> I love this one!
>
>>
>
> A LETTER FROM A FARMER, NOW AT CAMP PENDLETON
>
> Dear Ma and Pa:
>
> 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, ground to plough, fire to lay. Practically
> nothing.
>
> Men got to shave but it is not so bad, they get 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
> between 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
> gets 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 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 and don’t move. And it ain’t shooting at
> you, like the Hallett
> 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.
>
> Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join
> before other fellers get
> into this setup and come stampeding in.
>
> Your loving daughter,
> Gail
>