June 8, 1953

Monday  June 8, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad and Snapper

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 9:30 pm 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 4 am.  We got a nice hotel room about 6:00 it cost us only $3 for both of us till Sunday morning.  We slept till about noon 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 noon 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 18^th 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 Combat City.  I guess I told you about our training with tanks.  Riding on top of tanks etc.

Thurs  we 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. 

Well not much more to say.  I’ll write more later.

June 3 and 5, 1953

Thur Morning June 3, 1953

Dear Folks

I haven’t had time to let you know that everything is ok.  I got back last night about 5:00.  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 12:00.  I got up at 5:30 this morn and we didn’t leave till about 9:00.

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 15^th 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.

Love, Ted

June 3, 1953

Thur Morning June 3, 1953

Dear Folks

I haven’t had time to let you know that everything is ok.  I got back last night about 5:00.  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.

Explanations 3, May

May Explanations

Things seem to be smoothing out this month for him.  He can see the end of basic just a few weeks ahead and does not sound depressed. 

At sometime in basic training everyone goes out and stays in the woods and become tactical.  They make it as real as it can be.  You are always pretending that the enemy is right around the corner.  You carry everything with you, eat C rations (which is different than the K rations he had earlier.  I am not sure what the difference is – we ate C’s while in basic.)  I bet they have been doing this for years without changing a lot.

He likes going to the movies and more so because they are free while doing the war games.  

He shaves out of his steel pot, like we did.  Burners are put in large water cans to heat the water, like we did, ran out of cigarettes, like we did.  Tried to sleep when they had their 24 hour war game, but couldn’t because of all the racket, so did we.  Ate every chance he got, like we did, especially if we were lucky enough to guard the mess hall.  Hated most of it while doing it, like we did.  Thought it wasn’t that bad and enjoyed it after it was over, like we did.  Like I have stated earlier, some thing never change.

May 31, 1953

Sunday May 31, 1953

Dear Mon, Dad, and Snapper

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 3:00 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.

Love, Ted

PS The cookies were really good and everything.  I’ll probably get the other package soon.  Well I have to get ready to go before long so I’ll close.  I finish basic on the 18^th of June (Thur.)  We probably won’t get our orders till the next Monday, 22 June.  So I will be leaving some time after that.

May 27, 1953

Wed  May 27. 1053

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

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 noon.  The KP stayed Monday too, we came back out Tues noon.  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 noon 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 Camp Roberts 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.

Love, Ted

May 24, 1853

Sunday  May 24, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Haven’t done much of anything all day.  It is about 2pm now just finished eating.  Last night we just fooled around till dark then got in our tents and covered up and went to sleep and didn’t get up till 7 o’clock this morning.  Ate breakfast and we dug slit trenches for our platoon. 

Lucas, Martin, and I took a walk in the hills and took some pictures. 

They have hot water now.  They put gasoline burners in a big can of water.  I shaved again and gave my self a Jew bath.  I washed my feet good. 

The Chaplain came out and had service for protestants members.

It looks like it might rain.  I hope not.  I think I am on KP tomorrow so I go to a base camp about 8 miles from here and stay there tomorrow and tonight.  They have a building there. 

I wish I would have remembered to have you send me some cigarettes and candles. In the package you are going to send.  I don’t think you will have time to send them when you get this letter so I can get them.  We may get cigarettes in our C rations once in awhile.  Candles help keep the tent worm and put out light.  I didn’t get any mail out here yet.  Probably get some tomorrow.  Well now much more to say now so I’ll write the next chance I get.

Love, Ted

May 23, 1953

Saturday  May 23, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

How are you.  I am in my pup tent writing.  We packed up Thurs night and left about 7:00 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 4:30 to 5:00.  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.

Love, Ted

May 20, 1953

Wed  night May 20 1953

Dear Folks

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 11:00 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.

All my love, Ted

Tell Margie I won’t be able to write for a while.

Love, Ted

May 14, 1953

Thurs  May 14, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am on guard tonight.  I have some time so I thought I would write.  I go on guard from 10 to 12 pm and 4 to 6am.  I walk the Reg. guard house area.  That is around the guard house, PX, and cleaners and parking lot where we parked that night you visited.  We came in at noon today to get ready.

To day was C ration day.  We are on recoilless rifles now.

I got your letter tonight. 

I think we are going to bivouac the last of next week.  That is about the 22^nd of May.  I will be glad to go in away because when I get back I’ll only have 2 weeks left o guard.  I am sending some pictures that Martin took when we were on the mortar.  I have some more I am getting developed.  How did the pictures come out you took out here.  You don’t need to send me them but I would like to have 1 or 2 that you think I would like.

Well we just finished our 11^th week today.  That leaves 5 weeks.  We are still on the alert and restricted somewhat.  I didn’t have much desire to go anyplace anyway.  I want to save my money for when I come home.   I don’t know how much I will needy yet to come home but I’ll let you know.  If I don’t get my orders in time I will probably not get the charted plane and may have to go to LA or San Fran. to get a plane.  There is a chance I may not get my orders when the rest of they guys get theirs because of my special training deal and but then I may get them early.  We should finish on Thurs night and get to leave ahead of time and get more time at home. Some guys in the company across the street from us got away on a Sat afternoon and their leave didn’t start till Monday.

 I still have to get my trousers change yet.  Some of the guys are getting their changed so it shouldn’t be to long.  I got your stamps last night.  Thanks. 

Saturday is the big Armed Forces Day parade here.  I would rather see it than be in it.  You can’t see anything when your in it.

Everyone is sure in a bad mood around here anymore.  We don’t get enough sleep , its is hot etc.  They tell the squad leader where to go to when they put them on detail.  I told mine last night.  They were going to give me a recoilless rifle to clean and our Field Sgt. told the guys on guard they didn’t have to.  They were just to work on stuff to get ready for guard.  I never did clean it.

Well can’t think of anymore to say.  That coffee ration is good if you get the right amount of water with it.  Taste just like the real stuff to me.  May be I am just use to it.  Will write again.

Love, Ted

May 12, 1953

Tues night  12 May 53

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got your box of cookies and letters last night and a letter tonight.  The cookies are good.  Sat night I got away to the show and saw Scared Stiff with Martin and Lewis.  Sunday I messed around here and Sunday night went to see Desert Song.  It was a good picture.

I was going to go to church tonight but after dinner I didn’t have anything to do so I laid down and took a nap thinking I would wake up in time to go but I didn’t wake up until 8:20.  So I didn’t  get to go.

We are still restricted because of the alert.  If we leave the area we have to sign out and tell them where we are going. 

We had motors today and yesterday.  We got to ride out on trucks both days. 

It has been hot here lately.  I picked up another cold some place.  And the sun and wind is chapping my lips.  It doesn’t hurt much but it is annoying. 

I guess we start on the recoilless rifle tomorrow.  That will take up 4 days.  Saturday is Armed Forces Day and they are going to have a big parade.  Open house and all that.

The Clyde Beaty Circus will be here also.

I haven’t heard much about the rifle team lately.  I heard they just picked one man from here for the team.  I don’t know for sure yet.

I get guard duty Thur night.  They are going to have classes tonight at 7 o’clock for the guard mount.  The last bunch messed up so we have some kind of class.  This will probably be the last time I will be on it here.

I put a deposit on the airplane and a receipt for a reserved ticket.  I just get to carry 40 lbs of baggage.  Don’t know what I will do about that yet.  I want to keep my stuff with me.

I guess Richard isn’t going to be in the infantry if he is in bivououac already.  He must be in an 8 week cycle and going to be put in the Arty or something.  I didn’t think he was in the tank corps. 

Well not much to say now.  Did you get the title to the car back and have you had any bites on it?  If you don’t sell it before I get home it is OK.  I can use it.  How is the weather there now.  It is usually nice this time of year there.  Wish I was there.  Well I’ll write again later.

Love, Ted

May 9, 1953

Saturday 9 May 53

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well guess you wondered why I haven’t written you.  Have been busy lately.  I have been firing mortars and learning about explosives, mines and booby traps.  We got to see some TNT, plastic C3, ammonia nitrate. And Bangalore torpedoes blow up.  It was interesting.  Learned how to use and put mines around and booby traps in different places.  We have about two more days in mortars then we start on recoilless rifles. 

Last night we had to pack a field pack, blankets and everything.  We all have been restricted for 2 weeks.  We are on what they call “alert”  We have our duffle bags packed and field packs and have to be ready to move out in a moments notice.  Every Btry does this some time or another.  It is for fire, riots, or invasion in the state of California.  Probably won’t go any place, no one ever has, but some one has to be ready all the time.  Everyone is restricted, even the Company Commander.  I guess I won’t get a pass for the next few weeks. 

We started our 11^th week yesterday.  We will be on alert fore the 11^th and 12^th week and go on bivouac  13 and 14 week.  Our 15 & 16 week we will probably be restricted too.

I could use some cookies and candy when I am on bivouac.  We get mail out there.  I couldn’t carry them out there if I got them before I leave because we can only carry so much stuff.  I could also use one of those small flashlights like Snapper got for Xmas.  I got the shorts and the candy.  It sure was good.  I’ll let you know more about the bivouac  before I go.  I could use one of those flashlights now.

This morning I got to go out and fie with the rifle team, they are going to have a match next Saturday.  There was a pvt from this Regiment (Division Arty,)  LTC Pruitt was firing right with us.  Almost everyone out there was an officer.  5 of the 9 will be picked for the rifle team.  LTC Pruitt is on the team and some other officers.  247 is the highest anyone has fired at Camp Roberts.  Last time I fired it was 227 and this time I fired 231.  I used my training rifle both times.  We are supposed to get new rifles next time when we go out.  It was just for practice today and we get to go out again this next week. 

I haven’t done much this afternoon, just fooling around.  We can’t leave the area.  Well I have just a little over 5 weeks to go now.  Should go fast.  Wish I could come home for Mother’s Day.  I wanted to send something home but I don’t know what to send and you couldn’t buy anything in the PX.  Did you like my card.?  Well not much to say.  I will write again later on.  I should have more time to write now.

Love, Ted

May 5, 1953

Tues night 5 May 53

Dear Folks

I got your letters tonight.  Glad to hear from you.  It has been hot here the last couple of days.  Really hot.  I got Margie off Sunday night.  Had a nice time and was glad she stayed.  After I took her to the airport I came back to Paso Robeles and bought a few things I needed.  I was going to ride the bus back but it was so crowded I missed getting on 3 buses.  So I went up to the corner and started hitchhiking.

I saw the restaurant where we ate dinner that Sunday night so I went over there and got a sandwich.  Later I got a ride back and got in about 10:00.  I didn’t get away till about 4:30 Sat afternoon.  Was glad you were here while you were..  We may not be getting anymore passes for awhile till basic is over.

We will be in bivouac 2 weeks, the 13 and 14 weeks.  We will start our 11^th week training Friday.  That just leaves us 6 weeks. 

I got the title to the car last night.  I will mail it to you.

I heard we may go to Ft Riley for that school I told you about.  I hope it is.

We turned in our overcoats and sweaters tonight.  I sent some C rations coffee, sugar and cream back with Margie.  Some cocoa too, that is the best.  Well not much more to say now.  I’ll write again later on.

Love, Ted

Explanations 2

There were not many letters written in April due to the fact that is when we took our trip to California to see Dad.  By me I mean both my grandparents, Margie, and I.  Margie was Dad’s girlfriend and is mentioned a lot in the letters.  I remember her.  Tall blond.

Margie seemed more in a hurry to get there than we were, so to the best of my recollection I can only remember stopping once on our way out there but we must have stopped over night some place else.  I know one night was spent in New Mexico at a motel that was shaped like Indian Teepees.  I remember stopping at the California border and having to surrender any fruits and vegetables we might have been carrying with us.

I remember seeing Dad as we drove up in the evening standing by his barracks and the guest house we stayed in.  The people who ran the guest house were black and I spent a long time talking to a very attractive black lady.  I guess she thought I was a cute little boy.  A black soldier walked in on us as we were talking and told me he was going to tell her husband that she had been talking to me.  Sort of scared me.  When we checked out my grandfather gave me some oranges to give to the lady.  The same soldier was standing there as I went to the lady’s door and I still remember being some what intimidated and afraid he would tell her husband.

The only two things I remember about Camp Roberts is we went and played Bingo and one of the prizes was a pin that wrote underwater.  I thought that would be a neat prize.  We didn’t win anything.  The other thing is when my grandparents and I were driving around the base one afternoon and ended up on a road that we discovered was restricted for civilian traffic.  An army vehicle came up upon us and my grandfather grabbed my army cap and put it on his head so they would think he was a soldier.  I am not sure to this day if he was serious or not.

The weekend we were there we all drove to San Francisco.  My grandfather wanted to two three things.  Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, which we did; eat in China Town, which we did; and ride the cable car, which he didn’t for reasons now I don’t recall.  We took a boat and drove around Alcatraz, visited the Red Wood Forest, and I am sure much more but that is all my 5 year old brain can recall. 

I don’t remember taking Dad back to Roberts but I do remember Margie stayed there, we stopped in Los Vegas, by grandmother bumped my head with the handle of a slot machine, some place in Arizona or New Mexico we saw tumble weed, got caught in a sand storm, went through the Petrified Forest, and saw the Painted Desert.

Dad mentions a couple of more new people in his letters of April but I did not know any of them.

The last letter Dad wrote in April was the first and one of the few times he mentioned anything about some “special training” he was going to receive based around “army intelligence.”   If you want to find out more about that go to my blog “The Adventures of Conley McAnally” and find the blog I wrote in November 2010 called “Spy Dad.”  It really is an interesting story and was not finished until dad's funeral.

April 30, 1953

Thur April 30, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I guess you are home by now.  I am still on the 60mm motor.  Margie and I went to the show last night again.  I don’t know what I will do tonight. 

I had something happen today that may be good news and may not.  They called 16 of us out at noon to go to be interviewed by Government Intelligence.  It is a secret of some kind.  They sent 5 back because they had been charged with some crime.  They took down our life history, every place we lived, when you and Dad were born and where and all that kind of stuff.  All he told us was that we would finish our basic here, take our leave as usual and then go to a 2 week school which has something to do with aircraft in one way or another.  Then we would go to our port after school.  We will still be infantry as far as I know but will have two weeks of some kind of training.  I will have to wait and find out.  It may work into something good I hope.  They told us not to talk to anyone about it and even among our selves.  They will probably be around checking on my credit and character references.

I don’t want you to say a word about this to anyone at all.  I will let you know more when I find out more.  It must be pretty secret or they wouldn't have told us not to talk about it.  They picked us up in a truck and they just told us to get on, that was all they said.

Well how was the trip?  I got your card you mailed Monday.  I guess I will close for now, I’ll write later on.  I sure miss having you here to see at night.  I really had a swell time when you were here on your trip.

Love, Ted

April 29, 1953

Wed morn  April 29, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Thought I would take a few minutes this morning to write you and tell you I had a swell time last weekend and I sure hated to see you go back.  Margie is still here.  I saw her Monday night for a little bit and went to the show last night.

Guess you will be home by the time you get this letter.  Wish I had made the trip back with you.

We had the .45 pistol Monday and it rained all day long.  Got kind of wet.  Tues we start the 6mm motor and will be in it for about a week.  That will just bout finish our weapons.  Won’t have many more.  Will close for now.  Will write later.  I miss having you here.

Love, Ted

April 13, 1953

April 13, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I guess you thought I had forgotten how to write.  I have been busy.  My training is about the same.  We double time a lot.  We went for about 3 ½ miles without stopping the other day.  We are still on machine guns.  I fired this morning and came in at noon for KP to relieve the guys who were on KP so they could fire.  Everyone has to do it.  I got off just a while ago.

Sat Keith and two other guys and myself got a pass and left about 1 pm and went to Pismo Beach.  It was really nice there.  We stayed in a motel looking out over the beach and the ocean.  We hitched hiked and had no trouble getting a ride.

Sunday night when we got back I went to the guest house in the East garrison and put a deposit on the rooms.  It cost only 1 dollar a day per person.  Margie cannot stay there because she is single.  I stopped at another guest house on the way backs in the west garrison and made a reservation for her.  It was the same price as the other.  Girls only can stay there.  It is kind of an inconvenience that way.  I paid for a day for you $3 and a day for Margie, $1.  The reservations are for 22 April.  When you get here come to Btry A-44 orderly room and ask for me.  If I am not there they will tell you what time the troops get back.  Better just send Dad in because they don’t like a lot of people in there, it gets confusing.  There is a parking lot on the next street back of the parade field. 

I have been looking forward to you arriving for quiet awhile.  I don’t know just what we wan do when you get here.  But we can see when you get here.  It has been cool here so don’t forget your coats.

I just got your letter.  Glad everything is ok.  I don’t have any tires left to give him.  I let them go with the car.

Well Saturday they took some of us to be interviewed for leadership school.  I signed my name but may not take it.  It’s a sharp school.  Shoe strings have to be pressed, floors so clean you can eat off them etc.  It would be another 8 weeks of training after I finish my 16 weeks here.  It would be in the heat of the summer.  You have to give a 5 and 20 minute talks on different subjects etc.  I don’t think I would like that.    The guys that don’t go to officer’s candidate school go directly to Korea.  I have until about my 15^th week to decide.  I might be lucky enough to get some other school.  They interview us in our 8^th week for schools.  Very few guys with A1 profile get to go to most schools unless they have had some college.

The guy who got his money stolen never did get it back.  They made us go to bed at 9 instead of staying up all night.

Margie said she saw the note Jan gave Arkie.  Arkie showed it to Margie.  That makes me mad that she does that.  She had better not cause me any trouble personally more than she has.  I would just as soon she didn’t keep my name.  Sometime why don’t you go down and talk to a lawyer and see what he says.

I guess I will see you before long.  You probably won’t get to many more letters from me before you leave.  I will write again when I get a chance.

Love, Ted 

Ps  I got a letter form Lowell and Virginia and one from Jimmie Miller.  Tell them I will write before long if you talk to them.

Explanations 1

If you have been following this blog you may have noticed that the last two entries are out of order.  The last one was Dated 31 March and the one before that April 8, Easter.  Although Dad wrote them in order they were not postmarked correctly and received out of order by my grandparents.  Either the US Post Office lost them in the mail or the Army messed up.  Either way that is the way Dad filed them.

 

After the last blog entry dated the 31^st I thought that this might be a good time to stop and provide some explanations as to who, what, where, when, and maybe how.  I think I will start doing that after every month to cut down on some confusion, you, the reader, might have. 

 

For instance Dad wrote about Camp Crowder.  Camp Crowder was a staging and processing Camp that was used for those who were drafted in the Midwest.  It is about a three hour drive from Kansas City and is nestled near Joplin, Carthage, and Springfield, Missouri.  Ft. Riley is in Kansas and home to the Big Red One Division.  Ft. Leonard Wood is between Rolla and Springfield, Missouri and was a major basic training facility.  Camp Chaffee was also a basic training facility.  Crowder and Chaffee have been turned over to their respective states and used as training facilities for national guard units.  I have spent short tours of duty in all the places Dad mentions except for Camp Roberts which is close to San Francisco.

Jan was my mother and she must have done something to irritate Dad but what it was she did exactly I don’t know and have never asked.  Why they were divorced one can only speculate and again I have never asked.  My mother as of the present is still alive and has her wits but I don’t think it prudent for me to ask her what was going on back then.

Most of the guys Dad mentions are unknown to me.  He writes about a Keith Underwood several times, but I never heard him mentioned any other time while I was growing up.  He makes a passing reference to “Jim” whom I did know well and was like a best friend to Dad for many years after the war.  The guy named Arkie (which one time in Dad’s letters was called Archie) was a friend of his from Arkansas that had moved to Kansas City and they hung around the Bars together.  The Bar where Arkie met “Jan” is no longer there.  I did meet Arkie a couple of times, but from what I heard later he was not the type of guy Dad would want me to be around.  A fellow name Richard Jacques was the son of friends of the family and Donald, the one who had to go home because his father-in-law died and later recycled was a boyhood friend of his.  Betty was Don’s wife.  I never met or heard about them after Dad returned.

Sad Sack was my dog that got ran over by the school bus driver one morning while all of us kids were waiting to get picked up and taken to school.

Dad was a Christian Scientist so that is what CS stands for and my grandmother use to send him pieces of paper with CS information on them to help him through some of his hard times, especially when he had his lingering cold.  Mr. Clark was the CS representative at Camp Roberts and ministered to those of his denomination.

One thing I have noticed is that the training in 1953 was very similar to the training I went through in 1968. We had plenty of GI parties, doubled timed a lot, pulled KP, changed floors in the barracks now and then, had many classes, ate K-rations, but they were C-rations by 1968, spent many hours on the rifle range but did qualify with M-14’s and not M1’s. The procedure they used to pay us was identical and lasted well in to my own National Guard tenure.  I was a pay officer more than once.  I had a “Negro” drill sergeant in Ft. Benning, who for some reason made me guard a tree once also.  Some things never change. 

March 31, 1953

(received and posted out of order)

Dear Mom and Dad

I received your letter last night.  I got 6 letters all together.  Was glad to get them.

Sunday night after I wrote you I went to the service club and ate in the cafeteria.  Got a good meal. 

I found out that you will have to stay in the East Garrison guest house.  I tried to call but couldn’t get anybody.  I found out that I have to get a form signed by my Btry Commander though.  I am having a guy get me one tonight.  You can only stay there for three days..  Let me know as soon as you can the approx date you will be here.  If you get here during the week you could stay here and then I would get a pass on Sat and we could go some place else.

 

I think Richard Jacques is at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas.  He may be put in the infantry or artillery.  He may be lucky to get something better.  Nice he is close to home.

I had classes all day yesterday and another hour of bayonet training.

We had a Btry complaint session last night with our Btry Commander.  Did I tell you he is just 24 years old.  2^nd Lt.  He is pretty good and plenty smart.  He said we will have a party before long and have steaks and beer. 

We went to the field again today for class.  We always eat noon out.  If it is cold we have coffee in the morning once in a while, when it is hot we have orangeade or lemonade in the afternoon.

I am mailing something home to you all for Easter.  Hope you like it.  I didn’t get to go to church last night because of the meeting. 

I got you letter awhile ago and the newspaper.  Didn’t know you put my picture in the paper.  I was sure surprised.

To bad about Sad Sack, I hated to hear about him.

We got paid tonight, I got $74.  You should get the allotment check before long.  Jan should pay you what she always does, regardless of what the check is.  It will be either $40.00 or $51.30.  When we get paid we line up in alphabetical order and walk in the orderly room.  The 1^st Sergeant has us sign our name.  Then one of the officers sits at a desk in another office.  We walk up, salute and say “Sir, Pvt. McAnally reporting for pay.”  He counts outs the money.  I pick it up and count it and then walk out.

We have to salute all the officers on the base if they are walking or in cars.

Did I tell you they play bugle calls at different times of the day.  All the cars stop at 5pm.  They call this retreat.  I saw Donald tonight.  He said he didn’t think Betty was coming out.

I enjoy getting the packages you sent.   Seems like the last package I got was on Thurs.  I will let you know when I get the next one.  I am fixed up on shaving lotion and tooth paste.

Well not much more to say, I will close now and write again.  I can never think of all I want to say.  I always think of it after I write.

Love, Ted

 A personal comment from Me

If you have been following this blog you may have noticed that the last two entries are out of order.  The last one was Dated 31 March and the one before that April 8, Easter.  Although Dad wrote them in order they were not postmarked correctly and received out of order by my grandparents.  Either the US Post Office lost them in the mail or the Army messed up.  Either way that is the way Dad filed them.

After the last blog entry dated the 31^st I thought that this might be a good time to stop and provide some explanations as to who, what, where, when, and maybe how.  I think I will start doing that after every month to cut down on some confusion, you, the reader, might have. 

For instance Dad wrote about Camp Crowder.  Camp Crowder was a staging and processing Camp that was used for those who were drafted in the Midwest.  It is about a three hour drive from Kansas City and is nestled near Joplin, Carthage, and Springfield, Missouri.  Ft. Riley is in Kansas and home to the Big Red One Division.  Ft. Leonard Wood is between Rolla and Springfield, Missouri and was a major basic training facility.  Camp Chaffee was also a basic training facility.  Crowder and Chaffee have been turned over to their respective states and used as training facilities for national guard units.  I have spent short tours of duty in all the places Dad mentions except for Camp Roberts which is close to San Francisco.

Jan was my mother and she must have done something to irritate Dad but what it was she did exactly I don’t know and have never asked.  Why they were divorced one can only speculate and again I have never asked.  My mother as of the present is still alive and has her wits but I don’t think it prudent for me to ask her what was going on back then.

Most of the guys Dad mentions are unknown to me.  He writes about a Keith Underwood several times, but I never heard him mentioned any other time while I was growing up.  He makes a passing reference to “Jim” whom I did know well and was like a best friend to Dad for many years after the war.  The guy named Arkie (which one time in Dad’s letters was called Archie) was a friend of his from Arkansas that had moved to Kansas City and they hung around the Bars together.  The Bar where Arkie met “Jan” is no longer there.  I did meet Arkie a couple of times, but from what I heard later he was not the type of guy Dad would want me to be around.  A fellow name Richard Jacques was the son of friends of the family and Donald, the one who had to go home because his father-in-law died and later recycled was a boyhood friend of his.  Betty was Don’s wife.  I never met or heard about them after Dad returned.

Sad Sack was my dog that got ran over by the school bus driver one morning while all of us kids were waiting to get picked up and taken to school.

Dad was a Christian Scientist so that is what CS stands for and my grandmother use to send him pieces of paper with CS information on them to help him through some of his hard times, especially when he had his lingering cold.  Mr. Clark was the CS representative at Camp Roberts and ministered to those of his denomination.

One thing I have noticed is that the training in 1953 was very similar to the training I went through in 1968. We had plenty of GI parties, doubled timed a lot, pulled KP, changed floors in the barracks now and then, had many classes, ate K-rations, but they were C-rations by 1968, spent many hours on the rifle range but did qualify with M-14’s and not M1’s. The procedure they used to pay us was identical and lasted well in to my own National Guard tenure.  I was a pay officer more than once.  I had a “Negro” drill sergeant in Ft. Benning, who for some reason made me guard a tree once also.  Some things never change. es you send.  Seems like the last package I got was on Thurs.  I will let you know when I get the next one.  I am fixed up on shaving lotion and tooth paste.

Well not much more to say, I will close now and write again.  I can never think of all I want to say.  I always think of it after I write.

Love, Ted

Easter Sunday 1953

Easter Sunday (April 5)

Dear Mom and Dad,

Here I am in Paso Roables again.  Keith Underwood and I came in.  Every place was crowded.  We got a room in a motel for 2 dollars.  Four of us stayed there.  Three slept in a bed and the other guy slept on the floor.

I got your package.  Sure liked it.  I am pretty well set up with candy and gum now.  Cookies were good.

We have been firing the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle.)  That is all we have done that amounts to anything. 

We went to church service Fri afternoon and yesterday we didn’t get away from Camp until about 6pm.

You never did say if Snapper got the T shirt I sent.  Let me know if he got it.  I mailed a picture to you and Margie that they took of us the first or second week of basic.  I got yours back twice and Margie’s once because I did not have enough postage on it.  I guess you will be later getting it.

I don’t remember anything I said about calling.  I might call this afternoon though.  Well hope you have a happy Easter.

Love, Ted

Wed night  8 April 53

Dear Mom and Dad

Well have been busy lately again and haven’t had time to write.  Monday we fired the BAR again and Tues the same thing.  We are finished with that.  Today we started on the 30 cal machine gun.

I got to come in early today and work in the supply room.  We had K rations today.  This morning I had beans and franks and tonight I had sausage gravy.

Some body stole $90 out of a guys foot locker and they restricted all of us until further notice.

We have been digging around the barracks again so they could put sod out.  That is why I haven’t written you. 

I got your pictures, they sure were good looking.  I enjoyed talking to you Sunday.  I went to church Monday night again.  Mr. Clark has the servicemen take turns reading as 2^nd reader.  He asked me to read next Monday but I told him I didn’t want too.

I am getting along alright.  I just got a letter from Arkie.  He is in Tacoma Washington (Ft. Lewis)  He is waiting for his orders.  He said when he was home he saw Jan at Bakers no. 2.  she was with some girl and she offered to buy him a drink.  He said Jan married a truck driver.  Later he comes in and asked Arkie if Jan was a nice girl.  Arkie told him that he just knew her through me.  He said Jan went out with a friend of his and mine and when she left she gave Arkie her phone number.  That makes me plenty sore that she does me that way.  Has she changed her name yet?  I would just as soon she doesn’t use my name anymore.  She probably lies about why she got a divorce.  Find out about that name.

Well hope you still come out when you plan.   To bad dad has to work Sunday before you come out.  Do you think you will be here before to late in the week?  I am sending you another picture.  This one is of the boys I live with, they are in my platoon and barracks.

Keith isn’t in the picture.  He was gone when they took the picture. 

They just told us that no one goes to bed till the $90 is returned. 

We still double time a lot.  It’s easy anymore.  We double timed for about 3 miles with out stopping the other day.  My legs don’t tire out a bit.  I run out of wind before my legs tire out.  My feet bother me once in a while.  Well let me hear from you.  I will write more later.

Love,  Ted

PS  the box you sent was fine.  It’s all gone now except for a few chocolates.  I don’t need anything.  I have plenty of gum and stationery.  We don’t get to chew gum much.