TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEVADA COUNTY PICAYUNE
Camp Travis, Tex.,
Nov. 22, 1917.
Dear Editor, and Nevada County friends,
I'm away down here in dear old "Dixieland," doing the "Squads right," and am enjoying life fine. Am getting plenty of "hash and hay." Nothing going on but the rent, and Uncle Sam is paying that. So, "we should worry." When I say we, I mean Wade McClure and I.
We were drafted from Hugo, Oklahoma, but we have several friends and relatives in and around Prescott, and would appreciate it very much if you would spare us a small space in your paper for this letter.
We would like very much to hear from just anyone from Arkansas, whether we know them or not. Will answer all letters we receive.
Camp Travis has a population of about 65,000 and growing every day. There are about 20,000 negroes additional. They will leave for France in about thirty days.
We have plenty of amusements here, such as motion picture shows, boxing matches, wrestling, games of all kinds, furnished free by the Y.M.C.A.
We think the Y.M.C.A. the greatest organization connected with the army. The "Y" has stood by the soldier boys all of the time. The "Y" furnishes plenty of stationery and nice writing desks for the boys, and extends a cordial invitation to all soldiers at all times. So you can readily see that training camp life isn't so bad after all.
Believe me, there sure is a bunch of rough cookies down here. Some of them are just animals going under guise as humans.
One can see anything here from rollerskates to aeroplanes.
Oh, and yes--we had chicken last Sunday for dinner. It was an old rooster, and believe me, he sure was a patriot's old "cuss." Some of the boys said he volunteered for service, for he was too old to be drafted, but, nevertheless we had chicken.
Yes, and by-the-way, about fifteen of you Arkansas girls write to Wade and I, for we're awful lonesome.
Yours very truly,
Ben. F. Marbury and Wade McClure
Co. D, 358th Infantry, N.A. Camp Travis, Texas
NOTES: Wade Hearon McClure was born on December 19, 1895 in Buckner, Arkansas and died on September 17, 1957. He is buried in the Moore Springs Cemetery in Reno, Texas. He departed New York, NY on June 20, 1918 onboard the Canada. He was serving as a Cpl. in Co. D 358th Infantry. He departed St. Nazaire, France on January 20, 1919 onboard the Mongolia. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on January 30, 1919. He was serving as a Cpl. in 358th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Camp Travis, Tex.,
Nov. 22, 1917.
Dear Editor, and Nevada County friends,
I'm away down here in dear old "Dixieland," doing the "Squads right," and am enjoying life fine. Am getting plenty of "hash and hay." Nothing going on but the rent, and Uncle Sam is paying that. So, "we should worry." When I say we, I mean Wade McClure and I.
We were drafted from Hugo, Oklahoma, but we have several friends and relatives in and around Prescott, and would appreciate it very much if you would spare us a small space in your paper for this letter.
We would like very much to hear from just anyone from Arkansas, whether we know them or not. Will answer all letters we receive.
Camp Travis has a population of about 65,000 and growing every day. There are about 20,000 negroes additional. They will leave for France in about thirty days.
We have plenty of amusements here, such as motion picture shows, boxing matches, wrestling, games of all kinds, furnished free by the Y.M.C.A.
We think the Y.M.C.A. the greatest organization connected with the army. The "Y" has stood by the soldier boys all of the time. The "Y" furnishes plenty of stationery and nice writing desks for the boys, and extends a cordial invitation to all soldiers at all times. So you can readily see that training camp life isn't so bad after all.
Believe me, there sure is a bunch of rough cookies down here. Some of them are just animals going under guise as humans.
One can see anything here from rollerskates to aeroplanes.
Oh, and yes--we had chicken last Sunday for dinner. It was an old rooster, and believe me, he sure was a patriot's old "cuss." Some of the boys said he volunteered for service, for he was too old to be drafted, but, nevertheless we had chicken.
Yes, and by-the-way, about fifteen of you Arkansas girls write to Wade and I, for we're awful lonesome.
Yours very truly,
Ben. F. Marbury and Wade McClure
Co. D, 358th Infantry, N.A. Camp Travis, Texas
NOTES: Wade Hearon McClure was born on December 19, 1895 in Buckner, Arkansas and died on September 17, 1957. He is buried in the Moore Springs Cemetery in Reno, Texas. He departed New York, NY on June 20, 1918 onboard the Canada. He was serving as a Cpl. in Co. D 358th Infantry. He departed St. Nazaire, France on January 20, 1919 onboard the Mongolia. He arrived in Hoboken, NJ on January 30, 1919. He was serving as a Cpl. in 358th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD