TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ROGERS DEMOCRAT NOVEMBER 22, 1917 P. 3
Just got here a week ago today. This is a pretty country up here and I like it fine. We are between St. Paul and Minneapolis close to where I worked last summer. There were 20 car loads of soldiers came from Jefferson Barracks and we sure had a good time on the road.
I like army life fine and think I will spend the rest of my life in the army or navy. There is a lot more to the army other than you ever thought about. I couldn’t tell you all about it if I wrote all day long. I think the army is the making of a good man if he will take an interest and try to do the right thing.
There sure is lots to learn and believe me you’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut if you get it all. They have _____ ______ and you have to be careful or you will get to visit the guard house.
There is lots of gambling going on all the time among the soldiers, they most all gamble. Some can’t even line up to get their grub without starting a crap game, and on pay day they sure do some gambling but most of them are ”busted” from one pay day to another.
They are very strict about the clothing they give you. You are not allowed to buy, borrow or give away or sell anything the Government gives you. If you do they will fine you $60 and give you 90 days in the guard house at hard labor. The reason they do that is because some of the boys would get busted and then sell clothes to get money.
They blow the bugle at 5:00 in the morning to get up and get breakfast, and you’d better get up if you want anything to eat. We have shower baths and can take one as often as we wish, but they want you to take a bath four times a week, keep your bed made up in good shape, keep your room neat and also keep your clothes near and clean; your shoes well shined, teeth washed, hair closely trimmed and close shaved. You sure can’t go round looking like a bum and get by with it.
If there is a man in camp who doesn’t take his baths regular, we give him a rub bath with sand and a big scrub brush and about one dose does him. We gave a wop a sand bath just last night and rode him in the blanket. It may be you don’t know what “blanketing” means. We get one of those big army blankets and get men all around to hold it and put our “convict” in the blanket then get busy and toss him about 20 feet in the air and catch him and then keep the good work up until we think he has had plenty.
We can go to town after retreat in the evening and can stay out until 11 o’clock. If we want to be out later we have to get a pass from the company commander. If we should be caught out after eleven without a pass they will give us about 10 days in the guard house at hard labor.
There is always some doing at the Post Y.M.C.A. People come out from town and take part in the entertainment.
Saturday was inspection day and the manager told our sergeant he had the best bunch of men in the field. I was put in the advance squad.
There are between ten and twelve thousand soldiers at this camp. Think they will send a bunch of men to France in December, and I sure hope I’m in that first bunch. Would like to get one shot at the Kaiser anyway.
Will get our issue of “winter” clothing soon. Got my overcoat last week. This is what I got on my first issue:
Two pairs trousers, one coat, a hat, a pair of shoes, pair of leggings, six pairs silk lisle hose, four suits underwear, two olive drab shirts, one belt, one recruit kit that contains soap, two towels, shoe brush and polish, whisk broom, scissors, needles, thread, pins, buttons, shaving brush, and one razor just about the size of a good big corn knife; two good heavy blankets, a mattress and cot, mess kit, gun, bayonet and ammunition belt.
You sure have to keep your gun and bayonet good and clean, or you get extra work to do. You can’t imagine all there is to do in the good old U.S. army. You’ve got to keep your mind on your business. Got the Democrats all right, wish you would send it all the time.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lester L. Trueblood of Rogers, Arkansas to his sister Mrs. David Looney. He was writing from Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. He was serving in Co. D 36th Infantry. He was born on October 11, 1892 in Independence, Kansas and died in Minnesota on March 16, 1929. He is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Maplewood, Minnesota. He departed Brest, France on May 25, 1919 onboard the ship Freedom. He was listed as a Private in the 10th Evacuation Hospital.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON
Just got here a week ago today. This is a pretty country up here and I like it fine. We are between St. Paul and Minneapolis close to where I worked last summer. There were 20 car loads of soldiers came from Jefferson Barracks and we sure had a good time on the road.
I like army life fine and think I will spend the rest of my life in the army or navy. There is a lot more to the army other than you ever thought about. I couldn’t tell you all about it if I wrote all day long. I think the army is the making of a good man if he will take an interest and try to do the right thing.
There sure is lots to learn and believe me you’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut if you get it all. They have _____ ______ and you have to be careful or you will get to visit the guard house.
There is lots of gambling going on all the time among the soldiers, they most all gamble. Some can’t even line up to get their grub without starting a crap game, and on pay day they sure do some gambling but most of them are ”busted” from one pay day to another.
They are very strict about the clothing they give you. You are not allowed to buy, borrow or give away or sell anything the Government gives you. If you do they will fine you $60 and give you 90 days in the guard house at hard labor. The reason they do that is because some of the boys would get busted and then sell clothes to get money.
They blow the bugle at 5:00 in the morning to get up and get breakfast, and you’d better get up if you want anything to eat. We have shower baths and can take one as often as we wish, but they want you to take a bath four times a week, keep your bed made up in good shape, keep your room neat and also keep your clothes near and clean; your shoes well shined, teeth washed, hair closely trimmed and close shaved. You sure can’t go round looking like a bum and get by with it.
If there is a man in camp who doesn’t take his baths regular, we give him a rub bath with sand and a big scrub brush and about one dose does him. We gave a wop a sand bath just last night and rode him in the blanket. It may be you don’t know what “blanketing” means. We get one of those big army blankets and get men all around to hold it and put our “convict” in the blanket then get busy and toss him about 20 feet in the air and catch him and then keep the good work up until we think he has had plenty.
We can go to town after retreat in the evening and can stay out until 11 o’clock. If we want to be out later we have to get a pass from the company commander. If we should be caught out after eleven without a pass they will give us about 10 days in the guard house at hard labor.
There is always some doing at the Post Y.M.C.A. People come out from town and take part in the entertainment.
Saturday was inspection day and the manager told our sergeant he had the best bunch of men in the field. I was put in the advance squad.
There are between ten and twelve thousand soldiers at this camp. Think they will send a bunch of men to France in December, and I sure hope I’m in that first bunch. Would like to get one shot at the Kaiser anyway.
Will get our issue of “winter” clothing soon. Got my overcoat last week. This is what I got on my first issue:
Two pairs trousers, one coat, a hat, a pair of shoes, pair of leggings, six pairs silk lisle hose, four suits underwear, two olive drab shirts, one belt, one recruit kit that contains soap, two towels, shoe brush and polish, whisk broom, scissors, needles, thread, pins, buttons, shaving brush, and one razor just about the size of a good big corn knife; two good heavy blankets, a mattress and cot, mess kit, gun, bayonet and ammunition belt.
You sure have to keep your gun and bayonet good and clean, or you get extra work to do. You can’t imagine all there is to do in the good old U.S. army. You’ve got to keep your mind on your business. Got the Democrats all right, wish you would send it all the time.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Lester L. Trueblood of Rogers, Arkansas to his sister Mrs. David Looney. He was writing from Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. He was serving in Co. D 36th Infantry. He was born on October 11, 1892 in Independence, Kansas and died in Minnesota on March 16, 1929. He is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Maplewood, Minnesota. He departed Brest, France on May 25, 1919 onboard the ship Freedom. He was listed as a Private in the 10th Evacuation Hospital.
TRANSCRIBED BY MIKE POLSTON