Phil Rhodes
February 8th 07, 06:51 PM
> LETTER FROM A FARM KID (NOW AT San Diego MARINE CORPS RECRUIT
> TRAINING)
>
> Dear Ma and Pa,
>
> I am well. Hope you are. Tell BrotherWalt and Brother Elmer the Marine
> Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up
> quick before all of the places are filled.
>
> I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6
> a.m. But I 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 until
> 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's 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. The country is nice
> but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot.
> The captain 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
> SilverLake . I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but
> I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and 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, Alice
> TRAINING)
>
> Dear Ma and Pa,
>
> I am well. Hope you are. Tell BrotherWalt and Brother Elmer the Marine
> Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up
> quick before all of the places are filled.
>
> I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6
> a.m. But I 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 until
> 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's 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. The country is nice
> but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot.
> The captain 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
> SilverLake . I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but
> I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and 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, Alice