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LETTERS FROM THE BOYS
(The following letter written in jest was sent to J.G. Brewster by his nephew, who was stationed in Indio, Cal.)
Dear Uncle Garvin:
Received your letter today and sure was glad to get it. You really shot me a line and I am going to write you a bunch of bull if that is what you want to call it.
Since I have never told you about Army life, you may not believe it but it is true. We just lie in bed every morning until about five o’clock. This gives us plenty of time to get washed, dressed, make the bunks, etc by 5:15. At 5:16 we stand outside and shiver as we enjoy the nice freezing air. After we are reasonably chilled, we grope our way through the darkness into the mess hall. Here we have a hearty meal consisting of some nice, muddy unidentified liquid and a choice of beans - either white or red.
After breakfast at 5:30 we loaf slowly back to the barracks. We have nothing to do until 5:35 so we just sit around and scrub toilets, mop the floors, wash the windows, and pick up all the cigarette butts and match sticks within a radius of 150 feet from the barracks. No janitors coming in to wake us up. No sirree. When we sleep, we sleep. As for janitors, they can all go to h - - -
Around 6:00 with a quarter of the day already loafed away, the sergeant comes and sez, “Come out in the sun kids”. So we go out and bask in the wonderful sunshine like good little boys. Of course, it’s been raining about three days, but the way the sergeant talked, it might clear up today. To limber up we do a few calisthenics. Not like the hard ones we had to do in Physical Education in High School, definitely not. These merely consist of single exercise such as touching your toes with both feet off the ground and grabbing yourself by the hair and holding yourself out at arm’s length.
At eight o’clock, the time when you lucky fellows are getting out of bed, we put our light pack on our back and start walking. The light pack is not to be compared with the heavy pack. The light pack is very light, and consists of only one gun, bayonet, belt, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, tentpins, and a few other things such as canteen, fork, knife, spoon, meat can, cup, shaving kit, pup tent, raincoat, cartridge belt and a few other negligible items. The light pack also has a blanket, Carrying the light pack I weigh 206 pounds. Note: I weighed 150 when I left. So you can see how easy it is to romp and play while marching.
An observation car follows us as we march, playing “God Bless America” and picks up the fellows who faint. The boys who pass out are treated very well. They are given six months in the guard house but they do not have to face court martial. At 12 this who can, limp into the infirmary where patients are divided into two classes, those who have athlete’s foot and the ones who have colds.
If you have athlete’s foot you get your feet swabbed with iodine. If you have a cold you still get your throat swabbed with iodine. Anyone who claims he has neither a cold or athlete’s foot is sent to the guardhouse for impersonating an officer.
I am very popular at the infirmary. I told them I had a cold and athlete’s foot and what I really have is a good case of laziness but I know when to keep my mouth shut.
Oh, yes, there are advantages in this Army. It’s almost impossible to find a beautiful girl here. Why things have come to the state that I’ve forgotten what the sherandoah girls look like back in old Arkansas. To state the facts, I’ve seen no women.
At supper time it’s a race between the sand and myself to the groceries. We’re having grits tonight, Oh Boy.
After supper we just lounge around cleaning our rifles, washing our leggins, and sometimes our shoes, press our clothes, shave and things of this sort merely as a pastime.
By this time a soldier’s day is at an end and he is free to indulge in a bit of recreation before the lights go out at nine o’clock: the time now being 8:59 so you can plainly see that I don’t have much time to sign off in, so I will have to say so-long until the next time.
Hoping to hear from you soon,
Another Soldier Boy,
John A. Beaty
—V—
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