Rumors
January 1, 1918: New Years Day 1918. Bert Howard1, Bill Nellis and I had some day today, eats, shows, more eats and more shows. Who knows but it may be our last New Years together. So let joy be unrefined. Lets go.
Jan. 5: Rumors are floating around again. We are going to sail soon so the rumors go. First it is France then Siberia most any place. We don’t care. From now on we will have new rumors every day. Rumor #9,999,999 says we are sailing the 1st of March.
Feb. 1: Have lost track of the exact number of rumors. But I do know that Sgt. Bill2 is busy making requisitions and issuing clothes. Have not had sleep for about 40 hours. The skipper says I will have plenty later on. Wonder if he thinks I will get knocked off. Wouldn’t mind getting shot, if it was half shot twice.
April 1: Same old grind for the past two months. Nothing to write about.
May 1: Have applied for a furlough. Just want one more fling in dear old Chi then for “somewhere”.
May 7: Back in Chi for a few days visit. Oh boy, what a time, what a town! Hope I get back to it someday.
May 10: Rec’d wire to return to camp at once. Expect that means the end of rumors for a while and we will soon be on our way to France. Oh boy.
May 12: Back in camp. Busy getting the boys outfitted. No sleep for the old supply sergeant for a few days now. Guess I’m in the Army all right.
May 14: Sure been busy today getting ready to leave this camp. Have everything packed. Shipped all our equipment today. Finished work about midnight.
May 15: Reveille at 5 A.M. Gosh I am sleepy. Just sitting here waiting to go “somewhere”. 10 A.M. assembly was sounded. Must go now. Noon we are now on board a train headed east by north.
May 16: We are passing thru some pretty country. Where are we going? Who knows?
May 20: Arrived in Dumont N.J. early this AM. Detrained at 7 A.M. and hiked to Camp Merritt. This is some big camp. We are in barracks here. Everybody has a different rumor to spread.
May 23: To N.Y. City today with the Kinsons3. We done Riverside Drive, Fifth Av. Broadway, Coney Island and Brooklyn. Climbed the Statue of Liberty. Some town, but I know of a better one. Back to camp about midnight where I had to dig in on some clothes. Worked all night. No sleep.
May 24: Still working. Some have plenty to do. Worked all day and way into the night. Finally got to sleep at 2 A.M.
