TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BAXTER BULLETIN MARCH 8, 1918 P. 2
Camp Freemont, Cal.
Feb. 20th, 1917
Co. E. 8th Inf.
My Dear Friend Irl:
I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you yet. I was going to write you all the time but I kept putting it off until I nearly forgot to write to you.
Well how has the world been treating you? Fine I hope.
We sure did have an awful sea voyage coming back to the State. I sure thought we were gone that night we hit the rock we were in the storm for 3 days and nights and did not know where we were until the sun came out. One man went over board and did not get him because the water was too rough. The waves came clean over the forcastle, she was rocking like a row boat, 27 men got hurt so you can see about what kind of trip it was. When we got to Nagasaki, Japan, we went in drydock for 14 days for repairs. It was all painted up like war color when we left Manila, and before we got to Japan it looked like it had been through a war. We were on the boat 44 days and it takes only 28 days when nothing happens. When the ship hit the rock in the China sea it listed an angle of about 61 degree and wethought she turned over.
Well we are getting ready to go to France now and I will let you know when we leave. We are having new bayonet drills every day. Say there is a train of recruits coming in tonight and we will sure have some job training them believe me. I will have been in the army fours years the 23rd of this coming November, and that seems long to me. I bought $100.00 worth of Liberty Bonds, and will get my check sometime in July. I took out $5,000 worth of insurance and put it in my mother’s name. I a am sharpshooter and that pays me $3.00 more a month, so I should worry. I sure have lots to tell you if I ever get back there. They have a big ice skating rink here in San Francisco and I have me a Jane here and I go there about once a week with her. There is three regiments that came back from the Tropics, which are the 8th Inf., 13th Inf, and the 15th Cav., and they have three of the best bands in the army, and they play out here every Sunday afternoon. There are thousands of people that come out here to hear it and it sure is swell. Where is Roy now? I wrote him a letter the 1st day of Dec. 1917, and it went to Louisiana after it left Mtn. Home, and he never got it, it came back to Camp Freemont, so I don’t know where he is, so please tell me and I will write to him. Tell Rex Bodenhamer to write to me and Oscar Douglas, because they owe me a letter. Tell all the folks there at your home hello, and I will leave for France soon.
I will send you a picture of the 1st squad of Co. E. 8th Inf. All these boys are over 6 feet tall. You can see me plainly because I was tickled at that guy next to me.
I will have to close for this time.
Answer soon, as ever your friend,
Paul Theis.
NOTES: Paul Herman Theis was writing to Irl Seward. He was born on August 11, 1897 in Germany and died on February 9, 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is buried in the Rose Hill Memorial Cemetery in Tulsa. His military headstone identifies him as Iowa, Cpl 810 Mil Police Co serving in World War I & II. He arrived in the U.S. in 1907 and settled with his family in Mt. Home, Arkansas. He was described as having a light complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. The date the letter was sent was in error and was actually 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Camp Freemont, Cal.
Feb. 20th, 1917
Co. E. 8th Inf.
My Dear Friend Irl:
I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I have not forgotten you yet. I was going to write you all the time but I kept putting it off until I nearly forgot to write to you.
Well how has the world been treating you? Fine I hope.
We sure did have an awful sea voyage coming back to the State. I sure thought we were gone that night we hit the rock we were in the storm for 3 days and nights and did not know where we were until the sun came out. One man went over board and did not get him because the water was too rough. The waves came clean over the forcastle, she was rocking like a row boat, 27 men got hurt so you can see about what kind of trip it was. When we got to Nagasaki, Japan, we went in drydock for 14 days for repairs. It was all painted up like war color when we left Manila, and before we got to Japan it looked like it had been through a war. We were on the boat 44 days and it takes only 28 days when nothing happens. When the ship hit the rock in the China sea it listed an angle of about 61 degree and wethought she turned over.
Well we are getting ready to go to France now and I will let you know when we leave. We are having new bayonet drills every day. Say there is a train of recruits coming in tonight and we will sure have some job training them believe me. I will have been in the army fours years the 23rd of this coming November, and that seems long to me. I bought $100.00 worth of Liberty Bonds, and will get my check sometime in July. I took out $5,000 worth of insurance and put it in my mother’s name. I a am sharpshooter and that pays me $3.00 more a month, so I should worry. I sure have lots to tell you if I ever get back there. They have a big ice skating rink here in San Francisco and I have me a Jane here and I go there about once a week with her. There is three regiments that came back from the Tropics, which are the 8th Inf., 13th Inf, and the 15th Cav., and they have three of the best bands in the army, and they play out here every Sunday afternoon. There are thousands of people that come out here to hear it and it sure is swell. Where is Roy now? I wrote him a letter the 1st day of Dec. 1917, and it went to Louisiana after it left Mtn. Home, and he never got it, it came back to Camp Freemont, so I don’t know where he is, so please tell me and I will write to him. Tell Rex Bodenhamer to write to me and Oscar Douglas, because they owe me a letter. Tell all the folks there at your home hello, and I will leave for France soon.
I will send you a picture of the 1st squad of Co. E. 8th Inf. All these boys are over 6 feet tall. You can see me plainly because I was tickled at that guy next to me.
I will have to close for this time.
Answer soon, as ever your friend,
Paul Theis.
NOTES: Paul Herman Theis was writing to Irl Seward. He was born on August 11, 1897 in Germany and died on February 9, 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is buried in the Rose Hill Memorial Cemetery in Tulsa. His military headstone identifies him as Iowa, Cpl 810 Mil Police Co serving in World War I & II. He arrived in the U.S. in 1907 and settled with his family in Mt. Home, Arkansas. He was described as having a light complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. The date the letter was sent was in error and was actually 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT