TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COURIER INDEX OCTOBER 4, 1918 P. 1
Feeling that you like to know all the army dope, I am going to tell you about my company of engineers breaking the world’s record for army bridge building on last Wednesday. We built 225 feet of bridge, by the successive pontoon method, in 15 minutes, 11 3-5 seconds, and dismantled it in 9 minutes, 57 1-5 seconds, using 86 men only. The former record for building the same bridge was 16 minutes and 30 seconds. At the end of time (15 minutes, 11 3-4 seconds) troops passed off the other side. The war department sent moving picture people here to picture us making it. After breaking the old record they sent the band out from Camp Humphreys to escort us back to camp. The rest of the camp turned out and stood along the road side and cheered us as we passed them. It is needless to say it was a proud company of men that marched back after that day’s work.
The entire company was granted a three day pass as a result of our excellent work.
I will get my commission in the U.S. engineers soon and hope to go to France as early after getting it as I can. Maybe I can give you more news later.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Estes W. Mann. He was writing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Mann of Marianne, Arkansas. Mann was in officer training at Camp Humphrey, Virginia.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE
Feeling that you like to know all the army dope, I am going to tell you about my company of engineers breaking the world’s record for army bridge building on last Wednesday. We built 225 feet of bridge, by the successive pontoon method, in 15 minutes, 11 3-5 seconds, and dismantled it in 9 minutes, 57 1-5 seconds, using 86 men only. The former record for building the same bridge was 16 minutes and 30 seconds. At the end of time (15 minutes, 11 3-4 seconds) troops passed off the other side. The war department sent moving picture people here to picture us making it. After breaking the old record they sent the band out from Camp Humphreys to escort us back to camp. The rest of the camp turned out and stood along the road side and cheered us as we passed them. It is needless to say it was a proud company of men that marched back after that day’s work.
The entire company was granted a three day pass as a result of our excellent work.
I will get my commission in the U.S. engineers soon and hope to go to France as early after getting it as I can. Maybe I can give you more news later.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Estes W. Mann. He was writing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Mann of Marianne, Arkansas. Mann was in officer training at Camp Humphrey, Virginia.
TRANSCRIBED BY PAYTON DHOOGE