December 17, 1953 (filed out of order)

Thurs  Dec  17, 1953  (note: filed out of order)

17 1840 I Dec53  (note: not sure what this is, looks sort of like the way the military dates things but not exactly.)

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got tons of mail tonight.  I had 3 letters from you, one from Jim, one from Margie, one from Lewellen.  I also got 6 Xmas cards.  From Martin, Jacques, Talcutt, McDonald, Mrs Jones and Don Cummings here in Korea.  Mrs Jones wrote a sweet note (note: if any of you remember Shepard’s Sporting Goods and alter called Shepard’s Men’ Ware, Mrs Jones was Shep’s foster mother.  They were long time family friends and members of the Dad’s church.)  and MacDonald.  I also got a kick out of Cecil’s care and note.

I just took time out to go to the show with Semonie.  We saw TV shorts.  The Luck Strike Hit Parade and the Bob Hope Show.  The Bob Hope Show was the one that was during the election.  He acted like Sam Spade The President.  Last night I saw the show “Ride Vaquero" with Robert Taylor. 

             

We had three test yesterday.  They were hard ones.  I just barely made it on demolitions.  I only got 37 out of 50.  The others were weapons, got 38 out of 40.  I kind of dropped down a little on those.  I have lost a total of 44 points altogether. 

Today I gave my second talk.  I made 37 out of 40.  I just missed 3 points on that.  I just have one more talk to give now.  I am going to give that one on the 60 mm mortar 

Every one in the tent got 3 gigs today.  They found ashes on the floor.

Glad to hear Snapper is doing OK in school  Does the teacher call him Conley?

So Frank Tucker got my letter.  Is he going to put it in the paper?  (note: Frank was the publisher and editor of the Inter City News.)   I didn’t say to much.  That type of letter is hard to write so it will sound OK. 

So you are proud of me making PFC.  Wait awhile and I will be corporal.  I hope any way.  This school is OK and I like it and like you said anything I learn will help me when I get out.  May be I will go back to Westinghouse and be a teacher or something.  You asked me about the weather.  The snow did not last long but it stays cold.  It gets down to 20 at night usually but it isn’t noticeable because we are out in it so much.  You said something about putting me in the Inter City News.  You don’t have a very good picture of me like that and you better wait till I finish school first.

This is the 3 Div NCO Academy.  The 5^th uses this school.  They on send from 5 to 10 men a week to this school.  The rest are 3^rd Div men.  This is a good school.  They teach a little further into the Army.  They teach why you do certain things.  It’s mostly a build up to be a squad leader and an instructor.  I may give a few classes when I get back to the company.

 

Jim said he was going to quit Kat's. (note. Well known drug store in the KC metro area, sort of like a CVS today.) about the 15 Dec but I think I will wait and see.  He gets big ideas.  You probably have noticed how he dreams.  If he goes into business he will probably make a go of it because he is a good salesman. (note: Jim did make a go of it, he was with Sam Waldon when Walmart was just beginning and retired very well off.)

     

Well I don’t know  much more to say for now so I will close.  I’ll try to write again tomorrow.  May Xmas

And lots of love,

Love, Ted

December 23, 1953

                                                                                                       

Dec 23, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I got a letter today and 4 big packages.  I got your box of cookies and the other Xmas box from you with the Jim Beam in it.  I was sure tickled with it.  I got Evelyn’s box and Edith’s box (note: Aunts)  Both were filled full and I sure thought it was nice of them to send it.  Everything will come in handy.  I have plenty of food, more than I know what to do with.  You had better hold up on the those packages for awhile because I am getting so much I don’t know what to do with all of it.  Edith sent me a lot of toilet articles and cigarettes.  You probably know what was in the boxes they sent.  Be sure to tell them I got them and tell them how much I enjoyed everything and I will write them myself.

I may go back to the company tomorrow night and spend Xmas.  Semonie and Zink our going back and I think I will go back and take a box back. 

Tomorrow is our last day of school except for Saturday.  We have a lot of tests tomorrow.  I got 75 out of 80 on my last class.  This afternoon we had our troop leadership reaction test out in the field. 

About those packages.  I think I have been getting them OK.  You said that one package had shave lotion.  Was it or not. It sure tasted like shaving lotion (note: that must be the one he thought might have been rum he drank it anyway I guess)  I thought it was something else till I tasted it and really couldn’t figure out what it was. Oh, well.

One of the guys got a paper Xmas tree and it is set up now.  One of the guys wrote a poem about the First Sgt and wrapped a small bottle of whiskey and set it under the Xmas tree.  When he came though the tent inspecting, he found it.  He must have gotten a kick out of it.  We did well on the inspection.  Don’t know much more to say so I will close.

Love, Ted 

                                                                        

December 19, 1953

                                                                   

Dec 19, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got a couple of letters from you last night and I got a letter from Marian with 5 dollars in it.  I got a Xmas card from Eva and Gene, Joe Doores.  Lowell and one from Lewellen’s folks.

So Rosalyn had a boy.  I guessed it.

About those packages, I think I have got most of the one you spoke about.  I always say when I get one. 

School has been going OK so far.  I gave my second talk yesterday and now I am going to start working on my third talk.  I took another test yesterday and lost 19 points on it.  I was sure sick from it.  I have lost a total of 60 points now.  I can only loose another 30 or 40 points. And still be an honor student.  We are going to have a lot of tests the next week.  Just one more week of this and then I will go back to the company.

I heard the 5^th RCT was awarded the Sigmon Ree President’s Citation again.  That makes about the third time now.

                                                               

Well in wont be long now till you will have Xmas.  I haven’t minded to much yet.  I more or less over look it.  No one seem to have any Xmas spirit.  Well I think I will close now so I can study a little bit and go to bed.  I’ll write again later.

Love, Ted

PS  Here is a picture of some big guns.  A 155 Howitzer on the right and 105 on the left.

         

December 15, 1953

Dec 15, 1953  Tues

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I was on guard last night so I didn’t get a chance to write.  School is going OK so far.  I have 3 tests tomorrow.  They will be rough ones.  I hope I make a good grade on them.

I gave my PT yesterday.  I did good on it.  I told the class how the exercises were done and then demonstrated by using a demonstration.  I made 70 points out of 70.  I took a Radio test and got 37 out of 40.  That was high in the class.  I fell down on a terrain evaluation and only got 56 out of 70.  I lost 14 points on that.  That was a hard test.  I think there were 18 out of our class that failed it.

 

I got a letter form you and a package.  The letter was the first one that said PFC on it.  The package was the one with the shoe dye.  The weather has been about the same here.  Cold but we keep the stove on at night so we get up to fairly warm.

Well it is not long till Xmas now.  Just 10 more days.  Hope you have a good Xmas.  Next year I plan to be home.  Wish I could have done more for you but I couldn’t send much.  I’ll make up for it when I go to Japan.

School will be over right after Xmas.  I sure would like to make honor student.  I would have to have 900 or more points.  So far I have done good but there are quite a few more tests to go.

I give my second presentation may be tomorrow or the next day. 

Well I have been enjoying the box.  The fruit cake sure is good. 

I saw a good picture tonight, “Breaking the Sound Barrier.”   It was about the jets going faster than the speed of sound.  You would like it.  Well I better close for now.  I’ll write later.

Love, Ted

  

December 13, 1953

 (Turkish 5th RCT patch)             

Sun  Dec 13, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I got up about 10:00 this morning.  I missed breakfast so I opened up a can of fruit cocktail, made some coffee and had some fruit cake.  It sure was good. 

I went back to the company and saw some of the guys.  Sgt. Gretize is leaving tomorrow.  Him and Sgt Hill.  He said he would call you up.  He is a nice guy and you would like him OK.  Some of the guys are gone already. 

I ate dinner and fooled around for a while.  They had a USO show but I think I saw it here so I didn’t stay. 

I think I will be a squad leader when I go back.  They also lifted the time in grade, so I might make corporal when I get back.  I hope so.

I came, back took a shower and studied a little bit.  Guthmiller left and Simonie came down.  I think I will go to the show again tonight.

I got a package to day dated Dec 3.  Cookies and candy.  I also got a Xmas card from Keith.  The first card I have got yet, a letter from Evelyn and a Westinghouse paper and 2 letters from you. 

I am glad you are OK.  Guess you hadn’t heard about me making PFC.  The night problem we had when were were out for 3 days wasn’t bad at all.  They had another one over night this last week and one next week already and another one is scheduled for Jan 14 already.  That one will be a 3 problem exercise.  So I will be back for that one.

I doesn’t seem like two years that JQ took his physical and didn’t pass. 

What rank did Glen have when he came home?  I just wondered whether they gave rank out when he was in.  I am glad everything is going OK at work.  It will really be a boom when the plant expands.  Well I don’t know much more to say, so I will close.

Lots of Love, Ted

5th Army Patch

December 12, 1953

Dec 12, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well I finished my 2^nd week of school today.  First two weeks weren’t bad and went fairly fast.  I think the next two weeks will go fairly fast too. 

I saw a good show tonight.  “

Main Street

to Broadway.” 

I opened the other package tonight.  It was loaded with food.  I’m going to enjoy it.

I might go back to the company tomorrow if I can.  Guthmiller finished school today.  He finished 20 th  in his class with 834 points out of 1000.  His class only had one honor student and he was from the 5^th RCT.  In fact the first 4 in the class were from the 5^th RCT.  This is a 3^rd Div. school and the 5^th only sends a few men each week.  I think there are only 7 from the 5^th in our class.  The rest are from the 3^rd. 

 

It sure has been cold here the last couple of night.  I think it has gone down to about 20 or 18 above.  It doesn’t seem much like it because we are exposed to the weather so much.  We keep the stoves on here at the school all night and it is not too bad when we get up in the morning.  This morning we put a liner in our tent.  It is made out of muslin and it goes on the inside of our tent and it hangs down a little bit and leaves a space between the liner and the tent.  It sure helps a lot.  It is white and it makes the inside of thent light too.  I hope we get them in our tent back at the company. 

My cold seems better.  I think I am getting over it fairly good. 

I sure like my bracelet and lighter and the other things in my box.  I hope you get the things I sent for Xmas.   Your should get the things I sent first by the last of this month and the other things I sent last weekend, by the last of January.  I hope you like it OK  They are not much but I thought you would like it.  They were not many gifts I could send to one person so I just sent them to all of you and for the house.

Well I wish I could be home for Xmas.  I guess they are putting up light and trees by now.  They have a tree up here in the mess hall.  Well you can plan on me being home next year for Xhmas any way.  It won’t be to long.  I hate to be away but I don’t mind to much.  After you are away for so long you get fairly use to it.  There isn’t much you can do about it.  I am doing fine and we can make up for this Xmas next year.  Well think I will go to bed now.  I will write later.

Love, Ted

December 11, 1953

Friday Dec 11, 1953

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

Well today I gave my first talk.  I did OK as far as the instructor was concerned.  He said it was one of the best so far.  I still have tow to go.

I took a map reading test and go 50 right out of 50, so I didn’t lose any points there.

Tomorrow we finish our 2^nd week and we just have two more to go. 

At noon today I got 2 letter and 2 Xmas boxes you mailed the 4^th of Nov.  Also the can of fudge you mailed Nov 7.  I opened the fudge at noon.  It sure was good.  Tonight I opened the smallest box.  I sure was thrilled with my lighter and bracelet.  I sure liked them.  I needed the lighter.  It is the first one like that I have ever seen.  I needed the smokes too.  Thank Daisy for me will you.  Also Evelyn and Harley for the hand warmers.  I will use them too.  I can’t remember everything I got but all of the package hasn’t been opened yet.  Thanks for the shaving lotion.  Was that Rum or what?  I tasted it and thought I was drinking shaving lotion at first.  I haven’t ever gotten the packages that Jim sent yet.  I was wondering if his stuff was in that package.  I haven’t opened the other package yet.  I think I will wait a few days. I will be here Xmas unless I go back to the company.  I hope I can.

Well I think I will go to the show.  A Jessie James picture is there.  Last night I saw the USO Show again.  They told us the USO fund was out of money and we wont get many  more shows unless a Company back in the states send some over like Stanly Home Productions.  I don’t think anyone cares much.  I don’t care.  You get use to not seeing anything like that so you don’t miss it.  A good show is OK. ……. Well I just got back  from the show.  It didn’t show me much. I guess I will shave and go to bed now.

I got a letter back that I mailed Snapper.  I am supposed to write my name and the word free airmail rather than to print it.

I guess in my last letter I sounded like I felt bad.  I wasn’t exactly.  I am ok and doing Ok.  I still have my cold but I think it is getting better.  Well I don’t know much more to say for now .  So I guess I will cloes.  Will write again soon.  Sure enjoyed the packages

Lots of Love, Ted.