FARM KID in the ARMY

> (NOW AT BASE BORDEN RECRUIT
> TRAINING)

> Dear Ma and Pa,>
> I am well. Hope you
> are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Army 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 get 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