Word From Bad Bice
Somewhere on the Pacific, Oct. 29,'18.
Dear Mr. Ferris:
Greetings and lots of them. It cer
tainly does seem a long time since I left
Alaska for active service in the navy.
And this navy life is all-right, too, that
is, if you are lucky enough to make a port
at least once a month.
When I left Alaska I was sent to the
U. S. Navel Training Station at San
Pedro. Calif., where I stayed for six
months; after being at sea two weeks
was made Chief Petty Officer, which rat
ing I still hold
While at San Pedro I was the Liberty
Yeoman and we had about four thousand
men in training. I met Nlnnis there when
he was transferred from Washington to
the submarine base. He was the eame old
kid that I left in Treadwell and had a
rating of machinists’ mate. lBt or 2nd
class. 1 suppose he has since been pro
moted. I also met a number of the Thane
boys and a few from Juneau who had
gone into the army, while I was enjoying
my nightly liberty in Los Angeles. You
see, me nrst six monms or my service
were spent better than a vacation, for
I was getting paid and did not have to
stay on the station as most of the other
boys did. 1 was lucky In getting in as I
did.
While attached to a Training Station,
men are only allowed liberty or shore
leave on Wednesday afternoons and from
noon Saturday until 9 p. m. Sunday. At
all other times they are to be on the sta
tion unless they get special permission to
leave. That Is where I had It on them,
for I was Liberty Yeoman and could grant
nightly liberty to myself. The first month
I put in, however, I had to do everything
the other fellows did. I washed my own
clothes and drilled until I could hardly
see under that hot southern sun. Believe
me, it was no pipe dream, either.
Seven months ago 1 was ordered aboard
r. vessel and no one knew where we were
bound for, and In fact we don’t know yet.
We may be found at almost any spot on
the Pacific not closer than a two-weeks'
run to the States. We thought that we
would at least coal ship in the States,
but since the 16th of April we have not
been closer than 6,000 miles. We put
Into Honolulu once on the way out and
have not even been back there. We have
coasted all around the Fiji Islands and
the Samoan group and now and then a
wireless would send us after a raider.
We never did get into action and the
crowd aboard Ib about as disgusted a lot
of fellows as you would want to see. We
get a little wireless news now and then
so we know the Americans are going
right through them, which Is natural.
Last month 1 took an examination for
Asst. Paymaster with the rank as Ensign
and luckily passed It, so I hope to soon be
sporting a new uniform and have a few
“gobs” come up with the old salute.
Before being ordered out I received a
furlough and went up to San Francisco
for two weeks, and while sitting in the
St. Francis hotel who should I meet but
Royal Pullen, all dolled up in a Lieuten
ants' uniform of the Engineer Corps. He
is some classy looking officer and it cer
tainly tickled me to salue him. I see by
your paper that he has been promoted to
the rank of Captain. ’Ataboy. Hope he
comes out of this safely.
In the meantime I suppose you are won
dering how I found out about your paper.
I received a copy of it from my brother,
who was in Washington the last letter I
had . We expect seme mail in five weeks
from now, and, believe me, that is all
that keeps us alive. I am lucky enough
to be the Supply Officers' Yeoman and
write a letter or make out a report for
him now and then.
1 am enclosing a picture taaen ai me
last port we were in, which was right
next to the equator as you can see, for I
look as black as an African. I hope we
get a chance to convoy the ships that are
transporting troops to Russia via China
and Japan. If so we may get a chance to
go into action and that would relieve the
pressure aboard immensely. Every man
on the ship will fight if it is so much as
mentioned that he can't whip Oermany
alone. The only time you can get a civil
word is after we have received some mall.
Every now and then some bird appears on
topside with a bum eye, and although
you just burn to ask him what happened,
you don’t dare for fear you will have to
give him another one. There is one guy
I have it in for and that is a Marine gun
ner. He is one of these real hat'd boys
and just made his commission. You know
the kind, for if I remember correctly, you
put in a little time in the Spanish-Ameri
can riot.
lUJTaiae oi an mis i nave no news. *«■
dress me care of Mrs. A. Graves, 251 South
Bunkerhlll St., Los Angeles, Calif.
Please give my regards to Mr. and Mrs.
Bradley and to all my old friends. I
often wonder how old Jack is getting
along at the Alaska Juneau mill. Tell
him that I am as dry as he is if not more
so, even if I am surrounded by water.
Thanks very much and regards to ev
erybody. The same old
C. F. “BUD” RICE.
P. S.—Don't know how soon we will
make a port where this can be mailed.