TRANSCRIBED FROM THE LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT JUNE 7, 1917 P. 7
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
Here comes a few lines from a “navy rookie” to tell you of a little of the U. S. navy life during the training time. I have been here four weeks now and like it very much so far. We have over 8,000 boys in training and are very much crowded. There are about 3,000 boys that haven’t received their uniforms yet, as they are very short of clothes. I was here only four days when I received all of mine. I consider myself very lucky, but all in our company have never gotten their complete outfits yet.
It is very cold and has been ever since I have been up here. I surely feel sorry for some of the boys from Texas, who are from the border where it is hot, and then come up here and get out on the drill grounds and try to drill.
I will tell you about our drills and other daily programs. We have to go to bed at 9 o’clock and get up at 5 o’clock. After the lights are out, if you are cutting up, you will be made to drill out in the dark four or five hours. The other night some of the boys were singing in bed after the lights were out and the master of arms came in and said, “Get up, every one of you; hurry up, don’t be slow about it, put on your clothes and come on out. I am going to stop this noise after the lights are out, or I will drill the whole company all night.” He said hereafter the ones being good may help keep the others quiet for the last week, and from now on I know I am.
When we get up in the morning every boy has to take a shower bath, wash his teeth, and shine his shoes for muster, and then at 10 o’clock we march down in line for breakfast. Well, we have been having very nice eats for the last two weeks. We have beans only twice a week now.
On Wednesday we have sham battles. All visitors are allowed on Wednesday and Sunday. We have from 8,000 to 10,000 visitors from Chicago come out on Wednesday to see the sham battles. On Thursday afternoon we have boxing. Every boy has to get in the ring sooner or later. Friday night is wash night. Every sailor has to get his clothes clean for the captain’s inspection Saturday morning, and if any article is dirty, you will get your shore leave taken away from you. We had life-boat drill this morning, my second experience in this drill. We rowed three miles out in the lake and she was rough, too. When we came in our commander said, “I surely would hate to be on a battleship with you fellows and have a drill.” He said he would lose his job in two minutes, meaning we surely were greenheads. Well, he is a fine commander and we have lots of fun out of him. He will bawl us out and then turn around and tell us a big joke.
I was in Chicago yesterday, as we get shore leave every Saturday and Sunday, and I was with four other sailor boys when we were passing some girls. They stopped and asked us to pin a yellow ribbon on a couple they showed us, and we asked what for. They said, “Why they were married today. We want this yellow pinned on his back.” So, boys, you cannot come or go here without passing a crowd of girls, saying to the boys, “What’s the matter with you? Can’t you go to war, or do you want this yellow ribbon on you?”
Well, I must close this up, and hope everyone of you in Conway are O.K. All of the boys here from home are well and we have a big time of evenings at the Y.M.C.A. playing pool or billiards or other amusements, which they have there. Good luck to all of you. Hope some of you will write me a few lines.
Come on boys, join the navy or army before June 5. I like the training work very much, and am only anxious to get further into the training work, to which I hope to be assigned, the yeomanry service, which you probably know is the clerical service of the navy.
Cortis M. Pyle,
Care Landsmen for Yeoman U. S. Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois, May 27, 1917.
NOTES: Cortis Maynes Pyle was born on August 8, 1896 in Conway, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY JULIETTE BRASHEARS
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
Here comes a few lines from a “navy rookie” to tell you of a little of the U. S. navy life during the training time. I have been here four weeks now and like it very much so far. We have over 8,000 boys in training and are very much crowded. There are about 3,000 boys that haven’t received their uniforms yet, as they are very short of clothes. I was here only four days when I received all of mine. I consider myself very lucky, but all in our company have never gotten their complete outfits yet.
It is very cold and has been ever since I have been up here. I surely feel sorry for some of the boys from Texas, who are from the border where it is hot, and then come up here and get out on the drill grounds and try to drill.
I will tell you about our drills and other daily programs. We have to go to bed at 9 o’clock and get up at 5 o’clock. After the lights are out, if you are cutting up, you will be made to drill out in the dark four or five hours. The other night some of the boys were singing in bed after the lights were out and the master of arms came in and said, “Get up, every one of you; hurry up, don’t be slow about it, put on your clothes and come on out. I am going to stop this noise after the lights are out, or I will drill the whole company all night.” He said hereafter the ones being good may help keep the others quiet for the last week, and from now on I know I am.
When we get up in the morning every boy has to take a shower bath, wash his teeth, and shine his shoes for muster, and then at 10 o’clock we march down in line for breakfast. Well, we have been having very nice eats for the last two weeks. We have beans only twice a week now.
On Wednesday we have sham battles. All visitors are allowed on Wednesday and Sunday. We have from 8,000 to 10,000 visitors from Chicago come out on Wednesday to see the sham battles. On Thursday afternoon we have boxing. Every boy has to get in the ring sooner or later. Friday night is wash night. Every sailor has to get his clothes clean for the captain’s inspection Saturday morning, and if any article is dirty, you will get your shore leave taken away from you. We had life-boat drill this morning, my second experience in this drill. We rowed three miles out in the lake and she was rough, too. When we came in our commander said, “I surely would hate to be on a battleship with you fellows and have a drill.” He said he would lose his job in two minutes, meaning we surely were greenheads. Well, he is a fine commander and we have lots of fun out of him. He will bawl us out and then turn around and tell us a big joke.
I was in Chicago yesterday, as we get shore leave every Saturday and Sunday, and I was with four other sailor boys when we were passing some girls. They stopped and asked us to pin a yellow ribbon on a couple they showed us, and we asked what for. They said, “Why they were married today. We want this yellow pinned on his back.” So, boys, you cannot come or go here without passing a crowd of girls, saying to the boys, “What’s the matter with you? Can’t you go to war, or do you want this yellow ribbon on you?”
Well, I must close this up, and hope everyone of you in Conway are O.K. All of the boys here from home are well and we have a big time of evenings at the Y.M.C.A. playing pool or billiards or other amusements, which they have there. Good luck to all of you. Hope some of you will write me a few lines.
Come on boys, join the navy or army before June 5. I like the training work very much, and am only anxious to get further into the training work, to which I hope to be assigned, the yeomanry service, which you probably know is the clerical service of the navy.
Cortis M. Pyle,
Care Landsmen for Yeoman U. S. Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois, May 27, 1917.
NOTES: Cortis Maynes Pyle was born on August 8, 1896 in Conway, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY JULIETTE BRASHEARS