May 23, 1953

Saturday  May 23, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

How are you.  I am in my pup tent writing.  We packed up Thurs night and left about 7:00 in the morning and came to Hunter Liggett Militia Reservation.  We came by truck.  We put up our tents and in the afternoon we had a patrolling problem and a night patrolling problem last night.  Everything is done just like it would be a real war zone.  We eat ten yards apart in the chow line, always ware our steel helmets, cartridge belts, and rifle every place we go.  We got up at 7 this morning and moved to a new area.  We will be here till Monday.  Then we will be moving all the time.  No tents or anything.

I had to stand guard last night from about 1 to 2 and 4:30 to 5:00.  That canned heat is good.  It really warms the tent up.  Martin and I are bunking together.

I got your cookies Thur night.  They were good.  I didn’t get to eat them all and couldn’t bring them with me.  I couldn’t carry all that I would have liked to.  The flash light comes in handy when we are in the tent at night.

We shaved this morning after we got in our new area.  Used our steel pots and cold water.  Took some pictures of it.  I sleep fairly warm.  I sleep with my clothes on and 2 blankets on me. 

Did you get my card?  I had to send it early.  I sent some pictures too.  The pictures you sent were good.  Some of the guys are playing baseball this afternoon. 

It wont be too long till I’ll be home.  About 2 weeks after this bivouac.  I don’t know how much money I will need to get home.  I’ll let you know.  Well I can’t think of much more to say.  I’ll write the next chance I get.

Love, Ted

May 20, 1953

Wed  night May 20 1953

Dear Folks

I am out in the field tonight.  Just finished dinner.  We are going on a night compass course.  We went out last night on squad tactics.  We got back to camp about 11:00 and they gave us coffee and sandwiches.  We fired recoilless rifles again and had a demonstration on the flame thrower.  Tomorrow night we will be getting ready for bivouac Friday.  Our company commander told us that we will be eating c rations 2 times a day and sleeping out in fox holes and on the ground.  No tents.  We will have to carry everything on our backs. 

I really feel bad that I forgot Snapper’s birthday.  Seems like it slipped up on me kind of fast.  I was remembering it all the time up till the last 3 or 4 days.  If you get him something I will buy it.  I won’t be able to get anything for a couple of weeks. 

Well I better close for now while I can.  I’ll mail this tonight or in the morn.  Whish I cold write you more .  I don’t feel right unless I write you.  I am going to carry some stationery on bivouac.  I got your letters last night in the field.  The pictures were good.

All my love, Ted

Tell Margie I won’t be able to write for a while.

Love, Ted

May 14, 1953

Thurs  May 14, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am on guard tonight.  I have some time so I thought I would write.  I go on guard from 10 to 12 pm and 4 to 6am.  I walk the Reg. guard house area.  That is around the guard house, PX, and cleaners and parking lot where we parked that night you visited.  We came in at noon today to get ready.

To day was C ration day.  We are on recoilless rifles now.

I got your letter tonight. 

I think we are going to bivouac the last of next week.  That is about the 22^nd of May.  I will be glad to go in away because when I get back I’ll only have 2 weeks left o guard.  I am sending some pictures that Martin took when we were on the mortar.  I have some more I am getting developed.  How did the pictures come out you took out here.  You don’t need to send me them but I would like to have 1 or 2 that you think I would like.

Well we just finished our 11^th week today.  That leaves 5 weeks.  We are still on the alert and restricted somewhat.  I didn’t have much desire to go anyplace anyway.  I want to save my money for when I come home.   I don’t know how much I will needy yet to come home but I’ll let you know.  If I don’t get my orders in time I will probably not get the charted plane and may have to go to LA or San Fran. to get a plane.  There is a chance I may not get my orders when the rest of they guys get theirs because of my special training deal and but then I may get them early.  We should finish on Thurs night and get to leave ahead of time and get more time at home. Some guys in the company across the street from us got away on a Sat afternoon and their leave didn’t start till Monday.

 I still have to get my trousers change yet.  Some of the guys are getting their changed so it shouldn’t be to long.  I got your stamps last night.  Thanks. 

Saturday is the big Armed Forces Day parade here.  I would rather see it than be in it.  You can’t see anything when your in it.

Everyone is sure in a bad mood around here anymore.  We don’t get enough sleep , its is hot etc.  They tell the squad leader where to go to when they put them on detail.  I told mine last night.  They were going to give me a recoilless rifle to clean and our Field Sgt. told the guys on guard they didn’t have to.  They were just to work on stuff to get ready for guard.  I never did clean it.

Well can’t think of anymore to say.  That coffee ration is good if you get the right amount of water with it.  Taste just like the real stuff to me.  May be I am just use to it.  Will write again.

Love, Ted

May 12, 1953

Tues night  12 May 53

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got your box of cookies and letters last night and a letter tonight.  The cookies are good.  Sat night I got away to the show and saw Scared Stiff with Martin and Lewis.  Sunday I messed around here and Sunday night went to see Desert Song.  It was a good picture.

I was going to go to church tonight but after dinner I didn’t have anything to do so I laid down and took a nap thinking I would wake up in time to go but I didn’t wake up until 8:20.  So I didn’t  get to go.

We are still restricted because of the alert.  If we leave the area we have to sign out and tell them where we are going. 

We had motors today and yesterday.  We got to ride out on trucks both days. 

It has been hot here lately.  I picked up another cold some place.  And the sun and wind is chapping my lips.  It doesn’t hurt much but it is annoying. 

I guess we start on the recoilless rifle tomorrow.  That will take up 4 days.  Saturday is Armed Forces Day and they are going to have a big parade.  Open house and all that.

The Clyde Beaty Circus will be here also.

I haven’t heard much about the rifle team lately.  I heard they just picked one man from here for the team.  I don’t know for sure yet.

I get guard duty Thur night.  They are going to have classes tonight at 7 o’clock for the guard mount.  The last bunch messed up so we have some kind of class.  This will probably be the last time I will be on it here.

I put a deposit on the airplane and a receipt for a reserved ticket.  I just get to carry 40 lbs of baggage.  Don’t know what I will do about that yet.  I want to keep my stuff with me.

I guess Richard isn’t going to be in the infantry if he is in bivououac already.  He must be in an 8 week cycle and going to be put in the Arty or something.  I didn’t think he was in the tank corps. 

Well not much to say now.  Did you get the title to the car back and have you had any bites on it?  If you don’t sell it before I get home it is OK.  I can use it.  How is the weather there now.  It is usually nice this time of year there.  Wish I was there.  Well I’ll write again later.

Love, Ted

May 9, 1953

Saturday 9 May 53

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well guess you wondered why I haven’t written you.  Have been busy lately.  I have been firing mortars and learning about explosives, mines and booby traps.  We got to see some TNT, plastic C3, ammonia nitrate. And Bangalore torpedoes blow up.  It was interesting.  Learned how to use and put mines around and booby traps in different places.  We have about two more days in mortars then we start on recoilless rifles. 

Last night we had to pack a field pack, blankets and everything.  We all have been restricted for 2 weeks.  We are on what they call “alert”  We have our duffle bags packed and field packs and have to be ready to move out in a moments notice.  Every Btry does this some time or another.  It is for fire, riots, or invasion in the state of California.  Probably won’t go any place, no one ever has, but some one has to be ready all the time.  Everyone is restricted, even the Company Commander.  I guess I won’t get a pass for the next few weeks. 

We started our 11^th week yesterday.  We will be on alert fore the 11^th and 12^th week and go on bivouac  13 and 14 week.  Our 15 & 16 week we will probably be restricted too.

I could use some cookies and candy when I am on bivouac.  We get mail out there.  I couldn’t carry them out there if I got them before I leave because we can only carry so much stuff.  I could also use one of those small flashlights like Snapper got for Xmas.  I got the shorts and the candy.  It sure was good.  I’ll let you know more about the bivouac  before I go.  I could use one of those flashlights now.

This morning I got to go out and fie with the rifle team, they are going to have a match next Saturday.  There was a pvt from this Regiment (Division Arty,)  LTC Pruitt was firing right with us.  Almost everyone out there was an officer.  5 of the 9 will be picked for the rifle team.  LTC Pruitt is on the team and some other officers.  247 is the highest anyone has fired at Camp Roberts.  Last time I fired it was 227 and this time I fired 231.  I used my training rifle both times.  We are supposed to get new rifles next time when we go out.  It was just for practice today and we get to go out again this next week. 

I haven’t done much this afternoon, just fooling around.  We can’t leave the area.  Well I have just a little over 5 weeks to go now.  Should go fast.  Wish I could come home for Mother’s Day.  I wanted to send something home but I don’t know what to send and you couldn’t buy anything in the PX.  Did you like my card.?  Well not much to say.  I will write again later on.  I should have more time to write now.

Love, Ted

May 5, 1953

Tues night 5 May 53

Dear Folks

I got your letters tonight.  Glad to hear from you.  It has been hot here the last couple of days.  Really hot.  I got Margie off Sunday night.  Had a nice time and was glad she stayed.  After I took her to the airport I came back to Paso Robeles and bought a few things I needed.  I was going to ride the bus back but it was so crowded I missed getting on 3 buses.  So I went up to the corner and started hitchhiking.

I saw the restaurant where we ate dinner that Sunday night so I went over there and got a sandwich.  Later I got a ride back and got in about 10:00.  I didn’t get away till about 4:30 Sat afternoon.  Was glad you were here while you were..  We may not be getting anymore passes for awhile till basic is over.

We will be in bivouac 2 weeks, the 13 and 14 weeks.  We will start our 11^th week training Friday.  That just leaves us 6 weeks. 

I got the title to the car last night.  I will mail it to you.

I heard we may go to Ft Riley for that school I told you about.  I hope it is.

We turned in our overcoats and sweaters tonight.  I sent some C rations coffee, sugar and cream back with Margie.  Some cocoa too, that is the best.  Well not much more to say now.  I’ll write again later on.

Love, Ted

Explanations 2

There were not many letters written in April due to the fact that is when we took our trip to California to see Dad.  By me I mean both my grandparents, Margie, and I.  Margie was Dad’s girlfriend and is mentioned a lot in the letters.  I remember her.  Tall blond.

Margie seemed more in a hurry to get there than we were, so to the best of my recollection I can only remember stopping once on our way out there but we must have stopped over night some place else.  I know one night was spent in New Mexico at a motel that was shaped like Indian Teepees.  I remember stopping at the California border and having to surrender any fruits and vegetables we might have been carrying with us.

I remember seeing Dad as we drove up in the evening standing by his barracks and the guest house we stayed in.  The people who ran the guest house were black and I spent a long time talking to a very attractive black lady.  I guess she thought I was a cute little boy.  A black soldier walked in on us as we were talking and told me he was going to tell her husband that she had been talking to me.  Sort of scared me.  When we checked out my grandfather gave me some oranges to give to the lady.  The same soldier was standing there as I went to the lady’s door and I still remember being some what intimidated and afraid he would tell her husband.

The only two things I remember about Camp Roberts is we went and played Bingo and one of the prizes was a pin that wrote underwater.  I thought that would be a neat prize.  We didn’t win anything.  The other thing is when my grandparents and I were driving around the base one afternoon and ended up on a road that we discovered was restricted for civilian traffic.  An army vehicle came up upon us and my grandfather grabbed my army cap and put it on his head so they would think he was a soldier.  I am not sure to this day if he was serious or not.

The weekend we were there we all drove to San Francisco.  My grandfather wanted to two three things.  Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, which we did; eat in China Town, which we did; and ride the cable car, which he didn’t for reasons now I don’t recall.  We took a boat and drove around Alcatraz, visited the Red Wood Forest, and I am sure much more but that is all my 5 year old brain can recall. 

I don’t remember taking Dad back to Roberts but I do remember Margie stayed there, we stopped in Los Vegas, by grandmother bumped my head with the handle of a slot machine, some place in Arizona or New Mexico we saw tumble weed, got caught in a sand storm, went through the Petrified Forest, and saw the Painted Desert.

Dad mentions a couple of more new people in his letters of April but I did not know any of them.

The last letter Dad wrote in April was the first and one of the few times he mentioned anything about some “special training” he was going to receive based around “army intelligence.”   If you want to find out more about that go to my blog “The Adventures of Conley McAnally” and find the blog I wrote in November 2010 called “Spy Dad.”  It really is an interesting story and was not finished until dad's funeral.