Letters 15 & 16 from Basic 1968

Dear Lou, 

Isn’t this a novelty? 

I bet you never expected to get a letter that was written on a bedsheet.  Well, I’m not out of paper, I’m not nuts, and I don’t mean anything by it.  I just thought that it would be unusual.  

It is Friday of my 6th week, and my nerves are shot. We don’t get our orders until Wednesday and rumor is the RA’s don’t get a leave after basic.  So, I’m about to go nuts.    I got back from bivouac Thursday at 10:00.  We ate chow and then we went and saw Bob Hope.  It was great. He was really good. 

Sweety, I’m tired tonight, and I don’t really feel like going into it, but I’ll tell you this much, it was hell.  Excuse my language, but it was exactly that, and I know of no other way to define it.  I’m not mad because you all decided on the 8th because anything you decide now is alright because you have about 2 weeks and the boss takes over.

Ha, Ha! Baby, your letters are putting me up in the sky, I love you, and I need you so much, girl.  When I get home, we’re going to the beach and lay around all day.  I should be polishing my muddy boots and getting things straightened up because we have inspection, but I said, man what comes first Lou or the _ _ _ _ Army. 

All I can think of is songs like “Beautiful People,” Johnny Rivers singing “Baby I Need Your Loving,” and they just keep running through my weary mind.  Today we went to the live grenade range to throw grenades, and I enjoyed it.  I’m so tired because we didn’t get but from 2 to 4 hours sleep for a couple of nights.  So, if I don’t make much sense and cut this letter short, don’t worry because I’m so darn tired. 

Well, I just found out I have fire watch from 4 to 5, so there goes one more hour of sleep.  Baby, I’m gonna have to close, but I’ve got so much to tell you, so if I talk your ears off when I get home don’t think anything about it.   

All My Love,                                                                      

Frank                                                                         

I Love You, Lou.    Only 1 week and 6 days to go 

Dear Lou,                                                                    

How’s everything going now, Honey? 

You’ll never guess what time it is, 2:15 in the morning.  I have CQ watch from 2-3.  Well, yesterday was Saturday, and instead of the usual Saturday morning inspection, we had bayonet training and a practice proficiency test.  We finally got post privileges, not at noon but at 7:00 Saturday night. Well, baby guess what? You’ll be living in Fort Devens, Massachusetts and be married to a Radio Code man.  We (ASA) received our assignments Sat. 

I still don’t know if I’ll be getting a leave or not.  The course will last for 13 weeks, and it teaches the sending and receiving of, morse code.  Following the 1st 13 weeks, I’ll be reassigned to a more specialized radio code school which will vary from 9 to 15 weeks in length.  Jim is going to Virginia for his AIT, and we both signed up for the same thing, but neither one of us got our 5 choices.  He’s signed up for power generator repair and air conditioning maintenance.  Steve is assigned to the same thing I am and is going to Devens also. I’m still sweating out my orders to see if I get a leave.  We should get them this coming week. 

Baby when I’m in our room I’m alright because all the guys are laughing, joking, or talking but when I get by myself, I have a hard time.  All I can think of is you and how much I miss you and need you.  I may sound silly, but I hate the night because my mind is filled with memories of us, and this makes me sad because I’m not there to hold you and be with you. 

I think Mom is about as excited about the wedding as I am and you are.  She writes and fills me in on everything and even tries to draw me a picture of the bride’s bouquet.  I can’t wait to get married and set up house and for you and I to live like a man and wife.  The two of us taking on the world and you know I believe we will win, in fact I know we will because I’m not giving up, are you?  I bet you didn’t even know I had left, did you. 

I went to wake up Herman because he has the 3 to 4 CQ, but I returned faithfully just like I will later (1 week and 5 days).  We take our first Pt test Wed and from 6 to 11:30 Friday night we have night infiltration where we crawl under barbed wire and stuff under real machine fire.  The machine gun will be fired over our backs as we crawl.  So, I plan on keeping my butt down as low as possible or else I’ll lose it.   

Did I tell you Friday we had to throw a grenade?  I enjoyed it.  I was kind of nervous because if you let up on the handle 1/15 of an inch, it will go off in 4 to 6 seconds.  A sergeant just walked in drunker than a skunk.   

Today we learned a little hand to hand combat (judo), and we will get more Monday and Tuesday. 

How’s school going?  Getting all ready for graduation?  Tell my brother that if he doesn’t write pretty soon, I’m going to kick his — when I get home. 

Hey, Lou, tell your parents to write Jim because he, just like me, likes to hear from home too.  A guy up here can get all kinds of thoughts about home if people don’t keep in touch.  Hey in my room two guys went to the hospital with measles.  Tell Mom, she is pretty smart, making me get those measles shots.  I’ll be back in a minute, I think my buddy went back to sleep because it’s 7 after 3 now, so I better go see if he’s getting up.  I’m back (big deal) and he’s coming so I’ll finish up in the morning.  Goodnight. 

Well here I am on my bunk writing a conclusion on this letter which probably doesn’t make any sense, but I hope it does because all I wrote was true especially the part that says I love you.  Baby, I love you so darn much I just can’t start to stand to miss you.  Does that make sense?  We just got the message that North Koreans just attached U.S. forces in Korea, so it looks bad.  I’m pretty shook up now because I feel a particular feeling for my country and its’ way of life and I also feel for you because it wouldn’t be right for you if I went, so I’m goofed up. 

Don’t worry about it. I’ll do enough worrying for myself and you.   

Well, goodnight darling and remember me in your prayers.  Be sweet and remember I love you very, very much.                                                                     

All my Love,                                                                          

Frank