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Random Pills From the
Field Hospital Co.
No. U 2
The measles epidemic camo well
night slipping a figurative wrench
into the smoothly running, machine
like efficiency of the “possum” last
Monday morning. Our expert dietic
ian, M. Hohley McGuire, developed a
case and immediately his entire tent
was placed in quarantine. In the
same tent with him are the other two
cooks “Greece Sergeant,” Lewis W.
Panayakis and Mr. F. Isaac Craig.
Although they sincerely sympathized
with comrade McGuire in his misfor
tune, Mr. Panajukis’ remarks were
characteristicaly terse and to the poinl
even though of the type, vulgarly ex
pressed in print. by—x* ?-*.?, while Mr.
Craif unburdened himself of his usual
noncommittal grunt, expressing neith
er pleasure nor dismay at their en
forced vacation of 21 days For a while
our popular Mess Sergeant Porter, af
ter the blow fell, wandered around
with the stunned and vacuous expres
sion of one who has received news that
his furlough has been O. K.’d. Into
this jumbled maze of nerve-shatter
ing coincidence, dashed madly, Priv
ates Calhoon, Greer and Rubert, with
the proud determination to do and to
triumph in the face of all odds, and
took up the official badges and duties
of our Czars of the Kitchen. How well
they have succeeded, is evidenced by
the fact that certain of the “Possums
are thinking of turning, revolutional
ists in support of these younk Ke
rensky’s and keeping the deposed czars
in durance- vile indefinitely.
Squire Wilson, of Clarion, Pa., has
been laid up for the past ten days with
an old-fashioned case of gout, imagine
gentle reader —gout in the army!
Should our conserving friend, Brother
Hoover, hear about it, he, no doubt,
would make a "deliberately unfriendly
attack'* upon the army leader, laboring
under the mistaken improusion that
our “chow” is much too elaborate, for
soldiers fare’ which would, indeed, be
a grave error.
If we—editorialy speaking, of course
—hadn’t seen many a time, and oft,
the elephantine grace and giraffe-like
dexterity, with which Holt lumbers
through a. basket ball game, he would
have a thundering hard time proving
an alibi for the beautifully decorated
eye which he collected in a collision
in a game a few days ago.
The. “Possums” have a crack fire
fighting organization. In fact, it
stands so well in the eyes of our fire
marshall, that when tl.ey were called
out on account of a small blaze at 1:30
a. tn. Friday morning, in one ot the
Motor Supply Train Companies—he
had such confidence in their ability to
cope with any situation, in the fire
fighting line, that he stayed within the
gently encircling arms of Morpheus.
It is with great pride, that we call to
your attention such an efficient organ
ization.
Dame Rumor has it that Pierce’s
hearing is bad. To our certain knowl
edge, there are three times during the
day when, for keennesa in that par
ticular sense, he has all the Injun
Scouts of lurid boy fiction, beaten to
a frazzle—at mess times! Moreover,
the wholehearted and two-handed
manner, in which he sails into his
viands, is, at once, the envy and won
der of some of our rather dyspeptic
young men. Should we lose Pierce,
our only logical candidate for his hon
or is Adam Diehl.
It is a sight for the gods and men
to see our dashing equestrien, Krap
fel, ambling hither and yon about the
div’sion, astride his spirited palfrey.
Mercury. He is becoming so expert
now, that he only bumps up and down
on the saddle, at every second or third
step of his steed. We entertain grave
fears, however, for* the straight and
shapely' contour of his limbs, because
his knees, since he is spending so many
hours in the saddle, seem to be acquir
ing the growing antipathy for each
other, best illustrated by a pair of par
enthesis.
BASE Hospital Notes
The dqy rooms of our barracks have
been nicely fixed up by some kind la
dies of Augusta, and the boys appre
ciate their efforts very much.
Roger Eherman is still looking fqr
a new job. Pretty soon he will have
held every job in the hospital. His
latest desire is to take a trip on the
big tank “Brittania,” a recruiting
clerk.
Jack Silverstein says that the non
skid egg-beaters he has on hand are
as fine a lot as he has ever seen.
Phil Warner, one of our most pop
ular sergeants, continues to lose ev
erything he has issued to him, and
also some things that are his own.
'Steve Gibbs has lots of fun tickling
the typewriter. He has got so that
he can use two fingers now.
“Brown” Donoghue is still cutting
up in the operating room.
At a concert to be given In the near
future “Moose” O’Connor will sing
"There’s Something About You That
Makes Me Love You.”
Weasel was the only man out of 283
Page 2
TRENCH AND CAMP
Memories
JSS&S
in the detachment who signed the pay
roll wrong. There is some consola
tion in being alone in his glory.
SAND SHOTSFRCMII2TH
INFANTRY
Supply Company lost another good
man this week when Richard E. Reisin
ger, formerly regimental supply sergeant,
was transferred to the 103 d Engineers.
Reisinger enlisted in the old Supply Com
pany of the 16th Regiment last May, two
months before mobilization, and his pro
motion was rapid.
There has been a noticeable improve
ment in the special, delivery mail J service
during the past ten days, since the regu
larly appointed mail orderlies of each
regiment are now delivering the letters.
Heretofore it was in the hands ot civilians
who either were not familiar with the
camp or else had too big a job to handle,
for the service was often slower, to the
bovs’ way of thinking, than the r *;B u '£' r
wav of sending letters. Sergeant Clyde
M.'Davis has charge of the special de
liveries for the 112th and he makes the
dust fly until he gets his daily assign
ments distributed personally to each ad
dressee.
The 112th Regiment lost fifty more men
during the past week, when that total
was checked up on the roster of the
Motor Mechanics Regiment. Anywhere
from one to seven or eight men were
taken from each unit of the 112th and
assigned to immediate duty in the newly
formed outfit, destined, it is said, for
early overseas service. So it will be the
fortune of some of these national guards
men from Pennsylvania, in all probability,
to reach the other side before the infan
trymen.
Corporal Ralph Boyersmith did a little
postoffice inspecting on his own behalf
last week, when he submitted a summary
of the business done there, in the way of
handling mail, to the division postoffice
inspector. Boyersmith thrives on any
thing that has to do with the mail busi
ness, and consequently he has made a
success if his work since he was detailed
there last September.
Barracks bags, new shoes, new; hats
plenty of socks, a new issue of woolen
gloves and new ordnance supplies were
distributed to the men of the Il2th dur
ing the past week. The men are now
better equipped than at any time in the
service.
Men of the old 16th Regiment have fig
ured out that if they are still at Camp
Hancock on Feb. 19th they will have been
in Federal service exactly' the same num
ber of days that the soldiers were away
from home during the Mexican border
service.
“Camouflage weather” —that’s what
somebody is calling the gray-half-dark
and-dismal variety Camp Hancock has
had during the past week or so. On top
of that came some rain of the "trench
variety,” so that Old Jupiter Pluvius,
with his leaky bucket, is trying to simu
late western front conditions in render
ing almost impassable the main-traveled
thoroughfares of the camp. Jitney driv
ers abandoned their plan of making regu
lar circuits in search of passengers when
they found that the wheels on the ma
chines sank into the mud up to the hubs.
They thought it about time then to call
a halt, and so they were content to piek
up passengers on the edge of camp. As
a result, many fellows had to tramp a
considerable distance through mud and
ooze to reach a taxi or a trolley.
Few kitchens could be kept clearer or
more sanitary than the ones of the 112th
—as a result of the stringent meas
ures recently taken to have the mess
halls a model of perfection at all times.
The first scout of the 112th to obtain a
furlough since the scouts of the regiment
were organised as a separate section is
Errol Collins. He left for his home in
Oil City on Sunday afternoon,'to be gone
ten days.
Warm water every day in every bath
house! That’s an announcement that
brings cheer to every youngster. Hot.
water was available throughout all last
week, and on such days as Thursday
Friday and Saturday, when the regiment
furnished details for the trenches, it
seemed mighty good to march into camp
and know that there was a hot bath
awaiting at the foot of the street.
Fellows who overslept or who were
marked “extra duty” got their fill of dig
ging Sunday afternoon when they were
ordered to report and dig incinerator pits
at the head of the company kitchen yard.
It was an all afternoon’s job, and a mean
one.
Speaking of extra work, reminds one of
the stringent rules in effect at the 112th
guardhouse, a few of which read thus:
To take a bath every day after 5 p, m.;
to change clothing Wednesday and Sat
urday; wash day between 4 and 5 every
Tuesday and Friday; clean shoes and hats
each day at 7 p. in.; make beds at 7:30-
be in bed and lights out at 8 p. m.; pris
oners not to have money in their posses
sion; not to read papers, books or maga
zines; not to play any kind of games; and
then there are a lot more rules which
the prisoners will soon tell you about if
you get within talking distance. Captain
Harry F. Miller has been named prison
officer for the 112th. The question:
“Where is the most popular place in the
112th camp?” is surely not answered by
designating the guardhouse as a "recre
ation resort.”
NOTES FROM THE~O. T. C.
Lieut. Walter S. Hunter and Dr. Leo
J. Brueskner from the Surgeon Gen
eral’s Office visited the Third Offi
cers’ Training Camp this past week
bringing with them a series of tests
which were put to the men and in
structors. These tests were designed
to guage the cadet officer’s intelli
gence. They were prepared by the
leading psychologists of the country
after some one hundred thousand ex
periments had been made. The ques
tions asked were seemingly nonsensi
cal, but were nevertheless ones which
have been found to determine with a
great degree of accuracy the intelli
gence of the student. The test goes
by the name, “The Military Test.”
Great satisfaction was expressed by
the commanding officer with the re
sults; for Camp Hancock O. T. C.
came second in average rating of all
O. T. C. camps in the country.
Men have been selected from the
school to form a platoocn to receive
instructions in "ocer the top” work.
These men are working under the di
rection of Captain Ullern and Lieut.
Ernest of the French Military Com
mission. When trained the platoon
is to be used for demonstrating pur
posed before officers, throughout the
division. It is expected that the course
of training will last two weeks.
There are two reasons why har
mony, discipline and progress are in
evident: at the artillery branch of the
O. T. C. First, because It is artillery.
Once an artilleryman—always an ar
tilleryman! There is considerable sen
timent attached- to this branch of the
service. An artilleryman loves his
horse and his calling in every way, as
in civil life, a man must love his work
to be successful. Second, because of
Capt. Purucker and his assistants, Lts.
Browning and O'Brien. There is- an
absolute thoroughness in every lec-
ture .example and drill given by these
instructors. With this is intermingled
enough humor to make any man,
whether aspiring for a commission or
not, appreciate their efforts. Under
the tutorage of such men and with the
spirit shown by the student
there can be no question but that the
battery will show a high percentage
when the final ratings are given,
Mr. Hummell is one Cadet who takes
“de-feet” hard!
The command, “With Rifles” to a
body of artillerymen has the same
effect as a red flag waved before a
bull.
The ex-infantrymen wonder, why
they are always coming down on the
sharp ridge of the horses’ back as it
is coming up. It is often wondered
when they rest; they never seem to
be seated during equatation.
The first examination held at the
artillery camp caused more mental
action per square inch than “Deflec
tion Difference” has caused in the last
three weeks.
Captain Stoddard who was instruc
tion officer of Company B, since its
organization, was transferred from the
camp to another command. The com
pany is now commanded by Lieut.
Finley and considers itself fortunate
in securing an instructor so well vers
ed in military science. Lieut. Finley
has served several enlistments in the
regular army and has also acted as
sergeant instructor at Madison Bar
racks. Lieut. Bailey of the llltlj In
fantry, has been assigned to Company
B.
Some wonderful "shots” are expect
ed at the rifle range this week. The
men will Ijave four weeks of sighting
and aiming drill with the trigger
squeeze exercise, and some wonderful
scores are expected. This is the best
training the young soldier can have
prior to going to the actual range for
it teaches him the proper method of
handling the. rifle, which is a Very es
sential thing.
To the word "pep” the men of Com
pany A have added the word “pride”—■
pride in their work for they have a
definite objective that will enable them
to go one peg higher in military life.
The men are anxious to succeed and
to show their instructors that they are
able to be leaders of men, and that
they have the necessary “pep” to in
spire confidence —that they are the
men Uncle Sam is looking for to fill
the places in his great war machine
that is gathering greater momentum
every day for the crushing of Teu
tonic militarism. They have pep and
pride both because they find in the
training joy and eagerness to be
worthy of a commission. Watch their
work!
Mr. John H. Breselmann of Company
A has received the appointment as
commander of the Provisional Platoon
organized among the student compa
nies to receive "over the top work.’
Other company A men picked for this
platoon are: Mr. John C. Darlington,
right guide; Mr. W. J. McCauley, act
ing corporal; J. A. Bridges, acting cor
poral; Walter C. Baker, John K. Ben
der, W. S. Bronsal, R. S. Bullitt, F. U
Brussard, R. W. Campbell, H.*F. Con
rad, W. M. Crossman, J. A. Devine, R.
E. Goodridge, S. C. Hadsall, F. M.
Highberger, J. M. Pardon, J. T. Taylor
and W. A. Riggle.
There are a few men in Company A
who are going to make sure “long
points—withdraws”—“short points-’
withdraws” when they meet “Fritz,”
and are going to dodge around the
stuck Hun and grab the next opponent
—for they surely have it in for the
“blankety-blank sausage” who first
started the "German Measles.” One
of the men claimed that they were a
” pest” and still another express-
ed his disgust in terms more emphat
ically full of pep. However, the “con
fined patients" are expected back in
the ranks very soon full of energy for
producing results.
Four weeks, and all’s well!
•■■ - - -
Happy Guys in Truck
Co. C, Motor Supply
The new Top is all right. A little Pep,
boys!
Borton the ladies man. eh, boys? '
Humes the groom; now he wants a dis
charge.
Wagner and Wesse, the Weber and
Fields of Co. C.
If you should happen to wander near
Tent No. B—the8 —the murder squad—watch
your dome.
Benchert always starts ’way back at
the Spanish war to tell you a story.
Spencer was not made to smoko, or they
would have put on a chimney.
Fellows, I think Pansy will return.
Lamb—l think It ought to have been
Ram.
Werrett D-D-D-D-Don’t do that.
BIBLE AND LIBERTY
- "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet
anchor of our liberties; write its pre
cepts on your hearts and practice them
in your lives. To the influence of this
book we are indebted for the progress
made in true civilization, and to this we
must look as our guide in the future.”
Feb. 6.