Dearest Betty

Letter # 39
December 9, 1950
Hi, Sugar

Sister, can you hear that? “The Old Master Painter”---no, I am not cracking up, not just yet. Any way I took up a collection today from our Ord. Section and went to Division , traded in $25.00 for won, took the won to Hamhung and bought a radio---hooked it up on our generator and what do you know, music, news and light in our tent. Of course now you can’t get in our tent. Mr. Puckett, Mr. Tate, Mr. Smith, Captain Endquest & every one else who can crowd in. Tomorrow I am going to buy a speaker & put it up outside. What did all this cost? Well we started bargaining the Gook---& he asked forty thousand five ---I offered 30,000, he dropped to 40,00 & I offered 35,000 he took it about $9.00. These people don’t respect you if you give their price. I am much respected. I do all the buying, eggs etc. I have lots of fun sighing, ahahing. Dickering with them.

Tate has been saving a 5th of VO whiskey for the Ord. Sec. To be consumed when the war is over. Came pretty near doing it Thanksgiving Day but didn’t---so when we did get off the mountain, he decided to give it to us last night. So as he was getting it out of his chest, damned it he didn’t slip in the snow and drop it and broke it in a million pieces. He shed a tear as we all did. Maybe that was why I was so low yesterday. Did you hear what Gen O.P. Smith told the Army when we started off the mountain? Retreat, Hell! We are just attacking in a different direction. Well here we are now attacking in every way but by God the Army are helping us now. Their back is to the Sea and they can’t swim.

I’ll see you dear cause I can.

Your Bill