Tuesday, Feb. 12, 1918.

Dear Marie,

I am on a “light occupation” today, acting as Room Orderly at the
Cantonment Y.M.C.A. The Company is on guard except a half a dozen, who
are hauling coal, and others on special duty.

Yesterday, I passed the wig-wag test with a perfect copy. I know I will
have no trouble with the Radio or Acetylene lantern tests.

Sunday afternoon, Sgt. Brown, Fritchie, and Cp’l Sundberg and I went out
for some wig-wag and semaphore practice. We got over a mile apart and
used Sig. Cps. binoculars. After an hour of this, we looked over the
Engineer’s new trenches. (These are shown in the 5x7 pictures of the
radio men in the field, that I sent Mother.) One tunnel is boarded on
sides, roof and floor and has a track on which they run a little car to
carry out the dirt. The tunnel is about 150 feet long and goes down
hill. Sunberg and I got the car at the top and rode down the full length
of the tunnel. We had a flashlight so we could tell when we were nearing
the sandbags at the end of the tracks. When we were coming back,
Fritchie surprised me with the remark, “This reminds me of riding the
“figure 8” at Harlem Park.” I never had any idea he had ever been near
Rockford. Do you remember riding the “dizzy dips” last summer. Gee, I
wish we could have those good times again this year.

We have been having some great weather lately, and today is one perfect
spring day.

Most of us would give three months pay if we could have our horses back
again. We are spending nearly all of our time now with our technical
work, radio and visual signaling. It sure is interesting. After the
Battalion field maneuvers, of which I told you, Captain Murphy
complimented the performance of Co. “A-6.” And, this morning Lt. Butler
told us we were the best trained Radio Company in the Army. Class to us,
huh. We are going to lose him as he has been promoted. Believe me, we
are all sorry to see him go too.

I haven’t heard from Stock yet but I suppose he is very busy getting
down to business at Urbana.

With love,

Forrest.