(Post card) Los Angeles, Feb 17, 1953
Arrived here at 4:00 AM Calif time. Have to lay over for 2 hours. Ate at the restaurant at the Airline. First class place. Leave here around 6:15 AM. Weather is just cool. Air is fresh. Love Ted
(Post card) Camp Roberts, Feb 17, 1953
Pvt Teddy S. McAnally US55337884
Batry. A 440 AFA Bn
Camp Roberts, Calif
Dear Mom and Dad,
Got here this morning. Didn’t have time to send you my address. Call Margie and tell her I am here. (Tues night)
Feb 18, 1953
Dear Mom and Dad,
I haven’t had anything to do this morning. So I am writing a letter. We got to Roberts yesterday morning. They split us up last night and sent us to training centers. I got to stay with Underwood and Keith (Keith says his dad is a salesman at Davison Furniture) Charles Kirk got separated from us. We are going to be split up again in different platoons today.
The weather is sure nice here. 70 to 75 in the day and 50 to 60 at night. Reminds me of Mo in the spring time. The country looks like the Ozarks only bigger. They still feed good.
This is an armored field artillery battalion. But it is going to be Infantry training. I flew up the coast most of the way here and landed at Paso Roables and took the bus. The Sergeant told us we wouldn’t get anything to eat until we arrived so he took orders for food and stopped at a drive-in and got us food. I ordered coffee and collected the money from the guys. I knew he was going to make something on it so I helped myself to hamburgers. I played the same trick on him as he was playing on us.
They told us we will be here for 16 to 18 weeks. We won’t start basic for another week or two. We are confined to our company area for 2 or 3 weeks. No shows, beer, or PX. We can go to the PX at night in formation.
I like what I have seen of Calif so far. It was light when we left LA. The ocean is pretty. I think you would like it out here. Well let me hear from you and let me know the news. I will write you later on.
Love Ted.
Pvt Teddy S. McAnally
US55337884
Btry. A. 440th Armd. F.A. Bn.
Camp Roberts
Calif.
Write my address just like this. It means Battery A, The 440th Armored Field Artillery.
Thurs 19 Feb 53
Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper
How is everything. Had some time so I thought I would write you. Started pre basic yesterday. It lasts for a week and then next week we start basic (next Wed) We went to the dentist yesterday. I am going to have to have that tooth pulled that I lost my filling out of. I weighed at the PX tonight. I weigh 169 now. We marked our clothes and drilled and had classes today. I am in the 2nd Platoon Barracks now with Wm Keith. Underwood is in the other Platoon #4. I bought a cartoon of cigarettes, clothes hangers, a cloth marker tonight. Everything is cheap but it takes quite a lot at first. Not much more to tell. I haven’t received any letters yet. May be I will by the time you get this letter. I will write again when I get some mail from you.
All my love Ted
Sunday Feb. 22, 1953
Dear Mom and Dad
How is everything. I started a letter Friday but didn’t hardly get started. Had my tooth pulled Fri morning and had classes all day then that night we had what they call a GI party. Moved all the bunks out and mopped and waxed the floors. Sat. I had to do KP. Worked in the kitchen from 5:00 AM till 8:30 PM. I had to wash all the dishes, trays, and silver. About the time you get done with one meal they start arriving in for the next. It usually lasts longer than 8:30 but the cook wanted to go some place and let us get away early. Everyone does KP. I will have to do it again before long. I went to bed about 9:00 last night.
Margie called me last night about 5:15 here. Said she hadn’t got any mail yet but that you had. She should have some. Do you ever see her?
I got up at 6:30 this morn and had breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, and coffee. It is nice here today. I took some pictures here and I will send them when I get them back from the PX. I polished my boots, dyed my shoes this morning. I still have a pair to dye. I may do that after this afternoon.
I went to church this morning. Every where we go we have to go in formation. I didn’t have to go to church but I did. They gave us our rifles today and will have to keep them clean now. They gave us our field equipment the other day. Helmets, field jackets, wool sweater, etc.
I am running out of stamps. I will try to get some more from the PX. We had steak and French fries to day for lunch, green beans, salad, cake. They were out of coffee.
We may not have to do anything tomorrow because of Washington’s Birthday.
I have a single bunk on the first floor. It is a lot better than a double. Lot more room. We have footlockers and a place to hang our clothes behind the bunks. Everything has to be just right. They are not to rough now but they will be when we start basic.
Well not much more to say now. I will write again when I get a chance. Sometimes it is hard for me to write so you might not get a letter every day.
All my Love Ted
Monday Feb 23, 1953
Dear Mom and Dad
How is everything today. I guess dad is home. We didn’t do much yesterday. We got to the PX last night. Drank a couple of beers and bought some things. Sure didn’t seem like Sunday. Thought about you all day.
We have an automatic washer in our shower room now. 25 cents a load. I might do my white stuff then send my dungarees to the laundry. They should be ironed. 2 or 3 of us go in together and it doesn’t cost much.
We had rifle drill this morning and this afternoon. We are going to play ball. Best platoon gets to eat first and won’t have to serve. They said we might go to the show tonight.
I have picked up a cold. Some days it is worm and some days it is cold. Night is always cold soon as the sun goes down. Yesterday it was worm and today it is a little cooler.
I wonder if you would send me about two pairs of the innersoles for my boots. Size 10, Katz has them. They are white and made of sponge rubber. I want to put another pair in my boots. I can’t buy them here.
Stamps are in a machine. 1 airmail and a 2 cent stamp cost 10 cents. One 3 cent and a one cent cost 5 cents. Some things are cheap and some are not. They have a Christian Science Service on Monday night at 1930, that is 7:30. I won’t be able to go till I get off restriction. Well not much more to say now. Will write again.
Love Ted
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