July 13, 1954

Tues  July 13, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I guess I will write you this afternoon while I have time.  I only had a one letter since I wrote you last.  It was from Dad dated July 4.  It had a picture of Snapper in it.  I read about the triple murder in the Stars and Stripes.  Didn’t give many details though.

I guess you know by now I spent R&R in Japan.  Wasn’t much going on there.  I came back from town and spend the day at Camp Hakatu.  Took in a show “Red Garters” had a few drinks at the Star Bust Club.  I toped the Tom Collins with a jucy T Bone.  I haven’t done much lately.

Our platoon is going on guard at 4 PM and will spend 8 hours straight.  That’s the way it done now.  We (the platoon) put 8 hours on guard and have 24 hours odd.  For instance we go on at 4 till 12 and then off till midnight tomorrow.  That is all we do.  No PT, no training, and no details.  Being a Sgt I get off every other time so I get plenty of rest.  We can go on a pass, go to the beech or sleep and eat.  I have been doing a little reading her lately.  I was reading “The Long Wait.” By Mickey Spalaine and before I finish the book the picture was playing at the Bn Theater last night.  You may have seen the picture. 

The mail comes at a little past 1:00 so I am looking for a letter any time.  It has been a long time since I have heard from anyone.  I never hear from Jim or Margie either.

I don’t know if you have heard me speak of Sgt Wright in the platoon or not.  He came from the 45 Div.  He had a bit of line time and was a little on the shell shocked side.  Not much as it could be but he is a nervous wreck.  Anyway awhile back he got a letter from his wife.  She wrote that she just had a baby.(by another because he has been in Korea for over a year.)  She had been writing for a long time and they were usual letters a wife would write he husband.  It came all at once and it really shook him up.  The Old Man relieved him of duty.  No onek new why.  He was ready to rotate anytime so I guess his wife wrote and told him before he got home so he could cool off.  He got extended a month when he was ready to go home.  Yesterday he told me all about it.  He knew I had been married before and he is my age too.  Florida is his home.  He told me he was really going to fix her when he got home.  That might be the reason he was extended.  So he could cool off a little.  I told him the best thing he could do was just be cool about it and ignore her and not let her know that he was the one that was hurt and he could hurt her more by not even talking to her or anything.  I don’t know…(note:  The letter ended there at the bottom of the page and no pages followed.)