Show simple item record

Letter from Smith Green to grandma and grandpaShow simple item record

dc.creatorGreen, Smith Lowry
dc.date.accessioned2024-10-22T19:39:43Z
dc.date.available2024-10-22T19:39:43Z
dc.date.issued1939-11-16
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/66462
dc.descriptionLetter from Smith Green to his grandparents, William and Mary Green, giving updates.
dc.format.medium6.5x10 paper
dc.relationSmith Lowry Green Collection (MS 179)
dc.rightsPrior written permission from TCU Special Collections required to use any document or photograph
dc.sourceBox 002, Correspondence to Grandma & Grandpa 1939-41, 1945-46 (not POW) folder, Item 015
dc.subjectGreen, Smith L.
dc.subjectWorld War II
dc.subjectUnited States Army
dc.titleLetter from Smith Green to grandma and grandpa
dc.typeDocument
dc.description.transcription1 Hq. Co., 31st Infantry Manila, P.I. November 16, 1939 Dear Grandpa and Grandma, I thought I would surprise you and write again before I heard from you. I trust you have gotten my previous letters from Hawaii and here. It takes so long for mail to cross the Pacific that I haven't been expecting a letter as yet. It will probably be December before I get your letter. I am feeling fine and hope both of you are even better. Sometimes it is a little uncomforatable here because of the heat. The actual temperature isn't so high because this is, believe it or not, the cool season; however the humidity is rather high and that's what brings the good ol' sweat. Even just sitting or lieing around the pores simply ooze perspiration. The natives look as cool as cucumbers, though. Its very easy to soldier here. Native boys do our K.P.'s, shine our shoes, 2 wash the web equipment, shine brass, make up bunks, sweep and mop the floor etc. All we do is our military duties such as drill, calisthenics, marksmanship, specialist training and formations. If it were permissible for the natives to do that, this would be the life of Riley. Of course, we have to pay them a few pesos a month, but its worth it. A great many things are very cheap over here. For instance, cigarettes such as Lucky Strikes and Camels, are a peso per carton. Thats .50 Maerican, or .05 a pack. Oh, yes! I haven't been paid as yet so haven't been outside the compound but a very little. When I do get paid, I'll start repaying what I owe you. The post of Manila is in two parts. Hq. Co., the band and first battalion is at the Cuartel de Espana. The barracks are in rows and very close together. The whole is surrounded by a high spiked fence and wall. The second and third battalion is at Estado MAyor, on the banks of the Pasig river. Both compounds are inside 3 the old walled city of Manila. Most of the walled city is very old and filthy. The natives livev together like pigs and don't seem to mind. The wall was built long ago by the Spaniards, I believe and is still intact. It is very solid, about 15 or 20 feet high, and in places is 40 or more feet thinck. It has numerous lookout posts and towers and looks very forbidding. The men that arrived on the last boat have been busy learning the ropes. We have to take recruit drill again, just as if we hadn't been in the Army before. Thats because they want every body to be "up to snuff" the new men in Hq. Co. have been firing .22 caliber pistols for the past few days. Its just for practice, so when we fire the .45 we'll make better scores. I've been high-scoreman so far. We go into the interior in January on maneuvers. I'll get to see the jungles then. Some of this island is still unexplored. Maybe I'll get to see some of the head hunters and boa constrictors. Who knows? 4 Well, I must take a bath and get ready to go to bed. Oh, yes! I'm in the radio section here. I hope I get along all right. Don't forget, my address is headquarters Co. 31st Infantry, Manila, P.I. It only takes three cents postage. Say hello to Uncle George, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Lois, Aunt Lucy, Beatrice, Jewel Dean etc. Tell them to write. Well, good-bye until next time. Write soon and take care of yourselves. Lots and lots of love, Smith. S. Green Hq. Co. 31st Inf. Manila, P.I. MR. W.M. GREEN BOX 426 BROKEN BOW, OKLAHOMA U.S.A.


Files in this item

Thumbnail
Name:
Correspondence_grandparents_19 ...
Size:
6.600Mb
Format:
PDF

View/Open

This item appears in the following Collection(s)
  • Smith Lowry Green Collection [250]
    Smith L. Green fought in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. He was a prisoner of war from 1942 to 1945. He also fought in the Korean War. Green attended graduate school at Texas Christian University, graduating in 1961.

Show simple item record

© TCU Library 2015 | Contact Special Collections |