January 21, 1954

Thurs  Jan 21, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am at Eta Jima now.  It’s a petty nice place here except it is too much soldiering.  They are really strict here.

We left Camp Sasebo last night about 9:30.  There were only 6 of us traveling.  We had reservations on the Jap civilian train.  We had sleeping births right with Jap civilians.  We had a pretty good time.  We ate in the diner, had good food.  They gave us Kimonos to sleep in and I trued to get away with one in the morning.  The conductor was going to have me arrested but everything worked out OK.

We got to Kure about 12:30 noon.  Then we got a bus and they took us to the ferry and there we came across on the ferry and got here at Eta Jima.  We sure traveled nice here.  Wish I could go home the same way.

We don’t start our class till Monday.  We have a big room to stay in here.  There are 15 single beds.  Sgts-air force and army.  We didn’t do anything today.  I looked around the PX and left my film there to be developed.  I have about 10 dollars worth altogether.  The food is good.  I won’t get a pas till about next Wed or later.  You have to average 70 for a weekend pass on your grades and 85 for a night pass.  So I will have to study plenty.

There is plenty to do here but no one seems to do it.  There are not too many here from Korea.  Most of the guys are here from the states.  We have a foot locker and wall locker.  I don’t have much in them.  I saw plenty of things on the way up on the train. (note: just think a boy from Fairmount watching the Japanese country side wiz by the train and bus widow; it certainly was a World Away from anything he was ever around.)  We came through Hiroshima where they dropped one of the A-Bomb.  I don’t know whether I will get any mail here or not.  No need to writing me here as I would almost be ready to leave by the time I get you mail.  Well I don’t know much more to write about now so I guess I will close.  I’ll write tomorrow.

Love, Ted