March 18, 1954

Thurs  March 18, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got your letter yesterday congratulating me on making cpl.  It sure was a nice letter.  I also got your cookies you sent they were as good as always.  I never did get a letter from Richard.  I should have gotten it by now.  I wrote Jim Rountree a letter tonight.  I guess he is doing OK so far with with his work.

We didn't do anything all day today.  Our company had guard had guard last night and they kind of let us take it easy today.

I guess we will move before long.  We are going to be paid March 23 and probably move Farley soon after that.  We are going in trucks and it will take us about 3 days.  It will sure be rough enough riding.  But it will be worth it I guess.  It will be a lot different.  We are going to be garrison soldiers now and will have to stay sharp and clean etc. and will probably have the things to do it with though.  We will have tailor shops, barber shops, laundry etc.  We will be living in Quonset type buildings.  I think George Company will have about 8 buildings.  That means about 2 per each platoon.

I think I could use some shoe dye.  I would like to have some mahogany if you can get it.  If not cordovan will be OK.  Also I could some more shoe polish to o.  I would like to have mahogany in that too.  That would probably be easier to get tan any of the dye.  I wont need any black polish or dye when we get moved so whatever you a send will be OK.

We had a USO show today.  It wasn't that good.  They did have a woman MC that was from KC, Kansas.  Her name was Grace Forbes.

Well I am still squad leader but I don't like it where I am.  The 57 RR is heavy and they have mostly big guys in the squad to carry it.  I don't have to carry it myself but the guys in the squad did.  I have some dilly's to deal with.  Big clumsy and sloppy.  One of the guys went AWOL the other night and the Lt had to go get him at the MP station about 2 hours aways from here at midnight.  He gets a court martial before long.

Well things will probably be changed again after we move so it may be better.
Lots of Love, Ted