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Show LEWIS R. EIFE HIVES EXPERIENCES Tells of Marine's Life at Coat Island and Later at I eague Island, Philadelphia, U. S. Recruiting Ship I'.ks.. 270 Radio School. League Island, Phila-delj Phila-delj I. a. Pa.. Pec. 16, PUT. Editor Iron County Record, Cedar City, Utah, Dear Editor. Just a line to niy friends of Iron county, as I cannot be there for Christmas, which I, like nil the other boys, would like to be. It has only been a short time since 1 was there, but the change of living has made it seem a long time. The life of S sailor is certainly a great one. There is something new every day. When 1 first inlisted 1 was sent to Coat Island, near San Francisco. The first three weeeks I was there I was put in Quarantine. There is Where I learned to do as I was told, whether I liked it or not. During those twenty days it was all misery. I was vacillated and innoculated with the typhoid bacillus, making me weak and then drilling in the hot sun after being in the mountains all summer, sure had me wondering' whether I was physically (it for the navy or not. After that I was much better. I was used to the drilling and learn ing what was expected of me, I was soon in a humor to speak of affairs in a different way. I was kept there a month and a half and then sent here. It sure was a great trip. There were two hundred hun-dred of us on the train, and I know by the noise we made in every town we came through the people thought there were at least two thousand of us. We were six days coming and during that time we had forgotten what discipline was, but on arriving here we were soon taught, Two of tu crowd j;ot tin measles. &U yc were quarantined twenty-one days more. During that time we didn't have much to do, and I spent most of itny time studying. As soon as we got out of quarantine, I got into the radio school. All those that didn't get into i a school have gone over there. I like the school tNle and with lots of hard studying I am gradually learn. ing. I have just been relieved of a job that is dreaded most of all. It is mess duty. We each get our turns a week at a time and that week seems like a month. Along with our school ing we get three hours drilling each day. We have an hour of Sweedish drill. It is an exercise that would put muscles on wooden lag. The other iao hours are used fol boat drill. We row an hour down the river and j then make it lack in another hour. The weather is very cold here, but W0 get warm enough during these drills to keep an Iceburg warm the rest of the day. Next comes our enjoyments: We have liberty Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The nights we don't get shore liberty we can to to the Young Men's Christian Association. There we have a gymnasium, with every equipment; a swimming pool, reading ami writing rooms, games of all kinds and vaudeville and moving picture shows. There Is always invitations in-vitations awaiting your liberty to spend the day at some lady's home, where you get all that you can eat and a car ride either through the parks or the city. If you want something some-thing different to this you can go to dances, for inlisted men only, where miii are treated fine. The girls you meet there are all from good families and there are officers then t" see that the dances aie run right; but the best of it all is the suppers anything you can think of to eat. A man in uni form ?un i- treated like a king in this town. Hut will) all that, home is the In t place "a earth. The people here treat you with respect, to show their loyalty, loy-alty, and it is ccrtaily appreciated. But it is beyond all doubt that the best people "ii earth are the people in Utah. 1 am sure I would enjoy their company the most I get lite Record most every week, and by it I know what is going on at home. It sure Is a treat to get news from tin re. Of all the enjoyment there ll here, mail from home is enjoyed en-joyed the iii". I and I know that all the other boys feel the same. 1 have heard fellows say that they never did write letters before they joined the navy, but there i; none of them that doesn I rite now. The training eel la a Sne thing; it is something that every boy ought to get. I was always well and heal- ' thy, but I have always been an invalid inva-lid compared with the way I feel now. The war is an awful thing, but if you ould see the men I have seen, youl would Germany wouldn't last an, hour in battle, and I have only seen smple, There is a French ship in pert here now and 1 have seen them ; drill. They are sure will trained, but the;, haven't got the stuff that the I ha... Well, I guess this is about all 1 an make you believe, as most of you know me; so will wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 1 am I . ever. Your friend, LEWIS li, FIFE. |
