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 to 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.'s 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,
> >
> > Mary Lou