TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN NOVEMBER 1, 1918 P. 1
I will try and tell a little of my experience in the navy. I see the boys have been writing from France and they seem to like it alright. Navy life is great, but some time the sea gets a little rough and you can’t get around the ship like you would like to. I am sending you postage stamps for subscription. It sure has been a help to me and I watch the mail every week when the day comes for it to arrive. Sometimes I don’t get it for a while as we are doing convoy duty. I will tell you something about my first trip. We were about a month going, but when we turned back the second day our port engines went on the bum. We were in a very dangerous piece of water for subs. We couldn’t make but six knots an hour. The third day we were not making any speed at all and had to do something, so we pulled to the Azores Island. It was the most beautiful place I ever saw. Approaching, early in the morning we saw the mountains, but we did not think they were mountains as they looked like clouds. About five that evening we dropped our hook at Ponta Delgada. It sure was a swell looking town. Every house was painted white and they looked like white marble buildings. Ours was the first battleship that had been there in 30 years and the people crowded on the beach to watch us. We stayed 12 days and got liberty every evening and I played ball two afternoons. The ball ground was in the crater of a volcano which was about 100 feet deep. It looked as though it had just been cut out of the earth I could not keep my mind on the ball game as I was too busy looking at the odd things around me. They had a track behind me on which they were hauling stone in a big car pulled by four big steers.
I could understand a part of their language for they talked some Spanish. One evening the band accompanied us to the ball grounds. We marched and just as soon as the band started people flocked out just like bees. I could not understand where they all came from as I hadn’t seen many of the streets. Then I looked around and out of every window there were eight of ten heads sticking, and by the time we reached the ball grounds I think the population of the whole town was there.
Most all of them were barefooted. Those that wore shoes wore wooden shoes. Their clothes were of old fashioned design. The boys wore short trousers, the straight kind, and vests. Most of the men carried a small cane. The girls, here is what Jackie Bodenhamer will like, were real pretty. Many of them would come out to the ship in little row boats and sold us pine apples. They were dressed like our girls at home dressed ten years ago. But talk about your fine pine apples. They were cheap too, and believe me, Jones, my shipmate and I ate them until our lips were sore. They were three for a quarter and we brought several back with us but they were too ripe to send home. I guess I have said enough but will add the Old New Hampshire is doing her part now. We have a good ship, and good officers. Our old Captain was transferred yesterday and we sure hate to see him go. I am on the eight inch gun battery and have been made a third class gunners mate. We sure have plenty of work to do on the guns. No need of me telling you how they operate but they sure do have the power. The projectile or shell weighs 260 pounds and 102 pounds of powder is used as a shot. If nothing happens I think we will be at home in another year. I hope so. I had better quit now and go get some water. We get water twice each day. At 7:15 and at 4:30. I will be glad to hear from any of the boys who have time to write. My address is U.S.S. New Hampshire, Fortress Monroe, Va. Div. A. 3.
NOTES: Sneed Claud Collins was born on May 8, 1894 in Missouri and died on September 14, 1980 in Cotter, Arkansas. He is buried in the Walnut Hill Cemetery in Cotter. His military headstone identifies him as GM 3 US Navy serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
I will try and tell a little of my experience in the navy. I see the boys have been writing from France and they seem to like it alright. Navy life is great, but some time the sea gets a little rough and you can’t get around the ship like you would like to. I am sending you postage stamps for subscription. It sure has been a help to me and I watch the mail every week when the day comes for it to arrive. Sometimes I don’t get it for a while as we are doing convoy duty. I will tell you something about my first trip. We were about a month going, but when we turned back the second day our port engines went on the bum. We were in a very dangerous piece of water for subs. We couldn’t make but six knots an hour. The third day we were not making any speed at all and had to do something, so we pulled to the Azores Island. It was the most beautiful place I ever saw. Approaching, early in the morning we saw the mountains, but we did not think they were mountains as they looked like clouds. About five that evening we dropped our hook at Ponta Delgada. It sure was a swell looking town. Every house was painted white and they looked like white marble buildings. Ours was the first battleship that had been there in 30 years and the people crowded on the beach to watch us. We stayed 12 days and got liberty every evening and I played ball two afternoons. The ball ground was in the crater of a volcano which was about 100 feet deep. It looked as though it had just been cut out of the earth I could not keep my mind on the ball game as I was too busy looking at the odd things around me. They had a track behind me on which they were hauling stone in a big car pulled by four big steers.
I could understand a part of their language for they talked some Spanish. One evening the band accompanied us to the ball grounds. We marched and just as soon as the band started people flocked out just like bees. I could not understand where they all came from as I hadn’t seen many of the streets. Then I looked around and out of every window there were eight of ten heads sticking, and by the time we reached the ball grounds I think the population of the whole town was there.
Most all of them were barefooted. Those that wore shoes wore wooden shoes. Their clothes were of old fashioned design. The boys wore short trousers, the straight kind, and vests. Most of the men carried a small cane. The girls, here is what Jackie Bodenhamer will like, were real pretty. Many of them would come out to the ship in little row boats and sold us pine apples. They were dressed like our girls at home dressed ten years ago. But talk about your fine pine apples. They were cheap too, and believe me, Jones, my shipmate and I ate them until our lips were sore. They were three for a quarter and we brought several back with us but they were too ripe to send home. I guess I have said enough but will add the Old New Hampshire is doing her part now. We have a good ship, and good officers. Our old Captain was transferred yesterday and we sure hate to see him go. I am on the eight inch gun battery and have been made a third class gunners mate. We sure have plenty of work to do on the guns. No need of me telling you how they operate but they sure do have the power. The projectile or shell weighs 260 pounds and 102 pounds of powder is used as a shot. If nothing happens I think we will be at home in another year. I hope so. I had better quit now and go get some water. We get water twice each day. At 7:15 and at 4:30. I will be glad to hear from any of the boys who have time to write. My address is U.S.S. New Hampshire, Fortress Monroe, Va. Div. A. 3.
NOTES: Sneed Claud Collins was born on May 8, 1894 in Missouri and died on September 14, 1980 in Cotter, Arkansas. He is buried in the Walnut Hill Cemetery in Cotter. His military headstone identifies him as GM 3 US Navy serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT