“My draft number was 58. Once I was called up, they sent me to Fort Polk to Boot Camp followed by Redeye Missile school in Fort Bliss, Texas.
Everyday they tested us. If you failed, they sent you to Vietnam. Luckily I passed, graduated & got home leave before being shipped to a Redeye Missile Unit in South Korea.”
22 April 1972
Dear Mami,
Your last letter made me happy. I am well. You must be missing us a lot now that the house is empty. I hope you are enjoying your vacation.
Dad sent me the photo with grandpa.
Things are going fine. You don’t have to worry. I am getting really fat. I am playing soccer though and trying to eat better.
I will send you some photos.
27 April 1972
We are near the Yellow Sea. The sand is brown and the water is dirty. We can’t swim because there are jets constantly streaming by dropping bombs when we have the annual War Games to show strength to North Korea. We watch movies, play basketball, and I take photos in my freetime.
28 April 1972
It’s midnight and it made me happy to receive your card, like always.
Tonight I’m awake and doing what I did at Fort Polk. Answering the phone, inspecting the barracks, etc. Tomorrow is Sunday so I have the day.
My best friend is named Daniel [x] and there’s another guy named Richard [x] (Swamp). One is from Washington and the other from Louisiana.
There is a store in Toco-Ri where sergeants go to drink beer and eat rice. They sell everything, glasses, pliers, you name it.
13 April 1973
They didn’t tell me if they got your letter.
The weather is weird. One day it’s beautiful, the next terrible. Monsoon season is beginning. It will rain for two months straight.
Yesterday I had a wisdom tooth taken out. The dentist here must be good because it didn’t hurt while he was taking it out. It hurts now. He gave me pills, but I decided not to take them.
I woke up at 6 this morning, ate. Formation was two hours later.
We only really work for 3 hours a day. The rest of the time we just act like we are working. Otherwise, we’re in class or driving jeeps through the mountains.
I got a camera in Seoul for $180. It would have cost more than twice that in the States. It’s the Minolta SRT-101.
16 April 1973
On the weekends we go to the coast sometimes. It reminds me of Ft. Lauderdale.
18 April 1973
I’m glad to hear you got my letter. I thought it didn’t get there.
I haven’t started my new classes yet. I spend my nights taking and developing photos. It’s a good way to pass the time.
Last night we went out in jeeps. We played hide-and-seek. We had a lot of fun. The sergeant gave us coordinates on a map and we would have to go find him. This all happened in the mountains.
I haven’t heard anything about Malaria.
The distance is something like from Havana to Santiago.
How is grandpa by the way?
5 May 1973
We have a new general. Every morning we run 2 miles. We do calisthenics. We practice karate.
I woke up at 5 am. Now it’s 11:15. We left at 7. We have to walk 25 miles with a 50 lb pack.
12:40
I just had lunch. In five minutes we will start again.
9 November 1973
The last few miles were hell. The last mile was up a mountain.
11 November 1973
How are you? I am well. Last night I went to mass. The priest came with us to celebrate mass in camp. Later we watched the movie Brian’s Song.
PS
I’m sorry if my letters have been boring lately.
29 November 1973
Last night we were in Seoul looking for something to eat. We were looking for a bodega but it was hard because all the street lights were off. Eventually we got “ramen.” It’s a food that’s like spaghetti but it comes with little packets. You make it in a little pot with hot water. It’s not bad. The owners invited us into the bodega and were friendly. They didn’t speak English and we only knew a little bit of Korean.
Tomorrow is pay day. A helicopter comes with our money. I’m nervous because they owe me back pay. It comes out to about $35 dollars for 3 months.
2 December 1973
Dear family,
Yesterday I went to the Air Force base with three guys because I won a lottery. We took a truck. The trip was 2 hours. The roads are made of dirt and very dusty.
The name of the base is Osan. They have everything there and the first thing we did was eat. Afterwards we bought food. I got bread, peanut butter, spaghetti, ravioli, pepsis, I’m having a banquet. The c-rations (my regular food) we traded for coca-colas, etc.
We got to take showers everyday that we were there. I normally bather every day, but it was nice because we didn’t have to bathe using our helmets like we normally do.
Today I slept until 11 in the morning.
12 Dec 1973
Yesterday I spent the day near the DMZ. My friend and I went out in the jeep. We spent the day teaching Korean soldiers how to use Red Eyes. One of our coronels served as interpreter.
2 February 1974
Our dog had two puppies. They’re very pretty. Bob wrote me. His brother and girlfriend are getting married. Klee is going to be an usher.
1 April 1974
I went to the dentist. No cavities. He told me he had never seen such clean teeth.
We’re going out for 5 days. I don’t feel like going.
13 April 1974
Last night we had Division Redeye Alert. They test us on our recognition of planes, communication, camouflage, and tactics. They checked our jeeps, made sure the radio worked, etc. They gave us a mission of protecting the airfield. They gave us locations on a map and we set out to our respective positions (this is a pain because of erosion, elevation, crossing rivers, etc).
We camouflage the keep and the trailer, prepared the phones for communication with Headquarters.
Our section had an average of 95% on plane recognition. Our sergeant said we were the best in the division.
16 May 2024
Last night when we talked it seemed like you were confused about when I come home. If I hadn’t extended in Korea, now I would have to go to Fort Benning (Georgia) until September 20. But because I extended I will be home 23 June.
Today I ended 2 weeks of guard duty and I am dead.
I am going to send you my 8-track and tapes.
Grandpa wrote me the other day. He’s doing well. He says Juanita is going to make me all the food I want.
Today we had two tournament games and we won the volleyball championship. We’re going to Camp Casey to play the rest of the division.
I’ll send you a picture of the trophy. It’s huge.
20 May 1974
I’m more interested in G-town than N-western. I can’t wait to come home.
PS
Tell dad I got a good deal. The Rolex is $344 in the Navy catalogue.