May 25, 1954

May 25, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I had a letter today, May 15.  Not much new here.  I just finished another day of guard on the gate.  You remember that I told you in one of my letters that we used Military Script in place of green backs.  Well the Koreans have been getting hold of that money since the US troops have been over here and buy goods etc on the black market.  They also send it to Russia and Germany and all that money is used against us.  Well today we turned all of our script in and changed it for a different kind.  All the other is no good ow and the Black Marketeers and Reds are stuck with millions of dollars that are no good now.  It was a top secret move and happened all at once.  People down town were trying to change it and give it away.  One Korean through $400 over the fence to a guy.  He turned it in and the captain said he was going to try to put it in to the company funds some way.  I wish I could have got to town some way and got hold of some money before I changed it.  That really hurt the reds.  Let me know if you read about it in the paper. 

To bad Larry didn't graduate from school this year. (note: that was Dad's cousin.  He went to Northeast where Dad had gone and I ended up teaching for awhile after I returned from Alaska.)

Well not much more to write about.  I'll write again soon.
Love, Ted

May 24, 1954

May 24, 1954

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

I had two letters from you tonight.  May 17 and 18.  Last night I gout your box of cookies with the bottle of dye and a car of polish.  The cookies were good and I will be able to use the dye and polish before long.

It seems like I get two letters ant once and some days I don't get any.  I guess when you get this letter it will be your birthday Mom.  Wish I could send you something but there isn't any place around here to get anything.  So I will just wish you a Happy Birthday in this letter. (note: my Grandmother was 44 years old.)  "Happy Birthday."

Guess you are really fixing up the house with the roses and painting the back room. 

I talked to the company clerk the other day and told him about you just receiving 51.73.  He said sometimes it take a few months but they will either send you an extra check or add it on one of them.  Let me know how it turns out.  I don't know when I will go on R&R.  May be soon.

Yesterday I went to town and fooled around.  We rented some bicycles and rode around for awhile. 

You said you didn't know what CQ stood for.  Well that is one of the duties of a Cpl.  You go to the orderly room after duty hours and answer the telephone etc and wake the 1st Sgt up in the morning, give out passes, etc.  Not much to it and you can go to sleep too.  It stands for Change of Quarters.

Haven't heard anymore about moving.  There was some talk about moving to Pusan but I don't think we will however.  If we would move I would still have the same squad  I would always have that.  Sometimes they change them around.  Now I have 6 men in my squad besides myself.  I get a new man and another one from another squad.  The new man seems OK.  He is 19 years old and 3 years RA.  He is from Delaware.  All the other boys are form N. Car., Georgia, and Wyoming and Main. 

You asked me how far we were away from town.  We are located almost right in town.  We are about 15 min walk from the main part of town which isn't much.  7 or 8 beer halls and they charge 200 Won for a beer, which is about $1.10.  It is regular state side caned beer.  We only bay 15 cents at the GI club.  The PX is up town.

It rained all night last night and all day today.  I woke up this morning and my eyelids was swollen up and my lip.  I don't know why.  It went down in a couple of hours.  I don't know what caused it.  Maybe a bug bit me  or something.  It is OK now though.  Well I don't know much more to write so I will close.  Lots of Love, Ted.

May 22, 1954

Saturday May 22, 54

Dear Mom, Dad, and Snapper

How are you doing back home.  It sure rains here quite a bit.  All thought it hasn't today.  last night after guard we got ready for our hut inspection today.  After that I went to eh show ans saw "The Prisoner of Casbah."  Today we had our inspection and it went OK.  I haven't done much of anything today but lay around.  I had a letter from Dad last night dated May 14.  I had one from Jim.  He said his divorce was this month and he had a re classification with his draft board as 1A.  Thinks he will be going to the army before long.  Said he didn't know how to hexplain it to you.  He is still in Springfield I guess.
I am going to the show tonight and see "Tumbleweed."  I don't know what I will do tomorrow.  Guess I'll go to church in the AM and then I might go into town in the afternoon. 


We just got two new replacements in the this evening for my section.  I will probably get one for my squad as my asst. gunner as my my present one is going home Monday morning.  I haven't seen them yet and don't know where they are from.

Well o mail came in tonight.  I might get some tomorrow.  I am sending you in another envelope a couple of our Georgetown news papers.  Thought you might like to read them.
Love, Ted