Joining the war in Korea

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson

East Lansing, Michigan

3 Nov 1951

Camp Strong

My Dearest Rosalie,

                Just got thru taking care of the boilers.  That’s about the worst job over here.  You’re on for 6 hours and you’ve got three boilers to tend to, so you’re busy all of the time.

                We got the hot news today as to when the division goes home.  It starts the first of December when 1000 guys go home.  Each month they’ll keep adding on to that until the whole division is home.  The married veterans go first, then the married men then the veterans who ain’t married, the US’s and last the R.A.’s (US is drafted and RA is regular army or enlisted. They’ll get to yours truly around the first of spring probably or there abouts.

                Right now it is 24:58 which is almost bedtime but I ain’t tired as yet.  It poured all day today but it was fairly warm.  Almost Indian summer.

                Haven’t seen Gus since we’ve moved, although I know right where he lives.  He’s about half a mile farther from town than what I am.  CoE is the closest company in the regiment to town.

                In our back yard, a beer hall is being built and across the street a theater and a chapel are being made.  We are only a block from the PX so we don’t have it too bad right now.

                You should have seen all the guys, the day we moved in here.  They all acted like a kid with a new toy.  Everyone was real excited.  First time in 5 months we’ve had running water and hot water, windows in the barracks and concrete floors.  Five months in a tent would make any kind of building welcome, even it is a Quonset hut.  The only thing wrong with it is every piece of wood is painted white and that means a load of work for inspection.

                Most of the boys are in bed now except two who stayed in town.  The army frowns on that as the military says all troops will be in camp by 2400 hours, but there is no reveille in the morning so they’ll never be missed.  If you get caught spending the night in town it usually costs you one stripe and thirty days restriction.  This kid ain’t planning on spending too many nights in town.

                That’s about all of the news sweetheart so I’m going to retire for the morning.  But before I do I want to tell you that I’m deeply I love with you and miss you so much it’s pathetic.  It won’t be too long before I won’t have to tell you I love you by mail, but can do it in person.  Only it’s going to take the rest of my natural life to tell you.

                Til then I’m your guy

                All my love

                                Ken

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor,Michigan

4 Nov 1951

Camp Strong Japan

Dear Mom and Dad

                Not too much new now just that we found out when the division goes home.  It’s going to be on rotation plan.  One thousand are supposed to go back to the States in December.  More are supposed to go each month until the whole division is back.  The married veterans are supposed to be first then the vets, then the married guys then the US’s and the RA’s.  It should be spring sometime when we get to go.

                Haven’t done too much this weekend.  Washed yesterday, and outside of that didn’t do anything.  Played pinochle tonight.  I got a double run and a double pinochle and one of the other guys got a thousand aces.  There was 306 meld in one deal.  That’s about the most I’ve ever seen.

                I’m going to mail Helen’s Christmas present tomorrow, so she’ll probably get it before I write her, so I’d appreciate it if you’d inform her of it.

                That’s about all I can think of

                                Love

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson Road

East Lansing, Michigan

5 Nov 1951

Camp Strong

My Dearest Rosalie

                Got our first snow today but it was just a scote (sic) bit tho.  About one inch.  It’s just about cold enough to stay.

                I’m kinda glad it snowed cuz I kinda like snow and cold weather.  Always feel better in the cold air, it does something to you.

                We were out in the snow all day today.  Run a squad problem out in the hills.  Those squad problems are always a pain.  You always know exactly what’s going to happen and it’s too routine.  If it was interesting it wouldn’t be bad, but it ain’t interesting.  But I guess that we’ll endure it somehow.

                Just got thru playing some poker.  Penny ante.  That’s about all I like to play.  Broke about even I guess.  It’s kinda fun to play once in a while.

                Next Monday we go on a three day problem with live ammo.  If I doesn’t warm up we won’t stay out there at night, so I hope it stays cold.  It’ll be nice shooting live ammo instead of blanks for a change.  I don’t see why we don’t shoot more, we got enough arms on this island to blow the island off the map.  So far we’ve shot about 20 rounds in our guns.

                You kinda subtly asked when I’d like to change your name from Miss to Mrs.  I’d like to as soon as I get home for good.  Soon as we hit the states we’ll get a furlough, then I’ll have to go back for a couple of months and we’d be separated right off the bat.  That doesn’t appeal to me too much.  When I make you mine I want to be with you always, not just for a week or so.  And I wouldn’t want you to have to live by an army camp.  That’s about the worst place in the world to live.  Everything costs so darn much and it’s awful hard to find any place to live.  Especially if it’s anything like Camp Polk.

It’s an awful rough place around a camp. Soldiers like to go to town and hang a good one on and don’t give a darn what they do.

                Jeepers I wish you was here, so I could bend down and kiss toxsans time.  Then I’d tell you how much I love you and how much I missed you while I was in Japan.  Then I’d kiss you again and hug you until your ribs cracked.  Anyway I can dream can’t I.

                Bye for now dearest

                All my love

                Your future hubby

                                Ken

610 Ardson Road

East Lansing, Michigan

6 Nov 1951

Camp Chitose 1 B

2215

My dearest Rosalie

                Got a letter tonight from the sweetest gal in the world.  Was especially glad to hear from her as I hadn’t gotten any mail in the last few days.

                Didn’t do too much today, just walked about 20 or so.  We were trying out our new winter boots today and in my opinion they ain’t worth a darn.  They are rubber boots with felt insoles.  They’re designed to wear when you’re sitting in fox holes not for walking.  They’d like to have killed me.  The whole company could hardly walk when we got back to the barracks.

                Got a joke included that I thought was kinda cute, although maybe you’ve seen it.

                We’re going real garrison here now.  Lights out by 1030, sweep the floor every morning and keep the barracks clean in general.  It’s about 1020 now, I hope I get this finished tonight.

                There isn’t too much news tonight.  Still ain’t seen Gus. Cleaned my gun and polished boots tonight so I didn’t get time to go over to A company.  Goodbye for now sweetheart remember there’s a soldier over here who loves you and includes you in his prayers every night.

                Sweet dreams honey

                All my love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

6 Nov 51

Camp Chitose  1B

Dear Mom and Dad

                Got a letter from Rich today, will try to answer it tomorrow.

                Tried out our winter boats today and no one seems to like them.  They’re rubber boots with a felt insole.  They’re made to wear when you’re sitting around in foxholes in cold weather.  They’re just not supposed to be used for walking very far in them.  Anyhow we walked about 20 miles or so.  They’re just about like bedroom slippers.  There was a lot of sore feet when we came in tonight.

                Our snow is almost gone now.  It was just warm enough to melt today and it really melted.

                We’re getting real garrison here now.  The lights go out at 1030 and we gotta sweep the floor and keep the barracks in general.

                It’s after 10 now so I’ll have to close.

                                Love

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson

East Lansing, Michigan

7 Nov 1951

Camp Chitose 1B

2230 Hours

My Dearest Rosalie

                The mail plane didn’t land here today so no mail.

                Over at Gus’ tonight.  Our lights go out at 2230 and his don’t so we’re writing letters together and drinking beer.  We got a couple of cans each, just enough to wash the dust down our throats.

                Didn’t do anything exciting today, except grow more in love with you.  It’s getting so every day I love you just a little more.

                Gus said to give you his love and kiss (just one, I won’t allow anymore, I’ll get the rest) He hasn’t heard from Jo yet but he’s still hoping to soon.  I hope the poor guy gets one pretty soon as his spirits need lifting bad.  He’s really taking this pretty hard.

                Well, sweetheart that’s about all I can think of except you’re still my girl and I love you.  Someday soon tho, you won’t be my girl anymore it’ll be changed to “my wife.”  Until then, I’m just your guy.

                                All my love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

8 Nov 1951

2200 Hours

Dear Mom and Dad

                Over at Gus’ tonight.  Our lights go out at 2230 and his don’t so we came over here to write letters.  Had classes all morning and had squad problems all afternoon.  Didn’t get any mail today as the mail plane didn’t come in today.  We only get mail about four days a week.  Every once in awhile we go three or for days without getting any mail.

                Our snow is all gone now, although it’s still pretty cold out.  It rained all day today, so it will probably snow tonight.

                I ordered a book on the history of the 45^th and it’s supposed to come to the house some time before Christmas.  The company can’t send it over here because of the high tariff so it has to go to some place in the states.  It’ll be mostly of pictures of the 180^th.  When you get it just hold on to it til I get home.

                That’s about all I can think of now.

                                Love

                                Ken

                                                  ******

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson

East Lansing, Michigan

Sat Nov ? 51

Camp Chitose 1B

Hi Sweetheart

                The mail plane forgot to land here again today so we didn’t get any mail.  These mail planes are sure goofed up over here.

                It should be just about 8 am in EL now.  You’re probably just rolling out of bed now and I’m just about ready to roll in, but not until I finish writing to a pretty wonderful girl.

                By the way, what do you think of this paper?  Pretty sexy, huh?  Everything over here is sexy, instead of sharp.

                You should be getting your Christmas present pretty soon now.  I mailed it to Pinckney, so you won’t have to carry it home from school.  It’s kinda bulky.

                Monday we go to Eniwa to shoot our guns.  I like to shoot it, but we only have shot them once since we’ve been over here.  We’re supposed to get about 120 bullets to fire, so it ought to be kinda fun.

                Got the new 45^th news so I’ll mail it on to you.  The football team had a real bad day the last time they played.  They just barely won, 27-0.

                Tomorrow morning I’m going to sleep late, til about 8 or so.  When I get home I’m going to get a job working nights so I can sleep all day.  Sounds like a good idea, huh? (Toxsann no joto!)

                Well dearest, that’s about all your guy can think of right now so he’ll have to close for now and get some shut eye.

                Till we’re Mr. and Mrs. I’m your guy.

                                All my

                                                Love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Sat Nov ? 51

2130

Dear Mom and Dad,

                Had inspection this morning, passed okay.

                Not too much news right now as all we’ve been doing is having classes.  Our battalion is on restriction this week so we can’t go to town.  We come off Wednesday, so we can start going into town that night.

                Monday we go out to the firing range near Eniwa.  We got up about 3 in the morning and get back about 9 at night.  So far we’ve fired very little ammo in our guns.

                Got the new 45^th news so I’ll mail it on to you.  We got our lockers yesterday so now we’ve got about everything we’re supposed to I guess.

                Gus and me are going to go to chapel tomorrow unless something turns up.  I doubt if anything will, but you never know in this army.  That’s about all I can think of now so I’ll close.

                                Love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Sunday 51

Camp Chitose 1B

Dear Mom and Dad

                Didn’t go to church this morning as I got put on detail.  Some of us had to unload boxcars and I was one of them that got picked.

                We get up at 3:00 tomorrow so we can go to the range.  It should be fun to fire real bullets for a change.  Up until now we’ve been using blanks.

                Heard the MSC Notre Dame football game this afternoon.  They broadcast one game a week over A.F.R.S. and I guess that was the game of the week as we heard it.  It must have really been a game to watch, if you were an MSC fan.  Also heard Mich is having a real rough time of it this season.

                It was a real nice day here today, it was fairly warm.  Seems almost like Indian Summer.  I hope it stays like this for a while.

                We’re supposed to get a lot of time off this week.  Mostly for care and cleaning of our guns and straighten up all of our gear.  Everything we got is all messed up right so we can sure use the time off.

                Gotta close now and write Rosalie before I go to bed.

                                Bye for now

                                                Love

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson

East Lansing, Michigan

11 Nov 51

Camp Chitose 51

My Dearest Rosalie

                Didn’t do too much today.  Didn’t get to go to church as I was on detail all morning, unloading boxcars.  I was “volunteered.”

                Heard the MSC and Notre Dame game today on A.F.R.S.  We get one broadcast a week of the top game of the week so today we heard MSC.  It was really quite a game.

                It was a real beautiful day out today.  It seems like Indian summer here now.  It ain’t quite as cold as it was, just about perfect now.

                The mail plane finally landed today and sho ‘nuff I gotta letter.  It was swell to hear from you again.  By the way I forgot to include the newspaper yesterday so I’ll enclose it today for you.

                Next week we’re supposed to get a lot of time off next week to take care of our guns and gear.  Everything we got is in a terrible mess right now.

                Tomorrow we get to sleep in til 300 then we go to Eniwa to shoot our guns.  I think I’ll try to go to bed early tonight, as least by ten.

                I’ll say good night for tonight sweet heart and hit the hay.  I’ll enclose a kiss in here for you mainly because I love you and wish I could kiss you now but I can’t so I’ll just send you one by airmail.

                                All my love

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

13 Nov 51

Camp Chitose 1B

Dear Mom and Dad

                Got two letters today from you and one from Rosalie.  One was with Rich’s picture and the other with the clippings of the U of M and U of I game in it.

                I’m on guard duty tonight from 10-12 and 4-6 tomorrow morning.  This is the second time in about four days we’ve had guard duty and we’re only supposed to get it every 16 days.  So someone goofed up and we’re getting it too often.

                It’s still pretty warm here yet, during the day that is, at night it gets down to about 15-20 degrees.

                We spent the whole day firing our guns.  It was kinda fun to fire them.

                I spend most of the day firing the AR.  That gun can really eat up the ammo.  We’ve got a couple of automatic carbines in the company now, which fire almost twice as fast as a machine gun will only we didn’t get to shoot them.

                We had a lecture this morning by a CIC officer.  He told us to be careful what we write home.  He suggested that all we write is “that we like the army, the food is fine and I’m ok.”  Outside of that we’re not supposed to write anything home about what we’re doing.

                That’s about all I can think of now

                                Love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

17 Nov 1951

Dear Mom and Dad,

                It’s snowing tonight.  It just started about 10 minutes ago, so the ground isn’t even covered as yet, so maybe we won’t get too much

                I got the boots yesterday.  They fit perfect, thanks a lot for sending them.  They’re just what I need.

                We had a regimental inspection today and our barracks was about perfect except one of the sergeants left a trash can sitting out on the floor.

                Monday we go for an airplane ride.  Our battalion is loading on planes, then when we land we set up a defense around where we land.  The whole thing is supposed to last 3 or 4 hours.  We aren’t supposed to have to work very hard on that problem.  All we do is load the planes and unload.

                Got the forty fifth news to mail home.  It’s pretty good this time.

                By the way did you ever get to see the china Hook sent home.  If you ever want a set let me know.  I’m going to mail one home for myself sometime when I can get enough yen together.,  A good set of 93 piece Noritake china runs about 12,000 to 14,000 yen, that’s about $40 to $50 or there abouts.  That slightly more than a months pay.

                Sunday

Had KP today.  Got to go to church this morning.  Our snow all melted today as it was fairly warm.

                We have to get up at 430 tomorrow so I’m going to go to bed early tonight.

                                Love

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson Rd

East Lansing, Michigan

Thanksgiving ‘51

Camp Chitose

Hi Sweet heart

                Feeling kinda low tonight.  We’re going to move out of our quonset, if everything goes according to plan.  We don’t know exactly where we’re going, but everyone has the same idea as to where it is.  If we move it will be within the next few weeks.  If you don’t get this for awhile, it is because the mail is being held up til we have left here.

                I don’t think anyone is really looking forward to moving, but in this case none of us volunteered.

                We’ve spent the last couple of days checking all our equipment and gear.  We have also had our weapons put into good working order now. (All were supposed to write home is that we’re moving).

                Tomorrow we get a bunch of shots and then turn a lot of our clothes into supply.  Guess we won’t be needing our dress uniforms any more.

                We had a real nice meal for dinner today, about the best one we’ve had since we’ve been in the army.  All you could eat too.  The cooks stayed up all last night fixing it. There was 25 different things on the menu.

                I wish that you were over here tonight because I need, need you to love and need someone to talk to.  Everyone here is in the same boat.  Everyone tries to make a joke out of it but deep down inside, everyone is scared, not for themselves so much, but mostly for their loved ones.  Scared too that their life’s dreams won’t come true.  I don’t think I’d be selfish by wanting to bring into reality our dream.  That sweetheart means more to me than anything else.

                We’ll just have to leave it all in God’s hands.  All we gotta do is have faith in Him and everything will come out OK.  He won’t let us down.

                Well sweetheart that’s about all I can think of now, so I’d better close. Remember I always love you and need you.  Don’t ever forget that.

                                All my love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Thanksgiving Day

Dear Mom and Dad

                Got two letters from you last night.  Those were the first letters I got in about four days.

The mail system over here is all goofed up right now.

                We had a big clothing inspection yesterday.  We had everything checked that we have.  We have one about every six weeks.  We lay everything we got out on our beds and some officer comes around and checks it.

                It’s fairly warm over here now.  It’s really pretty nice out right now.

                We’ve just had some snow over here once and that wasn’t enough to really count.

                There isn’t too much news right now as we’re not doing anything exciting.

                                Bye for now

                                                Love

                                                                Ken

Guys Ken went rabbit hunting with. He mentions this in his letter to his parents on 24 November.

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson Rd

East Lansing, Michigan

24 Nov 51

My Darling Rosalie

                Guess what?  I got your box today.  Thanks a million for it honey, it’s really good.  The cigars were real cute the way you had them wrapped.  Thanks again, I could kiss you for sending them.

                Went to the show today, seen “Here comes the Groom.” It was pretty good too.  That’s the first show I’ve seen since we left tent city.

                You asked in your letter “if I wanted to back out while the backing is good” Not Interested!  I love you too much to ever back out.  You mean more to me than anything else.  So don’t you every worry your pretty little head about me backing out.

                By the time you get this we ought to be in or on our way to Korea.  We supposed to relieve the First Calvary.  They’re on the west coast, by Seoul.  They’re supposed to come over here to Hokkaido and live in our new Quonsets.

                Got the 45^th News that came late last night.  Probably won’t get that any more as the 180 RCT is the only regiment that is going right now.  The 279 and 179 are going to follow.  All the guys I know are in the 180^th or attached to it, so we’re all going.

                Our snow is all gone now.  It’s pretty warm over here in the day time so it doesn’t last long.

                We’ll sweetheart gotta but the hay as it is getting late.  Remember sweet heart that I’ll always love you and that I’m your guy forever.

                                All my love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

24 Nov 1951

Camp Chitose 1 B

Dear Mom and Dad

                Got a little snow here last night, but most of it melted today as it was rather warm.

                Some of us went rabbit hunting today with our M-1s.  There was a lot of guys out hunting, so we didn’t stay out too long.  We could hear the bullets whizzing around, so we kinda scared to stay out there.  Got one rabbit, but that M-1 slug really tore that rabbit up.

                Our CO confirmed it that we’re going to move soon.  Also we’re getting a new CO.  Our regiment is the only one going right now.  The 278^th and the 179^th are supposed to follow us at a later date.  We found out today also that our new CO used to command some WACs.  He doesn’t know too much about the infantry.

                A Lutheran chaplain is coming to town to Chitose tomorrow to have a special communion for the 180th.  This will probably be about our last Sunday in Japan, so Gus and I and Hook and a couple of other Lutheran boys are going.

                If that old hunting knife of mine is still around could you mail it over here? If you do have dad sharpen it up first, I’d kinda like it to carry with me.  Also I’d like a few rolls of 127 film if you can buy it.  I got a Jap camera from one of the guys for a coupla bucks.  If we go to the front I’d rather carry that than my C-3 as I’d be afraid something might happen to it. I’d sure hate to lose that.

                That’s about all I can think of now, so I’ll close.

                                Love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

25 Nov 1951

Camp Chitose

Dear Mom and Dad

                Got five boxes today.  One from Dorothy and Elmer, one from Rosalie, Goodyears, one from you and one from Sandy and Meta.

                Got the box with all the Christmas presents in it.  Thanks a lot for sending all the things.

                It’s snowing pretty hard our right now.  Actually it’s half snow and half rain, but it’s really coming down.  It’s pretty cold out right now.

                Went to church yesterday afternoon.  Rev. Schroeder gave a special communion service for the 180^th RCT.

                Some of the First Cavalry arrived today.  We’re supposed to relieve them over in Korea and they’re coming over to Japan.  Some of our guys flew to Korea this morning.  Couple of the guys who just came here have been in the army nine months and almost five of it in Korea.

                By the time you get this we will probably be there as we’re leaving this weekend sometime.

                That’s about all I can think of now

                                Love

                                                Ken

                                                    ******

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson Rd

East Lansing, Michigan

26 Nov 51

My Dearest Rosalie

                Its really cold over here now.  We’ve got about 6 inches of snow now as we had a blizzard last night.

                We’re going to leave either Fri or Sat we don’t know for sure which day yet.  Some of the guys who just came to Easy Company from Korea, say there is hardly any fighting going on right now.  They told us it was colder than you know what.

                Not too much news this afternoon as all we had was classes on Military Justice.  We needed that about like we needed holes in the head.  It was a four hour class over in the gym.  It was cold in there so during the first break some of us went to the PX and had some coffee and came back just in time for the last break.  So we missed about three hours of it.

                I’m going into town tonight and get some pictures.  This will probably be about the last chance we get to go into.

                That’s about all I can think of for now sweetheart so I’ll close for now.

                                All my love

Miss Rosalie Nash

610 Ardson Rd

East Lansing, Michigan

28 Nov 51

Camp Chitose 1B

My Dearest Rosalie

                This will be the last letter you’ll get for awhile, as tomorrow morning is the last time we can mail any letters from Japan.  The next letter you get won’t have stamp on it, it’ll have “free” on it.  Soon as we get on the boat we get free mail service.

                Finished packing all our gear today, so we can go at any time now (Just got put on detail guarding prisoners). He’s been AWOL about five times.  He got out of the stockade three days ago and went AWOL that night.  Gotta guard him with our M-2 Carbine.

                We got paid this morning.  It was kinda good to get that pay as I was really broke.  Bought a box of cigars tonight, so I’ll have plenty to smoke when we go across the pond.

                Haven’t seen Gus for a couple of days now.  I’m going to try to see him tomorrow if the first battalion doesn’t ship out tomorrow.  (Rumor has it that they leave tomorrow.)

                Well sweetheart that’s about all I can think of now so I’ll close.  When you don’t hear from me in  a few days it isn’t cuz I don’t love you because that will never happen, but because I can’t write.  Til you hear from me again, I love you honey and miss you.  Don’t ever forget that and soon this darn war will be over and then we can be together for good.  Til then, this is your guy.

                                All my love

Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill

1713 Maryfield

Ann Arbor, Michigan

28 Nov

Dear Mom and Dad

                This will be about the last letter you’ll get for awhile as the last mail goes out of here tomorrow morning.  The next letter you get will be without a stamp as we get free mail over in Korea.

                Finished all of our packing today, so that we’re ready to go on about five minutes notice.  We’ll probably be leaving on Fri or Sat. we don't know for sure as yet.

                It’s been staying right around 9 degrees now.  We got about 6 inches of snow on the ground now.  There isn’t too much news tonight so I’ll close now and go to bed now.

                                Love,

                                Ken

Copyright © 2013 Mary Elizabeth Zill VandenBerghe