Dearest Betty

Letter #12
Monday, October 3, 1950
(I think)

Dearest Betty,

Well it’s really been too long between letters but I will try and catch you up. Not all of the delay was caused by this Police Action but part of it. We got ready to cross the Han River just after I wrote you last so we packed up to move. Part of the outfit got over there. We stayed all night and waited for the Army to put in a pontoon bridge. (Below is a picture from LIFE magazine dated October 9, 1950)



Late that afternoon word came back we had to go back down the river and use a ferry the Navy had to go back down the river because McArthur hadn’t arrived to cut the ribbon opening the first land tie to Seoul so we got over about three that night, made camp & moved at nine, made another camp & have been on the move ever since. Can’t keep up with the Infantry still have to fire maximum range.

Day before yesterday I found a jeep that had been abandon and worked it over and ever since, from day to dark I have been taking people places, running errands etc. all the time.

( you will hear more about the jeep in future letters)

I did get down to Seoul and saw the Palace that was made for the Emperor of Japan and what a place. Much looting had been going on. We found a supply dump the Army had left that must have had two million dollars of auto parts & ord. gear in it. We fixed our self up pretty well with those things. Seoul was ruined still a lot of carcasses around. They catch them, strip them down and turn them aloose in a crowd. They are usually dead by the time the M.P.’s can get to them men and women alike. We have several boys with us who can speak English. They help in the talking and interpret for us. They are the poorest and dirtiest people I have ever seen. Their “head” is any place they have a mind to go along the streets or roads and I don’t think they ever bathe. We have plenty of water so far.


Now hold your breath and I’ll try and make this plain. We are combat loading out of here. In five or six days, go aboard ship so you won’t be hearing from me for a bit. Now the 1st Sgt. told me to come over to the office and sign a allotment card. The reason is I make out an allotment to you for $67.50. The government will add $67.50 to it making $135.00 a month to you. I will have to stop your $100.00 allotment so as to have enough money to make out the $67.50. You will be getting $167.50 and I will gain $38.50. Do you savvy all of that? I’ll go over and see the top and read this message over and let you know more about it.

The flies are eating us alive we are right by a Tannery and it is getting dark so I must bathe now. I’ll be seeing you darling and thank Shirl for her letters. I’ll write again real soon darling. Tell them all my love.

(After struggling through the handwriting in this letter, I wondered how we
lived on $135.00 per month. Things were tough back then, I was 15 years old
in high school participating in the band. It was not uncommon for me to be
without dad in the past so we just adapted. In one letter from him
he refers to Joe, he was our dog who came from
Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West.)