September 1917: Kelly Field, Texas

This is the first of four letters that my great grandfather wrote about his time serving during World War I and the photographs were taken by him.

Victor Kuck

Kelly Field

24 Sep 1917

Dear Friends:

I have often thought of writing you, but for some reason or the other I have not been able to find time. I suppose you realize a boy would rather wash dishes than write letters. I am at the YMCA writing this. It is about 1/2 mile from my tent. Whenever we write after dark we go to the Y, or write by candlelight. Let me say right here that I will always be a YMCA booster. They furnish us our stationary and reading matter, beside staging all boxing and wrestling bouts and arranging for music entertainments.

I was sworn in August 15th at Ft. Logan, Col. About 150 of us took the oath at the same time. While there I did my first kitchen police work. A very nice name, but such work! We had to help cook, wait on table and scrub floors. I bet I could show a lot of women how to save a lot of work in the kitchen, but I doubt if they would approve of my methods. I would be shocked if I saw Mother cook as I have seen it done here. After you have been in the army a few weeks, you can expect most anything. One boy wrote home and said he was a kitchen policeman. His mother wrote back and said, "Dear Son: Be good to the boys and don't be overbearing, as you must remember you used to be a private yourself." If I remember right, he was on for a week. When a fellow is on for more than one day at a time, everyone knows the sergeant is at the bottom of it. If you miss retreat, it is usually 2 to 10 days kitchen duty.

We left Ft. Logan August 24th and arrived at Kelly Field (4 miles from San Antonio) August 27th at 1:00 PM. The train was made up of nine fine Pullman coaches and two baggage cars. There were about 300 men on board. Enroute, we got one cup of coffee and canned beef till the sight of it made a man sick. The army named for it is "horse." None of us enjoy the prospects of being shipped again on account of it. It was a tired, dirty and disappointed bunch of boys that were dumped off in the middle of a field with the thermometer 110. We were told this was Kelly Field. I bet Kelly thought he was a mighty smooth and lucky Irishman when he sold this part of Texas to the government. They hadn't had a rain for over two months and the dust was 3 to 4 inches deep. We were taken to our tents and then we went after our cots. After sleeping on one of those cots, a man can play checkers on his back. We all have a good supply of newspapers and the like for protection now. We have two blankets apiece, but they don't seem to help a great deal. When mess is called, we all fall in line and pass through the kitchen tent where the chuck is dished out to us. One cook tent feeds 350 men. You are not allowed to eat in your tent. So it is up to you to find a suitable place to sit. The chances are just as good for a seat on Main street at home, only there isn't any crossings and we can't afford to hire a sprinkler. The dust was 3 to four inches deep the first week, as I mentioned before, but we have had several rain since and it isn't so bad now. They say this has been the driest year since '93 and practically all the crops in this section are burned up.

Kelly Field perhaps?

When we were told we would have to stay in those tents and be quarantined for two weeks, we all thought we would never live through it. The first week was pretty tough, as we weren't acclimated and part of Texas would come down upon us about every other day. I had heard of sandstorms and wish I could say only that now. I was just leaving the shower (an 6 x 8 box over a draining ditch) when one struck camp. I was black with dirt in two seconds. I returned to the shower and stayed under it till the storm was over.

We all receive six or seven inoculations before we leave for France. I have received three and they have tried to vaccinate me, but it won't take. They use a hypo for an inoculation and it really isn't painful, but many a fellow faints before the doctor touches him. The results vary, but as a rule, your arm is stiff and sore for a couple of days.

We are allowed to leave camp after 4:00 PM and must return before 6:00 AM. This first Sunday, I was out of quarantine, I took a tour of the city and the missions nearby. The Alamo and the San Jose missions were the most interesting. The streets and sidewalks of San Antonio are very narrow and the police will not allow more than three men to walk abreast in the business section

Alamo c. 1917

There are about 20,000 men in camp. We are divided into squadrons of 175 men each. The squadrons are classed as repair, supply and construction. The repair squads repair planes, cars, trucks and motorcycles. I am a member of the 106 repair squadron. The supply squads are used to assist in construction and as a reserve to draw from. The construction squads go ahead and build camps and keep them in repair.

The first few days in camp, I nearly broke my neck trying to watch all the planes, but I don't pay any attention to them now. In the morning and the latter part of the afternoon, there are usually five to ten planes in the air. They make so much noise that a person can't hear himself think. They do all the air stunts I have ever seen or heard of and seem to be trying to invent some new ones. To become a pilot you have to take special mental and physical examinations. If you pass, you receive a commission. about 30% pass. A man has to take two preliminary exams before he can receive permission to make an application. As a result, about one man in fifty who wants to be a pilot gets a chance. I can't say I envy them as I have seen several nasty tumbles taken.

Damaged airplane

We will start repairing as soon as Uncle Sam can get us into permanent quarters. At present we are drilling about seven hours a day, except when our squad is on guard, two hours on and two hours off, or on Fatigue. Two squads a day go on Fatigue and in this way we manage to keep the camp cleaned up. Four weeks ago I landed here and I am none the worse for wear and I believe a little wiser. I wouldn't take a good deal for my experience, as I think it is good for any man. If people at home could see how it has changed some fellows, they would all send all dudes and sister boys to the army. It is a rough life, but Uncle Sam has got to make soldiers in a short time and it isn't the only way.

If they ever get those aviation appropriations from Congress into circulation, I believe we will be the best equipped division in the army, but at present we are the poorest. We are all living in hopes and our spirits are good. Please excuse all mistakes and blunders, as I know I have made fifty or more. I have been listening to other fellows talk and a movie is in the next room and the lights act just like the ones at home did last winter. So you can see I was writing under difficulties. I must. close for this time as you will tire of trying to interpret this. I received the paper today and, believe me, read every line of it.

Camp life

I just received the box sent by the Red Cross ladies, high school girls and teachers and wish to thank them. Unless you are in the army some time yourself, you will never realize how a fellow appreciates a box of eats from home, and everything came through in fine shape.

Yours respectfully,

Victor S. Kuck