A page from a January 1918 letter written by Pvt. Willis W. Wagener describes the sudden death of a fellow soldier from illness in a crowded World War I training camp, followed by everyday reflections on camp food and kitchen duty. Such letters, preserved by soldiers' families, capture the sobering realities of camp-borne disease alongside the mundane rhythms of Army life on the eve of America's major WWI deployments. Project: 218172