August 16, 1953

Telephone Center

Aug 16, 1953 Sun

Dear Mom, Dad, & Snapper

It's about 8:30 here.  I tried to call earlier this eve but couldn't get through or rather no one was home.  I tried just now but still no answer.  I'll try again in a little while.  I thought I would call while I could.  I tried to call Margie around noon today but the phone was busy for a long time.

We are going to fall out tonight at 11 and eat around 2 or 1:30 and will start loading on the bus and then go to the ferry.  It will take about 4 hours to get to Frisco.  Then it will be quite awhile before we leave because there are so many going and it will take some time to load them all.  I am number 766 so I will get on the boat fairly good time.

I got another patch for Snapper.  I haven't done much all day but lay around.  After I call I am going to go back and clean up and take a  little nap.  I hope you don't mind me calling again I just wanted to call again before I left.

All the guys are going to be pretty close on the ship I think.  Our numbers are one right after another.  I think I will just put a three cent stamp on this letter so it wont be so it wont be so long till you hear from me.

Well not much more to say.  Hope you get home in a few minutes.  I am not very excited about going.  May be if I was a civilian again and going I would be.  I will enjoy the trip anyway.
Love, Ted

August 15, 1953-letter two

Saturday Aug 15, 53

Dear Mom and Dad

It sure was good to talk to you last night.  I went to town with Thiderman and Sipes.  We called home.  Wish I could talk more but it cost plenty the way it is.  Some of the guys left today and the others will leave about 1:30 Monday morning.  I sent a picture of the ship, you should get it in a few days.

I bought the camera I was talking about.  I took one roll already

We went to the show last night after I called you.  I might go to the show tonight.  We can't leave't leave the post.

I should have about $160 coming.  I am going to send some home if I can.  I am sure broke now.  I don't need any though.  All I need is cigarettes and I have money for that. Well I don't have much more to say.  I will write again later.
Love, Ted

August 15, 1953-letter One

Sat Aug 15, 1953

Dear Snapper

How are you.  I hope you have been a good boy.  I sure miss you.  It wont be to long till you start school again.  I am leaving here about 1:30 Monday morning.  I think I will ride a ferry boat to Frisco and then get on the USNS Meigs.  It's a big ship, about the biggest one there is for carrying soldiers.  I sent you a picture of it.  I am going to take some pictures on the way over so I will send some home.

All of us who went to school together  will be together on the ship.  It will take me about 10 days to get there.  I will be sent to an outfit after I get there.  I don't know where yet.  It wont be bad over there now the war has stopped, so don't worry about me.

I am sending you a patch a guy gave me who stays in our barracks.  I forgot the Div.  You can have Mama sew it on your jacket for you.  I will send you a new patch of the Div I get in.

Well be a good boy and go to Sunday school with Mama.  I'll write you again on the ship.  Please mind mama and remember your daddy.
Love, Daddy

August 12, 1953

Wed Aug 12, 1953
Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I thought I would take a little time to write you a line.  I have been on KP all day.  4 am to 7 pm. There were 4 lines and 4000 ate.  I might have served about a 1000 of them. 

We got shipping orders tonight.  I am leaving sometime Sat on the USNS Meig. About 4400 are going on the ship. We are going to Pusan or Ponyong, Korea.  It is a fast ship and it will take almost 10 days.  Zink called his wife tonight and I told him to tell her to call you.  I am going to call Friday night.  By the way, don't say anything to anybody about when I am leaving, the name of the ship or how many guys.  We are not supposed to to tell that.

I am going to be reassigned in Korea  as far as I know.  Most of the guys know what Div they are going to.  Well I am pretty tired so I will close now.
Love, Ted

My address for the time is:    Pvt Teddy S McAnally
                                            US55337884
                                            Prov Co 715
                                            APO 2 Care P.M.
                                            San Francisco, Calif

P.S.  You might tell Jim my address because I may not get a chance to write before I leave and after I leave it might take a little while.

August 11, 1953

Tues. Aug 11, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I've been here two weeks tonight and haven't left yet.  A guy we went through basic training with is here and is working in the orders room.  He said 1 of us were leaving on a ship Sat for Korea not on special orders.  There is a ship leaving Thur but our names were not on that ship list.  It is pretty definite that we will go Sat. Zink is the only one of us not on special orders but he is going on the ship with us.  We will probably  know for sure in a day or two.  I will call Friday night.

I got your letter tonight, also your package.  I haven't opened it yet but I am going to in a minute.

Glad you had Jim out Sunday.  I like him OK.

Yesterday we slipped off and went to the refreshment stand for a coke. 2 1st Sergent and a 2nd Louie took the whole bunch of us that were there and lined us up.  There must have been about 150 men altogether.  They had us separate into the company we belong to and then had a sergeant march us back to the company headquarters.  He stopped at the orderly room to see what they wanted to do with us.  As soon as he went in the whole bunch took off running.  They didn't catch us.  They were probably only going to put us on detail anyway.

I haven't done much today.  The other night I went to the show and saw Lew Ayers in No Escape.  Last night I saw The Sailor and a King.  It was real good.  You should go see it.  I might go tonight and see Martin and Lewis in the Caddy.  I think it is a new picture.

I haven't a camera yet.  I have looked around for one at the PX, they have one about the size of a pack of cigarettes.  It takes small pictures.  The film is 30 cents a roll with 14 pictures but you have to send them off to get them developed.  It cost a dollar I think.  The camera cost $8.  I might get one, it would come in handy.

I think the ship name is USS Meggs.  I will send a picture of it.  I can get one at the PX as soon as I know for sure.

The wheather is about the same only the nights are a little cooler.

Well I don't know to much more to say.  I will give you my address before I leave so you can keep writing.  Look for me to call Friday night.  You should get this letter by then.
Love, Ted

PS  No need to write any more here.

August 9, 1953

Service Club
Camp Stoneman, California
August 9, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am in the service club now writing this letter.  I went to town last night with the boys.  Didn't do much.  Came back to camp last night and layed around the barracks all day.  Not much to do.  It sure has been hot here, the nights have been hot too.

We had another parade yesterday and then we were off about noon.

From what I hear we may be leaving here some time this week.  I'll try to call you before I leave.

This service club is real nice.  A swimming pool outside, pool hall, typewriters, bowling, restaurant, sod fountain, and most everything.  I might go swimming later on when it cools off a little.  The water looks good but I hate to get sunburned.

I didn't get any mail yesterday.  The mail service here is poor.  I get your mail fairly well but I don't get mine out to fast. 

In a way I will be kind of glad to get  away from here.  It's tiresome just fooling around here all the time.

What's new back home?  I guess it is plenty hot isn't it.  Wish I was there more than I was. 

I guess I will be stationed either in Korea or Japan because that is where the next ships are going.  I would rather be in Japan.

I might be gone when you get this letter but if I am not look for me to call.  I guess I will close now, can't think of much more to say.  I will write you when I know something else to say.
Love, Ted

August 7, 1953

Aug 7, 1953

Dear Mom and Dad

I got 2 letters from you tonight, one had my money order.  I didn't try to call the other night.  Did you think I did.  Zink said he was going to call so I told him to tell is wife to call you ad tell you I needed some money.  I wrote you but I thought it would save time if he had his wife call. 

I haven't heard anymore when I will leave.  I heard it would be around the 15 of Aug.  There are about 3000 in our company.  They can't find enough for us to do so they take us on walks.  We went on a five mile walk yesterday.

I was on KP today.  5:30 to 6:00.  It wasn't bad. 

Last night we went to Pittsburg and fooled around.  Not doing anything tonight except write a few letters, take a shower and go to bed.  I don't know what I will do this weekend.  Probably not much of anything much.  I want to save as much money as I can.  I want to send some money home if I can so I can buy a car when I get back.

From what every one says Japan would be a good place to get stationed.  Everything is cheap over there.  All the vets say they would like to go back and stay all the time.

It is nice you had Charlie out to dinner.  He is a good guy.

I bought a crossword puzzle book to pass the time away.  It is interesting after you get started..

What is the whether like back home.  It's about the same here.

I went to the show the other night and saw the Master of Balanting with Earl Flynn.  It is a good show. You ought to go see it when it comes to KC.

Well can't think of much Else to say.  Told you about all I know.  I will write again this weekend.
Love, Ted