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

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

Note from Babbling Brooke: Tomorrow I will write a final entry about my dad's return

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

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

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

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

Dearest Betty

Letter #120
June 30, 1051
Dearest Betty

Lots has happened in the past few days and I have not kept up my correspondence very good so let’s look back. We have been doing six months maintenance jobs on the guns. Have one in the morning and one in the afternoon pulled over to our tent & work on them here pulling tiches and breaking down the entire gun. Quite a job along side that I had to make another swimming pool down the creek aways. The first one flooded all the foxholes & dugout on both sides of the creek. Also we got a novice again for one week so you see I been busy. And on top of that it is hot as Hell from eight in the morning till nine at night.

Well, Sugar we really got a fire mission this afternoon. Extended 4500 range from 1300 till 1800. Something to do with this “Cease fire” they are working on. A Hell of a way to cease I think.

Honey I am supposed to leave here around 7, 8, or 9---that is the best I can tell you that is unless something happens. Kim received his camera OK & is going wild. Well I will stop now.

Love
Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 119
June 25, 1951
Hello, Darling

Received your very long letter. At present I am too much interested in getting home. If the Laundrymen will just stay put, I’ll be on my way in just two days. I haven’t made my mind up how I will come across the country. Fly would be fastest but cost more yet I’ll have on chow etc. so may just fly all the way for I just got to get back to you and fast. Well I’ll close now and bathe & go to chow. Have hamburgers tonight.

Love you.

Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 118
June 23, 1951
Dearest Betty

Well, last night I hit the jackpot again and rec. six letters from you, my Darling, one from Shirl and one from Mother---all of which I enjoyed very much.

Now let’s get to you and I. Yes I leave here about July 4th for home and you. Now please don’t get too hepped up --- anything can happen. An attack could set me back a month as it has every month. They have canceled the last draft and carried them over to be the first draft next month, so it may happen again, but if all goes well, Novack & I will be on the way. Yes, only two Staff NCO’s on this list. I chose M.B. Camp LeJeune 1st choice and Ord. Sec. Sup. Depot LG 2nd choice Cherry Point 3rd choice so I suppose they will know I want N.C.

Well, Darling I’ll continue writing and you do the same. I’ll wire you from California and then you can really be getting ready. I’ll have 30 days leave so we will have most all of August to play.

Chow time now, Darling.

I love you

Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 117
June 21, 1951
Hello, Darling

Well, how’s my best girl today? Just heard that seven Marines were killed by mortar fire at LeJeune. Too bad they won’t even get a Purple Heart.

Well the Novack is working his bolt hard now a days. Has every one including the Rabbi trying to get him rotated in as much as his emergency leave was disapproved. What some people won’t do to get home. I want to get home as bad or worse than anyone but I’ll be damned if I won’t await my turn. For all of us have had enough but why short-cut at someone else’s expense.

Well I told you they took up all the money we had yesterday then today they sent word up we could have ten cans of beer at $300.00 a case. Well no money no beer so what. The Army put a deadline on money exchange so tonight the radio said all Army finance officers would exchange money up to the 25th. Of course we have tremendous black market here in Korea but none in Japan so the Finance Officers are all in Japan. Some one is getting rich.

Well Sweety no more news, just lots of love

Your Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 116
June 20, 1951
Hi, my own Sweetheart,


Well life isn’t always dull. At noon today we had quite a bit of excitement. Maj. Coffee called me from chow to find the generator operator and have him start up and tell all hands to turn on their radios. Also have two radio jeeps set up in camp. He had word from Division that at one all radio stations would have world shattering news.
. Maybe peace in our lifetime, so lots of speculation. . Russia attacked…. Division going home---everything, every one at a high peak. What happened, the Army cut down on black market and counterfeiters. Everyone here, Japan, etc had to turn in their script before 1800 tonight. All of it to be taken up. Anyone having 5, 10, or 20 had to sign their name, rank and serial number on each bill. Well that wore off and some one heard from someone else that the Division was putting out reserved for 1st Marine Division signs down around Tagine for a rest, also that we have five days road priority South from 25th, also that all Inchon men would be out of here by July 1st, also that Winchell said the war would be over by the 5th and Christ knows what all else. So you see we never know what goes on, so can’t tell you anything till it happens for fear of getting up your hopes and having them fall through.

One thing I can say is I do know I adore you and love you and want to tell you all about it soon.

Your Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 115
June 19, 1951
Good Afternoon

Just dunked the body in our creek. Sure is nice to have running water again what with hot & cold Chinamen all around. We can step outside our tent and see the front lines. Lots of fun watching air strikes and shelling napalm etc.

Well, we had a party last night. Lt Downing, one of our better reservists who is now Service Btry. Commander and our S.4. We use his jeep any time we want one, well, he made Captain also Mazarello, so for the occasion we ran off 12 bottles of our John & Jon (Nester & Carson) whiskey off and had a big time. Peel had to make a amo run and lost three trucks. Every one had a big hangover but all had our first good night sleep in days.

Did I tell you we got a direct hit on our beloved Mike Btry? They have caused us more work & worry than the other two put together, well the dummies had a big bunch of powder open and got a hit. Three fellows hurt, one gun out of action, and me with no eyebrows, lashes, mustache or cowlick otherwise OK.

We have had beautiful weather, no rain. I have a swell tan and as of today a pair of very red legs. Well that covers everything---nothing ever happens to me.

All my love,

Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 114
June 18, 1951
Good Morning

We did move and are now in a very pretty valley, all green with a nice stream running just outside our tent, but became rather hot at night. Last night we received quite a bit of artillery action. Mike btry. Received a hit and a powder dump, quite a bit of fireworks. Jimmy was down yesterday nervous as a whore in Church. A mortar shell fell close to his tent and he has really got his wind up!

Well the big promotion list came out and in the entire Marine Corps, not one of my MO’s was promoted. Me, Lem, Nester in fact Ord. Was left out all together ah! Well there be another now that the Reserves are gone they won’t have so many over rated groups.

Well I have to close now and be about my duties, first to Mike & see if any damage was done to their guns last night.

So till next time, all my love forever.

Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter #113
June 15, 1951
Hello, Sugar

Just got back from an overnight trip to Wonju and found two mighty fat letters from you, plus one from Mother and a card from Shirl.

Been very hot here the past day or so but now it is raining so things will cool off and the dust will go. I suppose we will be moving up a ways tomorrow, usually do on a rainy day.

No news, Darling, just routine. We ran off a couple of 5ths of whisky for Tate’s birthday, gave Jimmy some ah! Yes, we got a ration of coke, one bottle per man at 10 cents per---I gave mine to Kim.

You should see our still made out of water cans, copper tubing and a VT fuse box.

Had to go to Mike Btry. In this rain to fix guns. Never saw such demise every time it rains M. Guns out.

Well I’m cold & wet so better stop this now.

All my love,

Bill

Note from Babbling Brooke; Can you tell they are getting weary?

Dearest Betty

Letter # 112
June 11, 1951 (same day later(
Dearest Betty,

Now, I’ll visit with you and tell you a few things that I have wanted to but didn’t this morning. Word is we are to be relieved off the line soon for a much deserved rest. Over 120 days on the line now. The Army don’t stay over 90 days.

Well, Darling I really haven’t a thing to tell you. That is one of the reasons for my not writing so often. We are leading a very drab life.

Well I made ten gallons of raisin Jack---raisins, sugar, yeast & water, so the other night Street, Nester, & Peel & I pitched one. Had a nice time drinking and talking, so today after I had my blow-off with you, I rounded up some copper and made a still, so we can have some real whisky. Mr. Tate showed me how and Street knows how to make the mash or buck as he calls it. It is getting warm enough now so that it will work, so honey, the first drink, I’ll drink our toast and play you are with me ah! Hill sent me ten dollars he has owed me for months---by some Lt. You know he has gone back, says his mother got sick, the one who left him in an orphanage when he was three---well he worked a transfer on it.


Well, Darling, I’ll close for now with all my love for ever and ever, hope I’ll hear from you tonight.

Love,
Bill

Dearest Betty

Note from Babbling Brooke: this is a very negative letter & I almost didn't post it but decided people should know what was happening.

Letter # 111
June 11, 1951
Good Morning Darling,

Haven’t written for a few days, have been very despondent for many reasons, not about you for I have had several nice letters from you and know you are well and above all I feel secure in your love, but things have been happening over here. Cold rain for one then one excuse after another why I don’t make the rotation. Sure wish they had never started it. After saying no Staff would go home we’re already on the list as sgts, but sent through any way after promoting them, they sent a lots more who were reserves home, then they flew a bunch out and they got to Pusan and they found out they were reserves so flew them back to the States so by God it looks like we professionals are hooked. I never want to see another reserve Marine as long as I live. All they have ever done out here is gripe and figure a way to get home---even to the extent of bringing very personal things pertaining to their relationships with their wives into it. And now Novack is going home on a trumped up claim. Had his sister get the Red Cross to say his mother was grieving over the loss of his father two years ago and the anxiety of him being in Korea was making her worse, so he gets an emergency leave---so everyone who has nine months in a combat zone and gets an emergency leave will be transported, and here I sit on my dead "A--" having lost two brothers, many cousins, my mother has heart trouble, my wife hasn’t enough to eat on Sunday and I am in excess in rate and M.O. S. so should I be happy?

Well enough of this sort of a letter, I’ll have a cup of coffee and write again tomorrow when I feel better. Besides I hate to have people look over my shoulder and ask me questions when I’m writing.

Your Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter #110
June 6, 1951
Dearest Betty,

Lots & lots of mortar in here today. I was awakened at six this morning by two high velocity shells going over & they weren’t ours! So all day we have had patrols out and finally got a fix on one of them. Our 105’s cut loose for 35 minutes & we haven’t heard of them since, but the pesky old mortars still come. They are just like a bomb. You can’t hear them coming but they burst with a Hell of a bang. I took one patrol out this morning. Two “doggies” went up above our position with an interpreter and he was the only one came back. I found them and brought the bodies in. Found two Chinese or N. Koreans--- I don’t know which. Left them but I did get one of those Chinese bugles for a souvenir.

Well we had a good shower today at the 2nd Btn. And last night I radioed. Had seen the show Sampson & Delilah. Remember. A shoot-em-up tonight, I reckon I’ll go .

Well, I’ll close now with all my love forever.

Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 109
June 4th, 1951
Hi, Beautiful

Rainey & cold as Hell here. Today we have a fire going. Got my hair cut , went down to Reg. And got your M.O. kept ten bucks for my own use, pay Kim, maybe get some beer in, hair cuts etc. Once in a great while a traveling P.X. gets around to us but not often and when it does there is such a demand for the few things they do have, that the first few get all and the rest get cookies etc. Haven’t run up on any Schick blades since I been out here still have those you sent me. Nothing new out here, they are letting reserves out. Hope they all go but no such luck I reckon.

Well, Sugar, I’ll close now.

. All my love

Your Bill

Dearest Betty

Letter # 108
June 2, 1951
Hello, my Darling,

I was so pestered by flies when I last wrote you that I forgot several things I should have told you. “ Gluff” Hamilton died in bed, mother told me. Also Novack ordered Ginny a lawn mower like ours to be delivered to your address. Ginny won’t be home he said she is going to St. Louis or some place. Will be addressed to her. Also I’ll send you a M.O. for $25.00 as soon as I can buy one to pay for having the brakes relined on the car. Probably go to Reg. P.P tomorrow night. Received two very newsy letters from you last night. Thanks a lot. Got a kick out of Kit Carson catching a mouse. Is that really his first one? You know I said we were in a dead spot for radio, well last night it came in as clear as a bell, so we kept it on till 2 o’clock. Heard the Hit Parade, Mail Bag, and lots & lots of good music.

. I told you about the Corsair being shot down didn’t I?

Well that appears to be the extent of my news.

All my love

Bill