LETTER FROM A FARM KID . . . NOW AT SAN DIEGO MARINE
CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT
>
> Dear Ma and Pa:
>
> I am well. Hope you are.
>
> Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps
beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them
to join up quick before maybe all of the places are
filled. I was restless at first because you got to
stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I
like to sleep late.
>
> Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is
smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to
slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire
to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it
is not so bad, there's warm water.
>
> Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice,
cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops,
potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other
regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always
sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their
food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed
again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk
> much.
>
> We go on "route" marches, which the Platoon Sergeant
says are long walks harden us. If he thinks so, it is
not my place to tell him different. A "route march"
is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the
city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in
trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
>
> The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags some.
The Capt. is like the school board. Majors and
Colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother
you none.
>
> This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I
keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why.
The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and
don't move. And it ain't shooting at you, like the
Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there
all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your
own cartridges. They come in boxes.
>
> Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat
training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I
have to be real careful though, they break real easy.
It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm
about the best they got in this except for that Tug
Jordan from over in Silver Lake. He joined up the same
time as me. But I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's
6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.
>
> Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join
before other fellers get onto this setup and come
stampeding in.
>
> Your loving daughter,
> Gail
hilarious.. thanks for the chuckle this morning
