TIME TO SHARE MORE LETTERS FROM:
Before I Go Berserk, Hon: Tumultuous Love Letters, Comfort Women with VD, and 4 Ton Wreckers
Kathy and Christine started a 12-part series of some of their favorite Jack Cavazzi love letters.
Christine posted six of her favorites. Now, here are Kathy's.
Letter 10 in a series of 12.
April 4, 1953
Korea
My Dearest Anne,
Well hon, I’m finally settled down after 2 months traveling. Boy am I glad that there are no more boat rides. I’m as far South in Korea as you can get. The ocean is only about 200 yards from my barracks. We live in Quonset Huts. Those are the half-moon type things. They aren’t bad at all. The chow is pretty good. Nothing to brag about.
I only wish that you people at home could see how miserable, filthy, and crowded the poor people are over here. They live in mud huts with grass roofs, if they are lucky. Otherwise they live in sewers. They use the street for their bathrooms and the stench in these towns is unbearable.
You don’t have to worry about me fooling around with these women babe. They are filthy with disease. They never wash. You can walk down the street and they will beg you to have intercourse with them. This may be blunt dear but I wouldn’t spit on them. I walked down to town last night with a couple of these buddies of mine, and while we were there, a little girl about five years old, dirty as sin, came up to us and asked us to follow her. I thought something was wrong so I followed her. She took me to her mother who was laying on a mat in an alley. The mother wanted us to have intercourse. This is just a common instance. This may give you just a small idea how bad off these people are. It is really shocking.
They have a nice Service Club here. Dances 2 or 3 times a week. Liquor or whiskey is 15 cents a shot. That’s for the best States Side whiskey. Beer is 20 cents a can.
We have a parade this afternoon. What a pain in the neck. Out in the middle of nowhere and we have to parade.
When I get paid, if I have enough money, I’m going to buy a camera. They have one in the P.X. for $88.00. I don’t think I’ll have enough for that.
Did you get your present yet? I hope you like it. Tell Billy and all the rest not to worry, as soon as I can I’ll send them something.
They have China and silverware over here. It’s pretty cheap. I saw a nice set of China for $35.00. A setting for 12. There are a million things over here that you can buy. I don’t think I’m going to hold on to my paycheck.
I don’t know if I told you about Pete Caruso. He is a fellow I met on the boat. He got a telegram yesterday that his wife had a baby boy. Please have a boy hon. I really don’t care what it is as long as it’s a baby. Only kidding. You take care of yourself, understand? Watch your figure. I want you to look like heaven when I see you again. I miss you Anne. I could write a lot of fancy words but I just don’t feel like that. I can’t explain how much but it’s as much as I can. You must know how I feel. You probably feel the same way yourself.
Don’t forget to send a lot of pictures. When I get the camera I’ll send you some. I can get a good movie camera for about $125.00. If you people want to get one just send the money. I’d like to get it but I just can’t afford it. Tell the folks that if there is anything they want I’ll get it for them.
Boy I miss that home cooking. By the way, how are you coming along with your cooking? I’ll bet you will be the best cook in town by the time I get home. Don’t worry though, I’m getting so I can eat anything.
How about calling the baby Michael, Mike for short? No? Okay!
We have a little Korean boy for a mascot. They found him in the gutter one night. He was freezing to death. They fixed him up and looked for his parents. The parents are dead so they kept him here. He lives right here in the barracks. He’s cute as hell.
The weather is getting nice here. Today is one of the best days we’ve had. It’s about 55 degrees outside. The rainy season is coming though. They say it rains for a month without stopping.
Well, Darling, that’s about it for today. I’ll write often now that I’m settled.
All my Love Forever
Jackie
Miss the hell out of you.
Quonset Hut
A Quonset hut is a prefabricated shelter of corrugated metal shaped like a cylinder, cut vertically in two, and resting on its flat surface. Quonset huts get their name from Quonset, R.I., where they were first manufactured.