Dearest Betty

Letter #64
March 18, 1951
Hansong
(I looked this up & it appears to be just outside Seoul)

Hello, Sugar,

Well, last night we had our first air-raid of the war. We are setting in Artillery Ally. Never saw so many guns in all my life lined up in one valley. Front lines are all around us--- first time the Artillery ever watched the infantry advance---that is since I’ve been in Artillery. We rec. quite a bit of enemy artillery fire here. Just 20 miles from the 38th Parallel.
Say, Sugar, I got Shirl’s picture. It is great but has she ever grown. Every one I know I have shown it to they all tell me I better get home and look after her. But I tell them that you are there.

I loaned Street my pen the other day, he is left handed and the damned thing hasn’t worked right since.

We were all set to turn in our cold weather gear but tonight it has turned cold so supposed we will hold on to it for a while.

Kim has learned to sing “The Thing”---runs around all day singing except he puts a few choice cuss words in instead of the “boom da di bum” he says the S--of a B----. We have un done in eight months what it took the missionaries eight years to do.

This is a bad place we are in---dead every place. We found a dead and apparently raped old woman and two small girls today in a hut behind our area. All were stripped and bayoneted. The Chinese kill civilians as well as troops for we have found lots about here. And mine fields galore. I haven’t had to fool with many of them for they are so vast that Division takes care of them which is OK with me.

Kim & Clum just set the tent on fire frying bacon so I put the stove out and we all shall retire.

Your Bill

Note from Brooke:

Lyrics to “The Thing”
Recorded by Phil Harris in 1950

While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day,
I saw a great big wooden box a floating in the bay.
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise:
Oh, I discovered a (clap - clap - clap) right before my eyes.
Oh, I discovered a (clap - clap - clap) right before my eyes.

I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king.
I took it to a guy I knew who'd buy most anything.
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in his shop:
Oh, get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) before I call a cop.
Oh, get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) before I call a cop.

I turned around and got right out a running for my life.
And then I took it home with me to give it to my wife.
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door:
Oh, get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) and don't come back no more.
Oh, get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) and don't come back no more.

I wandered all around the town until I chanced to meet,
A hobo who was looking for a handout on the street,
He said he'd take most anything - he was a desperate man.
But, when I showed him the (clap - clap - clap) he turned around and ran.
Oh, when I showed him the (clap - clap - clap) he turned around and ran.

I wandered on for many years a victim of my fate.
Until, one day, I came upon St. Peter at the gate.
And when I tried to take it inside, he told me where to go:
Get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) and take it down below.
Oh, get out of here with that (clap - clap - clap) and take it down below.

The moral of this story is if you're out on the beach,
And you should see a great big box, and it's within your reach,
Don't ever stop and open it up, that's my advice to you
'Cause you'll never get rid of that (clap - clap - clap) no matter what you do.
'Cause you'll never get rid of that (clap - clap - clap) no matter what you do.