Feb. 10, 1953

Feb 10, 1953

Dear Mom and Dad,

I ended up leaving KC about 4 P.M on the KC Southern.  Arrived at Camp Crowder about 8:00.  Had dinner on the train.  Good food.  It was raining here when we got off the train.  They gave us blankets (3,) two sheets and a pillow.  That is about all so far, nothing to do but go to bed and sleep, it’s about 9:00 now.  

I forgot to tell you to change my insurance on the car.  Change it to the Chevy.  It wont cost as much either.  

I guess I’ll write tomorrow or the next day when I know something new.  Tell Snapper hello. 

Love Ted

(post card)

Feb 12, 1953.  Thursday morning.

Dear Folks,

Everything OK so far.  They feed us good and gave us plenty of clothes yesterday.  

I talked to Margie.  I plan to call you tonight.  

I got up at 4 A.M. this morning.  No reason for it.  We had to wait till 6 A.M. to eat and fall out at 7:00 again and go to different places for processing.  

My boots are 9 ½ D.  I dyed them brown last night and polished them.  

The lights go out at 9:00 in the barracks.  

I went to the show Tuesday night, felt a little homesick this morning.  

I don’t know where I will go from here.  I hope I go to Ft. Riley from here so I can see you once in awhile.  

All my love   Ted

P.S.  Don’t write me here.

Feb 13, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Had a little time this morning so I thought I would write you a letter.  

We haven’t been doing anything much except process ect.  We got up at 4:00 this morning and I am waiting to go to breakfast.  I don’t know whether I can get home Sat or not.  I haven’t got my uniform yet, it is at the cleaners.  

I sure do miss you.  I hope I get sent close to home so I can see you once in awhile.  Ft. Riley or Ft. Leonard Wood would be good.  If I can’t get there I probably won’t see you for a while.  

I tried to get some Valentines but they were sold out.  So I guess I can’t send one home to you.  

The army isn’t so bad itself it is just the idea that you can’t go home or do what you want.  Well not much more to say now.  

Margie may be down tonight and if I can get a ride to KC I will come up.  I will write you again later on.  You had better not write me any more letters here because I will be leaving here most likely the first of next week.  Some of the guys get sent all over the U.S.  

Lots of love   Ted

How is my boy Snapper 

Monday Feb 16, 1953

Dear Mom and Dad and Snapper

I have some time this morning so I will write you.  

We got up at 5:00 this morning, had breakfast and mopped the floors.  The boys that are shipping out are not doing anything but playing cars, sleeping, etc.  

I wrote Margie a letter and sent Jimmie Miller a card.  I feel a little better today.  It was harder to say goody by this time than last time.  It was the best two days I have had.  I really enjoyed being with you.  Why don’t you have Margie come out once in awhile?  We got to camp last night about 9:30.  

Had a good trip.  Ate at Boot’s Drive-In in Carthage.  I went to bed as soon as I got here. (at 10:00 that is)  You might send me another book of stamps when you write.  They buy them in a machine here at Crowder.  

I don’t know what it will be when I get to Roberts.  I will write you as soon as I get there.  I will write along the way if I can..  

We are going to fall out at 3:30 P.M. and take a bus to Springfield and get our plane.  I am not sure of that yet.  I will let you know.  

Well not much more to say now.  I will write again later.  

All my love Ted

(post card)  16 Feb. 53

Dear Mom and Dad

I left Camp Crowder about 5:00 and rode to Springfield Airport on a charted bus.  I was supposed to leave there at 10:00 on Continental Airlines but they changed our flight and I boarded about 8:30.  I called Dad and I could not get Margie.  

The engines on the plane would not start so I got off and called Margie again.  I am sorry Mom I didn’t talk to you.  I will write you again in the air and have it mailed. 

Love Ted

(post card) Feb 17, 1953

Left Springfield at 9:45.  Stopped in Tulsa for about 30 min.  We are now flying straight through to LA, non stop and should arrive in LA at 4:30 A.M.  It is just now midnight .  Going over New Mexico, can’t see a thing but lights.  Just ate another steak, Pepsi, roll, milk and coffee. 

 Don Charles and myself are sitting together, Bill Keith is in the plane to follow.  I will mail this on the plane.  You will probably get it from LA.  Write later 

Love Ted

Drafted

Teddy Stone McAnally received his draft notice on December 26, 1952.

On February 9, 1953, Dad took me to the Nuway Drive-In in Fairmount and bought me a hamburger.  He said he was leaving for the army the next day and asked me if I would miss him.  I said no.  He was a little surprised but realized it was the talk of a 5 year old boy who was probably masking his feeling.  I think I realized as soon as I said it, it was the wrong thing to say.  I leaned over and with tears in my eyes I hugged him.

Dad did not want to go to Korea.  He didn’t even want to be in the army.  He tried to avoid the draft by telling the draft board that he was my legal guardian.  The draft board called my mother and she told them that he was not my legal guardian, that she was and that I was only living with my grandparents, his parents, out of necessity for the time being.  

Dad made the best of his time in the army and was some what successful as far as those types of things go.  He was a little older than most draftees at the time, around 25, but he was just as homesick and frightened, according to the letters he wrote home, as any younger draftee would have been.

He wrote many letters home; almost one each day, and usually included me in the introduction.  My grandmother kept each letter.  Before she died she gave all the letters to Dad, who organized them in chronological order, put them in a shoe box and upon his death instructed that the letters be given to me. 

The task of copying, putting on a blog, deciding whether to edit them, and reading over 365 letters is a daunting one, but for those joining me in this endeavor it provides an insight to a time long gone, both social and personal.  

It is also a chance for me to gain some insight into what turned that 25 year old boy into the man I knew later in life.