Sleeping under the Stars and a Full Moon

Jumping forward in time again. Not much going on but marching.

Sunday, August 5, 1917

Dear Mother,

I’ve been having a fine time the last few days. Thursday was the last of the terrific hot spell and since then the weather has been ideal – quite like autumn. Clear, warm days and cool, crisp nights. Friday we broke camp and set out at three o’clock. We hiked fourteen miles that afternoon arriving at Slatington at 7:45. We rest ten minutes out of every hour always and of course we had supper on the way – sandwiches and coffee. We stayed in Slatington overnight and camped out overnight in the town ball grounds. We didn’t put up tents but rolled up in blankets underneath the stars and a full moon. We were up next morning at 4:45 after a good night’s sleep and we were on the march at 6:30. We pushed on for five hours arriving at Bath over very winding but pretty good roads at about 11:30. We covered about 16 miles. Our tents blankets and spare clothes were carried on trucks so all we had to carry was haversacks and canteens, about 8 pounds in all. We are here in Bath over today but expect to start out tomorrow. No one knows where we are going or how long we’ll be out of camp except the Major in Command and he isn’t telling.

Many of the men have sore feet but mine are in fine shape and I feel great. I’d much rather be out on the road than in Allentown. There are about 700 of us and we stretch out in ranks of four over nearly a quarter mile of road.

The Y.M.C.A. follows us around and brings us our mail every day.
Love to all,
Herbert

I looked over my research and I would say that in previous letters Herb definitely writes Aunt Ada, but I believe the woman he is referring to is his Aunt Ida, his father's sister. She was living in the City at this time, and Aunt Ada was living up state. Ada does eventually move to the City, but not at this point. Aunt Ida also happens to be Charlie's mother....