MORE LETTER: Today we’re bringing you the rest of the letter from L.M. Peterson, a Guardsman in July 1925 who was in training at Mount Gretna in Lebanon County when a big storm hit. He wrote to The Era to explain what the troops were doing and that they were OK.

The rest of his letter recounted an interesting piece of news detailing a visit from some local folks.

“Lee Lawry with his two sons and two of the Morgan boys, who have been making an automobile trip through Washington, D.C., and other points, visited camp today. While driving with Col. Schoonmaker and Major Carvolth near the parade grounds, what might have been a serious accident occurred. In turning out for a large truck, Mr. Lawry’s car slid from the wet road into the ditch, almost overturning. The aid of an ambulance truck was enlisted to pull the car from the ditch. Neither the car nor its occupants were injured.

“Mr. Lawry and party remained in camp overnight. The boys were permitted to see a little of real Army life, and were quartered in the squad tents for the night.”

While the accident was likely frightening, we bet the young men in the car appreciated their longer visit to the camp and their look at Army life.

Mount Gretna became a training site for the National Guard in 1885 and was in use through the 1930s.

“In 1931, authorization was made to acquire land in Lebanon and Dauphin counties when the Pennsylvania National Guard outgrew its 120-acre training site at Mount Gretna, Lebanon County. Fort Indiantown Gap was first used by the National Guard in 1932 for training maneuvers, with completion of the military reservation by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1940,” says the history of the Gap.