[YMCA]
[Army and Navy
Young Men’s Christian Association
“With the Colors”]
Ordnance Supply School,
Provisional Co. “D”,
Camp Hancock, Ga.
June 2nd, 1918
Dear Mother:
This has been a hot day in Camp Hancock. The mercury stood at ninety-eight yesterday
and it is no cooler today. I believe such weather as this in Pennsylvania would burn everything
up. We have had only two or three little showers since we came to this place.
The drill has been fierce this week—last week, rather. The old drill field is like walking
across a hot stove, probably not quite so bad. They have never furnished shoes to me yet, and
my old ones are getting thin on the bottom as well as ragged on the top. As a result, I usually use
my pleasure in going out to drill. The hotter the weather, the less likely I am to go out.
I have been working in the Supply Office most of my spare time the last week. We are
getting our woolen clothes off by issuing the khaki. I have been looking after the fitting. I
would make a fairly decent Jew salesman, I believe. I look a man over, ask him his waist
measure, throw him a suit, and tell him it will be a perfect fit. Of course, they often come back
telling us there was no fit to the suit we gave them. We always blame that on the tag, saying it is
often times marked wrong, which however, is true in some instances.
Our company was out to some kind of a religious service on Decoration Day. They came
back cursing because the minister prayed twenty minutes and they had to stand uncovered during
that time. They said that about fifty men fell out of ranks by feinting [sic] or to keep from
feinting during the prayer. I sympathized with time for it was the hottest Decoration Day I ever
saw. I think a minister should have a little consideration for those listening to him.
I had a letter from Morgan and one from Mary this week, besides several other. I am not
as good a hand at corresponding as Morgan. I do not believe he can be as busy as we are. I
absolutely cannot find time to write except on Sunday, and today we issued clothing until one
o’clock and we got so tired we quit. I had a pass to town which I turned in because I had to write
some letters.
It has been so hot that I have not made much progress in my letter-writing. Expect to do
better this evening.
I received a check from Scott this week for the money he owed me. Reed also sent me a
check for the money he owed me. I think five dollars will now cover my debts outstanding.
If I fail to get a letter to Mary this week, tell her to write. Her school is out now and I am
very busy. Tell her to send me a cake or a little good candy, or both. It is not so much that I
want it to eat as the fact that the other fellows of the squad get so much stuff, and I am always
helping them out without receiving much to treat them to. You need not consider that statement
seriously. It is simply a suggestion. There were several thousand drafted men came in last week.
I understand many of them are from the rougher sections of New York City. I am very glad I am
with the fellow[s] I am. They are a mighty fine set to be associated with.

We got on the worst detail yet yesterday afternoon. The Lieutenant order the dust taken
off the company street—two or three inches of it. About two rods of it were taken off when he
seemed to realize how big the job really was, and ordered the piles scattered out again which had
been piled up. Ordering the job done, show how little the Lieutenant knew of the science of
moving dirt—or rather, the work connected with moving it. I did not help as I was faking work
in the Supply Office. Nance carried water and sprinkled it over the tent floor to keep us cool as
an excuse for not going on the dirt detail. I think he carried two bucket-fulls [sic] during the
afternoon. I think a lot of Nance. I have never yet seen him “down hearted.”
I must close before I am compelled to pay extra postage.
Your son,
Guy