Transcript 12/5/53Dear Ila, Finally heard from you this evening, but it wasn’t your fault. Nobody in the battery had gotten any for 6 days until tonite so the mail system was just screwed up. Sounds as if you’re despairing of school again. Heck, I’d be cheerful if I had only 19 days to go over here. As it is I’ve got only about 4 more months to go, so I don’t feel bad about it at all. Not long when you really consider. I’m glad you got the pictures O.K. The only trouble I’ve...

Transcript 19/5/53Hi Doll, Whatever it is, you win. I don’t remember what it is I said, and it probably wasn’t anything intelligent. I seem to have the knack, fortunate or otherwise, of putting my foot into my mouth without any trouble at all. I’m sure, though, I was just fooling around and hope you’ve taken no offense. Sounds to me as though you’re a little squeamish, or else you’ve never had a really good meal of worms and grubs. Why just this evening we had a lovely green...

Transcript 28/5/53Dear Ila, My goodness but you really wound up when you get started on a letter. I’m 3 days late and already yet I’ve forgotten you. How can you assume such a thing? I get much pleasure out of writing to you + also hearing from you and there you go already. Whoa, young lady, slow down. I’m still here and faithfully trying right down to the last nickel. Why, I’m highly complimented to think that you’d really like to have me in your community. And even go as far...

Transcript 3/6/53Hi Doll, Received a chipper letter from you this evening, which I’m enjoying right now. Yes, you might say I’m sick of the Army and vice-versa, but I’m still living and enjoying it. Glad to hear you’d like to help, and it doesn’t sound stupid at all. I don’t know what you think I’m thinking, but if you want me to think what you think I’m thinking, I’ll think it. Doggoned if you aren’t giving me a hard time. Here I am biting my fingers off waiting for pictures...

Transcript 3/7/53Hi Doll, Nice letter from you last nite, so with a free man (myself) and a minute I’ll scribble a few sounds as though you’re on a sort of vacation whirl what with running and scouting all over the place. All that swimming and sunbathing has me jealous, but I imagine I’ll be getting my licks in before too long. I really hate missing the romance part, though. Not that it probably means too much to you, but after being here for a year I’d give my left arm for just...

Transcript 3/7/53Hi Doll, My goodness, but you certainly worry about me, young lady. Not to say it isn’t flattering to have so much attention, though. Don’t stop, I love it. And as for being mad – heavens no! Get hot, maybe, but that’s just looking at those pictures. Still roosting in the same place and doing nothing out of the unusual. Only good thing that’s happened in the last few months was my promotion to Sergeant First Class. Can’t say’s I earned it, but anyhow it’s...

Transcript 16/5/53Hi Doll, Lovely letter from you this evening. Did a wonderful job of brightening up an otherwise lousy day. Seems as though all the days lately have been poor but I guess it’s just because I’ve got only a short time to go and am getting sick of this place. Doggonit all. When I say that you are undoubtedly a sweet young lady why I mean that you are undoubtedly a sweet young lady. You no doubt will gate me for this but I honestly had to smile when you said you’d...

Transcript 17 July ‘53Hi Doll, Back again with the usual tired feeling. Seems as though I’ve been that way for the past week, but guess it is because of our moving around. Two days ago we moved and now occupy a miserable position halfway between Christmas Hill and the latest Chinese break-thru. To our direct front the main line is about 5200 yards but to our direct left it is only 1700 yds or less than a mile. The distance doesn’t mean anything because we’re in an extremely...

Transcript July 24, 1953Hi Honey, How are you feeling huh? All rested up from our trip by now huh? I wish we were still up there sometimes I’d like to go up there for just day sometime. How are you and Bill making out? Fine I suppose right? Your lucky you’ve got such a nice guy. I broke off with Dave for sure now. While we were up North Sue got after him and she twisted him around her little finger but good. He was up the night after we came home and he acted so funny we went...

Transcript 29/7/53 0400Hi Doll, Goodness but you certainly worry an awful lot about me. Right at the present I wouldn’t mind if you did a little of that worrying on my shoulder but I guess that isn’t too logical. War, or at least the fighting appears to be over. We’ve still got a war going with the army brass, but nothing that can’t be won eventually, I guess. Practically as soon as the armistice was signed everybody started outlining stuff we’d have to do. Naturally the...

Transcript Wednesday Aug 5th, 53Hi Doll, Thanks a lot for the Birthday Card. You were the only person, who seemed to remember. As for my being mad at you, (Heaven forbid) it will never happen. You are the one that should be mad. When I came home the first thing that I did was start to visit all my relation, and honest, that takes in an awful lot of people. As for my not coming out to see you, well I figured by this time you wouldn’t want to see me, and I wouldn’t blame you one...

Transcript August.17.1953Hi Darling, Boy today ime sort of missing you quite a bit ive ben thinking of you all the time we were up here. We were going to try fore a pass last night but our darn company wasn’t issueing any so we might try tonight. Ime in the rocket launching now tomorrow we git to fire em. I wouldn’t be a bit mad if I didn’t infact I hope I don’t. I just got through eating now I wish I could go to sleep but we got to go back out this afternoon, boy will I be glad...

Scope and Contents Aug. 19. 1953Hi Darling, Ime on KP right now I got an hour off so I thought ide write to you. boy is KP hell I got up 4 this morning and we won’t git through until about 8 it’s about fifteen to three now we go back at four. this is one hell of a life I hate it. boy is it warm today itel probably go down to thirty tonight, that would just about be the way it will be. Well maby ill see you in four days I hope so. I miss you more and more each day. boy ill be ne happy...

Transcript

Christmas Happiness Wishing you all the blessings of Christmas

With Love, Bob

[Transcribed by Damien Short]

Transcript 26 AUG.Hi Doll, No, I probably won’t give an arm for the privilege of a kiss, but I do feel that way, especially after 13 months over here. Only good suggestion I can give for not going to the dentist is either a bullet through the left temple or a knife thru the heart. Both are relatively quick and simple ways with much less pain than the dentist. However, I’ll leave the choice entirely up to you. If you really want to write me after I get home you know dad-burned...

Transcript 30/8/53 5am.Hi Lil’ Doll, official word in the CP that I should be leaving here within 30 days and probably in about 2 weeks. Can’t say I’ll be overly sorry to leave this place. In fact you might say I’ll be damned glad to leave. Got another field problem tomorrow that should be a dandy. The exec. Officer should be down to the rear getting the pay so I’ll be all alone figuring up the data to deliver the fire. On top of that a survey has to be run and I’ll be the...

Transcript Thursday Dec. 17th, 1953Hi Ila, Now please don’t get mad for being so tardy on answering your last letter. (Am I forgiven?) If not, I guess I’m just wasting both our times by doing this. You must be going steady by now huh? The reason that I didn’t answer your last letter was that I started to go with someone, but I guess she just isn’t my type. Wants her way all the time, and thinks that I shouldn’t hang around with my brother and some of the guys. She is starting to...

Transcript Sunday Jan 3rd, 1954Hi Ila, Well I’m looking for a girl again and I’m starting to wonder about someone. The girl I went with, broke up with me on New Years Day. We went to a party at a neighbors house and a drank a few beers too many and fell asleep. Everyone tried to wake me up but it didn’t work. So they all went into the kitchen and then I woke up and went home to bed. What she was really mad about was because I wouldn’t even give her a ride home. I tried to...

Transcript Tuesday Jan 19th, 1954Hi Ila, Recieved your letter yesterday, and I’m sorry to hear that your Mother is sick, I hope she feels better now, does she? How does ten o’clock Saturday night sound Honey? Or is that too late for you? Doggone it, I wish we lived closer. I mean Chesaning isn’t far away, but I’ll be there Sweetheart. So please let me know huh? Don’t worry Honey I want to see you in the worst way too. I won’t let you down honestly. This doggone ink pen...

Transcript Uyong bu Korea. Jan 30, 1954.Dear Aunt + Uncle, I can just hear you now, Well it’s about time he wrote. I sure’m slow getting around as you can see. I recieve your box. I want to thank you for it. I really enjoyed every thing. Even the snake you st[?]. I sure had fun with it, after I got the scare too. Who’s Idea was that? Jerry. The weather here has finally been nice. We have about an inch of snow, but it won’t last. Its gets around zero at night, warms up a...

Transcript April 15, 1954Dear Ila, I received your letter and was glad to hear from you. As for my self I am fine and hope this letter finds you the same. I will have over a year to do in the army in and would like to keep on writing you as long as I am in the army if you would like me to. I want to try and go to jump school when I get back to the states if I can. I will try and tell you about myself now. I was 20 years old in Jan. I come from a small town along the Ohio...

Transcript April 17, 54.Dear Ila, Today is Easter Sunday, I bet your all dress-ed up in your Easter clothes, really looking like a Queen. I didn’t attend church today. I have no excuse for not attending. But for sure next year when I’m home I’ll be in church. Art told me he recieve your letter. Did he answer it as yet? I don’t know. He is quite a guy. Well the Writes have move, it’s all going to seem funny and having them around, Mother will sure miss them. ...

Transcript April 19, 1954Dear Ila, First of all I will say I am sorry for not answer your letter yesterday 18 of May. It just like a girl to go shopping and stay all day and then go back to the first store and get what she want. I suppose you haft to look around and get the best for your money these day’s. You won’t get this letter by the 21st of May, but I still hope you have a good time at the formal. I still haven’t a picture of any kind to send you but when...

Transcript April 20, 1954Dear Ila, How are you these day’s as for myself I am doing fine. I didn’t have anything today so I though I would write a 2 or 3 letter’s. How the weather back there in Mich., these day’s. It nice out today. I just hope it stay this way for about 52 more day’s. Jack will like to see me leave this place because about 20 day’s after I leave he will leave this place. I hope to do home for the forth of July this year. You said you like to...

Transcript May 1, 1954Dear Ila, I started to writ this letter the other day but I had a little fire in the power-shed. There was no harm done. I hope you can make out this hand writing of mine. I will try an watch my spelling and English. Those are to subject I neve could do any good in. How the weather back there, it rained just about all day. Have you done any swimming yet this year. I can’t wait till I get back to go swimming. That’s one sport I love to do. ...