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.