TRANSCRIBED FROM THE GRAND PRAIRIE NEWS OCTOBER 10, 1918 P. 6
San Diego, California.
Sept. 21, 1918
Dear Home Folks:
Will write you a few lines to let you know I am still enjoying good health and having a fine time, with a little real work mixed in it. I am at the library and the pen I was writing with, was no good, so will finish with pencil. We are now at the main barracks, came down last Wednesday. I was lucky, only had to stay in detention camp seventeen days; some have to stay from twenty to thirty days. Roy Sheeks came down with the same bunch I did. He was in detention camp twenty-one days. Roy and I sleep in the same room now and we are together as much as we were when we were home. We went to town together, then down on the beach, where there are all kinds of boats, from small row boats to the battle ship Oregon. We saw lots of sea playne light on the water. They are the same as airplanes, except they can, light or rise on the water. You know the main barracks are in the Balboa park. The big San Diego fair was held here in it in 1906. I believe it is the prettiest place I ever saw. All of the Navy buildings are big stone fronts with marble finish. The scenery is wonderful, from green trees and grass to water fountains, gold fish, water flowers of all kind, pretty vines, in fact just think of the post cards you have seen of California and then you have it all in one in this park. Everything is kept some clean.
I have taken part in two big parades already since I came to the main barracks. One of them was at captain inspection, and I think if old Kaiser Bill could have seen the blue jackets going through the drills he would throw in the towl pretty quick.
Today they took a motion picture of the sailors, soldiers and marines at the park. This picture is to be an official government picture and is to be sent to France to be shown to the soldiers over there. They had the Navy colors with the American flag leading the parade, and I was just a little ways back from it in line.
They have a first-class band here and everything is music. The band plays every noon while we eat dinner. In fact, when we are not at some real work, such as doing some drilling or helping clean up some part of the camp, which then does not last long at a time, it seems more like some kind of a fair than anything else. Anybody that would kick about the way we are treated here, would not be any good any where you would put him. The eats are good if any one is hungry at all. Today we had stewed chicken for dinner, cake, California white grapes, mashed potatoes, bread, butter and hot chocolate. That is not so bad for a sailor to eat, is it? We have a picture show every night, free for us. A big Y. M. C. A. building with anything you want, in it.
I have taken all of my shots and they did not hurt me one bit, but they did make some of the boys sick.
We are wearing nothing now but our blue uniforms and I am just as used to them as I would be in a pair of overalls. They are a little unhandy for pockets, as they haven’t got but two small ones in the pants.
I just looked in the mail list and see that I have a letter, but can not get it till tomorrow. I suppose it must be from you all. I wish that as soon as you get my letter, you would answer, so that I will know you get them.
I am sleeping in my hammock every night now. It hangs about as high as my head and swings in the air. I have been sleeping good in it. Have not fell out yet, but some have. We have some fun at night, watching fellows get in them.
Well, as it will soon be time to go to bed, guess I will close for this time. Will write again the middle of the week.
Love,
L____
NOTES: Leroy Sherman Sayre was writing to his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. Y. Sayre. Sayre was born in Illinois on July 28, 1895 and died on August 20, 1968. He is buried in the Lone Tree Cemetery in Stuttgart, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
San Diego, California.
Sept. 21, 1918
Dear Home Folks:
Will write you a few lines to let you know I am still enjoying good health and having a fine time, with a little real work mixed in it. I am at the library and the pen I was writing with, was no good, so will finish with pencil. We are now at the main barracks, came down last Wednesday. I was lucky, only had to stay in detention camp seventeen days; some have to stay from twenty to thirty days. Roy Sheeks came down with the same bunch I did. He was in detention camp twenty-one days. Roy and I sleep in the same room now and we are together as much as we were when we were home. We went to town together, then down on the beach, where there are all kinds of boats, from small row boats to the battle ship Oregon. We saw lots of sea playne light on the water. They are the same as airplanes, except they can, light or rise on the water. You know the main barracks are in the Balboa park. The big San Diego fair was held here in it in 1906. I believe it is the prettiest place I ever saw. All of the Navy buildings are big stone fronts with marble finish. The scenery is wonderful, from green trees and grass to water fountains, gold fish, water flowers of all kind, pretty vines, in fact just think of the post cards you have seen of California and then you have it all in one in this park. Everything is kept some clean.
I have taken part in two big parades already since I came to the main barracks. One of them was at captain inspection, and I think if old Kaiser Bill could have seen the blue jackets going through the drills he would throw in the towl pretty quick.
Today they took a motion picture of the sailors, soldiers and marines at the park. This picture is to be an official government picture and is to be sent to France to be shown to the soldiers over there. They had the Navy colors with the American flag leading the parade, and I was just a little ways back from it in line.
They have a first-class band here and everything is music. The band plays every noon while we eat dinner. In fact, when we are not at some real work, such as doing some drilling or helping clean up some part of the camp, which then does not last long at a time, it seems more like some kind of a fair than anything else. Anybody that would kick about the way we are treated here, would not be any good any where you would put him. The eats are good if any one is hungry at all. Today we had stewed chicken for dinner, cake, California white grapes, mashed potatoes, bread, butter and hot chocolate. That is not so bad for a sailor to eat, is it? We have a picture show every night, free for us. A big Y. M. C. A. building with anything you want, in it.
I have taken all of my shots and they did not hurt me one bit, but they did make some of the boys sick.
We are wearing nothing now but our blue uniforms and I am just as used to them as I would be in a pair of overalls. They are a little unhandy for pockets, as they haven’t got but two small ones in the pants.
I just looked in the mail list and see that I have a letter, but can not get it till tomorrow. I suppose it must be from you all. I wish that as soon as you get my letter, you would answer, so that I will know you get them.
I am sleeping in my hammock every night now. It hangs about as high as my head and swings in the air. I have been sleeping good in it. Have not fell out yet, but some have. We have some fun at night, watching fellows get in them.
Well, as it will soon be time to go to bed, guess I will close for this time. Will write again the middle of the week.
Love,
L____
NOTES: Leroy Sherman Sayre was writing to his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. Y. Sayre. Sayre was born in Illinois on July 28, 1895 and died on August 20, 1968. He is buried in the Lone Tree Cemetery in Stuttgart, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS