October 17, 1953

Mortars

24th Division Patch

Oct 17, 1953  Sat.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

(2 our of three wasn't bad)

I got your clippings last night about the kidnapping.  That sure was a bad thing.  I hope they put all 3 of those people in the chair.

I got your letter this morning that you mailed Oct 9.  I think I am getting your letters OK now so you need not number them any more.  The weather is about the same.  The nights are not quite so cold for a couple of nights now and the days are a little warmer.

The parade we were in that day came out OK.  We never heard much about it either and you probably wont either.  I hope the war wont start either but if it does I can take care of myself.  The 4th platoon is a weapons platoon and the mortars are always in good position.  I don't look for it to much for awhile even if the 90 days are up and nothing is done.  It gets plenty cold here in the winter and we are better equipped than the Chinese.  The 5th RCT always gets 4 pt and $45 dollars a month more when the war is on.  They have always been on the front.  They are the oldest outfit in Korea now.  They came here 2nd after the 24 Div.  The 24 Div isn't here anymore.  I am not worried about the war myself so don't you.

As far as x-mas, I don't know of much here.  I couldn't hardly tell you what to send.  I think I have told you about everything I need in my other letters.

No I still have not been paid yet and my 1st Sgt said I probably wont till payday.  I spent the $5 you sent on the pictures.  I can last till payday I think.  The cigarettes you sent came at the right time.  If I had known that I wouldn't get paid last time I would have had you send me a money order, but I didn't know.  I don't know what happened to the packages you sent but I still haven't got them yet.  There isn't much I can do about it even if I asked.  I might wait a little longer.

Don will be in the army a long time if he doesn't get to OCS before long because he has to sign up for more time when he gets out of OCS.  He may just be spending time like a lot of the guys do by signing up for OCS and waiting for it and then when they get their orders turn in down.  Then they don't have much time left and they get to stay in the states.

You know that "Red" who works in the barber shop.  He is a nice guy he has a couple of kids. (note:  I am puzzled why he brings that up.  Red was Red Duncan.  He worked in the same barber shop as Johnny Collins and when Johnny left to start his own barber shop Red bought the one they had all worked in.  Red ended up buying a house across the street from us on Lake Drive and was the one who signed me up for Cub Scouts.)

I never did get the packages Jim sent.  He must have mailed it regular mail.  I hear from Jim once in a while and Margie too.  I'll send some more patches to Snapper when I get some.  They are a little hard to find here.

I haven't been drinking any beer much.  It is cold for one thing and we can't have it in the co. area anymore.

The other day I stayed in the area and worked.  I gave one of the Sgts in our platoon a drink of my shaving lotion. He is a U.S. and 26 years old.  He comes from Sabethe, Kansas. About 60 miles north of Topeka.  He is a farmer and stayed out of the draft because of his farm.  He made Sgt over here.  He reminds me of Bert's brother in Scott City the way he talks.  Kind of slow and easy going.

Yesterday we had a mortar exam for our section.  I was lucky again.  I made 196 out of 200.  I was high man in our company mortar section.  I made expert.  I was only 6 sec off of making 200.  The test is not firing but taking the fire commands and setting the mortar at different ranges in a minimum amount of time correctly.  I might get to be gunner or assistant gunner one of these days.

Last night I took in a show and this morning we had our usual Sat. inspection.  I haven't done much but write this letter since noon.  We may put our floor in today if they come in.  We get the next floor for out tent. 

The Korean boy never did get to go home. (note: the boy who was informed his mother died by letter)  He only lived 200 miles from here.  They sure do think funny.  The boy is about the best ROCK we have.  He sleeps next to me and always helps me clean my area etc.  When we were on alert that night he carried the mortar by himself and wouldn't let any one else carry it for him or help.  He came here after I did. Well I think I will stop now for awhile and write later on.  It wont go out before Monday morning anyway.  I have some wash to do and some other stuff.--------

I didn't get to much done this afternoon.  I layed around most of the time.  We got our stove this afternoon and I helped clean the preservatives off with gasoline.  We also got our floor.  We will probably start on that before long.  May be tomorrow.  We were lucky.  We got the new style kit.  They will be harder to put in but it will be better.  The floor is tung and grove and we also have siding.

We had chicken for dinner this eve.  It tasted good.  I am sending you some clippings out of the Stars and Stripes paper.  It gives you some idea what we wear.  That is not all of it though. We have thermo boots I told you about.  They just came out this year.  Those pile caps are funny looking but they should keep us warm.  They are sure getting Strack in our company.  Our Captain hasn't been here much longer than I have.  He is starting to clamp down.  He is a West Point graduate.  He probably won't be here long.  He is to good a man to keep in a company.  He will probably go to Bn HQ or Regt HQ before long.  He will probably be a general before he retires from the army.  His name is Book. (note: Dad looked up Book years later and found that he had indeed retired from the Army, lived in Texas but never did make General.)   I hope I can get some place while I am here.  I think I would like to come home a Sgt.  It is hard to make rank now that the war is over.  I have been trying my best.  I may not be here long enough to make Sgt because you have to have so much time in grade.  I have to make PFC, then Corpl first.  May be I will get  break.  I haven't had any yet so it is about time.  I try to keep my boots polished.  They shine more than the officers.  I keep a fresh shave every day and I don't horse around like I use to at work.

Well I don't know much more to say.  I guess I will close now.  I will send Martin's letter along with this.  I wrote him a letter tonight.
Love, Ted

October 15, 1953

Thursday Oct 15, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am at the IX Corps rest center waiting to go back to camp.  It sure is nice here.  There is a lake and everything, they ar right up in the Mountains.  They have almost everything you want.

Last night after writing you I went to bed.  The shaving lotion was OK.  I just sip on it.  I had to get up at midnight to guard the prisoner.  I just guarded him for an hour.

I stayed in the area this morning and worked on some of the tents.  We filled sand bags and stacked them around the outside to level the tents so we can put the floors in.  It reminded me of the time Dad and I piled sand bags during the flood.   (note to reader: that was the KC 51 flood where vol were asked to go down to the river near the airport and stack sand bags) At noon my Sgt said I could go on Sho-She R&R, Shoe-She means little. It's just an afternoon at the IX Corps rest center.  I borrowed a couple of bucks and left.  It's almost 8 miles from our camp.  They take so many a day from our company down in trucks. I think about the first thing I did was get a hair cut by a Korean barber.  Hair cut 25 cents, shave 15 cents.  Ask Johnny what he thinks about that.(note to reader: that was Johnny Collins our barber who cut our hair for years).  They cut funny, one barber comes along and clips your neck and another comes along after that and trims it up.  I didn't like the shave I got. He was rough and it felt like he was dry staving me.  I bought some things at the PX, they have almost everything.  Then I went to the snack bar and got a hamburger and a beer.  I didn't get any ice cream because I didn't have a cup.  They were out of cups.  That is what I was counting on mostly.  They are building a place to ski.  I always wanted to try it.  May be I will come back this winter and try it.  Right now I am just waiting for the rest of the guys to get back from what ever they are doing.

I got a letter and another package at noon today.  It had the icebox cookies and shoe polish in it.  They were sure good.  I am saving some of the cookies for later.  I was glad to get the cigarettes too.  I had almost ran out of shoe polish.  I thought that was nice to get two packages in a row like that.

I am not sure but I think we have another alert tonight.  I hope not. 

Did I tell you how the R&R works about going to Japan.  Everyone takes turns about going there.  You get 7 days from the time you get to Japan and the time going there doesn't count.  It takes about 5 months for one person to go from the time he gets to the company.  Just so many go each week from the Regt and there is about 4000.  I will probably get to go twice before I get home.  Did I tell you that in Japan they had us change our US money into military script.  I'll send some when I get some so you can look at it.  It's different in size and it's different from what you use.  There are even 5 cents in paper up to a dollar, then 5 dollar bill is bigger than a 1 dollar bill.  A 10 dollar bill is the same size as the 5.  I don't know if they make anything larger than a 10 or not.  I still used the 5 you sent.  I may have you send me 3 one dollar bills so I can send some pictures in.  About the money you have - why not go ahead and put it in the First Federal Savings and Loan so it can draw some interest.  Then when I send for some more you can just put that in too.  I don't know how much I will send home.  I may send all I can and then before I go on R&R have you send me a money order for some.  Well don't know much more to say so I will close.
Love, Ted

October 14, 1953

Wed  Oct 14,1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Not much new here but I thought I would write anyway.  I haven't received any mail or packages yet. The mail has been slow for the last few days.  No one is getting any yet.  May be some will come in the eve.

It sure has been cold here at night.  Yesterday I had the afternoon off because I was on Bn guard last night.  It got down to freezing and it sure was cold on my post.  I had a wool sweater, wool shirt, fatigue shirt and field jacket and I was still cold.  I guess I will have to start wearing my long underwear.  This morning when I got off I ate breakfast and then went to bed and slept till 11:00, then ate dinner and spent the afternoon hauling floors for our tent.  The 72nd Engineers build the floors for us and we put them in ourselves.  They are made in sections and it takes 4 for one tent.  It wont be long till we have them in our tent. We will have oil stoves before long and at first we will just have one stove.  We get up a half hour later now because of the light.  So every thing is a half hour later but we keep the same time.  Instead of eating lunch at 11:30 we eat at 12:00.

I broke your ronson lighter last night.  I might mail it home before long.  I think I will buy a Zeppo.  They cost about $1.60 at the PX.

Well we go to chow in a few minutes so I will stop now and finish later. --------

I read in the Stars and Stripes paper about the Greenlease boy being murdered.  It didn't say anything about him being murdered but it said they were holding this woman for the murder kidnapping.  When did they find out he was murdered.

I got two letter and a package from you just now.  One letter was dated the 4 and another was dated the 8 Oct.  I read what you said about the Greenlease.  That is a lot of money.

I did not think that Mrs. Peak was 79 years old.  I got a letter from Jim Rountree tonight too.  Didn't have much to say, just the same old stuff.

I guess the J40 is quite a jet.  That's fast for me.

If Carlin Talant is in the 7th Corps he is in the same Corps I am.

I didn't see that picture from Here to Eternity.  I would like to see it.  I went to the show tonight and saw Fast Company. 

It is pretty cold so I guess I will get my long underwear , it helps out a lot.  I'll sure be glad when they get the stoves put in.

I just opened my package up.  Every thing was OK.  I got the shaving lotion.  I am going to keep it in my sleeping bag with me.  The candy is good and the gum I can use too.  I was almost out of smokes and I think the package couldn't have gotten here at a better time.  I got the little light.  You didn't put batteries in with it did you.  I thought I might have lost them.  Well not much more to say now.  Thanks for the packages and shaving lotion.
Love, Ted

October 13, 1953

Wed

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got a letter from you last night (Oct 12) and 3 letters today and a box.  The box was the peanut butter cookies, candy, and 5 packs of camels.  They sure were good cookies.  I like the candy too and I needed the cigarettes.  Some times the mail comes slow and then all at once I get several letters at once.  It never takes to long to get them anyway.

I haven't heard from Carlen Talant yet.  He should be fairly close by if he is in the IX Corps.  I got his letter but he didn't say where he was located.  I guess by now Richard has his orders.  I have been wondering where he will be sent.  The Army has a place for everyone but they take their time sometimes with so much red tape etc. 

Can Snapper read very much?

About that school I talked about when I first got here.  I think you might have misunderstood me.  We are training here like we did in the states but it isn't quite as bad as basic, at least it doesn't seem to be.  We have more time off.  The only school they have are the NCO schools.  Very few get to go to that.  I think most of the guys who have gone to school in the Army were picked in the states.  Just like I was picked for the Radio School in New Jersey.  I wont get much of any school now.

I am glad you have the time figured out now.  We are the same time here as Japan.

How is George Schmidt now.  How long will it be before he can go back to work.

The letters I received today were the 13, 14, 15 of Oct.(note: he probably meant Sept)  You might send some one dollar bills if you want me to send some pictures in.  I should be paid this time for sure.

Sounds like the weather is nice in KC now.

I got the clippings again on the Greenlease case.  I'll read them later.  I don't remember about the Heady woman selling boxes.  Lowell might have heard of her.   I will try to write a letter to Frank Tucker.  I don't know what to say to him much but I will try.  I would have to write a good one.  May be if I wrote one he could re write it a little bit for the paper.  You know what I mean.  It would have to sound good. (note: Frank Tucker was the editor of the Intercity News, a local paper in Fairmount)  I still haven't received Jessie's package yet.  He probably mailed it regular.  It will take a little longer.  I will be glad when I get my boots.  It wont take to long to put them on in the morning when I get up.

I guess Joe Doors looked rough with out his shave.  He has a heavy beard anyway.

So you can run around in your t-shirt.  We work around here in the day with our t-shirts some times.  Yesterday it was bad out.  Kind of cold and it rained a little.  We didn't do much yesterday. Our company had their records checked and I asked the guy when I was going home.  He looked at the date I got here and said probably Dec or Jan of next year.  He didn't know, I think he was just guessing.  They usually send you home 90 days before discharging you anyway.  He said I have 3 decorations now.  Korean, United Nations, and one other that I forgot what it was.  Everyone who serves here gets the two I mentioned.

Last night we had a movie in the mess hall.  I saw Clark Gable in Never Let Me Go.  It was sure good.  I guess you saw it because you usually see his pictures.  This morning I stayed in the area and worked on the orderly room. They moved into a new Quonset hut and I helped on the outside of it a little bit.

Well we just finished lunch and I think there is a night problem tonight.

How did you like the pictures.  This guy said I could use his camera if I wanted to.  We can't get any 120 films here though.  If you would send a couple of boxes I'll take some pictures.  He has a Jap camera and it really takes good pictures.  I think I might buy one when I get paid.  I haven't made up my mind yet------We just finished our night problem.  It's about 10 PM now.  I got some coffee at the mess hall and I drank it with some of those cookies. It sure hit the spot.  This afternoon my section leader talked to me about changing squads.  He said I might go to the third squad as asst. gunner.  It wasn't for sure. He said he would let me know.  I hope something works out.  I kind of hate to change squads but it would be a promotion. It will work out.  He also said I would get to go out and fire the mortar when we go out.  Just one squad is going a lot.  We will represent our company.  I don't know when that will be. 

Well I will close for now and go to bed. I will write more news later.
Love, Ted

October 12, 1953

Monday Oct 12, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad and Snapper

I got Dad's letter today along with the emery cloth.  I don't have a rifle now but I cleaned my trench knife up.  Boy it sure is pretty.  I polished the leather handles on it.  I will be glad to get the shaving lotion.  I haven't had any for a long time  (note to blog reader:  Dad was not that interested in shaving lotion.  The rules where he was was that the only kind of alcohol the you could have was beer.  My grandfather decided to clean out old after shave lotion bottles and fill them with whiskey.  This went on for a long time.)  I haven't got the package yet but it should be here any day.  I think it will make the trip OK if you put it in with cookies etc.  I knew what you meant about J.Bakers Drug Store.

How long was the plant closed.  I enjoyed the pictures of the fellows working on the house.  I could make out Herb Colburn.  He was standing on the roof with a box on his shoulder.

Not much new here.  It was kind of cold most of the day yesterday and I didn't do much.  I went to the show last night and it started raining about the last of the picture.  It was sure cold and it really rained.  More rain than I have seen most of the time I have been here.  It was clear today but it was cold.  A wool sweater under our fatigues makes it OK.  I guess before long I will wear my long underwear.

I think I will go to the show tonight.

I can tell you a little better where I am if it is on your map.  The town Ch'owon (I think that is the way you spell it).  We are in that area.  The Ch'owon Valley.  We are close to the Wyoming line.

Well I went to the show and they didn't have sound so I came back and I had some mail from you.  I got one letter that was dated Sept 16.  I am just now getting it.  The other letters were the ones you wrote Oct 6.  Did you send a bottle of shoe polish in one of the packages.  I don't know what happened but next time if it is opened I will take it back to the PM.  We are supposed to sign for insured packages.  All the other packages arrived in good shape.

I took the $5 and sent my pictures in and I'll send you some soon.

While I have been writing this letter a Korean who sleeps next to me was reading a letter and he started crying.  We didn't know what was wrong.  Sgt Con later told us his moma-san died.  It is strange they just write a letter to tell them rather than send for them.

Don't worry about me going to sleep on guard.  I don't when I am on regular guard and don't anymore while I am guarding the prisoner.  He is OK and I know how to handle him.  He is still here.  I have learned to sleep lite and I wake up at the least little noise.  It is a different kind of guard with him anyway. 

I will be glad to get that package you talk about.  It's plenty cold writing this letter.  It wont be so bad when we get our floors and stove in our tents. 

Was Mrs. Peak planning to stay in KC or jut visit.  I guess Martin hadn't got the letter I wrote him when he sent this one.  When I answer it I'll send it to you.  My letters are never opened. Some times the corner is torn a little.  Like the lennon cloth envelope was torn at the corner.  I guess they just like to look in some of them.  Don't worry about the shaving lotion.  It should get here OK if you sent it like you sent the others.

About our eggs and potatoes.  Sometimes our potatoes are concentrated and mixed with fresh potatoes.  They taste OK after you are use to them.  We have fresh eggs.  Usually we get eggs to order (or almost).  Some times they are scrambled.

I don't know much of anything you could send me to eat.  I like candy .  Some times when you send a package you might put a can of ox blood shoe polish in it.  I like to have my boots a different color once in a while.  I could use some of that new fome shave stuff.  I am almost out of it and I can't get it here.  Those little pen light batteries you can't get either.

I see you have some of those self sealing envelopes.  I like them OK.  You don't have to lick them.

Well I don't know much more to say.  I still haven't been paid yet and I am making 20 cents stretch a long way before I borrow any more.  I think by the end of the this month I will have about $340 dollars coming the way I figure it.  Are you getting Snapper's money OK.  Well I am fine and I'm glad everything is fine at home.  Will write again and thanks for the packages.
Love, Ted

October 11, 1953

Sun Oct 11, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Not much new here, everything is about the same.  Last night was the coldest night we have had.  I don't know what the temperature was but it was cold and damp.  I slept warm in my sleeping bag and slept good. 

I just got a letter from Jim yesterday.  He didn't have much to say.  I got up this morning and went to breakfast.  They served the first meal in the new Quonset hut this morning.  It sure is nice.  It is set up almost like our mess hall in the states.  There are two Quonset huts put together.  I guess we will have turkey or chicken today.  We usually have turkey and chicken twice a week.  We had turkey Wed so will probably have chicken today.

Yesterday we had an inspection as usual and had the afternoon off.  I didn't do much but lay around all afternoon.  I washed some clothes out and have some clean clothes for a while.  Last night I went to the show again.  I saw Serpent of the Nile.  I had seen it once before but I enjoyed seeing it again.  It's nice to see a movie every night.  They usually have good ones.

They ran out of beer in our beer parlor so we haven't had any for awhile.  The old man put a stop to us having it in our tents anymore.  They are stopping us from doing a lot of things like that. 

I am glad to hear everything is going OK at the plant.  Tell the boys hello for me.  To bad they don't go on 6 days again or every other Sat.

There are a lot of jets flying around here on training flights.  They come over here almost every afternoon and dive at some hills close by and then pull out of the dive and when they go over you can't hear them until they passed by.  They really move fast.

I hope I get some mail from you today.  We have mail delivered on Sunday.  How is Snapper in school.  Hope he is learning something.  Has he started reading yet. 

Did I tell you that when the Koreans get a letter from their people they read it a lot different than we do.  They seem to chant it or something or sing it.  When you get 2 or 3 of them reading them together it sounds weird.  When I first heard them I thought they were singing or praying. 

Well I guess I will stop for awhile and perhaps finish later this afternoon.  May be I will get some mail from you.  So far you letters come in good time and I usually get 2 letters at once.  I still haven't received the package you sent to me when I was in Sasebo.  So far I have received the following packages.  Round Cookies, your birthday package, some date cookies, and some ginger cookies.  They all have gotten here in good shape.  So far I get more mail than anyone else around here. -------Well I finished dinner.  We didn't have chicken we had steak.  I haven't much moor of any thing to talk about.  I have just been laying around taking it easy.  I'll probably go to the show tonight.  I'll write you a line and let you know the news later on.
Love, Ted

October 9, 1953

Fri 9th Oct. 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got a letter and your package yesterday with my glasses, candles, and cookies.  The cookies were sure good but as usual they didn't last long.  I am set on candles now and I was sure glad to get my sun glasses.  I have had them on all day.  I could never wear them in basic.

Everything is about the same here.  Yesterday afternoon we had a parade and last night I went to the show.  This morning we trained and had another class with the mortar. This afternoon we see a ROCK demonstration on artillery.

Don't worry about me roughing it.  It isn't as bad as you might think.  We have showers in Quonset huts now and then, and this winter we will have our kitchen and chow hall in the new Quonset hut.  They are almost finished with it.  I think next week we will put floors in our tents and some oil stoves.  So it wont be to bad.

I guess the lake looks a lot different after they dug it out.

I think I told you I got a birthday card from Jim and Margie.  I guess Margie is back at her old job now.  Do you ever talk to her.  What have you heard from Jim.  Well we go to lunch in a minute and we should get some mail too, so I guess I will close for now and I'll finish later --------Well we just got back.  It was about 4 miles over and 4 miles back.  I got a taste of some of those hills here.  They are plenty steep and we just went over 2 small ones.  I got 2 letters today mailed the 2nd and 3rd.  I also got another one from Sipes.  He is the only one of the boys address' I have.  Did you ever find out what Zink's address is yet.  How about sending me Bill Anawalts address and may be Newlands. 

My package arrived in good shape.  The cookies weren't broken a bit and just as fresh as the day you baked them.  I still haven't got the package you sent to my old address.  You don't have to send a package every week because I know it cost quite a bit to send them.

I think I wrote two letters to Virginia and Lowell.  I sent one soon after I was here and another one about a week or 2 ago.  Find out what their right address is.  After I finish dinner I think I will go to the show again tonight.  Well I guess I'll close for now and write tomorrow or Sunday.
Love, Ted