October 25, 1918

Editor:I just thought to write a few lines to let you know about the treatment we receive in Gulf Port. We are all tied up on account of the "Flu."It certainly is bad down here. And hot, it is so hot that we had to take some of our clothes off on the street. This is a great country with everything in bloom, but not as big as Lehighton.And rain, why one minute it is raining and the next minute the sun is shining. We passed through the states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi.If some people want to know what the Red Cross is doing they ought to travel on a troop train. All the way they treated us great, giving us sandwiches and coffee and cigarettes and candy.Well, I have told you all I have learned in my brief stay here, and I must hit the hay at 8:30.Tell the people of Lehighton about the Red Cross and write soon.Raymond CooneyNaval Training Station for AviationGulf Port, MSEditor:A few lines to let you know that I have been transferred from Camp Meade to Camp Joseph J. Johnston, Jacksonville, FL, and am not attending school as a motor student for a term of six to eight weeks. I am not impressed with the south a little bit, give me the north.There is considerable sickness here and the base hospital is full. Spanish "Flu" seems to be on the go down here. We pay five cents for a newspaper that is not half as good as The Press.We have men here from all over the country and I learn lots about different parts of the good old

U.S.A.I guess the old town is pretty blue owing to the large number of men who are away in the Army and I hope that we all can be back in the old town together, as this war is hell.I took a course in Gas Defense school and qualified. The lessons started at 7 a.m. and lasted till 9 p.m.Remember me to all the boys, especially the boys of Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1.With best wishes to all,Sgt. Lewis R. BlankMotor Student Co. No. 1Jacksonville, FL