Letters dated August 25, 27, and 30, 1954

Aug 25, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well we got the news today from the CO that the outfit was leaving for the states in Sept. and would be back by Sept 30. But only 700 to 800 men would be going with the out fit. The rest would stay in Korea some place. Only key men could go. Platoon Sgts, Section Leaders etc. The only catch is you had to have at least 6 months to do in the army after Sept 30. So that put me out. I only have 4 months and 8 days to do. They may change it to 4 months instead of 6 months if there isn’t enough men. That’s my only chance. They told us we could re up and go. I was sure disappointed when I found out. I thought sure I would get to go. I will be sent to another outfit most likely that isn’t due to move right away. We will find out more about that later on I guess. I might get a break some how. I’ll let you know more when I find out something.

I hope if I am sent someplace else I can get into something besides an infantry unit because winter is coming soon and all the other units are up north.

You said something about reading about the troops leaving yet. Have you seen anything. It would have been nice to be home Sept 30 but I wont be long after that.

I had a letter from Dad yesterday and another can of cookies. To bad they laid some men off at Westinghouse. Wonder why. Wasn’t there enough work. Well I can’t think of any more to say. I’ll write you before long. Don’t send any more packages or anything of importance in you letters as I might move or something might happened to them. You can still write letter though.

Lots of Love, Ted



Aug 27, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I was on guard today and when I came in I had 3 letters from you. I had read in the Stars and Stripes about the units moving over here. I guess you have read may other letter about the 5 RCT leaving over here for the states. I guess the other RCT is the 187 RCT in Japan. I don’t know anymore about where I will go when the 5th leaves. They will leave about Sept 15 for the states. Everyone sure is sore because the way they are taking the men. Guys that have just been here 6 months are going in place of guys that have been here 12 months and more. The only way they can go is to re enlist for 1 or 3 or 6 years. A few guys are doing it. A Sgt took 6 years today and his bonus is about $1600.00. You get a months pay for each year you take and $300 mustering out pay and travel pay from Calif to you home plus rations and pay for the leave time you have coming. Sure adds up.

I could be extended for a year to go back but wont do it. You can re enlist to go to Hawaii with the 25 Div. I sure don’t know what they are going to do with all the guys they leave over here. May be they will send them home. I sure wish I could go with the 5th to the state. I would like to spend some time in the army there training those basic trainees.

Guess everything is going ok back home from the way you spoke in your letters. Guess summers is about over. Well not much new I’ll write you more later on.

Love, Ted



August 30, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Haven’t had a letter for a couple of days so I thought I would write a line this morning anyway. Seems like the letter come in 2 and d3s. I will probably get a letter today sometime.

I thought I told you about getting the spice cake. I got it in the field. I also got two cans of cookies this last week. They sure were good. Hope you didn’t mail a birthday box like you said as I might not be her to get it or I will be late getting it. I don’t need much of anything at all. You said Bill was coming home from Germany. Is he getting out of the Air Force or is he staying in. Glad you are getting the 50 dollars checks OK. Which account had 9 dollars in it. I didn’t know I had any left. How much money to I have left all together. There should be enough check to build it up over a thousand dollars by the time I get out of the army. I should have a least a thousand in Soldiers Deposits when I get home. I should be set up for awhile anyway. I get leave pay for almost 2 months and $300 mustering out pay. I can take it easy for a couple of weeks at least. Pay day is tomorrow again. I think I will put most of my pay in Soldiers Deposit. I think for the 2 yeas I have (almost 2 years) been in I have saved plenty of money that I would have saved in civilian life. Beside the 77.10 you get for Snapper. Couldn’t hardly to that with what I made at Westinghouse.

Not much new about moving. I heard that when the 5 moves in Sept that all the men due to rotate between then and Nov will rote home rather than get sent to another outfit. That misses me a little over a month. No word as what will happen to the rest of us. We will probably get sent to anther outfit that is staying in Korea or maybe get to go to another place close by. We might get a good dear out of it. Sgt Miller is trying to get me to extend for a year and go back tithe the outfit. Almost all the Sgt and SFC are going back in the company. We would all know each other and have a good time probably but we might get some place to far from KC and I wouldn’t get to get home very much and if I took another years I would loose my seniority at the job I have at Westinghouse. The outfits will be filled up with guys just out of basic or recruits and then train as a team like we use to.

Well not much more to wrie about. I am on guard tomorrow all day and that about it. It’s raining pretty good today. It s a little cooler than it has been. I’ll write later.

Lots of Love, Ted