> East Tennessee FARM KID
> (NOW AT San Diego MARINE CORPS RECRUIT TRAINING)
> 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 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 and we all ride back in trucks.
>
> 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 Silver Lake. 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
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