>FROM A FARM KID, NOW AT SAN DIEGO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT.
>
>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 maybe all of the places are filled.
>
>I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m.,
>but 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. 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 'til
>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 country is nice but awful flat.
>
>The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Capt. 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 weighs 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,
>
>Gail.

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