Dear Mother
Received your most welcome letter and was entirely glad to hear from you. Received two of your letters that were addressed to Ft. McDowell and were forwarded here. The money was welcome too to say the least. I couldn’t even send a letter as I didn’t have money enough to buy a stamp. I am assigned to Co. A. Motor Battalion. The Motor Battalion carries the ammunition up to the guns with mules. We were let out of quarantine last week and are up in the company tents now. We get up at six o’clock in the morning, stand reville and then go to mess. After that we have setting up exercises and drill until eleven. We drill about four hours a day. We are allowed three nights a week to go to town. I went to Houston last night. There are about as many soldiers on the street as civilians. Didn’t see much of the town as we just went to the show and then came back to camp. The camp is about six miles from Houston but the car line runs out to within a mile of camp so we don’t have far to walk. There is an aviation camp near here. I see aeroplanes flying by every day. Was sorry to hear that Willie Ostini was hurt. Was the motor smashed up much? How long had he been riding it before he had the accident? I haven’t written to any of the boys in Pismo yet but will write to some of them today.
There are not many amusements here as there were at Ft. McDowell but still there is enough to keep ourselves amused when we are not busy. They have picture shows and a big Y.M.C.A. where we can get all the books and magazines we want to read. The companys have canteens where we can buy fruit, ice cream and such things. One sure craves them too as we don’t know how long we will be here but don’t think it will be very long. Will probably go to New Jersey from here. Some of the Artillerymen who joined when I did were sent to the Philippines and some were sent to Camp Kearney. A good many of them men here are from Ft. “Slocum” New York. I don’t know whether that’s spelt right or not but that’s the way it sounds.
Our regiment of the Artillery is leaving today.
Have any of the boys in Pismo been called in the draft yet? How did Charlie come out in the draft? Is he still in San Francisco? So Percy and Harry are enlisted. Did they both pass? The kid that went with me the night I went didn’t pass and was sent back home. We had to have another examination after we got down here. Army life is just one examination after another. I’ve had all three of my inoculations and two vaccinations and am sure glad its over. It surely makes me feel miserable for about three days. I am feeling fine now. Had a bad cold while I was down in the quarantine camp. We only had two little blankets and no mattress. We had a big rain the other day. It started about ten o’clock at night and lasted all next day. It sure rains here when it does rain. I woke up about midnight and found my barrack bag floating out in the middle of the tent.
Well I guess I will close now and be sure to write soon.
Your son,
Walter
Field Artillery
5th Div. Amm. Tr.
Co. A
Camp Logan
Texas