Show readers column colu inn 0 we invite your personal comments and will include your letters if they contain information of general interest to the readers of the san juan record note the writer of the fol owing letter is evidently in the hick of things and likes it he is at least trying to make the best of army life as he finds it fort ord calif aug 11 1941 dear editor I 1 found time to do a little writing so here goes yes sir its a habit now its getting to be automatic this his sir habit I 1 find myself barking it at do doormen amen waiters and defenseless old ladies it takes a little while ahil to get onto the swing of it but 1 seem to be arriving at last the outfit which im associated wa with ith has gained the reputation of rugged D company and on recent maneuvers it lived up to that reputation breaking trail up a brush choked canyon with the thermometer hovering around is a tough proposition in any mans language especially poci ally when youre carrying full field equipment and are short on water the first battalion of which D company is a part lost quite a few men they dropped out just make it but old D company made its destination without the loss of a single man and speaking vf of ruggedness ged nesS it ia took a land mine to stop one of our sergeants we were going through a defensive position when he stepped on one of these too hot to handle gadgets and it went off perforating his shoe like a duck in a shooting gallery but freakish as the blast was his foot was only slightly injured hell be back on duty in a week proof that the modern army rises to the occasion was an incident during last weeks maneuvers trading rifles and packs for firefighting fire fighting equipment the infantry was ordered to the front to battle fire covering approximately an eight mile front the fire eaters built firebreaks and backfires back fires it was an all night vigil but when the boys were relieved in the morning the fire was completely under control and maybe you dont think the younger generation is a race of up and coming enterprising business men its not at au all uncommon while the blue or red armies are on the run to suddenly hear a juvenile voice calling candy ice cream peanuts get your call bulletin here which might go to prove that war is a commercial product wont be long now before we are off to washington and maneuvers neu vers these maneuvers the most extensive yet should be something to write home about and I 1 will corporal karl L hunt co D infantry fort ord calif |