"This darn war is getting me down honey."

Feb. 24, 1951

Dearest Little Gal,

Comes another day and I'm glad the last one is gone. We didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night. In fact only about 15 minutes. After working in the river all day yesterday we came home and ate and I wrote a few lines to the light of my life. Then I went to bed around 10:15 and at 10:45 we were rudely awakened and dragged out on another rock loading detail that lasted until 10:30 this morning. Boy this is the life. Evidently you never know what to expect next around here.

This darn war is getting me down honey. Today I really saw the inside of it. We were up loading rock for a river ford and taking it from a wall around what used to be a village. There was a little kid living there all by himself in a little old shack that didn't burn with the rest. He told us how it happened. The Air Corps thought there were some Commies there so they bombed it with napalm and killed everybody there except the kid including his mother, dad, and sister. He was only about 9 or ten but he was real sober and grown up about it. It sure does make a guy hate himself for even being over here. Then a lot of refugees started pouring into Wonju now that we've taken it back and they didn't have anything left. Generations of work completely ruined. Not that they have anything very elaborate but they do everything by hand and it takes them a long time to build one at best. Besides a lot of them are wounded and don't have any medicine at all. They aren't very civilized by our standards but they sure never asked for this and I wonder if the North Koreans taking them over would have been any worse.

The guys over here don't have any use at all for any of these people and maybe I won't either if some of these miserable looking civilians pull out a sawed off shotgun on me, but until then I just can't help but regret that we're responsible for so much of their misery. At least in a way cause I guess we didn't actually start this thing.

Right now all is not a bowl of cherries with us either. Not that there's anything to worry about. But between here and the supply base all the river crossings are washed out and we can't get any supplies by road. And what comes by air drop has to go to the front line outfits. So we are running out of gasoline, fuel oil, and chow. Two meals a day from now until further notice and stoves on only in the morning and evening. Things will be a little more dismal here for a week or so. But we'll keep smiling for awhile yet anyhow. At least 1220 is safe until the Russians surprise us some Christmas Eve.

A little mail came in today but it was all for the old guys but 'twon't be long before the stuff from the homefront starts coming through.

Doggone it, all day long I think of things I want to tell you when I write tonight but when it comes I can't remember half of it. Just too much noise and confusion around here I guess.

I'm still having trouble getting used to this war business even with the artillery and planes hanging around and a few croppies laying around. It just seems like a dream that there's really a war going on. I've been on maneuvers that seemed more war like that this. (Rap, Rap, on wood). Not that I'm crabbing cause just like I said, Willies in the rear with the gear and glad to be the man behind the man. Hope it stays that way. It's much easier for me to take care of me so I can take care of you.

By the way, I think I'm going to be hard to keep out of bed when I get home. The machinery is in splendid shape and I think it can stand a lot of wrecking. Must be the climate or maybe lack of use. Dunno which. Maybe if you're in the same frame of mind we could arrange to have that honeymoon when Willie comes rolling home. A real one just like you should have had a long time ago, just us two ignoring the rest of the world. Sure hope you go for that proposition. Sounds better to me the more I think of it. Gosh honey its a real jolt when I realize what a jackass I've been. Letting you do all the reassuring about loving me and just let you take it for granted that I loved you. Now that I'm here I can't tell you how much I do love you cause it takes hugging and kissing to really put it across. It's mucho though, and it always will be. Maybe even more as time goes on as every day I think about something else lovable about you. Truly young lady you're my own private gem and I'll always bless the day I straggled into your otherwise happy life. Do you remember the first time we met you walked in and gave me a nickel? And I went outside and lost the silly thing right away. I know you don't remember the first time I kissed you but it was the night you want to go to a $3.00 joint (watermelon that is). I guess I slipped up on you that time. All these things I think about when I'm just laying around and I think and hope this lousy trip will make a better husband out of me even if it is making us both unhappy as hell right now.

Better I should talk about something else cause my old chest is getting kind of full for some reason and I mustn't let myself realize how bad I want to come home already. A guy has to kind of kid himself along in a setup like this it looks like.

How is things on the home front for instance? Probly I'll find out when I get any letters but it's polite anyway to ask isn't it? Don't suppose Pontarelli has gone to the Navy yet and I doubt that you've found a roommate yet but all these things I'll find out soon I hope.

Don't remember if I asked you to send me some snapshots or not but I'd like to have some. They're really a comfort to pull out and look at when a fellow needs a friend. Picture of you and the house and Sparky and you and you. How about sending me a couple of those color shots of us on that roll in the camera when I left!!?

Well dumpling, it's nearly time to go to bed again! I hope they let us stay in tonight. And I have to straighten up my bed so I guess I'll knock off.

Now I really don't think I'll neglect you with letters when they can be written and mailed cause this is the first time in my life writing letters had been fun.

Take good care of yourself now baby so I'll have you to take care of when I get done taking care of me for you. (Hope that lantern is out now!!)

All my love, lover gal, be seeing you around.

Hasta Luego Cara Mia,

Willie Lump Lump