Campbell County WY Archives Military Records.....Drew, Arthur Letters To The Editor September 8, 1917 WWI - Letters The Gillette News (Gillette, Wyoming) Fri Sep 21, 1917 pg 1 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wy/wyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 February 27, 2021, 2:26 am Drew, Arthur Letters To The Editor The Gillette News (Gillette, Wyoming) Fri Sep 21, 1917 pg 1 "PEANUTS" WANTS A GIRL THAT CAN MAKE CANDY Fort Barry, Calif., Sep 8, 1917 Dear Editor and Friends: As I have been in the army about five months, I will write of my experiences in the Coast Artillery at Ft. Barry, Calif. Ft. Barry is across the bay from Frisco on the extreme point of the Golden Gate. This is a very nice port. Our quarters are down in a valley, small mountains all around us except on the west which is the ocean. The mountains around here are very pretty and are covered with all kinds of wild flowers and berries. On Sundays we stroll oer the hills or go swimming down at the beach or in the large pond which is just back of our camp. The water in it is much warmer than the ocean, which is about 45 degrees, so a fellow can not stay in very long at a time. We have cool weather all the time and have to have a fire every night in our tents. I sure like camp here. Our tents are very comfortable as we have stove and electric lights, good beds and warm blankets. When I first joined the army I had the same opinion of it as Sherman had about war, but have changed my opinion now. I believe I will spend the remainder of my life in the army, that is if I am sent to fight in the trenches in France. Twenty-five of the boys from this company are now on their way to France. I don't know how soon more of us will have to go. I tried to get in with the bunch that went but they only wanted twenty-five at that time from here. Army life agrees with me I have gained five pounds already. We get up early in the morning and hike up and down mountains roads at double-time about fifteen minutes before breakfast. It sure makes a fellow feel like eating a big meal. We have a nice gymnasium, bowling alley, pool tables, bath house with shower, and you have to make use of it too for if you don't this is what may happen to you: a fellow never took a bath for a month, the boys found it out so we took him down to the pond and gave him a bath with brooms, scrub brushes and Old Dutch Cleanser, so he is now taking the required two baths a week. I suppose some of you people wonder what we get to eat so here is some of the things we get: Roast beef, pork, fish and dressing, steak, chicken pork chops, bacon and eggs and all kinds of vegetables and fruits. For dessert we get pie, cake, ice cream, puddings, and I guess I'll have to put beans with the desserts as we only get them one meal a week and some times not for two weeks. The 4th of July was Uncle Sam's birthday and he sure did treat us. We had chicken dumplings, mashed potatoes, clam salad, fruit, two kinds of cake and pie, chocolate pudding, cantelopes, ice cream and everything you could think of that was good to eat. After dinner the cigars and cigarettes were passed. I sure am glad that I am no slacker. Now since we have been turned to duty, that is, we are not trained soldiers ready for what Uncle Sam wants us for, we only drill about two hours a day, the rest of the day we can do as we please. We do not drill on Saturdays or Sundays. Burt Streeter, Geo. T. Martin, L. G. Neyhart and I are the only boys from home that got in this Company, but there are some of the boys from near home (dear old Gillette.) We have mail deliveries here every day and are always glad to see the mail man ride up. He sure has a big load to carry as there are are 550 soldiers at this post and they all get packages and boxes from home. Most of the boxes contain candy, cake and other good things to eat that their girls send them. One of the boys in my tent just received a big box of home made candy from his sweetheart. Gee, I kinda wish I could find a girl like that. Well as it is getting about supper time I guess I'd better come to a close because I couldn't lose out on "the eats." Nothing to do around here but eat and sleep, I am even getting too lazy to put cream in my coffee so I drink it black. Yours respectfully, Arthur Drew 14th Co. S. F. C. A. Fort Barry, Calif. ------------- The Gillette News (Gillette, Wyoming) Fri Oct 12, 1917 pg 1 "PEANUTS" LIKES Y. M. C. A. ENTERTAINMENTS Fort Barry, Calif., Oct 4, '17 Editor Gillette News, Dear Sir: After writing you once a short time ago, and seeing my letter in your paper, I will try my hand again, as we have a Y. M. C. A. Club in our camp and I attend their meetings and entertainments, they have asked each of us to write a letter to our home paper on the 4th of October, which they call call letter day for the soldiers and they wish us to do as well as we can, and so I consider it a favor to them as well as to myself to have this published, I may be able to mention a few things of interest besides what I have already told you. First I will mention the Y.M.C.A. as it is by their request that I write again. They afford us lots of amusement and give an entertainment every Thursday night here at our camp, and each time they bring the best singers and musicians they can procure. They seem to spare no pains in making thing interesting for us, and that is why I feel like complying with their wishes and thus show some appreciation for what they so willing do for each of us. Each time they come they have something new; some comedians, good singer and musicians. They try to make things as cheerful as possible for us. I believe we are about as lucky as any other post in the country as far as treatment is concerned. We have good officers; they all seem very much interested in our welfare and take great pains to teach us every- thing in our line of duty besided the instructions they give us. We have books on artillery and different kinds of literature about warfare. They insist on making all of us first class gunners at least. We have examination each year some time in March and those that pass get more pay. There are lots of things for one to learn who is ambitious. There are more opport- unities in the army than I ever expected, and still there are lots of us who do not strive for the highest mark because we do not expect to always follow army life, but there are lots of things to learn in the army which will be useful in civil life--many different trades, such as electrical engineering, elegraphy, signaling, cooking, baking, blacksmithing, carpentering, and most of every trade you will find in civil life stands before anyone who feels competent and willing to learn. It is really a good life to follow. Still there is a sense of confinement to it that makes one weary. At times you feel subjected to some extent. You haven't got the freedom to do as you wish when you wish. In other words, its a job you can't quit any day you happen to fly off the handle and look for a new boss. You can't go when you want to, and stay as long as long as you want to, still it is something we can't expect. We get lots of privileges just the same. They favor us as much as they can. We go and come often but our passes are short in war time, in time of peace a certain percent of the men can get to leae from one to three months. We are instructed in eery branch, they teach us the different makes of powder and whit it is made of and what kinds are used for a certain calibre gun, and the shot and shells shot, or solid projectiles for great penetration, and shells to burst on impact or with timed fuse, how each kind is made and different materials used is thoroughly explained. The battery crew is composed of eleven cannoneers to each gun county the range setter and gun pointer, besided these are six men in the powder section and the chief of ammunition and gun commander. Yours respectfully, Arthur Drew. 14th Co. S. F. C. A. C. Fort Barry, Calif. Additional Comments: U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939 Name: Arthur Drew Departure Date: 12 Dec 1917 Departure Place: Hoboken, New Jersey Arrival Place: Hoboken, New Jersey Residence Place: Gillette, Wyoming Mother: Cora Drew Ship: Susquehanna Military Unit: 14SF Rank: Private Notes: 14th Company, San Francisco U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940 Name: Arthur Drew Record Type: Military Service Birth Date: 4 Jun 1890 Residence Place: Gillette, Wyoming Death Date: 22 Dec 1918 1910 Belle Fourche, Weston, Wyoming Alex Pawers 38 Head Arthur A Drew 21 Hired Man TX IL NE Fred L Gillund 39 Hired Man 1900 Township 10, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Cora Drew 40 Jan 1860 IL OH MD Head [Cora E. Ashford] Madison A Drew 18 Sep 1881 TX IL IL Son David M Drew 16 Son Apr 1884 TX IL IL Albert B C Drew 12 Son Dec 1887 TX IL IL Arthur Drew 10 Son Jun 1890 TX IL IL *** Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 Name: Alexander Drew Gender: Male License Date: 25 Sep 1880 License Place: Johnson, Texas, USA Marriage Date: 26 Sep 1880 Marriage Place: Johnson, Texas, USA Spouse: Cora E Ashford 1880 Alvarado, Johnson, Texas Madison Drew 48 IL TN SC Self (Head) farmer Mattie Drew 43 IL TN OH Wife Alex Drew 22 IL IL IL Son Franklin Drew 1 TX IL IL Son 1880 Precinct 3, Johnson, Texas J. T. Ashford 30 IL OH MD Self (Head) Mary A. Ashford 24 IL IL IL Wife Idella Ashford 7 IL IL IL Daughter Adda Ashford 1 TX IL IL Daughter N. C. Ashford 23 IL OH MD Sister C. E. Ashford 21 IL OH MD Sister 1870 Jonathan's Creek, Moultrie, Illinois Madison Drew Male 38 Illinois Martha Drew Female 31 Illinois Alexander Drew Male 12 Illinois Rebecca J Drew Female 9 Illinois Theodore Drew Male 7 Illinois Harvey Drew Male 4 Illinois Temperance Drew Female 78 South Carolina Henry Standerfer Male 33 Illinois 1870 Township 10 Range 11, Greene, Illinois Hiram Ashford 35 OH Lydia Ashford 73 VA Cora E Ashford 10 IL Daniel Ashford 22 MO 1860 Unity Township, Piatt, Illinois Madison Drew Male 28 Ill Martha A Drew Female 23 Ill Alexander Drew Male 2 Ill 1860 llinois Greene Carrollton Atwell Ashford 35 VA Ophelia Ashford 35 MD Daniel Ashford 12 MO John Ashford 10 IL Sarah Ashford 8 IL Ophelia Ashford 6 IL Nancy Ashford 4 IL Cora Ashford 1 IL Illinois, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1851-1900 Name: Madison Drew Gender: Male Spouse Name: Martha Ann Standefer Marriage Date: 8 Mar 1857 Marriage County: Moultrie 1850 Monroe county, Monroe, Iowa John Drew Male 59 North Carolina Temperance Drew Female 58 North Carolina Frederick Drew Male 20 Illinois Madison Drew Male 19 Illinois Henry Standerford Male 15 Illinois Mary Standerford Female 10 Illinois Benjamine Standerford Male 16 Illinois 1850 Between Macoupin and Apple Creeks, Greene, Illinois Atwell Ashford 25 VA Catharine Ashford 24 MD Daniel Ashford 3 MO John Ashford 0 IL Isaac G Arnold 14 MI 1850 Between Macoupin and Apple Creeks, Greene, Illinois Lydia Ashford 62 VA James Ashford 18 OH Hiram Ashford 14 OH Eliza Jane Ashford 11 OH Illinois, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1790-1860 Name: Atwell Ashford Spouse: Ophelia C. Molott Date: 7 Jan 1847 County: Greene State: Illinois Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT Microfilm: 1310037 Submitter is not related and has no further information File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wy/campbell/military/ww1/letters/uthegille8gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wyfiles/ File size: 12.2 Kb