dtucker300 Loc: Vista, CA

NORTH DAKOTA FARM KID in the Marines ( PARIS ISLAND MARINE CORPS RECRUIT TRAINING)

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 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🌺💝🌹

SWMBO

Just proves that all outlooks on life really depend on your frame of reference, doesn't it?

proud republican Loc: RED CALIFORNIA

😄😄😄😄 Thanks for the laughs....We need it now! 👍👍👍👍

dtucker300 Loc: Vista, CA

Michael10

Good read, got a good laugh.

BigJim

I first saw this in the Saturday Evening Post in the 1950's, over 60 years ago. Still a good chuckle.

dtucker300 Loc: Vista, CA

I thought I saw it in Reader's Digest, Humor in Uniform, decades ago.

SWMBO

I think it has been in both places and probably others. But it just goes to show that life is great, just look at it the right way and smile. Then give your dog a pat and give your mate a kiss or two. Now don't announce it if you do the reverse mate a a pat and the dog a kiss or two.

Rose42

An oldie but a goodie.