TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN JANUARY 11, 1918 P 3
Great Lakes, Ill.
Dec. 25, 1917
Dear Tom:
We will take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to publish in your paper, so every one can hear from us, as we haven’t time to write to everyone.
We are having a nice time up here. We would like to hear from all our friends in and around Mtn. Home. We are going to tell you of some of the work we have to do. We have to wash down the deck and take a cold bath, wash our own dishes and clothes and shine our shoes every day, and we drill once a day, we all stand up to eat and have to shovel coal.
We sure don’t want all the Arkansas girls to marry while are in the navy.
We got our hair cut today right close to the skin of our head.
We haven’t got homesick yet, but we are looking to be any day.
A crowd of boys left for the sea today.
We are going to do our bit for the U.S. We are going to bring the Kaiser back to America with a rope around his neck and burn the old boy with a red hot iron.
If aman is caught smoking a cigarette, they put him in the guard house and feed him on bread and water. Once in a while they change his food and give him a glass of water and a tooth pick.
We had a fine time Christmas. The Y.W.C.A. gave us all a box of candy and gloves. We get every thing a man could wish for. It sure is cold up here. It is cold enough to freeze the Kaiser’s bill off.
Well I hope to see you all next July. If anyone wishes to write to us, our address is;
Co., No. 1 Barrack 831 North Decatur, Great Lakes, Ill.
Yours until my return.
Floyd Hickman.
NOTES: Floyd Hickman was born on March 30, 1899 at Baxter Springs, Arkansas and died on Jan 14, 1966 at Baxter Springs. He is buried in the Mountain Home Cemetery at Mountain Home, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas, Bugler serving in the US Navy during World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
Great Lakes, Ill.
Dec. 25, 1917
Dear Tom:
We will take the pleasure of dropping you a few lines to publish in your paper, so every one can hear from us, as we haven’t time to write to everyone.
We are having a nice time up here. We would like to hear from all our friends in and around Mtn. Home. We are going to tell you of some of the work we have to do. We have to wash down the deck and take a cold bath, wash our own dishes and clothes and shine our shoes every day, and we drill once a day, we all stand up to eat and have to shovel coal.
We sure don’t want all the Arkansas girls to marry while are in the navy.
We got our hair cut today right close to the skin of our head.
We haven’t got homesick yet, but we are looking to be any day.
A crowd of boys left for the sea today.
We are going to do our bit for the U.S. We are going to bring the Kaiser back to America with a rope around his neck and burn the old boy with a red hot iron.
If aman is caught smoking a cigarette, they put him in the guard house and feed him on bread and water. Once in a while they change his food and give him a glass of water and a tooth pick.
We had a fine time Christmas. The Y.W.C.A. gave us all a box of candy and gloves. We get every thing a man could wish for. It sure is cold up here. It is cold enough to freeze the Kaiser’s bill off.
Well I hope to see you all next July. If anyone wishes to write to us, our address is;
Co., No. 1 Barrack 831 North Decatur, Great Lakes, Ill.
Yours until my return.
Floyd Hickman.
NOTES: Floyd Hickman was born on March 30, 1899 at Baxter Springs, Arkansas and died on Jan 14, 1966 at Baxter Springs. He is buried in the Mountain Home Cemetery at Mountain Home, Arkansas. His military headstone identifies him as an Arkansas, Bugler serving in the US Navy during World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.