TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DERMOTT NEWS FEBRUARY 14, 1918 P. 5
I am continually thinking of you and wishing I could be with you. 580 of us sailors left Great Lakes Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock; got to Philadelphia Friday night at 10 o’clock. We sure had a grand trip; passed through Chicago, Pittsburg, Washington, D.C. Baltimore by the Chesapeake Bay to Philadelphia. We were in Washington about three hours. Saw Washington’s monument, the Capitol and several other beautiful buildings.
The American Red Cross met us in Washington and gave us a nice lunch. It was about 1 o’clock, we hadn’t had any dinner. I could not find any words nice enough to thank them for their kindness.
We passed through several tunnels on our way here, the longest one at Baltimore, 1 1/2 miles long. When we would pass through one of the tunnels it was as dark as pitch. I am only a short way from Philadelphia on League Island. A street car can run to town in twenty minutes and the most important part, we can ride for 5 cents.
I am on the Delaware river where I can see ships and boats sailing around all the time. It makes any one real anxious to get busy.
The houses in the North are very pretty; nearly all of the houses are two stories high and have a big red cross in the front door; it makes us feel that we have some one to back us. When the train would stop, the people would swarm around us so thick we could hardly walk, ready to give us a helping hand.
When I joined the navy, I joined as fireman, but when we got here the college graduates, high school graduates and bookkeepers were given a preference to transfer to the radio. I did so I will be in school about two months and then the navy will send me to Harvard for a four months term and then I will be a man-of-war.
It is not so cold here as it was at Great Lakes. Instead of sleeping in hammocks six feet from the floor, we have iron cots to sleep on here, but have to stand up to eat.
3 or 4 of the boys took measles and mumps on the way here, so we have been put in quarantine, and don’t know when we will get out.
I have been separated from all my Arkansas bunch, but I have found plenty more good boys and some very bad ones.
I am in hopes the Sunday School is continually on the boom. Don’t forget me; I am coming back to you some day.
I have been in several states; Arkansas is the best state I ever been in and Dermott is the best part of the state. I am always glad to get a letter from Arkansas, especially from Dermott. I will bring this to a close. Would be glad to hear from every one.
NOTES: Partial letter written by Newton Bynum to the Dermott Baptist Sunday School, of which he was a member. The letter was written on January 29, 1918. He had enlisted in the fall of 1917 and was stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN
I am continually thinking of you and wishing I could be with you. 580 of us sailors left Great Lakes Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock; got to Philadelphia Friday night at 10 o’clock. We sure had a grand trip; passed through Chicago, Pittsburg, Washington, D.C. Baltimore by the Chesapeake Bay to Philadelphia. We were in Washington about three hours. Saw Washington’s monument, the Capitol and several other beautiful buildings.
The American Red Cross met us in Washington and gave us a nice lunch. It was about 1 o’clock, we hadn’t had any dinner. I could not find any words nice enough to thank them for their kindness.
We passed through several tunnels on our way here, the longest one at Baltimore, 1 1/2 miles long. When we would pass through one of the tunnels it was as dark as pitch. I am only a short way from Philadelphia on League Island. A street car can run to town in twenty minutes and the most important part, we can ride for 5 cents.
I am on the Delaware river where I can see ships and boats sailing around all the time. It makes any one real anxious to get busy.
The houses in the North are very pretty; nearly all of the houses are two stories high and have a big red cross in the front door; it makes us feel that we have some one to back us. When the train would stop, the people would swarm around us so thick we could hardly walk, ready to give us a helping hand.
When I joined the navy, I joined as fireman, but when we got here the college graduates, high school graduates and bookkeepers were given a preference to transfer to the radio. I did so I will be in school about two months and then the navy will send me to Harvard for a four months term and then I will be a man-of-war.
It is not so cold here as it was at Great Lakes. Instead of sleeping in hammocks six feet from the floor, we have iron cots to sleep on here, but have to stand up to eat.
3 or 4 of the boys took measles and mumps on the way here, so we have been put in quarantine, and don’t know when we will get out.
I have been separated from all my Arkansas bunch, but I have found plenty more good boys and some very bad ones.
I am in hopes the Sunday School is continually on the boom. Don’t forget me; I am coming back to you some day.
I have been in several states; Arkansas is the best state I ever been in and Dermott is the best part of the state. I am always glad to get a letter from Arkansas, especially from Dermott. I will bring this to a close. Would be glad to hear from every one.
NOTES: Partial letter written by Newton Bynum to the Dermott Baptist Sunday School, of which he was a member. The letter was written on January 29, 1918. He had enlisted in the fall of 1917 and was stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
TRANSCRIBED BY KAREN PITTMAN