September 25, 1953, Snapper

Addressed to Master Conley Stone McAnally

Friday Sept 25, 1953

Dear Snapper,

How have you been.  I hope you like school OK.  I haven't been able to get your 5th RCT patch yet but I will get you one soon.  I am sending you a 101 Airborne patch that a boy in our platoon gave me.  He came from Italy 5 years ago.  His name is Albino Simone.  He worked in a machine shop befoe he came into the army.  I like to talk to him.  He was a young boy during the last war and grew up in Italy where they were fighting over there.  He thinks a lot of the United States and is glad he can live there and be free.  He is 20 years old now but looks a lot older.

We are going to get our winter clothes before long.  I'll look like an Eskimo when I put them all on.  We will have two types, cold wet and cold dry clothes.  For the two types of weather they have here.  It's below zero most of the winter.  It will start about the last of October. 

It wont be long till I will be 25 years old.  Sure doesn't seem like it.  Everyone thinks I am about 20 or 21 years old. 

Did you have a good time at Jim and Rosalie's.  I haven't had any more letters yet.  Hope I get some tomorrow.  I might go to Seoul tomorrow.  I'll send you something if I do.  Did you ever get the Japanese jacket I sent you.  How do you like it.  Tell Baba to send me some fine emery cloth and some crokas cloth so I can clean my carbine.  It needs cleaning up. We have an inspection every night.  I would like to get it cleaned up good.  About all we do is PT and have classes ect.

Well not to much more is new, so be a good boy and write me a letter.
Love, Daddy