Boy what a day! I did more today than I did in the last ten days. We were supposed to fall out this morning with gas masks but at the last minute we were notified that we would be on the 14th post instead. You're supposed to be on a different post every day but we skipped from the ninth to the fourteenth. We were marched out to the far end of the cow pasture where we were instructed how to sight a rifle. Then we actually sighted one. The rifle was fixed on a box and did not move. There were three men working on each rifle at once. The gunner, coach, and target man. The gunner would sight through the rifle while the coach signaled to the target man which way to move the bullseye. The gunner would get the bullseye in the sights by having the target man move the bulls eye. When it was in place the target man would mark the spot with a pencil. Each gunner would sight three times and try to get his dots on top of each other. The day started out warm, in fact I was thinking of taking off my winter drawers at noon. Well, when my turn came to sight the wind started out of the north. The dust was so thick I couldn't sight for the guns faced right into the wind. Then the wind increased and would rock the gun on the barrel. The temperature dropped about 20 degrees in a half hour. Finally, they took us behind a bank and taught us how to make different slings with the rifle. Finally we were taken back to the barracks to get our overcoats. But we had to go right back out and get the guns. That was the first time I marched with a gun. It was a United States Army rifle model 1917. In the afternoon we were brought to the supply house and issued tent stakes, one half of a pup tent, a knap sack, a cartrage belt, and a harness. We then had to go back to our barracks and get two blankets, overcoat, rain coat, one pair underware, sox, canteen, and mess kit. They then showed us how to make a pack roll. We made the roll with the tent half, blankets, overcoat, tent pins and pole, and underware. We tied it up and then got a tag, wrote our name on it and attached it to the roll. In the knap sack we put our messkit plus whatever personal articles we wanted to take along. We fixed the canteen and the cartrage belt and the knap sack on our back with the harness. We were all set to got so they told us to fall our and be prepared to fall out at 4:00 AM in the morning. So if it doesn't get too cold tonight we will leave for the rifle range in the morning. It's just a 15 mile hike and we stay for three days and two nights. We will live in pup tents and sh__ in holes. I won't be able to write any letters till I get back so you'll know why I don't write. So far I've written every day. I got your letter today and a stationary folder from Uncle Roy. Boy it sure was nice. I sure can use it. I will write to him as soon as I get back and thank him for it. I got a letter from Robin and Elsie today and I can't answer them either until I get back. Well, I have to get up early so I'll close this now. Till you hear from me again ---

Love,
Rae