More on Grandpa Pike- Army Life

I often wonder what goes through a young mans mind when he enlists to go to war. I know that in these day's many youth just don't know what career to choose. This is my Grandfathers thoughts in his words. " I read the war news in the Denver Post Daily and as one and two star flags began to appear in the windows of our community, the urge to do my part became so strong that one day at noon when i came in from the fields, I had fully decided to join the Army. Immediately after dinner (in farm language dinner is lunch), I went to my room and started changing clothes to go to town and enlist. Dad came into the room and sat down on the bed and talked to me and the things I remember his saying most was, "son, never do anything foolish. You are here to give life and not take it. Never kill if you can avoid it." With an affectionate hug and kiss, mother let me go away to war and tow days later I was in the Army at Fort Logan Colorado. There, I found myself amongst strangers, Kids like myself spellbound with adventure.Then off to Virginia, Site seeing trips to Washington DC, Mt Vermont and other places hoping to go to France and see action on the front. One day my Company Commander called me to his office and told me he wanted to put me for a promotion as a Non Commissioned Officer. I declined this offer for reasons I desired to remain on the same level with my friends and buddies. Lt Raider insisted in his efforts to persuade me to change my way of thinking, however, for purposes of his own, made me his Personal Orderly. Now this appointment carried obligations and advantages and disadvantages, namely, I was required to be on call at all times to carry out the wishes of Lt. Raider. One of the advantages was that many times I was exempt from drills and the disadvantage was that I became the " DOG ROBBER" for the Commander. A slur on the name Orderly. You win some you lose some." He was Detached to Maryland then Texas to Denver to Chicago then to Virginia again. North Carolina to Alabama and back to Texas. At the end of the war he was sent to Camp Funston Kansas . On February 3rd 1919 he was honorably discharged.