yeah, that kind of woman

[CJG]

LETTER FROM A FARM KID NOW AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT IN SAN DIEGO.

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. 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 till
>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 is 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 schoolteacher. He nags some. 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.
>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