Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Dearest Betty
Conclusion of Dearest Betty BLOG
My dad got home some time early August. I was 17 years old and he nicknamed me Brooke. He said I babbled like a Brooke. The name has stuck ever since.
He seemed like my same dad (as much as a 17 year old could tell) but seven months later on March 23, 1952 he took his own life using his 45-service weapon with a gunshot wound to the right temple. He and my mom had returned from a happy evening out at the N.C.O. Club it happened without any conversation (that I knew of) while mom was getting ready for bed.
I always wondered how he could do that leaving my mom and me after he missed us so much while he was gone. I am convinced now that he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Back then there was no concern for the mental health of the service men that had endured such awful living conditions and seen such horrible sights. It took nearly 10 years for my mother to get any benefits from his death, as it was ruled “death by his own misconduct”. It took a congressman from Florida to help her get his pension.
I had never read the letters before this BLOG so it has been a real eye-opener to understand what he went through. I just wish I had talked more about him with my mom before she passed away in 1996.
At present, with the help of another Congressman
here in South Carolina, I am trying to find out if Kim Ho Min is still living. So far no word.(This was Kim's last known address in 1951)
Thanks to all who have taken the time to read This BLOG.
Brooke Hallman
Friday, December 18, 2009
Dearest Betty
Letter # 125 (The last one)
July 12
At Sea
Dearest Betty
Well here I am really on my way home and to you. As scheduled we left 4/11 Monday July 9th, took a Hell of a 40 mile truck ride to Chin Chu to the air strip. Then it was so overcast that my flight #23 didn’t get off until late on the afternoon of the eleventh. 1 hour 10 minutes later we landed at Pusan, another 15 mile truck ride to Camp where we turned in our gear, rifles, packs, mess gear etc. Drew a nice set of dungarees, skivvies & socks---then the rains came. This morning we embarked again on trucks for the docks. There we were deloused (Army) Marines aren’t lousy. Then aboard ship, a rather small A.P. transport, but (Navy) dinner today roast beef, mashed spuds, creamed peas and SALAD and cake. Supper, fresh beef stew with real spuds, nice salad. Our Navy they really have it rough out here.
So we go now to Kobi, Japan, pick up our gear we left if there is any left of it, then get on another ship, just what type I can’t say till we get aboard. Then on the 14th we are to sail out. Can't say which part we will land in but should be around the 27th of July. A few days to get our orders, draw clothes and all such red tape, then my leave will start. Should get 30 days with processed time so I hope to be seeing you sometime around the 4 or 5th of August. I would like to fly, I don’t think it would cost any more than VIA train, should I sleep any or eat any and I know I would and besides I’ll see you three days sooner if I fly but I also hear you have so many people are flying back & forth just when a transport comes in. Any way we will see. I may be able to hitch a ride VIA government air. Can’t say and I know I won’t fool around waiting to see day by day. I want to come home, I am desperate now with the end so close. I really can’t sleep, and of course my body knows I am going home too for I already have my cold. Lots of coughing and one side of my face hurts.
Honey I won’t know till I get to the U.S. where I’ll be posted but feel sure it will be L.J. Very few people are asking for it and I made all three of my choices Camp LeJeune to the Commandant. Also gave my home address a Jacksonville so I am sure that will be it. Well, Sugar Pie, this is my last letter to you, just wish I knew if I should call you from Calif. Or just keep rolling along. Any way, Dear, my love is just rolling along to you a Hell of a lot faster than this ship is moving.
I’ll close now and buy a envelope & stamp tomorrow. Something new.
All my love dear till I see you & look deep into your eyes and say---Betty, I love you.
Bill
July 12
At Sea
Dearest Betty
Well here I am really on my way home and to you. As scheduled we left 4/11 Monday July 9th, took a Hell of a 40 mile truck ride to Chin Chu to the air strip. Then it was so overcast that my flight #23 didn’t get off until late on the afternoon of the eleventh. 1 hour 10 minutes later we landed at Pusan, another 15 mile truck ride to Camp where we turned in our gear, rifles, packs, mess gear etc. Drew a nice set of dungarees, skivvies & socks---then the rains came. This morning we embarked again on trucks for the docks. There we were deloused (Army) Marines aren’t lousy. Then aboard ship, a rather small A.P. transport, but (Navy) dinner today roast beef, mashed spuds, creamed peas and SALAD and cake. Supper, fresh beef stew with real spuds, nice salad. Our Navy they really have it rough out here.
So we go now to Kobi, Japan, pick up our gear we left if there is any left of it, then get on another ship, just what type I can’t say till we get aboard. Then on the 14th we are to sail out. Can't say which part we will land in but should be around the 27th of July. A few days to get our orders, draw clothes and all such red tape, then my leave will start. Should get 30 days with processed time so I hope to be seeing you sometime around the 4 or 5th of August. I would like to fly, I don’t think it would cost any more than VIA train, should I sleep any or eat any and I know I would and besides I’ll see you three days sooner if I fly but I also hear you have so many people are flying back & forth just when a transport comes in. Any way we will see. I may be able to hitch a ride VIA government air. Can’t say and I know I won’t fool around waiting to see day by day. I want to come home, I am desperate now with the end so close. I really can’t sleep, and of course my body knows I am going home too for I already have my cold. Lots of coughing and one side of my face hurts.
Honey I won’t know till I get to the U.S. where I’ll be posted but feel sure it will be L.J. Very few people are asking for it and I made all three of my choices Camp LeJeune to the Commandant. Also gave my home address a Jacksonville so I am sure that will be it. Well, Sugar Pie, this is my last letter to you, just wish I knew if I should call you from Calif. Or just keep rolling along. Any way, Dear, my love is just rolling along to you a Hell of a lot faster than this ship is moving.
I’ll close now and buy a envelope & stamp tomorrow. Something new.
All my love dear till I see you & look deep into your eyes and say---Betty, I love you.
Bill
Note from Babbling Brooke: Tomorrow I will write a final entry about my dad's return
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Dearest Betty
Letter # 124
July 6, 1951
Hi, Sugar
Well, Street has gone to Reg. To be Marjorie Renalds escort. We are getting just like the Army. Jack Benny Errol Flynn M. Renalds are having a show at Reg. Today. We are still getting quite a bit. A return fire from the Red artillery. Just can’t knock them out or they put new guns in every day. Poor Peel, he is a wreck, runs around with his steel hat on, has a fox hole deep enough to stand up in. Came up last night and bummed a qt. Of whiskey off of me. Said he hadn’t slept in three nights. Also gave me Myrna’s phone number to call her up ant tell her just how rough he is having it. I told him I would but I was going to tell her how soft he was having it with stage shows, whiskey,movies, fresh chow & everything.
Well, Novack’s request for air transportation was refused, so he will have to go with the rest of the gang. Put off another day now the ninth. Sure will be glad to get under-weigh. I am so afraid now that something will happen to stop us and I am all hepped up to being home with you soon, that the days are dragging and the nights never end. We get a ration of beer tomorrow so I’ll drink mine to you till I can drink one with you.
All my love
Bill
July 6, 1951
Hi, Sugar
Well, Street has gone to Reg. To be Marjorie Renalds escort. We are getting just like the Army. Jack Benny Errol Flynn M. Renalds are having a show at Reg. Today. We are still getting quite a bit. A return fire from the Red artillery. Just can’t knock them out or they put new guns in every day. Poor Peel, he is a wreck, runs around with his steel hat on, has a fox hole deep enough to stand up in. Came up last night and bummed a qt. Of whiskey off of me. Said he hadn’t slept in three nights. Also gave me Myrna’s phone number to call her up ant tell her just how rough he is having it. I told him I would but I was going to tell her how soft he was having it with stage shows, whiskey,movies, fresh chow & everything.
Well, Novack’s request for air transportation was refused, so he will have to go with the rest of the gang. Put off another day now the ninth. Sure will be glad to get under-weigh. I am so afraid now that something will happen to stop us and I am all hepped up to being home with you soon, that the days are dragging and the nights never end. We get a ration of beer tomorrow so I’ll drink mine to you till I can drink one with you.
All my love
Bill
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Dearest Betty
Letter 123
July 5, 1951
Hi, Sugar
Well lots of steel has passed over head since I last wrote but my thoughts have been with you always. Yesterday we had one of the damndest counter Btry. Fires I have ever seen. Love Btry. Just across the stream from us slugged it out with one of M Btry’s guns working on it when we got a batch of incoming mail. Love got a direct hit on gun # 6. Amo blew up fuzes flying so Street & I took off over there. I started up a T.D.18 (cot) & pulled up to the gun with the blade raised (bulldozer). Lem jumped off & started to hook onto the gun when the Major ordered us away. We were trying to save the gun. Capt. Muntze (Btry Commander of Love Btry) recommended us, Street & I, for a Silver Star, but Maj. Coffee wanted to give us a court Martial. We settled for a damned good job of getting the gun back in action. Got one from the Army and redid the hit one to fix the other guns.
Well we leave here now on the 9th. Keeps me going one day for day. I’ll let you know.
Bill
July 5, 1951
Hi, Sugar
Well lots of steel has passed over head since I last wrote but my thoughts have been with you always. Yesterday we had one of the damndest counter Btry. Fires I have ever seen. Love Btry. Just across the stream from us slugged it out with one of M Btry’s guns working on it when we got a batch of incoming mail. Love got a direct hit on gun # 6. Amo blew up fuzes flying so Street & I took off over there. I started up a T.D.18 (cot) & pulled up to the gun with the blade raised (bulldozer). Lem jumped off & started to hook onto the gun when the Major ordered us away. We were trying to save the gun. Capt. Muntze (Btry Commander of Love Btry) recommended us, Street & I, for a Silver Star, but Maj. Coffee wanted to give us a court Martial. We settled for a damned good job of getting the gun back in action. Got one from the Army and redid the hit one to fix the other guns.
Well we leave here now on the 9th. Keeps me going one day for day. I’ll let you know.
Bill
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Dearest Betty
Letter # 122
July 2, 1951
Hello, Sugar
No mail for a day or so but now I can take it as of 1800 tonight I am on a 36 hour stand by which means I may leave anytime within the next 36 hours. Of course that can be extended from day to day until the new draft comes in. Sure wish those Laundrymen would get the word on this “cease fire”, we have had incoming mail all afternoon from two guns. Sounds like 67 mls from mortar fire but not too much. Will be glad to get out of here if only to get a good night’s sleep. Our guns are as bad as theirs—noise that is.
Well we only have four more of our guns to go over. At the rate of two a day we should be finished day after tomorrow. Capt. Mozerelli is our new Btry. Commander. Of course he doesn’t bother us but a new broom sweeps clean, so he is giving the rest of the Btry. Hell!
Well that is all, here comes company so I’ll close and write again soon.
Kim is crazy about his camera, takes pictures of everyone he can get to stand still long enough.
Well, loads of love
Your Bill
July 2, 1951
Hello, Sugar
No mail for a day or so but now I can take it as of 1800 tonight I am on a 36 hour stand by which means I may leave anytime within the next 36 hours. Of course that can be extended from day to day until the new draft comes in. Sure wish those Laundrymen would get the word on this “cease fire”, we have had incoming mail all afternoon from two guns. Sounds like 67 mls from mortar fire but not too much. Will be glad to get out of here if only to get a good night’s sleep. Our guns are as bad as theirs—noise that is.
Well we only have four more of our guns to go over. At the rate of two a day we should be finished day after tomorrow. Capt. Mozerelli is our new Btry. Commander. Of course he doesn’t bother us but a new broom sweeps clean, so he is giving the rest of the Btry. Hell!
Well that is all, here comes company so I’ll close and write again soon.
Kim is crazy about his camera, takes pictures of everyone he can get to stand still long enough.
Well, loads of love
Your Bill
Monday, December 14, 2009
Dearest Betty
Letter # 121
July 1, 1951
Good Morning Sugar
Well, can’t be too many more of these Sunday mornings that I will be getting up without you. Just don’t seem to be able to concentrate on any one thing. All I think of is you, Shirl & home!
Ah! Well we will ride a ship when we leave ---takes about fourteen days from Japan to California so I suppose I’ll be home by August any way.
People sure go for things when they find out you are leaving. Someone stole my pistol & holster,& flashlight and every day someone asks me to leave them my note pad. Everything I have picked up even the generator but will leave all that to Nester & Street to use till they leave, of course Kim gets most of my clothes
Well dinner time dear, I’ll be seeing you.
All my love
Bill
July 1, 1951
Good Morning Sugar
Well, can’t be too many more of these Sunday mornings that I will be getting up without you. Just don’t seem to be able to concentrate on any one thing. All I think of is you, Shirl & home!
Ah! Well we will ride a ship when we leave ---takes about fourteen days from Japan to California so I suppose I’ll be home by August any way.
People sure go for things when they find out you are leaving. Someone stole my pistol & holster,& flashlight and every day someone asks me to leave them my note pad. Everything I have picked up even the generator but will leave all that to Nester & Street to use till they leave, of course Kim gets most of my clothes
Well dinner time dear, I’ll be seeing you.
All my love
Bill
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
