Reprieve from the War Front
** This is another letter from my father in Korea during the war of 1950-1953. My intention in posting these letters is to capture the very personal side of war. The letter is typed as written. Any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and etc. are intentional.
17-Oct-53
Dear Mom & Dad
I have just returned from a splendid seven days leave in Japan. My seven days were filled with just about everything a person could want in a leave. Steak, lobster, french fried potatoes, and onions, and many other fried foods. The special service hotel at which I stayed is the most beautiful in Tokyo, Ga-Jo-En KANKO Hotel. It is composed of three buildings connected by hallways, five stories high. It has many facilities such as Grill, Bar, Cocktail Lounge, PX, Game Room, Barber Shop, Dining Room, Wrapping Service, and Dining Room, where meals are very cheap: 15 cent breakfast, 25 cent lunch, 45 cent supper. The elevators of the Hotel are lined with mother-of-pearl formed into warriors oriental designs.
Tokyo itself is a very large city, third largest in the world; although I never took a sight-seeing tour because it rained most of the time but I walked all over the city. The Tokyo PX is one of the larger building, you can buy anything from cigarettes to kimonos and auto mobiles. Another large building is the Diet where Japans love makers do there works. I never did get to see the inside of the Palace because have to be on the sight-seeing roster to get inside.
The PX had a pretty nice camera for 16 dollars so bought it. This camera has a lense which can be adjusted for different amounts of light, cloudy, cloudy bright, bright and any place in between. It also has 1/200 of a second down to time exposures. Also depth adjustment, so I should be able to take some very clear pictures. To my regret I didn't buy the camera until the last day of my leave so I didn't get many pictures of Tokyo, but the camera will be nice for pictures when I get home.
During my stay in Japan I went to most o the night clubs and the burlesque shows. Also many of the American movies; I had an all around good time and still behaved myself and remained a gentleman at all times. This I found surprisingly easy, must be a good home background showing up in me.
The trip both ways was made by air, a large Globemaster. A Globemaster is a four engine cargo plane capable of carrying over 200 men. Going over didn't bother me but coming back my sinuses about knocked me out when we were losing altitude for the landing. My head felt like it would burst and a thousand neddles were stuck in around my forehead and nose. Everthing is fine now except that I am back to the daily army routine. Life is a little easier for a corporal than a PFC or Pvt so I have it pretty easy.
Mom I hope you received the Happy birthday telegram from me.
Love, Phil
P.S. 120 film is pretty hard to get for my new camera.
17-Oct-53
Dear Mom & Dad
I have just returned from a splendid seven days leave in Japan. My seven days were filled with just about everything a person could want in a leave. Steak, lobster, french fried potatoes, and onions, and many other fried foods. The special service hotel at which I stayed is the most beautiful in Tokyo, Ga-Jo-En KANKO Hotel. It is composed of three buildings connected by hallways, five stories high. It has many facilities such as Grill, Bar, Cocktail Lounge, PX, Game Room, Barber Shop, Dining Room, Wrapping Service, and Dining Room, where meals are very cheap: 15 cent breakfast, 25 cent lunch, 45 cent supper. The elevators of the Hotel are lined with mother-of-pearl formed into warriors oriental designs.
Tokyo itself is a very large city, third largest in the world; although I never took a sight-seeing tour because it rained most of the time but I walked all over the city. The Tokyo PX is one of the larger building, you can buy anything from cigarettes to kimonos and auto mobiles. Another large building is the Diet where Japans love makers do there works. I never did get to see the inside of the Palace because have to be on the sight-seeing roster to get inside.
The PX had a pretty nice camera for 16 dollars so bought it. This camera has a lense which can be adjusted for different amounts of light, cloudy, cloudy bright, bright and any place in between. It also has 1/200 of a second down to time exposures. Also depth adjustment, so I should be able to take some very clear pictures. To my regret I didn't buy the camera until the last day of my leave so I didn't get many pictures of Tokyo, but the camera will be nice for pictures when I get home.
During my stay in Japan I went to most o the night clubs and the burlesque shows. Also many of the American movies; I had an all around good time and still behaved myself and remained a gentleman at all times. This I found surprisingly easy, must be a good home background showing up in me.
The trip both ways was made by air, a large Globemaster. A Globemaster is a four engine cargo plane capable of carrying over 200 men. Going over didn't bother me but coming back my sinuses about knocked me out when we were losing altitude for the landing. My head felt like it would burst and a thousand neddles were stuck in around my forehead and nose. Everthing is fine now except that I am back to the daily army routine. Life is a little easier for a corporal than a PFC or Pvt so I have it pretty easy.
Mom I hope you received the Happy birthday telegram from me.
Love, Phil
P.S. 120 film is pretty hard to get for my new camera.
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