TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER 5, 1918 P. 6
I have, by hard work and constant application to my duty, a steady nerve and a good eye, mastered the most wonderful rifle in the world, the Springfield, and also attained the highest honor possible for a private or officer with a rifle. I have qualified as an expert rifleman on the range. The coach was very kind and assisted me in every way he could record day. Our company is all broken up. We have six experts, thirteen sharpshooters, thirty-six marksmen, and eleven who failed to qualify even as marksmen. Five of the six experts are Southerners and three of them including myself are from Arkansas. Pretty good for Arkansas boys.
NOTES: Joe Martin Killgrove was born in Excelsior Springs, Missouri on February 17, 1888 and died on October 8, 1918. His non-military headstone lists him as serving in the USMC. He is buried in the Gentry Cemetery in Gentry, Arkansas. He enlisted on July 1, 1918 and was mustered into the Marines on September 1. He was serving in Co. A, Overseas Depot Marine Barracks at Quantico, Virginia. This partial letter was written by Killgrove to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Killgrove. He was serving with the Marines at Paris Island, S.C.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
I have, by hard work and constant application to my duty, a steady nerve and a good eye, mastered the most wonderful rifle in the world, the Springfield, and also attained the highest honor possible for a private or officer with a rifle. I have qualified as an expert rifleman on the range. The coach was very kind and assisted me in every way he could record day. Our company is all broken up. We have six experts, thirteen sharpshooters, thirty-six marksmen, and eleven who failed to qualify even as marksmen. Five of the six experts are Southerners and three of them including myself are from Arkansas. Pretty good for Arkansas boys.
NOTES: Joe Martin Killgrove was born in Excelsior Springs, Missouri on February 17, 1888 and died on October 8, 1918. His non-military headstone lists him as serving in the USMC. He is buried in the Gentry Cemetery in Gentry, Arkansas. He enlisted on July 1, 1918 and was mustered into the Marines on September 1. He was serving in Co. A, Overseas Depot Marine Barracks at Quantico, Virginia. This partial letter was written by Killgrove to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Killgrove. He was serving with the Marines at Paris Island, S.C.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD