TRANSCRIBED FROM THE VAN BUREN COUNTY DEMOCRAT NOVEMBER 22, 1918 P. 1
Camp Merritt
Nov. 6th
We arrived at Camp Merritt just at the break of day, and after getting breakfast we visited a barber shop and got our hair clipped and before night were supplied with our overseas outfit. Believe us we are ready to start across but may not get there in time to do any fighting. But if we don’t we can build back where other boys have fought.
In conclusion let us say the American Red Cross and Y.M.C.A. are the greatest organizations on earth. At all stops enroute here they gave us something to eat, and cigarettes, so we ate, smoked and had a jolly good time. So friends, don’t forget to help the Red Cross and the Y.M.C.A. for both are with us ‘Yankees’ to the end. With best wishes to all, we will conclude, by sending two verses of the song,
There’s a Long, Long Trail”
There’s a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingale is singing
And the pale moon beams
There’s a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams come true,
Till the day when I’ll be coming
down
That long, long trail with you.
There’s a long, long trail a-winding
Into no-man’s-land in France,
Where the shrapnel shells are
bursting,
but we must advance.
There’ll be lots of thrills and hiking
Before our dreams come true;
But we’re going to show the Kaiser
How those Yankee boys come
through.
ANDERSON TIPTON
WILLIAM A. STAFFORD
Camp Pike Co. 19, A.R.D., Camp Merritt, N.J.
NOTES: William Alvin Swafford was born on November 26, 1896 in Morganton, Arkansas and died on February 12, 1992 in Huntsville, Arkansas. He is buried in the Drake Creek Cemetery in Madison County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD
Camp Merritt
Nov. 6th
We arrived at Camp Merritt just at the break of day, and after getting breakfast we visited a barber shop and got our hair clipped and before night were supplied with our overseas outfit. Believe us we are ready to start across but may not get there in time to do any fighting. But if we don’t we can build back where other boys have fought.
In conclusion let us say the American Red Cross and Y.M.C.A. are the greatest organizations on earth. At all stops enroute here they gave us something to eat, and cigarettes, so we ate, smoked and had a jolly good time. So friends, don’t forget to help the Red Cross and the Y.M.C.A. for both are with us ‘Yankees’ to the end. With best wishes to all, we will conclude, by sending two verses of the song,
There’s a Long, Long Trail”
There’s a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingale is singing
And the pale moon beams
There’s a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams come true,
Till the day when I’ll be coming
down
That long, long trail with you.
There’s a long, long trail a-winding
Into no-man’s-land in France,
Where the shrapnel shells are
bursting,
but we must advance.
There’ll be lots of thrills and hiking
Before our dreams come true;
But we’re going to show the Kaiser
How those Yankee boys come
through.
ANDERSON TIPTON
WILLIAM A. STAFFORD
Camp Pike Co. 19, A.R.D., Camp Merritt, N.J.
NOTES: William Alvin Swafford was born on November 26, 1896 in Morganton, Arkansas and died on February 12, 1992 in Huntsville, Arkansas. He is buried in the Drake Creek Cemetery in Madison County, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY SHANNON SOUTHARD