If there is a spirit of adventure in evidence around the 118th Station Hospital Unit, it is no accident.  It is the first organization here to be living and training under practical field conditions.

Several weeks ago the unit moved from its regular furnace-heated barracks into tar-paper-covered stove-heated theater of operations type of buildings.  To its regular staff of medical and medical administrative officers there was added a complement of nurses, all of them volunteers for duty with the 118th.

Now, although the mercury has hovered around zero several times, the entire unit has gone about its training with a zest that is the talk of the camp.  From the commanding officer, Lieut. Col. William H. Huntington, to the newest recruit, there is a pride in the unit that is revealed in almost every word and action.

As Lieut. F. W. Chesrow, plans and training officer and adjutant, expresses it, "we're going through the same sort of experiences here we are going to have over there; and we know that the members of our unit are going to do a good job, because they are doing a good job now."

It Isn't Any Picnic

It is no picnic living and working in theater of operations buildings.  One story high, of lighter construction that the usual barracks, they are heated by stoves.  The doors are made of planks with sliding wood latches instead of doorknobs.  All bathing and sanitary facilities for the men are in separate buildings.

When the unit went into operation late last year it found itself with a group of new men with almost every type of background.  Then came the job of fitting them to the jobs they could handle.  Men were tested to find their abilities.  If they didn't fit in one job, they were tried in others until the right spot was found for each.

Another innovation was the use of movies to speed up training, for the officer and nurses as well as the enlisted men.  The usual procedure is to view a training film and then follow-up by actual demonstration in the field.  All learn quickly - and thoroughly.

Have Mechanics School

Ever hear of a medical unit conduction a mechanics and chauffeurs' school?  The 118th Station Hospital has one, with its own medical administrative officer conduction instruction for about 27 men in keeping its motor equipment in tip top condition.  In addition, the unit is conducting a typing and clerks' school, according to 2d Lieut. Dale S. Redd, detachment commander.

In spite of the primitive conditions, however, the unit is faring exceedingly well in the matter of food and quarters.  The nurses' quarters, which incidentally are the only buildings with central heating equipment, already have taken on the added touches of comfort that only women can give.  First Lieut. Bernice E. Holmquist is chief nurse.

The men enjoy a day room for recreation with furniture donated by members of the Morgantown Methodist Church.

Mess Hall Special Pride

The real pride and joy of the unit is its mess hall, where officers and nurses, as well as enlisted men eat.  Second Lieut. Thomas A. Jones, mess officer, maintains such a close supervision that he has set his desk up in a corner of the mess hall.  Staff Sergt. Nick Kissler maintains that the best way to get tasty food is to be able to show the cooks yourself.  He also points with pride to the added equipment that was built from scrap pile lumber by the men themselves - bread cabinets, pastry racks, drain racks for the dishes and a butcher table.

They don't have the gas ranges for cooking that the rest of the camp enjoys - they use coal.  But they do have an electric potato peeler, steam table and french-fryer.

And to top it all off the unit is proud of operating its own dispensary under the direction of Capt. David A. Roberts, medical inspector, and of its own military band of 18 pieces, including the 1st sergeant himself, Russell Doyle, who plays a trumpet.  When the unit goes overseas they are going to be able to provide their own entertainment.