TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEVADA COUNTY PICAYUNE SEPTEMBER 13, 1917 P. 1
Camp Albert L. Mills,
Garden City, Long Island, N. Y.
Dear Mother,
I received your letters from home today, and was glad indeed to get them. Well we are at Garden City at last, and believe me it is some place. It is just twenty miles from New York (center), and we are allowed to go there ever night if we wish to do so, but we are so well drilled during the day that we feel like resting at night. My but there are some soldiers here, about fifty-eight thousand. We have airships over us and submarines and battleships in the port three miles from here, so you see there is going to be business soon. And I hope it will not be long so we can do what we are going to do and return, and it looks like it won’t take us long.
We had a fine trip over here. It was rather long, but except that, it was swell. All along the road the whistles blew and we received our farewell goodbys. We had Pullman cars and porter service and our meals were fine enough for any king. We were on the train 47 hours, passed through the finest country. Well that is enough for the trip.
Now do not be uneasy if you fail to hear from me for three weeks at once, for when we leave for France it will take about seven days over and then seven days for the letter to come back and then a few days to reach you by land, so you see it will take at least that long. Now please don’t worry about me for I will either meet my fate or else return all right. I do not fear going at all, for if it is my time to die I will die without the least doubt or worry on my part. I received the papers you sent to Fort Sheridan. You asked about my things, I left them in Chicago with Mrs. Bessie Murphy with the understanding that if they did not hear from me in a certain length of time, to send them to you. I have them already addressed, but let that be as it is for I will be back to wear them soon.
I went out to the Naval Training Station and tried to see Jeff and the other Prescott boys last Saturday, but could not on account of them being there such a short time. Tell Mr. Cantley Hello! and that I am waiting to hear from all my sawmill friends. Hoping this finds every one well and happy, and by all means don’t worry for there is nothing to worry about. Tell Minnie that I will write her later. I would tonight but there is no use writing two when one will do.
Lovingly, your son,
William Jewell Vick.
NOTES: This letter was written by William Jewell Vick of Prescott, Arkansas to his mother Lydia Vick. Vick was born on January 18, 1896 in Pope County, Arkansas and died on July 16, 1974 in Prescott, Arkansas. He is buried in the De Ann Cemetery in Prescott. His military headstone identifies him as a MSGT US Army. He enlisted on August 21, 1917 and was discharged on May 10, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on board the President Lincoln for France on October 18, 1917. He was a member of Battery B, 149th FA, 67th FA Brigade. He returned to the US on board the Leviathan on April 18, 1919 from Brest, France. He arrived in Hoboken on April 26, 1919. He reentered the service during WWII on December 12, 1940 as a soldier in the infantry. He served in the National Guard until discharged on January 28, 1960. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. In the US Army. (that was his WWII/post WWII rank) He was tall and slender with blue eyes and dark brown hair
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Camp Albert L. Mills,
Garden City, Long Island, N. Y.
Dear Mother,
I received your letters from home today, and was glad indeed to get them. Well we are at Garden City at last, and believe me it is some place. It is just twenty miles from New York (center), and we are allowed to go there ever night if we wish to do so, but we are so well drilled during the day that we feel like resting at night. My but there are some soldiers here, about fifty-eight thousand. We have airships over us and submarines and battleships in the port three miles from here, so you see there is going to be business soon. And I hope it will not be long so we can do what we are going to do and return, and it looks like it won’t take us long.
We had a fine trip over here. It was rather long, but except that, it was swell. All along the road the whistles blew and we received our farewell goodbys. We had Pullman cars and porter service and our meals were fine enough for any king. We were on the train 47 hours, passed through the finest country. Well that is enough for the trip.
Now do not be uneasy if you fail to hear from me for three weeks at once, for when we leave for France it will take about seven days over and then seven days for the letter to come back and then a few days to reach you by land, so you see it will take at least that long. Now please don’t worry about me for I will either meet my fate or else return all right. I do not fear going at all, for if it is my time to die I will die without the least doubt or worry on my part. I received the papers you sent to Fort Sheridan. You asked about my things, I left them in Chicago with Mrs. Bessie Murphy with the understanding that if they did not hear from me in a certain length of time, to send them to you. I have them already addressed, but let that be as it is for I will be back to wear them soon.
I went out to the Naval Training Station and tried to see Jeff and the other Prescott boys last Saturday, but could not on account of them being there such a short time. Tell Mr. Cantley Hello! and that I am waiting to hear from all my sawmill friends. Hoping this finds every one well and happy, and by all means don’t worry for there is nothing to worry about. Tell Minnie that I will write her later. I would tonight but there is no use writing two when one will do.
Lovingly, your son,
William Jewell Vick.
NOTES: This letter was written by William Jewell Vick of Prescott, Arkansas to his mother Lydia Vick. Vick was born on January 18, 1896 in Pope County, Arkansas and died on July 16, 1974 in Prescott, Arkansas. He is buried in the De Ann Cemetery in Prescott. His military headstone identifies him as a MSGT US Army. He enlisted on August 21, 1917 and was discharged on May 10, 1919. He departed Hoboken, NJ on board the President Lincoln for France on October 18, 1917. He was a member of Battery B, 149th FA, 67th FA Brigade. He returned to the US on board the Leviathan on April 18, 1919 from Brest, France. He arrived in Hoboken on April 26, 1919. He reentered the service during WWII on December 12, 1940 as a soldier in the infantry. He served in the National Guard until discharged on January 28, 1960. His military headstone identifies him as a Sgt. In the US Army. (that was his WWII/post WWII rank) He was tall and slender with blue eyes and dark brown hair
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT