cedar Heights Cemetery in Marianna. During his funeral two airplanes circled overhead dropping white lilies. He was in training at the John Dick Aviation Camp in Dallas at the time of his death. The Julius Benham American Legion Post #5 was named in his honor. Before he enlisted he was a manager at a local ice plant.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON