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Show ROBERT A. PESRT 6T FT. MIRTH Writing to his father from Fort' Leavenworth, where he is with thei depot battalion of the signal corps, Robert A Peart says: "My Dear Father: Your welcome: letter reached me yesterday and you can't imagine how glad I was to hear from you. You ought to sec the boys run like a bunch of wild chickens when the mall man comes and we feel very blue when there is none for us. Weil this makes my sixth week here; ai Leavenworth and I am wiser every day. 1 never will forget the day I first arrived here. It was indeed an awakening awak-ening to me and the truth, 'That vourl in the army now.' became plainer every day I am just about getting used to the climate here. In the first two or three weeks, most all the men are sick. This is while we are receiving re-ceiving inoculations and a vaccination. Seems as though it brings all the sick j ness out, and cleans your body. After you get over this, you begin to feel i better. When I left home I weighed 1 13S pounds. Yesterday I pulled the, band down to 143. My appetite Is good and I never can get enough to, eat. I am usually the last man at the j table. But there are other things be-Bides be-Bides eating. We have plenty of work to keep us busy and always on our toes with squad drills and telegraph ' school, physical exercises and flag signalling. The day's schedule Is I pretty well mapped out. 1 am in class one as a flag signaller. I can read and send tn words a minute with the lags This is a very Important duty. I It is so important, you may sacrifice1 thousands of lives it" you did not send! the right messages. There is no reason win a man cannot qualify in these: i thlu.vs if he will only set his mind toj it The sergeant of our company told1 the men the other day that all who did : not qualify would be transferred into I the infantry, and believe me, I want j to keep out of the trenches, if I can "I may Kay that things are speeding j up here aud everything points to a I short stay here. Our boxes are already i made and painted. Automobiles and j motorcycles have already been shipped. Every man in this battalion I Is fully equipped with packs, slit kers and two pairs of hobnail trench BhDefl our belts and pistols, too. We are not issued rifles in the signal corps So you can just about glean from my letter what 1 mean to say that we will not be here long. We are .ill replace- 1 ment troops, and we will go straight to the supply base in France, where different trades of workmanship will be called for to replace those v. ho get knocked out. 1 was in hopes that we might stay here for a few months, as 1 was looking forward to coming home once again to see you all before I go 'over there 1 LYIng only 1200 miles away. I could buy a ticket trom here for 81. Put things are uncertain in ; the army, and I never know what is ; going to happen next. We all signed our names to the pay roll a week ago and we are looking for a payday an time now 1 am taking out $10,000 of insurance. At my age it will only cost me G a month. ICs a good thing and the last I can do to repay in part ; for the infinite care I have freely received re-ceived from my home. I will mail my policy to you when it is issued tome. W II I hope rav letter finds all well at home. I wished I could have been1 able to attend conference at Salt Iike City. I always njoyed It. 1 am receiving the Standard now. I sure enjoy reading it. I find more war; news in it than any papers around here "I hope Stanley is better and Nellie and Sadie, too. and all remember the! words of that patriotic English song. I it says: "'Keep the home fire burning till the boys come home, because wo surely sure-ly left with the intentions of returning.' "I was reading in the Standard about the Sixth ward meeting house being j remode led and about you playing an organ solo, too. Keep me posted as to the happenings in Ogden and I will have another letter on the way for you in a few days. Give my love to mother and all at home and at 1967 Monroe avenue." |
