Feb. 24, 1953

Tuesday Feb 24, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well we had mail call tonight.  I got 2 spc.Del. you mailed the 21 and 2, Margie mailed the 22 and one air mail dad sent on the 23.  Funny they all got here the same day.  They might have been holding them here.  It only took a day for the one you sent the 23 to get here.  Sure was glad to hear from you.  The pictures of me weren’t very good.  I got your stamps.  That sure was nice of you to send them.  

I have felt better this week except I have a cold and it seems to get worse.  My feet hurt and my knees are a little better but it doesn’t hurt too much but when we double time or run I can hardly make it.  We doubled timed for a mile today, the whole Battery, to a class.  

I have been taking pictures now and then of this place; will send them when I can.  I ain’t got use to this weather here.  Glad to hear everything is ok at the plant.  

Donald Underwood is in another platoon from me but still in my Battery.  We got too go to the show last night.  Don and I were together.  I see him all the time.  His mother seems nice.  We saw The Apache at the show.  I saw it once before.  The shows they get at this camp are old.  They are usually new around the other camps I hear.  They were at Crowder.  Some of the boys were going tonight but I am going to stay in and write some letters and take care of my cold.  

We haven’t done much here except dismounted drill and manual of arms and so forth.  They took our pictures today.  It will cost us 3 dollars.  They give us a book of pictures on our training with it.  You would probably like it.  

We are going to start Basic Thurs. or Weds.  It will get rough then.  Guys that mess up now for something or another have to dig 6x6 holes all night or till they tell them to stop, 10 to 25 push ups, run around the company area or buildings.  March around a tree and guard it.  I have been lucky so far.  

Our cadre leader is a Negro.  We were laughing at a guy marching around a building, changing steps.  He saw me smiling at him and he made me do it.  I did it for a ½ hour.  He forgot I was doing it.  Some one else made me stop and go with the rest.  You can’t argue about anything.  The army isn’t too bad except for not doing what you want.  You never have any privacy or anything.

The food is good usually.  Not as good as Camp Crowder though.  I have had one meal here I wouldn’t eat – rice and meat.  They are kind of tight with the food here.  They won’t make you eat what you take so far.  

They have different training periods.  Some training takes 8 weeks and some times for 16 weeks.  If you go for 8 weeks you usually go 8 more weeks in some other branch of the army.  Like the engineers or quartermasters, truck drivers, etc.  The 16 week cycle is usually men with 1A physical profile.  That means 1 class shape.  They all are put in the Infantry.  That is the 16 week training.  They are always physically fit and have a good IQ.  I don’t know what I am going to be in.  Some of us will be taken out at the end of our 8 weeks and go in for something else.  Some of us will stay here and be in the infantry.  The guys around here that are finishing the training are getting a 10 day leave and then going overseas.  Half are going to the Far East and the other half to Europe.  Maybe the war in Korea will be over before long.  

Well sure do miss you and love you.  Glad to get the letters and hope you keep it up.  Won’t do much good to send any Spec. Del.

All my love Ted

Thurs Feb. 26, 1953

Dear Mom and Dad

I got your letter tonight that you wrote Monday.  I start my basic tomorrow.  

Today we marched out to the Range Station and worked a detail.  I got to ride around in a jeep with a corporal.  We checked telephones.  In the afternoon we nailed targets together.  We marched all the way back.  I didn’t think I was going to make it.  We doubled timed over part of the way and back the same way.  The hills and double time was the hardest.  My knees and my ankles get weak, they are hurting tonight.  I think it is because my boots are big.  No one else’s seems to hurt them.  

I didn’t want to sell my tool box.  They cost 35.00 now.  I won’t be able to buy another one like it for as cheap as I got that one.  I told you I wanted to keep it.  You keep the 15.00.  I can’t cash it any where out here now.  I don’t need anything anyway.  I should have got more for that box anyway.  Well not much more to write.  I think I will go to bed in a little while.  Will write again.

Love Ted