Thursday, September 8, 2011

March 10, 1954

March 10, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I told you in my last letter that I was mailing some film to you but I think I am going to give it to my platoon Sgt.  He is going on R&R and he said he would take it for me.  I got the film back fro the mail man and I am going to give it to Sgt Josephson.  It will be better that way.

I got three letters from you today, Mar 2, 3, and 4 and one from Bill Anawalt.

I read in the Stars and Stripes about the Puerto Ricans causing all the trouble and shooting up the Senate.  We have some Puerto Ricans her in our company.  The Mexicans and Puerto Ricans are always fighting among one another.  I don't like the Porto Ricans very much.  Some are OK.  I get along good with the Mexicans.  You should hear them talk when they get together along with the ROCKs.  Sometimes I wonder if I am in the French Foreign Legion or something like it.

I hope Snapper gets over the mumps OK.  I thought he had them one time.  I sent another patch i the last letter.  Hope he keeps all I send and puts them on a jacket. (note: I did.)  I see some of the USO show people ware jackets with all the patches on them.  They are different.

We are a little ways from the front where we are.  If we went up there we would be right on the line and pull guard and build bunkers and trenches etc.  The company commander (Capt Book) told us today we were moving for sure and it would be between now and April 15.  The Regt will be split up.  Each Bn will have a different place and George Company has a special assignment.  We are going to guard the tungsten mines north of Pusan and pull train guard between the mines and Pusan.  The Red gorillas have been blowing up the trains etc.  It should be interesting and different.  They say they may close the mines so we might not get to do it.  Anyway we will be garrison soldiers now rather than field combat.

I will let you know how the cookies are when I get them in the regular mail.  They should be OK if they are wrapped up good.  Some of the guys get theirs and some are good and others are not.  We may be gone from here before I get them.

Glad you liked the picture I sent.  I'll have some more before long.  I think I will stay here and not transfer for awhile.  I made cpl and I think I will wait till my move and see what kind of deal we get.  We should have better living conditions there and it will be OK I think.  If we guard the mines we will be a way from the rest of the Regt and will not be harassed so much.  They say we will search all civilian employees etc.

I thought about sending you a t-pot but didn't know if you would like it or not.  I have seen them   They have complete sets.  They are not expensive either.  I still plan on going on R&R in April.  Each outfit has a different quota for sending the guys on R&R.  Some get to go every three or four months but most line companies only go once on the tour of duty over here.  The guys have been going after they have been here 8 months. I am going in about 7.  I am not in to much of a hurry to go as I just came back.  I may go twice while I am here.  I would sure like to go to Hong Kong China.  But very few get to go there.

It was OK if Marlyn didn't write Simonie.  He likes to write girls but I told him and he said it was OK. 

We didn't do much today.  I went out and fired this afternoon.  The Lt said that the moving may mess things up some.  He said that he is trying to get all the men on the rifle team TDY (temporary duty) if Col Sternburg says it is OK.  We will do nothing but be a rifle team and be all together and get to fire everyday.  It will be a good deal.  I hope it goes through OK.  He said if we get the team going we will be going to Okinawa and Japan to compete.

Tomorrow we are going to have a class on the bayonet.  I am going to be the assistant instructor and demonstrator for the officer giving the class.  I will demonstrate different movements and positions for using the bayonet.  We are having classes on bayonet and riot control, etc.

Well don't have much more to say so I will close, I'll write you again tomorrow.
Lots of Love, Ted

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