July 12, 1953

Sunday July 12, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

How is everything at home?  Haven't heard anything from you yet.  I got a letter from Margie Friday night.  Probably hear from you Monday.  Thurs night I went to the show here and saw The City is Dark and Hiawatha.  They were good shows. 

Fri night Theirderman and I went to Frisco and stayed over there. Went down town and fooled around.

Arlene told me that Kenny Kerkham was working out here in Frisco with his sister.  That is Alene's dad's brother and sister.  They told me she owned the Rainbow Restaurant.  I had forgotten all about it at the time and we were sitting in a place drinking a beer Friday night and I saw Kenny in there.  I was sure surprised.  I have known him for a long time.

Sat we went to the Rainbow and saw Gladis his sister.  They really have a swanky place.  Dinning room and bar.  She told us to come back later but we didn't.  I might go there again before I leave.  You might tell Arlene.

Saturday we rode on a cable car and went to China Town.  Looks about the same.  We must have driven out of our way a lot when we all went there because it is right down town almost. 

I kind of got a thrill riding the cable car.  You should have rode on it when you were here.

We then came on back to town to a 3D movie.  The Maze.  It was a pretty good picture.

You said something about Clift House once.  That is a modern restaurant now over looking the Seal Rocks on the the Pacific.  It use to be a resort in the 1890's.  I didn't see it but read about it in a pocket guide.  It must be a nice place.

We came on back to Alameda last night.  Here they serve breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30. 

I bowled a line this afternoon with the boys and that's about all.  I might take in an early show tonight and go to bed. 

The weather is sure nice here.  Gets cold at night and about 80 in the day.  What's it like back home?  I like here OK compared to Roberts.  We go to class at 8:30 till 4 pm and get 1 1/2 hour for lunch.

I think next weekend if I go to town I will wait till Sat night.  I spend about 20 dollars this week.  I will have to take it easy.  I am not sure what I will do the week after this coming weekend.  I may go to Steneman. I will let you know.  Some guys stay there a week and some for a month before their orders come through.  Some of the guys are being sent to Okinawa.  Hope I can get some place like that other than Korea.  It would not be bad to stay in Japan.  I wouldn't mind getting my orders changed to some place else too.  They do that once in awhile.

Well not much more to say.  Hope to hear from you real soon.  I will write you more tomorrow.
Love, Ted

PS The picture I took of myself is in Fresno.

July 9, 1953

Thurs night

Dear Mom and Dad

Haven't heard from you yet.  Guess I will get a letter about Mon or Sat, not much new here.  Don't know what I'll do this weekend yet.  I might go to Fresno or Oakland.

I went to the White Hat Club last night.  That's a club where the Sailors and Waves go here at the base.  It's real nice and they have a band here about 3 nights a week.  I went with the guy I traded blankets with.

From what I have seen of the Navy I wouldn't mind being in the Navy.  It's for four years though.

I haven't gotten any post cards yet.  If I find some I'll send them to you.

We had strawberry shortcake for dinner.  It's pretty good.

What's new around home.  Have you tried anything with the car yet?  Well not to much or to say.  I haven't done much of anything to tell about.  I'll drop you a line later and write me as soon as you can.
Love, Ted 

July 7, 1953

July 7, 53  Tues eve 530

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I got to Fresno about 8 am.  We stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico to refuel.  I got a bus to Alameda and reported in.  I was about the 3rd out of the nine to get here.  There are six of us here now.  I don't know much except that we will have classes from 8 to 4 and our nights and weekends will be free.  There will just be the nine of us to go through the school.  This is a nice place here.  A lot different from an army camp.  We stay in a nice building and eat all we want.  I haven't done anything all day.  I took a nap this afternoon.

I sure did enjoy myself while I was home.  I sure felt bad after I left last night.  But I feel better today.

One of the boys from Chicago said his plane stopped in KC and he drank coffee there.  It is funny we missed him.

About all there is here are sailors.  We eat with them and sleep in the same building with them.  I haven't seen any other soldiers around here.  It is right on the bay and water is almost all around us.  A lot of planes fly off from here.  I came over the bay bridge again.  It sure brought back memories.  It looks about the same.

It was cloudy here  this morning and kind of cold.  I will try and find some picture postcards of this place and send you.

I don't know if I will be able to come home or not when I finish here.  I would like to but I will have to get a hop in order to get home.   I will probably have 6 or 7 days when I leave here.

Well don't know much more to say.  I will write you again tomorrow.  I haven't got my address yet but you can write me at this address for awhile.  I'll let you know my new one as soon as I can.

Love, Ted
(note to blog reader:  This letter was sent from WP Naval Air Base, Alameda, California.) 

Explanation for June

My grandparents maintained a bank account Dad used back in Independence.  I suspect it was the Standard State Bank in Fairmount.  That is where he sent his money and had them draw from now and then to send him money orders.

The Martin he refers to several times seems to be his closest friend and it will be interesting to read if he keeps in contact with him after basic.  My own experience was that you made very close friends in basic but when the basic training was done you never saw or heard from them again.  Years pass and you don’t even remember their names.  I never heard Dad mention anyone by the name of Martin.  We shall see.

I was stunned to read that he and Martin got a hotel room for $3 in LA.  I was not surprised that he did not think much of LA but found Hollywood enjoyable.  I felt the same way when I visited there years later and wonder now what sites he and I both saw but never talked about.

The Playmore was a large entertainment center in Kansas City where they had dances and had several bowling alleys.  It was a big deal in the 40’s and 50’s. 

He must have been on a roller coaster about his orders.  First he is going to be sent to New Jersey and assigned to the Signal Corps and was planning his 24 day leave at home only to find out moments before he was to leave that his orders had been changed to go to that “special school” and only get a 14 day pass with out the benefit of getting what amounted to a paid trip home due to the travel money he would have received to go to New Jersey. 

I have no idea where Camp Stoneman is and not sure I deciphered it correctly.  Perhaps that will be made clear later.

He seemed proud to be picked as one of the outstanding soldiers of his cycle and didn’t seem to think it ironic that after he received the commendation he was put on guard duty the next day.  I cannot believe that FTA didn’t run through his mine.

June 20, 1953

June 20, Saturday

Dear Mom and Dad

I thought I would drop you a line and let you know what happened.  About 20 of us got Signal Crops at Ft Mammoth, New Jersey.  I didn’t have to be there until July 14 and we were going to leave here today.  The other boys left on the charted plane a little before noon.  It would have given me 24 days home and I would be in the states for 16 or more weeks.  I got $203.04 for travel pay.  

When we went to pick up our orders they didn’t have any for us.  Nine of us altogether.  We all knew what had happened then.  The deal on the special school came through.  They said it would be 3 or 4 days before our orders came through.  I was sure sick.  I had wanted the other so bad.  

About 20 guys got orders for Korea, 20 for Alaska, 10 for Austin, some sort of medical corps and the rest for Europe and Leadership school.. I would have been home tonight sometime.  

After everyone left our company commander told us that our orders were for Alameda, California naval station and we were cleared for secret work.  We will be in Alameda for 3 weeks and then we go to Camp Stoneman, California to go to Korea.  I don’t know what the school is or anything.  I get my orders starting Tues 23 June to the 7^th of July.  I will have 14 days.  So I should be home Tues sometime.  

I don’t feel as bad now as I did for awhile.  I was counting on being home Father’s Day.

We finished up Thur and was graduated Thur evening.  I was one of the outstanding soldiers of the cycle.  All the squad leaders got to go up before LTC Pruitt and shake his hand and salute and get their diploma from here.  I was the only one that was not a squad leader to go up.  I was the third one to go up.  I was sure surprised.

I had guard duty Wed night.  I didn’t write because I thought I would be home by now.  Well not much more to say.  I’ll be home soon and will sure be glad.  

All my love, Ted

PS  I got a pass today at noon till tomorrow.  I might be able to get away mon night I hope.  Everything ok at this end.

June 14, 1953

Sunday June 14, 1953

Dear Folks

How is everything at home?  Everything is fine here.  I got the two money orders you sent.  I think that should be enough.

We got a pass Sat evening.  Martin and I went to Paso Robles hitching hiking and decided to keep going south to some other towns just to see what they were like.  The MPs picked us up and gave us a lift to where ever we wanted to go.  They said they were going to Santa Barbara so we just went with them.  We got there about 9 pm.  It is a pretty nice town.  It is right on the coast.  When we decided to return to camp we got a ride with a Marine officer as far as Paso Robles.

Well I just have four more days of training.  I sure will be glad to get home.  I don’t guess you will be getting many more letters from me here.  I will be home almost before they get there.  I guess you wont send to many more letters either.  I might not get them.

I hope I get my orders this next Thur or the weekend.  If I don’t I may have to stay here at Roberts for a few weeks or till they come.  I haven’t heard anything about that school yet.  It may hold me up or something.

Did I tell you they are going to close Camp Roberts?  They are going to completely close it down by the first of the year.  It will take them 6 months to close it.  I can’t see why they are.

I got a high rating in the field in a Field Forces inspection a few weeks ago.

Will close for now.  I’ll try to write you again before long.

Love, Ted

June 10, 1953

Wed  June 10, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

How is everything at home.  I got you letter tonight.  Everything is fine here.  Haven’t done much of anything new.  Days seem to go by slower now.  We have been getting through early now in the field lately.  I thought we were going to have it easy but our platoon has to drill 2 hours every night to be in some kind of contest next Saturday.

I went to church Monday night.  Mr. Clark never did say anything so I didn’t either.

Tomorrow we go down and give blood.  Everybody gives.  We haven’t much choice the way they put it.  We have all day tomorrow off though.  They said we might get a pass this weekend.

I haven’t heard what my orders are yet.  I guess I will find out about the 18^th or 19^th . 

I haven’t got that money yet.  Hope I get it before to long. 

I don’t think I can send my clothes home yet.  I can’t until I get my orders anyway.  Most of my clothes are in the laundry now. 

I haven’t decided what I will do yet.  They will only let us take 40 lbs in the chartered plane.  I may take what I need with me and send the rest express.  If I come some other way I’ll keep it with me.

Well not much more to say.  I’ll write you later on.

Love, Ted