TRANSCRIBED FROM THE WYNNE PROGRESS AUGUST 2, 1918 P. 8
Camp Johnston, Fla., July 29, '18.
To the Editor of The Progress:
In some lucky way I happened to get a Wynne Progress in my possession and it sure made me feel good to read a paper that had been published in the United States, for I never get to see anything in printed form except the "Florida Metropolis," and it has the right name. How it got the last name is from being printed so far down in the "tropics," You have heard them say Florida is such a beautiful country. It is a country in a class by itself. No other place could be like it. It is really a "No Man's Land," and I know for sure it is a "No woman's land" for I haven't seen a female since I have been here, including all races that grow here.
Getting down to my camp life, I will try and tell you. It is a beautiful site for a camp if it had only been in the U.S. But we are here and we all try and make the best of it and show the few people in Florida how soldiers from the United States do. All the trees down here are so green that they have moss on their backs. We are on the banks of the wide St. John's river that runs to the ocean, which is only a short distance. We have lots of fun going down on the banks of the river and watching the monkeys play leap frog.
Did you ever hear any one say "America was slow in getting ready to win the war?" Who ever says so is badly mistaken, for people, I know from my own experience, I get up every day at 5 a.m. (Just think of any one lying in bed until that late in the morning); at 5:15 we have reville; then at 5:30 we have breakfast; then maybe we have time to get in our tents. We are again called at 6:15 for drill and we drill like soldiers until 10; then we go to school and study like we did when we went to school. At 11:30 we have dinner; 12:45 drill call: 3 p.m. we go to school again; 5:30 we come back and have supper; then we get nearly an hour to write a letter home, for at 7:15 we are called again to go to school, which lasts until about 9:30. When we get back the lights are all out and we go to bed and think of home maybe for 15 minutes if we have time and everyone is in slumberland. This same thing happens every day and Sunday, too. Boys, it is a great life. Why don't you come on?
Wouldn't you like to all be here and enjoy life as we do? We never wish for anything only that night would hurry and come so we can do our "bunk fatigue."
I don't think it will be long before all our training comes into good use for every day you can a big bunch of soldiers march down to see a train with steel helmets and gas masks and everything that goes with overseas equipment, and I don't think it will be long before my bunch will be on the same trail. So boys, come on and make a new bunch, for we might need you all. It isn't hard, "you will like it" sooner or later. Don't stand back and let Uncle Sam bleed just because someone stood back. Don't you want to say you helped "can the Kaiser?"
If any one asks you how I like the army just tell them I am "crazy about it," for I am, and I wouldn't be out unless the war was over.
Bidding you all farewell I will now go to bed so I can get up in the morning. Just think of it. I get to sleep until 5 o'clock in the morning because it is Sunday.
Sincerely,
OSCAR MURRAY,
28th Co. 2d Office Reg., Camp Johnston.
NOTES: Oscar Joseph Murray was born on November 20, 1901 and died on May 14, 1964. He is buried in the Cogbill Cemetery in Wynne, Arkansas. He departed Newport News, Virginia onboard the Aeolus. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Supply Co #325. He departed St. Nazaire on June 19, 1919 onboard the Kroonland. He was listed as a Sgt. serving in Casual Co. No. 2113 Quartermaster Corp.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Camp Johnston, Fla., July 29, '18.
To the Editor of The Progress:
In some lucky way I happened to get a Wynne Progress in my possession and it sure made me feel good to read a paper that had been published in the United States, for I never get to see anything in printed form except the "Florida Metropolis," and it has the right name. How it got the last name is from being printed so far down in the "tropics," You have heard them say Florida is such a beautiful country. It is a country in a class by itself. No other place could be like it. It is really a "No Man's Land," and I know for sure it is a "No woman's land" for I haven't seen a female since I have been here, including all races that grow here.
Getting down to my camp life, I will try and tell you. It is a beautiful site for a camp if it had only been in the U.S. But we are here and we all try and make the best of it and show the few people in Florida how soldiers from the United States do. All the trees down here are so green that they have moss on their backs. We are on the banks of the wide St. John's river that runs to the ocean, which is only a short distance. We have lots of fun going down on the banks of the river and watching the monkeys play leap frog.
Did you ever hear any one say "America was slow in getting ready to win the war?" Who ever says so is badly mistaken, for people, I know from my own experience, I get up every day at 5 a.m. (Just think of any one lying in bed until that late in the morning); at 5:15 we have reville; then at 5:30 we have breakfast; then maybe we have time to get in our tents. We are again called at 6:15 for drill and we drill like soldiers until 10; then we go to school and study like we did when we went to school. At 11:30 we have dinner; 12:45 drill call: 3 p.m. we go to school again; 5:30 we come back and have supper; then we get nearly an hour to write a letter home, for at 7:15 we are called again to go to school, which lasts until about 9:30. When we get back the lights are all out and we go to bed and think of home maybe for 15 minutes if we have time and everyone is in slumberland. This same thing happens every day and Sunday, too. Boys, it is a great life. Why don't you come on?
Wouldn't you like to all be here and enjoy life as we do? We never wish for anything only that night would hurry and come so we can do our "bunk fatigue."
I don't think it will be long before all our training comes into good use for every day you can a big bunch of soldiers march down to see a train with steel helmets and gas masks and everything that goes with overseas equipment, and I don't think it will be long before my bunch will be on the same trail. So boys, come on and make a new bunch, for we might need you all. It isn't hard, "you will like it" sooner or later. Don't stand back and let Uncle Sam bleed just because someone stood back. Don't you want to say you helped "can the Kaiser?"
If any one asks you how I like the army just tell them I am "crazy about it," for I am, and I wouldn't be out unless the war was over.
Bidding you all farewell I will now go to bed so I can get up in the morning. Just think of it. I get to sleep until 5 o'clock in the morning because it is Sunday.
Sincerely,
OSCAR MURRAY,
28th Co. 2d Office Reg., Camp Johnston.
NOTES: Oscar Joseph Murray was born on November 20, 1901 and died on May 14, 1964. He is buried in the Cogbill Cemetery in Wynne, Arkansas. He departed Newport News, Virginia onboard the Aeolus. He was listed as a Pvt. serving in Supply Co #325. He departed St. Nazaire on June 19, 1919 onboard the Kroonland. He was listed as a Sgt. serving in Casual Co. No. 2113 Quartermaster Corp.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD