TRANSCRIBED FROM THE VAN BUREN DEMOCRAT FEBRUARY 15, 1918 P. 1
EDITOR DEMOCRAT,
Clinton, Arkansas.
DEAR SIR:
If you will grant me the necessary space I will kill several birds with one stone, as I wish to have a few words with a number of friends living in Van Buren county. We don't have much time for writing, though we are required to write one letter home each week. We are being drilled as fast as possible that we might be sent to sea and give room for others coming in.
There is lots of snow here and cold weather, but our barracks are nice and warm and we have to keep it clean, as well as ourselves. We must have a close hair cut, a clean shave and our leggins and uniform must be clean, or we get no shore leave. From what I can learn we will be kept in training for about two months yet, and then shipped across the pond.
I volunteered at Little Rock Dec. 12th and arrived here the 14th. We have fine entertainment here--basket ball, foot ball, movies every night and since we got out of quarantine it is all better. We get plenty of good common food, the kind that builds you up. I have gained in weight, I know. On Sundays we got to the lakes frozen over quite a distance from the shore.
There are about 75,000 of us here in this station and they are still coming in, but some are being sent to sea which give room for the recruits. I am rated as a fire man but went through detention in a company of apprentice seamen and received their drilling, too, so you see I get gun drill and regimental review, batallion and parade drills besides firemen drills, but I intend to transfer as a barber.
I expect a furlough for home today: I hope so, because I haven't been home in eight months. I lived most of my life in Van Buren county and I like its people and their dear old school masters. Clinton put out one Napolean--O'Neal, the best teacher I think I ever went to. That I didn't get an education was my own fault--I didn't attend regular enough or study hard enough.
Out in Oklahoma I met another old Van Buren county teacher--a Mr. Halbrook, tho I can't recall his given name. He was principal of a high school when I met him. We have just been called to take sentinel guard so will have to conclude. Hoping this will greet many of my old friends through your good publication, I am
Yours very respectfully,
G. R. CRAVENS.
Camp Dewey, C. F 3d Reg., Great Lakes, Ill.
NOTES: George Ray Cravens was born in Pope County, Arkansas on February 19, 1891 and died on April 3, 1981. He is buried in the Iron Bridge Cemetery in Iron Bridge, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as a F 3 US Navy in World War 1.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
EDITOR DEMOCRAT,
Clinton, Arkansas.
DEAR SIR:
If you will grant me the necessary space I will kill several birds with one stone, as I wish to have a few words with a number of friends living in Van Buren county. We don't have much time for writing, though we are required to write one letter home each week. We are being drilled as fast as possible that we might be sent to sea and give room for others coming in.
There is lots of snow here and cold weather, but our barracks are nice and warm and we have to keep it clean, as well as ourselves. We must have a close hair cut, a clean shave and our leggins and uniform must be clean, or we get no shore leave. From what I can learn we will be kept in training for about two months yet, and then shipped across the pond.
I volunteered at Little Rock Dec. 12th and arrived here the 14th. We have fine entertainment here--basket ball, foot ball, movies every night and since we got out of quarantine it is all better. We get plenty of good common food, the kind that builds you up. I have gained in weight, I know. On Sundays we got to the lakes frozen over quite a distance from the shore.
There are about 75,000 of us here in this station and they are still coming in, but some are being sent to sea which give room for the recruits. I am rated as a fire man but went through detention in a company of apprentice seamen and received their drilling, too, so you see I get gun drill and regimental review, batallion and parade drills besides firemen drills, but I intend to transfer as a barber.
I expect a furlough for home today: I hope so, because I haven't been home in eight months. I lived most of my life in Van Buren county and I like its people and their dear old school masters. Clinton put out one Napolean--O'Neal, the best teacher I think I ever went to. That I didn't get an education was my own fault--I didn't attend regular enough or study hard enough.
Out in Oklahoma I met another old Van Buren county teacher--a Mr. Halbrook, tho I can't recall his given name. He was principal of a high school when I met him. We have just been called to take sentinel guard so will have to conclude. Hoping this will greet many of my old friends through your good publication, I am
Yours very respectfully,
G. R. CRAVENS.
Camp Dewey, C. F 3d Reg., Great Lakes, Ill.
NOTES: George Ray Cravens was born in Pope County, Arkansas on February 19, 1891 and died on April 3, 1981. He is buried in the Iron Bridge Cemetery in Iron Bridge, Oklahoma. His military headstone identifies him as a F 3 US Navy in World War 1.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD