TRANSCRIBED FROM THE WASHINGTON TELEGRAPH DECEMBER 7, 1917 P. 1
Camp Jackson, S. C.,
Nov. 21, 1917.
Mr. Arthur Parham:
Kind Friend:
Will write you a few lines to night to let you know I am just fine and hope you are the same. I thought I would get to come home to see my old friends X’mas, but as I am so far away I guess I won’t get to come, but I will try to come before I go to France. If I don’t you can say that Germany will have to face one brave soldier of America, and if they kill me I think I will die for a good cause.
I don’t like army life by any means, but the longer I stay the better I like it. I have been taking machine gun training and the officers say I am making good, but I think I will be transferred this week. Don’t know what part of the service I will take up, just any part I am needed in.
I like this camp fine. We are in four miles of a fine town. It is a nice little city.
The wind doesn’t blow here; it is still all the time. They let me go to town twice a week and I have a nice time. I haven’t drilled over three hours per day in last three weeks, so you see I don’t have a hard time at all.
We get plenty to eat, of the kind. It is the kind the army all gets. Of course it isn’t the kind we get at home, but we can live on it a long time. We have one dish to eat from--We call it the mess dish. One cup to drink from, and they are called the mess kit. We have to wash them ourselves.
We have inspection each Sunday and everything has to be on the dot. You can tell my friends that I am well and here to stay till Kaiser Bill goes down, never to rise again. Then I will return home to my friends.
I would be glad to hear from my friends at any time. As I can’t write each of them personal, would be glad if you would send this to the Washington Telegraph and have it published, and direct them to send me a copy.
I am very truly yours,
William Thomas Camp Jackson, S.C.
NOTES: William E. Thomas was born on May 15, 1892 and died in 1953. He is buried in the Water Creek Cemetery in Hempstead County, Arkansas. He departed from Brest, France April 27, 1919 arriving in Hoboken, NJ on May 5, 1919. He sailed onboard the George Washington. He was serving as a Private 1st Class in the 127th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Camp Jackson, S. C.,
Nov. 21, 1917.
Mr. Arthur Parham:
Kind Friend:
Will write you a few lines to night to let you know I am just fine and hope you are the same. I thought I would get to come home to see my old friends X’mas, but as I am so far away I guess I won’t get to come, but I will try to come before I go to France. If I don’t you can say that Germany will have to face one brave soldier of America, and if they kill me I think I will die for a good cause.
I don’t like army life by any means, but the longer I stay the better I like it. I have been taking machine gun training and the officers say I am making good, but I think I will be transferred this week. Don’t know what part of the service I will take up, just any part I am needed in.
I like this camp fine. We are in four miles of a fine town. It is a nice little city.
The wind doesn’t blow here; it is still all the time. They let me go to town twice a week and I have a nice time. I haven’t drilled over three hours per day in last three weeks, so you see I don’t have a hard time at all.
We get plenty to eat, of the kind. It is the kind the army all gets. Of course it isn’t the kind we get at home, but we can live on it a long time. We have one dish to eat from--We call it the mess dish. One cup to drink from, and they are called the mess kit. We have to wash them ourselves.
We have inspection each Sunday and everything has to be on the dot. You can tell my friends that I am well and here to stay till Kaiser Bill goes down, never to rise again. Then I will return home to my friends.
I would be glad to hear from my friends at any time. As I can’t write each of them personal, would be glad if you would send this to the Washington Telegraph and have it published, and direct them to send me a copy.
I am very truly yours,
William Thomas Camp Jackson, S.C.
NOTES: William E. Thomas was born on May 15, 1892 and died in 1953. He is buried in the Water Creek Cemetery in Hempstead County, Arkansas. He departed from Brest, France April 27, 1919 arriving in Hoboken, NJ on May 5, 1919. He sailed onboard the George Washington. He was serving as a Private 1st Class in the 127th Infantry.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS