A month or so ago, we were at a friend’s annual bonfire, and while talking to one of the guys who were there, it turned out he had been stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado during his Army stint.
This got me thinking because I was pretty sure Dad was stationed at Fort Carson as well, which made me remember the letters I have of his and how I meant to share them here.
Then I sort of forgot about it until today when a conversation with Captain turned to bible verses, and he said something about how the King James version was what he was familiar with. I told him if he wanted a KJV bible, I had four of them. He didn’t believe me, so I went to the filing cabinet to dig them out.
Yep, I’ve got mine, Big Brother’s (you can have that back, dude, if you want it), Dad’s and one that wasn’t engraved with anybody’s name. Also in that file drawer was the stack of letters Dad wrote home from the Army.
I found one from when he was at Camp Chaffee in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in April 1956:
Dear folks and kids,
I just got back from church. Last Sunday I told you I went to church but it was some other building where they held that special choir. The church is about the same size as Potsdam’s.
Yesterday we went on detail and 5 of us cleaned up the church and mowed the lawn and hoed the flowers, watered the flowers and grass. The day before we picked up paper, bottles, cans, and cigarette butts.
Well Friday night they did what we didn’t expect. They split us up. There are only 44 left in our barracks now. They took all the guys that weren’t in perfect condition and put them on the hill. That is where they get basic training here. It is a mile away from here. Among the ones they took were Narveson and Kostel.
Yesterday they had us put on our O.D.’s and have inspection. They said we should bother them again and ask when and where we were going. They said we were leaving for Colorado sometime Tuesday, but we haven’t any written orders yet so it still isn’t for sure.
Well how’s everything there? I suppose maybe you’re done seeding? I don’t know anything about the weather there. I hvaen’t heard a radio since we left Minneapolis. The trees are all leafed out and have been since we’ve been here, and the flowers are in bloom.
Well I better close for now and try and write to Eileen and Shirley.
Love,
Bigfoot
As I read that letter, I realized something I haven’t paid any attention to before. Dad was pretty darn good at painting a picture with words. Even if he was telling a story, he’d talk about the scenery or what was blooming. Must have been the farmer in him!
Thank you for letting me share one of my favorite people with you. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and have a chance to get out and enjoy some of your local scenery, wherever that may be!
Hugs,
Mrs. Captain
Images used:
http://www.carson.army.mil/DES/pmo/_assets/img/BestHometownFC.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/O91b84j3mbrIvxOmrU8R26wmiht9W3ecXtD7S4xB9q8jWmOA5ss53PR9Tx5gPHFIte-_lQCDquOiCIExso1wKdPFy21JxOnmfJK3p0kMBUbcwSU5VtJsjyM6nlj8Cu6R1Apev6U
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