January 25, 1954

Mon  Jan 25, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Finished my first day of school today.  Wasn’t too bad.  The instructor is a Master Sgt.  Looks just like Hollyinghead and about the same age.  There are quite a few taking the course now.  Some instructors here at Eta Jima are taking the course.  There are 23 now.  Most all of them are Sgts.  We have 3 talks to give.  A 5 min, 15, and 30 min.  Today we read a story that he gave us.  They didn’t get to me yet.  I will give mine in the morning.  Mine is taken from the Reader’s Digest.  “Never Say Diet.” 

I don’t know how the other talks will be or what they are about.  I guess I’ll make out OK.  It is worth the trip I guess and I will learn something.

We haven’t got a pass yet.  Yesterday I took a few pictures and fooled around.  It was nice all day.  Last night they had another dance.  I took that in again.  I think we will have a pass tomorrow night so I’ll try the town if I can.

I sent some pictures in my last letter.  That camera took some nice pictures.  I’ll try to send you all I can and send a few each time I write.  Take care of them and the next chance I get I’ll mail a picture album home.  I’ll write on the back of the pictures what and who they are.  (note:  I have only seen a few of the pictures he keeps talking about and have no idea what happened to the bulk of them.)  I have a roll in my camera now that I have taken and will send them when I can. 

I haven’t found anything I can send you yet but before I leave I’ll find something. 

I’ll be glad to get some mail from you, as it is I might not get any till I get back to the company.  Maybe they will forward my mail over.  I asked them to.

I have been wondering if I made corporal or not. 

I read in the paper that they are moving the 40 and 45^th Div out of Korea.  I have heard some rumors that the 5^th was going to take over the 40 Div place on line.  I had figured that was the out fit they would pull out. 

Well don’t know much more to write about.  Wish you were here so we could see Japan together.

Lots of Love, Ted