June 26, 1954

Sat  June 26, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well Thursday I came in off the field and got paid etc for R&R.  I drew 115 this month.  While I was there I checked to see why my pay had been so much.  This month is the first time they have kept out anything for that 50 dollars allotment I have going home.  So I had been getting back pay etc.  My pay had been right.  Now that I am Sgt I should draw 111 plus the 50 they send home.  Which make 161.  I think I draw some money for the naval reserve time.  (note: this is a little confusing to me.  I did not really know he was ever in the naval reserve.  If so how did he get drafted?  Might have been something like ROTC, but ROTC at Northeast has always been army.  Just a family historical loss I guess.)

Well I stayed back in our Co Thurs night and Friday morning they took us to Co. C 8069 the R&R center for the Pusan area.  We are going to Camp Hakato Japan; from there we can go any place we want to.  I might go to Tokyo.  We were supposed to leave last night but they said the 5 RCT sent us a day early so we have to wait till tonight.  They send us by boat to Japan and the same way coming back.  Haven’t anything to do but lay around till this even.  It is an overnight run to Japan.  So it will be Sunday morning before I get started etc.  We have to process in Japan again.  The first thing I am go8ing to do is send somethi9ng home and after that take in the sites and look around. 

Well not much more to say.  I will write again from Japan.  I won’t get any mail till I get back to camp so I’ll write late.

Lots of Love, Ted

June 23, 1954

Wed June 23, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well not much new to write about.  We finished our classes today with the 57 recoilless rifle and tomorrow we are going to have a test on things we have covered.  Today I gave a class on Range Estimation.  How to guess ranges, methods used etc.  It went over pretty good.  I a m getting so I can give a pretty good class now.  The Co. Clerk asked me last night if I wanted to go on R&R to Kakaton or something like that.  I said OK so I leave the 26.  Hope I am there for the 4^th of July.  I am going to send some things home when I go. 

It’s been windy and cold the last few days with a little rain but it doesn’t bother me to bad.  I sleep worm at night.

I haven’t had anymore mail since I got the card from you for Father’s Day.  The mail hasn’t come in for today yet.  Will probably get a letter when it does.  It might wait till I see before I finish this letter. 

That is quite a flare up in South America isn’t it. (note: There was a coup de ta in Guatemala around this time.)  Hope it wont amount to much.  I read in Stars and Stripe also about Harry Truman going to the hospital for an operation. (note:  Truman suffered a gallbladder attack while attending the Starlight Theater.)

Well I am beginning to feel like an old Sgt now.  I walk around with a clip board with my motor and a Sgt Stick.  That is just a name we have for it.  It’s a stick or something we cut from a tree and whittle on while some one is giving a class and also use it for a pointer. 

I just got a letter June 14.  So Keith came home on a 30 day leave.  How is he doing.  Has he made any rank yet.  I guess he feels good to be back home.  He has only been gone a years.  I remember I was home about a years ago today or starting home.  Wish I was coming home soon but it wont be for awhile yet.  The time sure goes fast.  This month is about gone now and another one to start.  Well I don’t have much more to write about for now so I will close .  Will try to write before I go on R&R if not I’ll write you in Japan.

Lots of Love, Ted

June 21, 1954

Monday June 21, 1954

I had a card from Snapper tonight.  It was a Father’s Day card.  I had forgot all about Father’s Day till I got the card.  I thought the card was nice.  I guess I will be later to wish you a happy Father’s Day Dad, but hope you had a good one anyway.

Well I didn’t do much yesterday but lay around and study the classes I was going to give today.  I gave 4 hours this afternoon to 3 sections in the 2^nd Bn.  It went pretty good.  The Bn Commander LTC Luckas came up while I gave one class.  He sat and watched for awhile and then left.  Guess it went OK. 

I don’t have much new to say.  I am getting use to having people call me Sgt more now.  It seems like I made it pretty fast.  I still have plenty of time to go over here .  I don’t know whether I can go any higher or not before I go home.  I doubt it.  It would be unusual if I did.  I only know of one guy to make SFC before he went home and he had been Sgt for quite awhile and had about 8 months combat time. 

Everything is going OK out here.  They had a band here this morning and they played at reveille.  I have enjoyed my stay out here and I think we will come out here again next month. (note: remember he is still on a field problem.)  The country is sure pretty here.  We are in a high valley here.  To our rear is a high peak with a spring and a waterfall coming out.  The water is ice cold.  That is where we wash up .  Tonight there is a cloud hanging down between the foot and the peak.  It sure is pretty.

Well not much more to day so I will close.

Lots of Love, Ted

P.S.  I’ll send Snapper some Sgt stripe when I can get some.  (note: he did and I still have them.)

June 20, 1954

Sunday June 20, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well now I am sitting outside my pup tent writing this letter.  I haven’t written for a couple of days.  Friday night we were on a night problem.  I had the letter with my log book and the money order.  Thanks a lot for sending it.  Friday June 18 my orders came through promoting me to Sgt.  I guess you noticed on the letter.  I don’t feel much different.  I am not to excited for some reason.

Last night and Friday night  and all day yesterday it rained and we spent most of the time trying to keep dry.

Also last night I had two letters and Sgt Wood and myself got the packages.  Sgt Wood wanted me to thank you.  We sure enjoyed them a lot.  This morning we went up to the creek and washed some clothes and our selves and that is about it.  Tomorrow all the 57 RR sections from the Bn are having their classes.  I have 4 classes to give tomorrow.  It will be on the 57 and I sure hate to give it.  I am going to work on it in a few minutes.  I am still eating out of the big box you sent.  That was some picture of your bin bench girls Dad. (note: he must be referring to a calendar sent.)

Well I don’t know much more to say so I will close for now and work on my lesson plan.  Will write again later on.  Thanks for the packages and sending the big book etc and the money orders.

Lots of Love Ted.

June 17, 1954

Thursday  June 17, 54

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I had a letter from you tonight June 8.  I thought that was cute what Snapper said about me calling girls chicks.  I sure had a nice package when I opened it up last night.  Plenty to eat and rink.  I sure am enjoying it.  We didn't do much in the field today.  This sun is hot and it is burning my hands an face. 

That is OK  that you sent the package to Sgt Wood.  We are pretty good Buddy's and what I meant when I said that it all got to the same place is that when i get a package i don't get much more  than the rest of the guys because I pass it around and every on get some of it (except shaving lotion.) (note: remember his Dad use to send him whiskey in shaving lotions bottles.)

I think he would enjoy getting a package and he would really like it because he never gets a package and he doesn't have any folks.

I haven't heard if I made Sgt or not.  The rank drop should come any day now.  Well I guess I will close for now.  We are going up to take a shower at the water fall close by.  I'll write you again before long.
Lots of Love, Ted

June 16, 1954

June 16, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I am in the field ow.  We came out yesterday and set up our tents and worked in our area.  It seems pretty good to get out again..  It sure is hot and it looks like it might rain.  I got your big package tonight.  I haven't opened it yet but will when I finish this letter.  I also had a nice letter from you tonight.   I hope Jan makes it OK, sound like a good deal.  That 77.10 is for the upkeep of Snapper and not for her personal use.  The gov pays it for him.  She cannot have it for her under no circumstances and if she thanks she can I have the US Army to back me up.  That school I wrote about was not a paratrooper school but a helicopter school.  I would learn to fly them not jump from air planes.  The other day I went down to the personal section and put in for my 5 years reserve time pay and back pay.  If I get it I will get 324 dollars back pay and 20 dollars more a month.  I haven't heard anymore about leaving Korea or going to Japan.  Yes the 40 Div moved out.  Don't buy a big projector.  You can buy a little reviewer for about 3 dollars that can see them just as well.  Well I don't have much more to say so I will close for now.  Lots of Love, Ted  (note: Dad started taking a lot of slide pictures.  The folks did end up buy a projector, but also had a slide reviewer.)

June 13, 1954

Sunday June 13, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I had 4 letters from you yesterday and a box of candy and the cookies today.  They sure were god.  I liked them.  The letters were dated June 2-5-6 and 6.  I guess the storm has slowed up the mail quite a bit. 

Not much new here.  We have been working on our new area.  Last night I went to the show and saw "Martin Luther."  I sat through about 30 minutes and got up and left.  I didn't like it to good. 

Today I have just been laying around reading and resting.  Tuesday we move out in the field we will just be gone about 10 days.  They changed it quite a bit, before it's over we will probably stay about 3 or 4  days.  I might not get a chance to write much out there. but will try to. 

I remember the Ragan Exterminators.  It was owned by a man and a women.  He has only one arm and drinks a lot.  His wife ran the company.  I guess he is still living.  (note: Ragan Exterminators were still in business when I was a property manager.)  I read the article about the Korean children being in KC.  Hope they didn't get any money.  They try to make money out of the GI.  The civilian working around this camp are stealing everything, black market money and the dope is bad.  Have you read anything about dope in Pusan area.  It's a and he had been on dope for 90 days and when he moved here he had a hard time getting any so he cracked up.  He had been in trouble before.  He was only a PFC.  The other two were just kids. I don't know whether you know it or not but they have people planted in the companies to put the finger on people like that.  No one ever knows about it.  They have the most trouble around Pusan or after pay day.  They try to get a hold of the GI dollar anyway they can.  They killed a couple of GIs here this last payday with rotgut whiskey and dope.  They cut holes in the fences and aid the GIs to get out.  These women come around the fence and try to talk them to come out.  There are a lot of communists still around here as they turned a lot of N. Korean PW loose here.  I think they are sorry now about the way things are going.  They practically give the whiskey away.  One bottle will almost kill you or make you go blind.  Some guys don't have any will power or something.

Well it is raining now.  If it stops I think I will go to the show and see "The Saints Girl Friday."

 Glad you got the $77.10 for Snapper.  Do you figure you get it all now.  You get 51.30 and 25.80 in May and 77.10 in June.  That makes it for 2 months.  I made Cpl March 1 and signed allotment papers in or about April 1.  The 208 I got this month might have been part of that plus my back pay. 

Well don't know much more so I will close for now.  Lots of Love, Ted