ISHPEMING — George Newett, editor of Ishpeming’s Iron Ore, had two sons fighting in World War I.

One of them, Will Newett, would have parts of the letters he wrote to his father, George, published in the pages of the Iron Ore.

Both The Mining Journal and the Iron Ore regularly published letters from the men fighting in France, but Will’s letters were among the most frequent. In fact, those letters usually had the title “Our Boy Billy.”

The letters published always gave the readers at home a taste of what fighting was like. The censors made sure no concrete details remained to aid the enemy, however.

Will enlisted in Company C of the Michigan Engineering Battalion, a part of the Michigan National Guard. Company C was made up mostly from men from the Upper Peninsula.

Will’s first letter to his father (at least one that was published) came in late July of 1917. The company was stationed in Houghton being trained at the Michigan College of Mines.

“Dear Dad: Well, we are all on the job and going strong. The work is all right and we are at it from early morning until night, in the sun, which has finally consented to shine. All the boys are standing up splendidly. A few have sore feet, so that there was foot inspection this morning. I had taken the precaution to secure a pair of army shoes so I have not been bothered.

There is no equipment on the grounds and most of the boys from outside are quartered in the gymnasium, getting their meals down town. I am fortunate in being taken in by Leigh Swift, whose home is directly across from the grounds, and I surely appreciate the kindness.

I have been made a sergeant of the first class in C company and hope to be able to prove my fitness for the place.

We have a school for the non-commissioned officers every day and we are rapidly getting on to our work.

There are now 164 men in our company, which is full strength.

Have to hustle back to work.” (Iron Ore, July 21, 1917)

The next letter to be published came from Waco, Texas, where the men would train in earnest.

“Dear Dad – This is a day of rest with us and we are privileged to do as we please after 6:30 a.m. It is so hot I am going to stay in camp and write a few letters which done I shall try for a few hours sleep.

Troops are arriving here every day and there soon will be 30,000 men. The grounds comprise 1,300 acres and it would be difficult to estimate the number of buildings already erected. When the construction work is finished, I will send some pictures that you may have an idea of their extent and number.

Thus far our cots are on the dirt which makes it very hard to give things that appearance of tidiness that one might desire. The dirt is not much unlike our yellow loams and is very plastic when wet, sticking to one’s shoes tenaciously, like gumbo. In our shovel work the shovel has to be cleaned after delivery of every load. We had a little shoveling to do yesterday in digging a trench back of the shower baths where I had charge of forty men engaged in this task. The first work of our battalion here was to stake out the field where the division headquarters are to be and the detail of five men worked until dark, without supper showing there’s the right kind of hustle here. No eight hours so far as I have been able to observe.

The water here is fierce and many of the men were temporarily unfitted for duty because of it, this including myself, although I am now well over my trouble. The heat is still intense but nights are quite cool.

We start regular training tomorrow, the schedule calling for 3 hours of engineering drill and 3 hours of school a day. This will be increased when the weather gets a bit cooler.

It is not known how long we will be here, but from here we will probably go direct overseas.” (Iron Ore, September 1, 1917)

By the beginning of January, 1918 it was apparent that the company would soon be leaving to go overseas.

“It may be true that there are cantonments somewhere in the United States where the equipment for the men is insufficient. One reads of these things in the newspapers. There is much said of how, in Camp Custer the trousers that have arrived are usually too small; and the manufacturer, or those who ordered them claim, in excuse, that the Michigan men average considerably larger than those from points further south. Very likely, Michigan averages pretty high in many ways, loyalty being one of the things in which she excels.

Here in Waco the men have been well cared for. The sanitary conditions have been fine and for this the engineers have much credit. There has been little sickness.

There has been issued to every man in Company C two woolen suits, three of heavy underwear, seven of socks, three pairs of shoes, woold shirts, gloves, etc. Each man has enough to supply a family.

The weather is great down here, with clear sky every day. Airplanes fly around all day, a dozen or 15 being up all the time. It is great to watch some of the stunts, but all have grown so accustomed to them that little attention is now given them. We are going to have a flock of machines over there that will spell the end of the kaiser. The pilots will also be there.

Final examinations and inspections have been made and we are all ready to leave on orders. Of course, no one is to know until the order comes, it being policy, as you understand, not to have our movements public property. It is all in the interest of a successful campaign.

Our address will now be Company C, 107th Regiment of Engineers, American Expeditionary Forces. It may be that the next letter you will receive will come from France.” (Iron Ore, January 12, 1918)

More letters next time.