World War I Collection

American Lake. June 29, 1917

Dear Ma:

Received your letter last night. Have time to answer it to-day because we are not drilling it is raining to hard. Hard change of a wood brigade yesterday in the rain, the wood we had was to wet. Had to go out in the forest and hunt up dry wood. They are digging a drainage system today to drain off the rain water. I don't have to do any of that. Never mind sending fruit because I can get it up here. Our mail is sent to the top Sergents tent and the Corporal of each tent gets the mail there. I think I told you I would get my picture taken, just as soon as I get my coat which is at the tailor's getting fixed.

American Lake July 8, 1917

Dear Ma:

Just a line to answer a few questions. About going swimming we go in swimming every day at 4 o'clock. It is twelve miles to Tacoma we can either go by street car or auto. It is 15 cents each way on the car and 25 cents on an auto. We get milk in our coffee but the coffee isn't any good, we get all the sugar we want, we get butter about every other day. Ans to letter number two. I don't think we will leave as soon as we thought, they are starting things here now that will take quite a while to learn. I will have to get in and work my head off from now on. I went to Tacoma last night to dance, it took the last of my money, we didn't get paid yet. I went to church this morning they had it in the Y.M.C.A. tent. There is to be mass held there every Sunday at 9:o'clock, there is

American Flag in left corner

Imprint: Army and Navy Young Men’s Christian Association

American Lake July 10, 1917

Everybody:

I thought I would have plenty of time to write to-night but I haven't. There is to be a non-comms meeting to-night and I don't want to miss it. They wouldn't know whether I was there or not, but I want to be there and all the instruction I can. They certainly are keeping us on the move, working us both day and night. They are teaching us how to handle a rifle now so that we won't be boobs altogeather (altogether). We are going to get target practice Friday and there sure will be some swell shooting. They gave us a trowel, tooth brush, comb and towel to-day, we are getting things in relays. As for myself I am feeling fine with the swell sunburn I have. I will look like an Indian in another week. I am sending this post card now, but as soon as I get some money I will get a good picture taken. It is a bum picture, the only thing that is alright is the sun burned nose. Haven't any more time to write now.

I am borrowing money to buy stamps now.

Love to everybody

Tee

American Lake July 13, 1917

Dear Ma:

Everything is O.K. now there is about fifteen fellows in the tent eating cherries. Chas. has sent four boxes of cherries up here already and they sure have been swell. We are going to write Chas a letter today and send it to him. There will be about fifty signatures on it. I don't know where Chas is but I am going to send-it to Port and I guess it will be forwarded to him. The big event of the day is that we are going to get paid to-day. I guess I will go to a dance in Tacoma to-night and tomorrow. I guess I will go to some park here. There are

American Lake July 16, 1917

Dear Ma:

Havn't much time to write anything because I am to busy all the time. I received two more books to-day to keep me a little more busy. I will have to do a lot of studying with them but I don't know how I am going to get the time. I just had to go to a lecture and I will try to finish this before they call again. We got paid and it sure was good to have money in our pockets. I went to Tacoma to a dance Sat night and stayed untill Sun night. We had a good time and it was a change from camp life. If we didn't have a good lively bunch here full of life it would get kind of monotanous. There is