TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BENTON COURIER NOVEMBER 7, 1918 P. 8
Frankford Arsenal,
Philadelphia, Pa.
No more ham and eggs or grapefruit. When the bugle blows for chow no more apple pie or dumplings, for we are in the army now. And they feed us beans for breakfast, and at noon we get them, too, and at night they fill our inside with good old army stew. No more Fiz or whiskey highballs when we get an awful thirst. If you are thinking of enlisting, then get used to water first, for the lid’s on tight all over and the drilling makes you warm, but you can’t cool off on liquor, for we wear the uniform.
No more shirts of silk or linen, for we all wear the O.D. stuff. No more nightshirts or pajamas, for our pants are good enough. No more feather ticks or pillows, but we are glad to thank the Lord that we have got cot and blanket when we might have just a board, for they feed us beans for breakfast, and noon we get them, too, and at night they fill our insides with more good army stew. But by Jinks, we’ll lick the kaiser when the regulars teach us how, for, damn him, he’s the reason we are in the army now.
Private Walter Willmon
NOTES: Walter Willmon was born in Detonti, Arkansas on June 7, 1895 and died on December 6, 1946. He is buried in the New Friendship Cemetery, in Benton, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY JACQUE HOWARD
Frankford Arsenal,
Philadelphia, Pa.
No more ham and eggs or grapefruit. When the bugle blows for chow no more apple pie or dumplings, for we are in the army now. And they feed us beans for breakfast, and at noon we get them, too, and at night they fill our inside with good old army stew. No more Fiz or whiskey highballs when we get an awful thirst. If you are thinking of enlisting, then get used to water first, for the lid’s on tight all over and the drilling makes you warm, but you can’t cool off on liquor, for we wear the uniform.
No more shirts of silk or linen, for we all wear the O.D. stuff. No more nightshirts or pajamas, for our pants are good enough. No more feather ticks or pillows, but we are glad to thank the Lord that we have got cot and blanket when we might have just a board, for they feed us beans for breakfast, and noon we get them, too, and at night they fill our insides with more good army stew. But by Jinks, we’ll lick the kaiser when the regulars teach us how, for, damn him, he’s the reason we are in the army now.
Private Walter Willmon
NOTES: Walter Willmon was born in Detonti, Arkansas on June 7, 1895 and died on December 6, 1946. He is buried in the New Friendship Cemetery, in Benton, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY JACQUE HOWARD