TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT MAY 16, 1918 P. 1
Ft. Omaha, Neb., 13th Balloon Co., April 21
"Dear Folks at Home:
Was glad to hear from you. I never let anything worry me in the army. One is better off if they don't. I am jsut as happy in the army as I was out of it. All the difference is I would like to be at home once in a while. I think I can get a furlough in about a month but don't know how long it will last--expect about four days.
Mama, you wanted to know what I have to do. All I have to do is work. I drive a truck a part of the time and an auto sometimes for the major. We have little drilling but not much. The Balloon Co doesn't get as much drilling as the company Lloyd is in: they get 8 hours a day.
It is mess time so will quit and go eat and finish this later. I am at the Y.M.C.A. writing and have 425 letters to write.
I have some pictures of the Balloon Co. that I am going to send Lloyd today: I got a letter from him yesterday.
You asked about the balloon. I think they look like an elephant, don't you? They sure are a big thing when one gets on the inside. A basket is tied to them and four go up at a time. We go up in the balloon here to draw maps and the other camp, which is located about five miles from here, has trenches and we call them the enemy and we draw maps of them. I have been up about twenty times. They go up from 1,000 to 6,000 feet and it is sure some sport. There is a truck they call a winch, it has a motor in front and one in the back. The front motor moves the truck and in this truck is a hoist machine that the motor runs and there is a cable tied to the balloon and they let the balloon up and down. There is a telephone in the balloon and a wire runs from it to the ground. This is the best branch of the service as it is not so dangerous as the aviation service. We stay five miles back and the aviators fly over the enemy lines There are fifty men to the balloon and each company has a balloon. The balloons are filled with gas with a gas detail and the truck holds the gas cylinder to the balloon. I am in the truck detail.
What is everybody down there? Farming, I guess. This is sure fine farming land around here and everybody here has fine big houses and big red cattle.
We work here Sunday the same as any other day for we have got to hurry to get our training done, but I hear we will get off Saturday afternoon and Sundays now. We are off today. The balloon Detail goes out at 7 o'clock and doesn't get back until 8:30 at night. There are about 20 different fellows that go up in a balloon each day. They are called cadets, learning to fly and when they get thru they will get their commissions and be lieutenants and there is sure a bunch of them here. It is perfectly safe up there for they can't come down until they are drawn down by the winch and there is a big cable and it is examined often. A man stays right by it and watches it all the time.
I heard yesterday that I was going to get a sergeant's position and believe me, I am working for it. I get up at 5 a.m. and call the men out at 5:30 and we have mess at 5:45 and I go to bed at 9 or 10 o'clock. Army life isn't so bad as a lot of people think it is: it is what you make out of it yourself. One can't come in here and not try to do anything; if they do the officers will make it hard for them. We have some of that kind in or company and they are put on the Kitchen Police; we call it scrubbing the pans and it is hard work and they wonder why it is they are always doing it. They can't see ahead. I have never been on the Kitchen Police since I have been in the army; so don't worry about me; I will get by. I am making it fine here and feel fine all the time. Will close now. Write when you can.
FLOYD KEY.
NOTES: Key was writing to his parents Josephus and Margaret Key. He was born on June 2, 1896 in Rogers, Arkansas and died there on June 13, 1958. He is buried in the Rogers Cemetery. His military headstone identifies him as a CFR 1CL BLN CO. AR SVC. He enlisted on February 14, 1918 and was discharged on July 7, 1919. He served as a 1st Chauffer in the 13th Balloon Company, Army. He departed New York, Ny on July 10, 1918 onboard the Matsonia. He was listed as a Private in the 13th Balloon Co. Aviation Section Signal Corps. He departed Marseille, France on May 3, 1919 onboard the Duca degli Abruzzi. He arrived in New York, NY on June 18, 1919. He was listed as a Chauffer 1st Class 13th Balloon Company Air Service. Letters written by his brother Loyd are posted on this site.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Ft. Omaha, Neb., 13th Balloon Co., April 21
"Dear Folks at Home:
Was glad to hear from you. I never let anything worry me in the army. One is better off if they don't. I am jsut as happy in the army as I was out of it. All the difference is I would like to be at home once in a while. I think I can get a furlough in about a month but don't know how long it will last--expect about four days.
Mama, you wanted to know what I have to do. All I have to do is work. I drive a truck a part of the time and an auto sometimes for the major. We have little drilling but not much. The Balloon Co doesn't get as much drilling as the company Lloyd is in: they get 8 hours a day.
It is mess time so will quit and go eat and finish this later. I am at the Y.M.C.A. writing and have 425 letters to write.
I have some pictures of the Balloon Co. that I am going to send Lloyd today: I got a letter from him yesterday.
You asked about the balloon. I think they look like an elephant, don't you? They sure are a big thing when one gets on the inside. A basket is tied to them and four go up at a time. We go up in the balloon here to draw maps and the other camp, which is located about five miles from here, has trenches and we call them the enemy and we draw maps of them. I have been up about twenty times. They go up from 1,000 to 6,000 feet and it is sure some sport. There is a truck they call a winch, it has a motor in front and one in the back. The front motor moves the truck and in this truck is a hoist machine that the motor runs and there is a cable tied to the balloon and they let the balloon up and down. There is a telephone in the balloon and a wire runs from it to the ground. This is the best branch of the service as it is not so dangerous as the aviation service. We stay five miles back and the aviators fly over the enemy lines There are fifty men to the balloon and each company has a balloon. The balloons are filled with gas with a gas detail and the truck holds the gas cylinder to the balloon. I am in the truck detail.
What is everybody down there? Farming, I guess. This is sure fine farming land around here and everybody here has fine big houses and big red cattle.
We work here Sunday the same as any other day for we have got to hurry to get our training done, but I hear we will get off Saturday afternoon and Sundays now. We are off today. The balloon Detail goes out at 7 o'clock and doesn't get back until 8:30 at night. There are about 20 different fellows that go up in a balloon each day. They are called cadets, learning to fly and when they get thru they will get their commissions and be lieutenants and there is sure a bunch of them here. It is perfectly safe up there for they can't come down until they are drawn down by the winch and there is a big cable and it is examined often. A man stays right by it and watches it all the time.
I heard yesterday that I was going to get a sergeant's position and believe me, I am working for it. I get up at 5 a.m. and call the men out at 5:30 and we have mess at 5:45 and I go to bed at 9 or 10 o'clock. Army life isn't so bad as a lot of people think it is: it is what you make out of it yourself. One can't come in here and not try to do anything; if they do the officers will make it hard for them. We have some of that kind in or company and they are put on the Kitchen Police; we call it scrubbing the pans and it is hard work and they wonder why it is they are always doing it. They can't see ahead. I have never been on the Kitchen Police since I have been in the army; so don't worry about me; I will get by. I am making it fine here and feel fine all the time. Will close now. Write when you can.
FLOYD KEY.
NOTES: Key was writing to his parents Josephus and Margaret Key. He was born on June 2, 1896 in Rogers, Arkansas and died there on June 13, 1958. He is buried in the Rogers Cemetery. His military headstone identifies him as a CFR 1CL BLN CO. AR SVC. He enlisted on February 14, 1918 and was discharged on July 7, 1919. He served as a 1st Chauffer in the 13th Balloon Company, Army. He departed New York, Ny on July 10, 1918 onboard the Matsonia. He was listed as a Private in the 13th Balloon Co. Aviation Section Signal Corps. He departed Marseille, France on May 3, 1919 onboard the Duca degli Abruzzi. He arrived in New York, NY on June 18, 1919. He was listed as a Chauffer 1st Class 13th Balloon Company Air Service. Letters written by his brother Loyd are posted on this site.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD