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 18th or 19th .
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.
Well I finally have time to write.Have done quite a lot since I wrote you last.Friday we got a pass till last night.Martin and I went to Paso Robles.I left my clothes there to be altered.About we decided to go to LA.We hitched hiked to San Lous Abisbo and got a bus there to LA.We got into LA about .We got a nice hotel room about it cost us only $3 for both of us till Sunday morning.We slept till about and then fooled around town for awhile then went over to Hollywood.We went to the Pantages Theater and saw a 3D movie “It Came from Outer Space.”It was good.You should see one of those 3D show some time.
We went to the USO for awhile then to Hollywood Planet.Less Brown was there.That was some place.It is a lot like the Playmore only a lot more and a lot nicer and bigger.After that we came back to the hotel and got a bus about Sunday back to camp.I didn’t think much of LA but did like Hollywood.We only got around Hollywood and Vine and Sunset and Vine.If you had a car you could probably see a lot more.
I got your letters and a box tonight.I haven’t opened the box yet.I know it will be good and I enjoyed getting it.
That was a nice letter Snapper’s teacher wrote.I’m glad he goes to bible school.
I will finish basic next Thurs the 18th and I will come home just as soon as I can get away.If you think you could send me another $25 I could use it.Don’t send anything that won’t get here by then.I may not get it if you do.I would like to have the money with me in case I need to use the phone when I go to LA to catch a plane.I’ll sure be glad to get home. Don’t know what I want to do when I get there,I do want to go out to work and see the guys and go out a couple of nights and see a few people.
I hope my orders are good and I can go to a good school and go to Germany.If they sign the treaty tonight Korea might not be so bad.I hope they sign it and its over with.They don’t say much about it here.
I might go to church tonight if I have time.
I want to go and take that High School test before I leave here.No sense in taking my car now I guess.I think 1650 might be to much. 14 or 1500 would sell it now.It would be better to sell it at that price than to fool around with it to much.
Our training is fairly good now.We have squad tactics and combat tactics now.The main thing we do now is do the bayonet course, assault course and CombatCity.I guess I told you about our training with tanks.Riding on top of tanks etc.
Thurswe are supposed to give blood.
Not to much more important stuff to do.That deal about Marylyn Monroe was a record.They played it over a loud speaker.It was made just for that training.She tried to talk you into surrendering.Psychological warfare is what they call it.Something like Tokyo Rose use to do.
I haven’t had time to let you know that everything is ok.I got back last night about .I got some pictures back that we took the first week at Hunter Liggett.I got your box.It was sure good.Well I have to close now.I will write later.We have a night problem tonight so it will be Fri or later before I can write.
Love, Ted
PS you can send the money anytime.
Friday June 5, 1953
Dear Mom and Dad
How are you.I haven’t had much time to write.I had a night firing problem last night and I did not get back until about .I got up at this morn and we didn’t leave till about .
Last night we fired all tracers at targets that were about 200 yard in front of us.They turned a spot light on the targets.The lights were two miles away and in back of us.The instructor said you could read a newspaper 35 miles away from the light.
We have some good classes for the next 2 weeks.We get to fire a lot of live ammo.We have several convoys too.
We start our 15th week today.Yesterday I stayed in the Btry area.They gave me 11 new men that hadn’t started basic yet and I had to get then to clean up the bivouac area, except for the tents the kitchen used and all the stove water cans etc.Everything was lined up on the parade ground to be worked on.
We get a pass tomorrow, I guess that will be the last one.I don’t know what I will do yet. I want to take my shirts some place and have them worked on.
I might need a little more money.If I do I will call you and let you know.
I haven’t heard anymore about the school.I hope it turns out to be something good and I hope I stay in the states or go to Europe.
Well I don’t have much more.I haven’t written to Margie for over a week.I just don’t have much time to write.
How is everything today.It was nice to talk to you last night.I was wanting to call you all day long but I didn’t think I would be in camp.It was good to get back to a bed and some hot food.We go back out about and will probably stay in tents for the rest of the time we are out.I think we will be back about Thur.
I have really climbed some hills while I have been gone.Friday we marched 12 miles to get on some trucks; it took about 3 hours.We carried our field packs all the way.
Friday we had a Korean night problem.We stayed awake all night in our fox holes.Well at least we were supposed to stay awake.They had tanks running all around the area.The noise coupled with the thought that a tank would run over us sort of kept us awake.They kept setting off dynamite and dropping flour sacks and even had some psychological war fare.They played records of Marilyn Monroe talking and singing.It was interesting.The North Koreans do that to make you home sick they tell us.
Saturday we came in and worked around the barracks etc.I went to the show last night.I saw “Stage Shows.”They have some good movies and we don’t even have to pay.
Well not much more to say.I’ll write again this week.
Well everything is going fine.Sunday we went into the base camp for KP Monday.We ate good there.Steak for breakfast.I guarded the kitchen Sunday night and got to sleep till Monday .The KP stayed Monday too, we came back out Tues .I guarded Monday night also.I ate all night long.
I got you package Tues morning.I have plenty of cigarettes now.The cookies were sure good.We have hot breakfast and then hot C rations at and cold C rations at night.I carried the cookies, crackers and cheese out to the field and we at them.I saved the candy and sardines.I had the sardines for dinner last night along with some cold pork beans.I had to eat everything fast because I couldn’t carry all of it, we move all the time and carry everything we have.Next week we will be in tents again and it will be better if we have packages.We go back to the CampRoberts area about Fri and finish our bivouac.So far I have enjoyed it.
I was an aggressor last night and didn’t have to dig a fox hole.All the guys have to did fox holes to sleep in.Martin and I are still together.He has KP with me and he was an aggressor with me last night. We laid our stuff down on the ground and slept next to each other.Really kept warm that way.The aggressors play the part of the enemy.We slip into camp and attack them etc.
We are on one of the highest ridges on the Hunter Ligett Militia Reservation.They call them hills here but I would call them mountains.The weather out here is still the same.It hasn’t rained yet.If it rains wile we are in the open we have our ponchos so we wont get wet.
I think you should plan on sending me $50 in money orders.I wont need it for a while.Well not much more to say.I’ll write again.Everything is fine.
How are you.I am in my pup tent writing.We packed up Thurs night and left about 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 .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.
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 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.
