Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
2 February 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Whatta day – had a big command inspection today. A couple of big wheel generals came around and looked at all our junk. Everything we had was laid out for them to look at. Took all morning to lay all our junk out, and then they just
walk by and glanced at it. All it is, is something to harass the troops. We sure aren’t getting any rest in this rest area. I’ll almost be glad to go back up front, so we go get some rest, although I’m too anxious to go
back up front.
It’s still cold here, in fact it’s too cold. Got down to about 5 or 10 below every night and comes up to about 20 in the day.
Had another shower yesterday. Two in a week really clean now, look almost like a civilian again, except for the clothes, they’re still GI.
We got tomorrow off I guess. I’m going to wander over to see Gus again if we do, as I haven’t seen him since last week. I’m going to church in the morning, then wander over there in the afternoon. Will probably eat
supper there. I’ll tell him love for you and say hello for you when I see him.
In case you have some extra money sometime, could you send me some
candles? That is something we always can use, can hardly buy. I’d sure appreciate it if you could send some. What I need is big ones that burn a long time. We don’t get electric lights or anything else like that, so we really
got to rely on candles.
Well honey that’s about all I can think of now, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to close now.
So I’ll say goodnight darling, sweet dreams sweetheart, I’m throwing you a goodnight kiss over the ocean, goodnight honey I love you now and always.
All my Love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
3 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
Got most of today off so I went to chapel this morning.
Had a big inspection yesterday some generals came down here and looked the place over. Outside of
that we haven’t been doing too much, just mostly having classes and things like that.
It’s still pretty cold over here yet,
was down to around -10 last night. It’s still warm in the day tho, usually up around 20 or so. February is supposed to be the coldest month of the year. We’ll find out pretty soon if it is or not.
There isn’t too much news except that I need some more candles. That is something we need pretty bad and can’t buy, and I’m just about out.
That’s about all I can think of now so I’ll close.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
3 February 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Sunday I think
My Dearest Rosalie
Had classes today so I couldn’t go over and see Gus. I was kinda hoping I could as we may be on the line soon, and this might have been my last chance to. We can’t leave the camp after dark, so I can’t go over there tonight.
Went to church this morning. Was about twice as many as usually there.
There isn’t too much news tho. You mentioned I was probably tired of hearing you talking about school, and school life. Well I like to hear about everything you do and all about school life. It’s sorta like you living in place
of both of us. Being over here so far away it kinda brings a guy a little closer to home. It sorta fills up the emptiness in your heart.
That’s
about all I can think over so I’ll close now, will try to do better tomorrow.
Bye for now honey, don’t forget that I love you and can’t
wait to get back to you.
Bye for now
All my love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
4 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
How’s everything back in EL today? Fine I hope. We’re just getting ready to move right now. It seems like all we do is move over here. I wish they’d let us settle down for awhile, either leave us on line or back awhile.
Everyone is getting tired of this moving every week. We’ve been here for 2 months and this will be the eighth different place we’ve moved to.
I broke up with Rosalie today. I turned in my BAR and am on a machine gun. That’s one gun I don’t have any love for. (Excuse just a minute, I’m supposed to get paid) Got paid today, all of $20, so I’m rich.
Had another USO show today. This was the lousiest one yet. In fact it was crummy. They served coffee and donuts tho, weak coffee and stale
donuts. What us poor soldiers have to go thru.
So far today we haven’t done any work, and it doesn’t look like we’re going to have to
either. Seems real nice just to loaf around for a change. When we get back up on line we’ll be getting a lot of free time.
We’re going to get
up early tomorrow, about 2:30 or so, we gotta be ready to leave this area by five in the morning. So I’m going to try to hit the hay pretty early.
Just got our income tax statements today. Only made about a thousand chips last year. That’s pretty poor pay in my opinion. I used to make more than that working part time.
There isn’t too much news right now, nothing exiting has happened, so I’m going to have to close now, so goodnight honey, sweet dreams sweet heart. I love you now and always.
All my love
Ken
4 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
Not too much news right now as we’re not
doing too much. We got our income tax statement. The $104.55 I got in Dec isn’t taxable as we don’t have to pay tax on money we get while we’re in a combat area. All they can tax is the 915.17 which I got while at Polk and
Strong.
Also some Korean money 1000 won. Over here 6000 won equal about one dollar. So it isn’t worth too much. Also got some old money
we found in an old Chinese bunker. Must be left over from the Jap occupation.
Didn’t do anything today, slept most of the morning and went to a USO show
this afternoon. Wasn’t worth seeing tho.
That’s about all the news there is, so I’ll close now.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
5 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Well, we’re back up on the line now. From what I hear we’re supposed to be here until the middle of March. That’ll be about 42 days on line. (this is a good ink pen.) That’ll give us about 2 ½ months on line.
It’s turning a little bit colder over here now. Goes down to about -10 below zero every night. It’s pretty cold where an old boy has got to
roll out of the sack in that kind of temp. Right now we’ve got 8 guys living in our bunkers. It’s about 6 foot wide and 15 foot long, so we don’t have any excess room. Got two letters last night from 218 W.G. R. Needless
to say they were very welcome. I guess we don’t get any mail tonight, anyhow it come as yet. If we don’t get it today, we get twice as much the next day, or the day after, or the day after that.
If by chance you’ve got any pie left over, just toss it in a box and ship it over here. After all an old boy gots the right to know how his future wife can cook. Not that I think you can’t cook, it’s just that I like to eat, and
over here eating ain’t good. Seriously tho I’ll like anything you make. You can even make stew, but I’ll like it, just because you made it.
Haven’t seen Gus in about a week now and most likely won’t see him until we get back off the line.
You’re going to have to excuse the bad penmanship
as it isn’t up to my usual poor standard. I’m holding my candle in one hand and writing with the other.
Our platoon got a real cute “dear
john.” It was a Christmas card with a note on the back and it said,
“Dear Vernon
I’m taking this opportunity to tell you I’m married to a traveling salesman. I hope that you don’t mind, but I couldn’t wait for you.
Love”
Imagine getting that on the back of a Christmas card. Quite a few guys have been getting them since we’ve gotten to Korea.
With these new boots we got, I kinda hate to take them off. Your feet really sweat during the day and it doesn’t evaporate when you take your boots off at night you can sure tell that they’ve been sweating. Every night one of the medics
comes around and checks our feet for frostbite, trench foot, etc. and what a smell when 8 or 9 guys get their boots off all at once.
Your idea of me picking
you up at 218 West Grand River sounds like a lot of fun, only you’re going to have to have more than a late pass, as we got too much loving to makeup, and that is by far too short a time to do it in. Your old boy is getting sleepy
so I’m afraid I’m going to have to close for now sweetheart. Don’t forget you mean the world to a certain guy over here and he loves you very much.
Bye for now
All my love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
5 Feb 1952
1700 Hours
Dear Mom and Dad
We moved today again. We’re back up on line again now. We’ll probably be there until the middle of March. There are eight of us in our bunker now, none of them from A2 tho. Hook lives about 100 yards down the line, so I
still see him every day. As long as he’s in the same company we’re always be pretty close by each other.
We got up at about 300 this morning.
Had to strike tents and eat by five. It was really cold this morning when we got up. I can’t imagine waking up in the morning with the window open and being warm anymore. Every morning we wake up it is cold. Right now the bunker
we got has a pretty good stove in it. Now we’ve got a couple of guys awake at all times in our bunker, so the fire will probably be warm all the night. We got a wood stove here, so we gotta cut wood every day.
That’s about all the news I can think of so I’ll close for now.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
6 Feb 1952
Somewhere In Korea
My Dearest
Got a little free time now, in fact we’ll most likely have the next 42 days off. A couple of days we’ll probably have to run a few patrols and such. Did a little work today, not much tho, just a little tho. Did just a little work
on our fighting holes.
We got a pretty good position where we’re at now. We’re at the end of a long valley, with the Gooks at the other end.
They’re about a mile or so off. We are at the bottom end of a “U” with the open end facing the Gooks. It’s about 500 yards wide. We got GI’s on the sides of the “U”, so the Gooks can hardly get up
this far. We pull about four hours of guard duty every night, hardly ever see anything tho. Every once in a while some one throws a grenade just for excitement.
We had real good chow again this noon, one spoon of chili and one spoon of dried potatoes and a cup of coffee. Real good I hope we get something good for supper, it’s about time we got something worth eating. We gotta walk about a quarter
of a mile to go to chow, and it’s really discouraging to walk that far and get some crap for dinner.
I gotta confession to make to you, I forgot to mail
your letter so I’ll mail both them together. It only goes out once a day, about 8 pm or so, so it probably won’t go out til tonight anyhow.
We got the artillery going again all the time. It sounds like thunder all the time most of it is landing about a mile out in front of us. We can look out of our door anytime and watch it land on the Gooks.
Well sweet heart that’s about all the news I can think of right now. So I’ll say goodbye for now darling, be good.
All my love
Ken
February 6, 1952
Wednesday night 9:55
Dear Mom and Dad,
I still haven’t received your
letter that you wrote Fri. It must have gotten lost in the mails.
School is going fine. Am going full steam ahead in my art courses. We learned
about book binding today. We have to keep directions in the book we made today for all the things we made this term in Arts and Crafts. In the other art class we have combined our sketches into (our individual sketches.) into a big picture.
Mine is to be a grouping of about 8 men and boys around a machine that I drew over at the exhibits. My instructor said I drew very well and that my picture ought to turn out real well. I showed him the sketch I made of Martha. He liked it
a lot – got a big laugh out of it. I redid it today and put a lot more in the picture.
I got in my 40 hours last week at the union so oughta make
a good check. I’ll also get in 40 hours this next pay period. Farmer’s Week really wears us all out. Friday night the head cook and I had a set to. Everything is all patched up now and we’re the best of friends.
Yesterday morning in Foods Class we made pie. Guess what kind she assigned me – Cherry pie! We baked them in little paste board “tins.” She didn’t sample the pies – just our crusts. Mine (the crust) may
have been just a little tough – what I gave her – but that in the pie was good – the cherries could have had a little more sugar. The cook and I apologized to each other Monday but yesterday I decided I’d butter it up even better
so when I went to work I took half of my pie and shared it with him. He really is nice – we just didn’t understand each other very well. I’ll tell you about it when I see you. He’s going to give me some recipes he
has for chocolate cream pie and butterscotch pie.
I hope you’ll decide to come up Sunday afternoon. Besides wanting to go to Communion Sunday morning
and our organ dedication that night I could get some studying done Saturday afternoon and night. We’re in the midst of midterms now. Last Saturday I worked 10 ½ hours it didn’t seem that long while I was doing it – time
flies- and I love the work.
If you’re got anymore bacon I can use it, some cookies maybe I’ve still got the eggs you brought before – maybe
you’d better take them home with you I just can’t bring myself to eat eggs lately.
Had a real nice letter from Gus – Ken has been doing
very well in his letter writing lately. They’re just training – he seems happy. Had a cute letter from him, he’d just received the Florida pictures and really enjoyed them. Of that one of me holding the baby he says, “You
look maternal enough, Mommy” – I think that was real cute. I received your nice letter today. Still haven’t received that letter you mailed Friday – you’d better have the bank stop the check – if that’s
how you were sending me money. As it turned out I could have used the money – but borrowed a dollar from Jean that will get me thru. Last night I made myself some real good creamed chicken and put just a tiny bit of onion in it and served
it on crackers. Had tomato juice and apple sauce and milk. Tonight I’m having French toast – used four eggs.
We made sponge cake and angel
food cake in foods class today. Tomorrow we’re making butter cake. I was assigned angel food cake – it turned out fairly good.
Had a letter
from the Dean of Basic College to go and change my papers and become accepted in the upper school. So I talked to the head of the Ed. Dept. He was real sweet but said I would have to work harder and get better marks – he also doesn’t
want me to work – but as far as I’m concerned I couldn’t get along without working – I’ve just gotta be busy. Last term I didn’t do badly – this term I’m trying real hard to do as well but hope better.
There isn’t much more news. I’m on my way to the library to study – I’m inspired again and am going to get right in there and pitch!
Bye for now. Thanks for everything. I love ‘ya all-
Lovingly,
Rosalie
Mr.
and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
6 Feb 1952
1500 Hours
Dear Mom and Dad
Not
much going on today. We had to shave and wash up as some big wheel was in the area. We get to wash about every other day or so now, so we’re keeping pretty clean.
We’re back up on line again now. Only the way the line is set up we’re actually about a mile back. We’re on the bottom of a big “U” the line makes and it’s only a couple of hundred yards across, so we’ve
got a real good place to be. We don’t know how long we’ll be here, anywhere from 15 to 42 days. I’d just as soon stay here 42 days then go back. As long as it’s real cold, there isn’t too much going on.
It’s real nice out today rather warm and the sun is bright. Still haven’t got any snow to talk about.
We haven’t gotten any mail now for
about 3 days, so we should be getting some pretty soon I hope.
That’s about all the news there is right now, so I’ll close.
Love
Ken
PS I need some stationery.
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
7 Feb 1952
1900 Hours
My Dearest Rosalie
I hope you’ll forgive me, but this is my second letter to you today. Haven’t got anything to write, but I feel in the writing mood. I guess that I’m just in a gay mood tonight, feel like going somewhere, but there ain’t
too many places to go.
Got another sweet letter from my true love today and you asked about my camera. I got it over here with me. I’m taking
pictures all the time, but it is awful hard to get them developed. We got to wait til someone goes on R and R to either Tokyo or Seoul.
Our patrols over
here aren’t too bad. Our company has drawn it about 10 times and only once we’ve seen any Gooks. That was back on Jan. 12th. That day we really seen the Gooks. We were supposed to take a hill with about a squad
or so on it, anyway when we got up there, there was a battalion waiting for us. We didn’t retreat from the hill, we got chased off. I was never so scared in all my life as I was that day. Its times like that you really know there’s
a God up above you looking after you. Some of the boys weren’t as lucky as I. They got hit. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but all the guys in “E” Company wasn’t going to mention it in their letters home.
But Bob Barsantee (in G Company) wrote home and told all about it. He made it sound a lot worse that it really was. So I figured I’d better tell you about it before you hear a lot of wild rumors. The whole thing lasted about 3 hours I guess
that we were actually in contact with Joe Chink. Someday I’ll tell you all the details but right now I‘d just as soon forget about it.
Well
sweetheart that’s about all I can think of so I’ll close for now, but first darling, I’m going to tell you that I love you with all my heart and really miss you. It won’t be long and I won’t be missing you I’ll be
there with you, - for always
Bye for now
All my Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
7 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Hi Sweetheart
Got the day off today, had yesterday off too. I’m getting to be a man of leisure. It’s going to be hard to come home and start working again for a living, but I think I can stand it.
Nothing new happened, stood 4 hours guard last night, liked to have froze, but that’s not new over here. It really was cold last night, colder than it was for quite a while.
A Gook patrol hit the line about half a mile from where we are last night. They sure made a lot of noise. Machine guns and mortars going all night really makes it nice when an ole boy is trying to sleep. But that’s the way it goes.
It’s real warm out again today. I don’t see how it can be so nice in the day time and so darn cold at night. By the time we get off the line it
ought to be turning warm. That’ll be about the middle of March.
Had to shave today some big wheel is supposed to be in the area, so we had to clean
up. Every time a wheel comes into the area, that happens. We’re getting real clean over here now, wash at least every other day. Got gung-ho and shaved my mustache off. Don’t feel properly dressed without it.
Rosie’s little boy has run out of talk, can’t think of anything else to talk about.
So I’ll say goodbye for now.
All my love
Ken
PS Over (Note to Reader: Valentine Drawing at top of month was on the back of this letter)
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
9 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Got another darling letter from you tonight. It really picked up my spirits a mile. Sorta makes me home sick, I just wish I was there to take you in my arms and hold you tight and never let go.
I was feeling real low today – hadda work. Had to dig some dug out ditches, didn’t overwork by any means, but it was work. Our dug out ditches don’t even compare with what the Gooks dig. Ours are just a trench about 1 ½
feet wide and 3 feet deep and no longer than necessary (phooey) than what we have to. I’ve see some the Gooks made, they’ll bore a hole thru the base of a mountain. They make it big enough to walk thru. But the GIs are lazy, so
we just dig a trench. (A bug out ditch is used in case the Gooks over run your position and you gotta get back over the hill, you can do so without exposing yourself too much.)
Got an oil stove for the bunker today, so it’s nice and warm. Only trouble we spent about half the night outside standing guard. We did have a wood stove, but we was kept busy cutting wood for it.
Its only 8 o’clock and I’m ready to go to bed already, but I’ve got guard from 9-11 and 3-5 so there’s no sense in going to bed yet. Some nights we got to bed three times, mostly just two tho. Really shouldn’t say
go to bed, it isn’t really a bed, all it is, is a straw mat on the ground and a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag is really nice too, real warm.
Finally
got all my Christmas thank you’s written. Wrote the last two tonight, so I don’t have to worry about those anymore.
Well sweetheart that’s
about all the news I can think of now, will try to write you a longer one tomorrow. Til then
Good night sweetheart
Lots of Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
10 February 1952
Somewhere In Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Got your box of candy and cookies today and those cookies were really good. If everything you make are as good as those cookies you’ll be a real good cook. Thanks loads for sending them sweetheart.
Set a new record today got up for breakfast for the third day in a row. Breakfast usually isn’t worth getting up for so we usually don’t bother with it.
Did some more work today, but tomorrow that’s all going to come to a screeching halt. We’re not supposed to go out of our bunker unless we have to. That’s OK with us, if we can’t go outside we can’t very well work.
Gonna sleep late tomorrow. Gotta clean my gun sometime, if I get around to it. It really needs it, so I’ll probably get with it and clean it.
That’s about all the news I can think of now. Also I got to go on guard in a few minutes. On from 9-11 and then from 5-7 tomorrow morning, so that isn’t too bad.
Bye for now sweetheart, remember always that I love you very, very much and miss you awful.
All my love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korean
Dear Mom and Dad
Got your box last night with the canned goods and socks. Thanks a lot for sending it, I can sure use the stuff.
It’s not quite as cold as it has been
it seems to be warming up quite a bit. I’d like to see it turn into summer, but I guess it won’t get that warm.
We dug some more ditches today.
Didn’t over work by any means tho, just about enough to look busy and that’s about all. No one in the army works any harder than they absolutely have to and we’re no exception.
I set a new record for me today went to breakfast for the third straight day. I don’t usually get up for breakfast, it usually isn’t worth getting up for. All we ever get is scrambled eggs and the way the army makes them, they aren’t
much good.
That’s about all the news there is so I’ll close for now.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
12 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Got a general in the area again today, so that means we gotta shave and wash up again. Always something to harass the troops.
Slept in til noon today, but
I was on guard all night except 10-1, so I didn’t over sleep. It was really foggy and warm last night, so the big wheels was afraid the Gooks would hit us. That’s the kind of weather the Gooks like, when it’s real foggy or dark
and you can’t see very much. Nothing happened tho, the Gooks hit one of the companies down the line aways, but so far we haven’t been bothered.
It’s nice and warm out again today, so it’ll probably be real foggy out again tonight. I sure hope not. Enough about the weather.
We got
a new feeding system here now. We eat breakfast before sun up and supper after sunset. C-rations is what we eat for dinner. Usually they’re better than what the cooks prepare. And c-rations sure ain’t anything to brag about.
Our mail isn’t coming through worth a darn. We just get it about every third day. When it does come in, it usually comes in after dark, and the
mail clerk is afraid to bring it up at night, so we get it the next day.
We’re having guard duty in the day time today. Every time these wheels come
around we gotta look like we’re really on the ball (excuse me a minute my water is hot and I gotta wash up).
Just got thru washing and shaving, so I’m
real beautiful again. Didn’t comb my hair tho, combed that last week. When we get married I’ll try to comb it as least once a week.
That’s
about all I can think of now, so I’ll finish this right after chow.
Bye for now
Hi sweetheart
Now it’s a little after 4 am. At chow tonight I found out I had gotten volunteered for an ambush patrol. Seems as tho they needed
another BAR man so I was selected. We went out at about 7 pm and we just got off. We walked about 4 miles along the line, then went out about five hundred yards in front of our lines. Then we sat down and waited til 3 am. Just sat there,
and didn’t see anything. We were closer to the Gooks lines than we were to ours. Last night they got five Gooks at that outpost.
It’s
almost time for breakfast so I’ve gotta close and go eat, then I’m going to sleep all day, and I mean sleep.
Your old man is tired honey.
Bye for now dearest
Sweet dreams
All my love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
Korea
February 12 1952
5:30 pm
I Peter 2:9
Dear Rosalie:
Just finished chow, and will begin a long evening of corresponding. You are first on the list.
Received your delicious cookies last Sunday and was very
happy over them. The boys enjoyed them and send their many thanks. To me, it was really a treat, and thanks loads.
It always makes me feel good to
know that I am being remembered by so many friends. You and Kenny are my dearest.
Well, not much news to report from the front lines here, but all is well
and very quiet.
Must write Ken soon, haven’t seen him for two weeks now.
It snowed last night for the first time in several weeks, but a spring like day today – put an end to the white blanket only 1 inch. I am convinced that the bright season of spring is nearby, and that peace in Korea will be a reality by then.
May God in His infinite wisdom grant us the peace we love and hold so dear soon. To this, we as Christians say, “Thy will be done.”
Our company is in regimental reserves and will go up on line Feb. 18th. We’re on a one hour alert and spent several hours last night up front, blocking an attempt by a 15 man communist patrol from infiltrating our rear area, after having
successfully broken through our lines. During the long night, we encountered no enemy, and returned here to our quiet reserve area. I believe Ken’s battalion is on line now.
My health has been good all winter despite the outdoor living conditions and I am quite happy over it. I imagine that you’re quite busy with school and all your many activities, and oh how I would love to be doing about the same thing.
I’ve written Jo several times, but always end up tearing what letter I write into millions of pieces. It’s pretty hard to write her, not knowing where she stands.
Even during battle, above the roar of the guns, I’ve never forgotten her – the girl I know I love. Whatever happened to Jo still remains a great mystery. I wish she’d at least write. Well, I guess that’s enough of
G. William’s romance, so on to another subject.
Mail here has been very good lately, and has put me far behind, but little by little, I have to answer my
many letters. Wrote your mom Zill the other night, I’ve owed her one for several weeks.
Took a few pictures today, but used some very gruesome subjects
for them, however it tells the real story of the horror of war. Had a dream last night that you, Kenny, Jo and I were out at your place, and it really made me homesick. You know, the gay Memorial Day we all spent together is a living memory –
especially – the green pastures, the trees and all of God’s beautiful creation. As we walked towards the house that eve, for a swell supper, and some of your sis’s delicious cherry pie, I wondered when it would be like that again, how soon
I thought – truly that was a happy day and with the setting of the sun I said to myself – “God Bless our Native Land – For may she ever stand” – that is a wonderful prayer to me – today- and forever – Greetings
to all- God Bless and Keep you
Love
G. William
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
13 February 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
We went on an all night ambush patrol. We went about 1/8 of a mile out in front of our lines and set up an ambush. We sat there from seven to 3, but we didn’t see a thing. We were lucky as it wasn’t too cold last night and it
was a real bright night too.
It’s been real warm over here now, it doesn’t even seem cold anymore. I hope that it stays like this for awhile.
We slept in to 2 today as we didn’t get to bed til about 5:30.
Chow recently hasn’t been too good lately and we haven’t been over on it either.
We’re not doing much during the day, most of the time we just
take naps and write letters. I’m getting real short on stationery, so I’d appreciate if you’d send me some. It’s impossible to buy anything like that over here. Stationery and candles is about all we need and can’t
get.
That’s about all I can think of now so I‘ll close.
Love
Ken
Hope you had a nice time in Florida
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
14 Feb 1952
Dear Mom and Dad
Went
on another patrol last night, didn’t see anything tho. That’s two nights in a row I’ve gone out on patrol so I shouldn’t have to go out again for a couple of weeks or so.
Got up at noon today, and 2 yesterday. Only trouble you don’t get any sleep at night. When you go on a night patrol, you stay out from 7 pm til about 5:30 am and that doesn’t leave too much time to sleep.
Outside of that we don’t do anything. In the daytime we just sit around or sleep.
There isn’t too much news so I’m going to have
to close.
Bye for now
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
15 February 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Your boy is kinda tired today. Had to get up at about one today. Got to bed a little after seven. We stood a 100% watch last night. It was a real dark night, and something set one of our land mines off. You couldn’t see
ten feet ahead of you, so everyone was in their hole waiting. Didn’t see anything tho. The two nights before that I was on all night patrols, so that makes three nights in a row that I’ve been up. I’m hoping tonight that
things return to normal and we can get some sleep.
Ain’t had no mail now for about three days. It sure isn’t coming thru like it should.
Maybe tonight we’ll get a lot of it, I hope.
Our division is getting real desperate for a Gook prisoner. They’ve offered $200 and 5 days R&R
in Tokyo. The only trouble the Gooks don’t give up very easy. When we went on patrol the other night, the lieutenant told “we’re after prisoners, but all I want is dead ones.”
Wrote Gus last night for a change. He’s back in reserve right now, got it real soft. He’ll be coming back up here on line pretty soon, probably about the 20th.
We’re having an airstrike out in front of us this afternoon. Jets are dropping napalm on it, then a few rockets, then they end up by machine gunning it. I don’t know if it does any good tho, the Gooks go way down in their holes and
we can’t touch them.
I’m making some hamburgers and cocoa for lunch this afternoon. That’s what I got for c-rations, hamburgers ain’t
much good but its food. The cocoa is really pretty good tho, that’s about the only good thing you get out of c-rations.
Just got thru with my hamburgers.
Can’t say they were good, but I ate ‘em. The cocoa was pretty good tho.
That’s about all the news I can think of right now sweetheart,
so I’m afraid I’m going to have to close.
I’ll write again tonight if something exciting happens, like I get some mail or something like that.
Bye for now, honey.
I’m sending you
All my Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
16 Feb 1952 I guess
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie,
Not much happened today. Got one letter from Gus tho. He’s back in blocking position right now (That’s where you sit about 1 mile behind the main line and make another line. Then if the Gooks break thru our main line, they then
gotta break thru the second line, before they can go very far. About all it is, is sorta an insurance line. He’s supposed to exchange places with our battalion on the 19th or 20th. It is considered the same as
being on the line.
The artillery started firing again today. They haven’t been firing for six days, and today they’re trying to make up for
all the time that they missed and they sure are making a racket. We had a big secret operation. The artillery didn’t fire and we were supposed to run around outside during the day. By doing that the big wheels figured that the Gooks
would come over here to see what was happening, then we could grab a couple of them. But the way it turned out, we didn’t take any live prisoners, just a few dead ones. But that all ended at six this morning and everything is back to normal
now. We shouldn’t be catching anymore of these darn night patrols. They’re a pain in the arm.
Golly sweetheart I can’t think of
anymore to write, I need an inspiration to inspire me I guess. Got all of 3 hours sleep last night, first time in four nights I got any sleep during the night. Tonight if I’m lucky I’ll probably get about four hours sack time.
This time on line is a lot rougher than it was last time we was on line. That time we got plenty of sleep.
I just can’t think of anymore dearest so
I’m going to have to close.
Good night sweetheart
I love
you
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
16 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
Not too much news now, as we haven’t done anything about all we’re doing now is going on a patrol every few nights, stand guard and sleep in the day.
Hook is out stringing barb wire today. That’s something I haven’t done yet, hope I don’t have to.
The weather over here is still pretty
nice. It goes up above freezing about every day, but it still goes down at night. I sure hope that good weather lasts awhile yet.
That’s about all
there is to write about so I’ll close.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
17 February 1952
Near Chorwon
My Dearest Rosalie
Just got back from chow. What a lousy meal for a Sunday dinner. Vienna sausage no less, and it was even poor sausage.
Went to church this morning.
The chaplain came up to the front here. We had services about 300 yards from the line.
From what I hear we’ll be moving in a couple of days.
We haven’t moved for a couple of weeks, so it’s time we moved again. Much as we bitch about all this moving, it really makes the time go fast. It sure doesn’t seem like we’ve been here almost three months now, but we have.
We got here the first of Dec, and in 12 days it’ll be three months, and we’re supposed to get rotated in six months or sooner, so that ain’t too bad.
Burned up a roll of film today just for the fun of it. It’s a real beautiful day for taking pictures, so I took some. Now all I gotta do is to wait for someone to go on R&R, so I can get them developed.
Didn’t get no mail yet, but maybe it’ll come in tonight. The mail situation is sure goofed up over here. That makes 2 letters I got in the last week, one from you and one from Gus. At the next mail call I ought to get a dozen
or so letters.
I guess our folks ought to be coming back from Florida pretty soon. From what Mom wrote they’re having pretty swell time.
Tonight your soldier boy is going to bed right after chow and get some sleep. Back here we only get guard about once every eight days or so, so it isn’t
bad at all.
We’re supposed to stay here about 13 days, back on line for 13 days, then go back for a rest of about 25 days or so. That’ll take
us up til the middle of April. Then there’s a chance we may go into army reserve, til the first of June. Boy would that be nice, but that’s still in the rumor stage, so we’re not counting on it too much.
Hoping that tonight the mail will bring some mail. Anyhow I love you whether we get mail or not, you’re still the dearest thing in the world to me
Bye for now
All my love
Ken
19 Feb 1952
Hi Sweetheart
Guess what I did last night, no let me tell you, went on patrol again. Three nights in 6 days that I’ve gone on all
night patrols. This time when we went out about twice as far as we’ve been going. Saw one live Gook and promptly chased him off. There was dead laying all over the place. They don’t bother to pick up their dead like we do.
They just leave them lay there. Whatta odor that hill had, an ole boy could hardly stand it. So we only spent about 6 hours and it was really cold.
Soon as we got back we had to get ready to move. We’re back a couple of miles now, and again we’re digging bunkers. Every time we move we gotta dig. I’m going to be a number one ditch digger when I get out of here.
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
19 February 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Guess what three letters tonight, so I feel real good.
This is going to be short as we don’t have any free time and it’s rather chilly tonight.
By tomorrow we ought to have our stove in, so we can get some heat in this place. Every couple of lines I gotta stick my hands in my pockets to keep warm.
There isn’t too much news tonight, as all we did was work on our bunkers. Got ours almost done, we’ll probably finish it tomorrow morning.
I’ll
write you a longer one tomorrow as I’m cold now and I’m going to have to quit.
Bye sweetheart
I love you with all my heart and soul. This is your soldier boy signing off now.
All my love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
19 Feb 1952
Dear Mom and Dad
We’re a couple of miles behind the lines now. Spent today and yesterday digging bunkers got it almost finished, another half day and we’ll be thru with it.
It’s really getting colder over here now. I just figured out if you sent that lighter fluid over here by slow boat, it’ll get here at about the end of the March or first of April and by that time it’ll be almost spring.
The red cross finally broke down and gave us some stationery. They gave us about half a dozen sheets and 6 envelopes, so I got some for the next few days.
We’re not getting too much mail as yet, we’re only getting it about every three days or so.
That’s about all the news I can think of now so
I’ll close.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
20 Feb 1952
My Dearest Darling
Didn’t
do too much today. Finished our bunker this morning and goofed off all afternoon. This afternoon I just couldn’t get with it to do anything, so I didn’t. (Our regimental motto is “Let’s get with it,” so every once
in awhile I refer to that without even thinking. Our regimental slogan is “Play hard when you play and work hard when you work.” I agree with the former part but not the latter.)
Anyway getting back to the topic of discussion, I slept most of the afternoon.
We got our beer ration in tonight, three cans to a man. I usually sell mine
tho, for about 50 cents a can, because I can get along without it.
We got guard tonight, only tonight its only 1 hour just from 10-11. So I’ll still
get a lot of sleep. All we got to do is just make sure none of the bunkers are on fire. They burn awful easy, as they got log roofs and straw floors. If the stove goofs up it’ll burn down in just a couple of minutes.
Not really any new news tonight. Nothing exciting happened. Weather is fine, chow’s lousy, but the girl I love is wonderful, and I really love her and she loves me, so I’m happy.
Time for bed sweetheart
Goodnight dearest
All my Love
Ken
Thursday night
2/21/52
Dearest Mom and Dad,
I would be a rather ungrateful daughter if I didn’t
write you and thank you for all the encouragement you’ve given me. I got a great deal accomplished Sunday and have been doing a little every night since then – got 8 posters done tonight which will mean when I get them up that I’ve
got 15 done. I’ll finish the dorms tomorrow night then work on the cards and the sororities the rest of the week-end. Your encouragement has been wonderful and I am very enthused and happy.
I talked with my counselor today. He suggests teaching art in either El. Ed or changing my major to secondary (high school). It sounds rather interesting – just teaching art – after I get a degree he says I can teach in either
high school or elementary school. However, I haven’t decided anything yet – I’m looking into this thoroughly - have another appointment next week.
There isn’t much other news ceptin’ I love you all very much and always appreciate so much your sacrifices for me. I pray I shall never let you down.
Your loving daughter,
Rosalie
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
23 Feb 1952
Somewhere In Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Had a regular old Saturday morning today. Had a big inspection, got the afternoon off. Just the same as Camp Polk, the only thing that was lacking, was the weekend pass. But if we did get a pass, these won’t be any place to go anyhow.
Went over to take a shower this afternoon, but it was too crowded and besides there was a movie playing right next door to it so I went to the movie. The name
of it was “Across the Wide Missouri” with Clark Gable. Wasn’t exceptionally good, but it was a movie.
Not too much news right now. Heard some news about the peace talks, from what we hear it really sounds good. Boy I sure hope that this war ends pretty soon. It won’t be half bad over here if this bloody war were over.
Not too much to write about now, we just don’t do anything to write about it seems. About all we’re doing is existing over here.
Golly honey,
that’s about all I can think of now except that I love you sweetheart very much, and miss you, but soon we’ll be together for always.
All my Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
24 Feb 1952
Somewhere in Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
I’m
feeling pretty good right now, had most of the day off. Spent one hour this morning guarding 214 cases of beer. They don’t trust the boys in E Company, we gotta keep a guy there with a loaded gun all the time. It sorta discourages a
guy from trying to hook a couple of cases.
We had church services here tonight. They were about half a mile down the road. It started at 6 pm, and
it was kinda chilly out there.
We went up to dig on our positions yesterday and found a couple dozen dead Gooks laying up there. They got killed during
their big spring offensive last spring. We found one hole with 15 piled up in it. It just about turns your stomach to look at them. When we find them like that behind our lines we usually just throw some dirt over them. It’s a
heck of a way to bury a guy, but there’s not much else we can do.
Guess what, mail just come in and I got the pipe you sent me and honey, it’s really
nice. I love it sweetheart, thanks a million for it. I wish I could thank you personally it, soon as I get home I will. Got the candles too, so now I can smoke my pipe and write letters after dark. It’s really swell of you to
send me all this stuff and I love you for it. Didn’t get any letters tho, we’ll probably get some letters tomorrow.
That’s about all the
news there is right now. We’re headed back up to the front around the third or fourth of the month. I hope that next time we go up the war’s over.
Good night sweetheart. I’ll see you in my dreams. I guess pen and ink will have to do, til I can say “goodnight dearest, I love you” personally.
Bye for now
All my Love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
24 Feb 1952
Dear Mom and Dad
Here
it is another Sunday morning and just another working day for us. We’ve spent the last couple of days digging bunkers, (fighting ones) about a half a mile from here. The main purpose of those are just to keep the troops busy. They hate to
see us sit around with nothing to do.
It’s turning a little colder over here now, it doesn’t warm up near as much as it used to during the day time.
The nights are still about the same tho.
We haven’t been going on any patrols lately. Won’t make me mad if we never went on anymore.
Got your box last night with the chicken also the one with the candles. I sure appreciate both, thanks a lot for sending them. I was completely out of candles when that box arrived.
We get time off this afternoon to go to church. It’s about half a mile down the road, so it’s pretty close.
That’s about all I can think
of now so I’ll close.
Love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
26 Feb 1952
Korea
2000 Hours
My Dearest Darling
Golly I love you today, in a real good mood tonight. Just feel real gay and really in love with a wonderful gal. I’d give anything to be back there with you now.
Got three letters from you tonight and one from Mother Nash. That AWS presidency sounds like a pretty good deal and it should be a lot of work too. Good luck in your “electioneering” for it. I sure hope that you win it.
How come you gotta go to summer school if you win, do you gotta be a senior to be president. I’m just curious to know why, it isn’t really important.
One of boys got a box from home tonight. Had salami, cookies and then we got four cans of beer tonight, so we’re having a little party tonight. One of the guys has a guitar here so we’re singing, drinking beer and eating. This
is about the first party we’ve had since we’ve arrived in this wonderful place.
By the time you get this we’ll probably be on line again, as
the tentative plan is that we go back up on line on the 3rd. I’m looking forward to that 21 days in reserve. That’ll really be swell. So far we’ve got 56 days on line. During the last war the 40th
only had 510 days on line So we’re not doing too bad so far.
You asked what I thought about your dating some. That’s half of college life honey,
going out having a good time. I told you when I left I wanted you to date and I still do. The old saying goes “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It’s good for you to go out and have some fun, it sure won’t
hurt you any. If you feel bad about it, please don’t, I want you to have a good time.
It’s getting about bed time honey so I’d better
close. Goodnight sweetheart, this is your soldier boy telling you he loves you and hopes you win your election.
Bye sweetheart
I’m pulling for ya
All my love
Ken
Miss Rosalie Nash
218 W. Grand River
East Lansing, Michigan
27 Feb 1952
Korea
My Dearest Rosalie
Finally got an afternoon off, so I got all washed and shaved. Look real pretty again, so I guess I’ll go to the dance tonight as long as I’m all cleaned up.
We worked this morning on our fighting holes, or I should say we went up there. We finished ours yesterday morning, so we just go up there and goof off. We go up there and just lay around and shoot the breeze. It takes about half an hour
to get up there if you walk at a good pace. But the way we walk it takes about 2 hours. We just don’t hurry any.
Nothing exciting has happened
today. It was real nice out today, just like spring. Another three weeks and we’ll pretty well have this old cold weather whipped.
I set another
all time record today, three whole weeks without missing chow (breakfast). I never been did that good in basic. We’ve been getting donuts once in a while lately, so I go just in case. Don’t want to miss them, that’s the
only good thing our cooks can make. Compared to homemade ones tho they’re lousy, but by GI standards, they’re good.
Got a box last night from some
people in Florida who I never heard of before. Must be some of Dad’s relations. I don’t know too many of his relations down there.
We got some hot news the other day. The 180th RCT got wiped out to the last man. That’s the rumor that’s floating around back in the states now. Far as I know we’re still all OK over here. I have heard that
we’ve been wiped out. I can’t figure out how a rumor like that ever got started, but it sure is a good one.
One of the boys got a radio now,
so we can get the news and some music. I guess the peace talks are coming along pretty good. Maybe pretty soon God will let this war come to an end. I sure hope and pray it does.
Well sweetheart that’s about all the news there is. Oh yeah, that pipe tobacco you sent was really good. Only you’re going to need all your money so you better not mail me anymore for a while.
That’s about it honey, run outta gab, so I’d better close and go to chow.
Goodnight sweetheart and good luck (You know, this picture isn’t near
as nice as you. I’ll be real happy when you replace)
All my love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
27 February 1952
Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
Got the stationery last night and was sure glad to receive it. Thanks for a lot of it.
Just out of curiosity, who is Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Brown of West Palm
Beach? I got a box from them last night. Was a box of cookies but I don’t know who they are. I’ll write them a letter tho this afternoon.
We’ve been working pretty hard lately. We’ve been digging bunkers about a mile away from where we’re living now. It’s about an hours walk up there but we make it take a little longer. Usually about 2-2 1/2 hours.
The weather is really nice out now, almost like Spring. Sure hope that this lasts awhile.
We’re still in about the same area, just N.W. of Chorwon. When we were on line tho last time we were just about 2000 yards from where we were the first time on the line. We’ll probably stay here or right around this area as long as
we’re over here.
The food has been a little better lately. We’ve been getting more too. We can usually go back for seconds now, so we’re
not eating too badly back here.
We’re not getting any guard duty now to speak of now. Just one hour about every five or six nights. So we’re
really catching up on our sleep too. We sure didn’t get too much last time we were on line.
That’s about all I can think of now so I’ll
close.
Love
Ken
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Zill
1713 Maryfield
Ann Arbor, Michigan
29 Feb 1952
Chorwon Korea
Dear Mom and Dad
Worked on our bunkers all day today. We finished them about three days ago, but still we gotta go up there every day. There is really no sense in it, but the army hates to see us get a day off. We haven’t had a day off since we left
the line last time.
Got your box last night with the canned goods and socks. Thanks for everything. I don’t need any more socks. I got
plenty now. Don’t send any more soap. We get all the soap and shaving cream etc, free. We got more of that stuff than what we know what to do with. And we can get it any time that we need it.
When we go back on line, we’re going to be standing more guard than we ever have before, and we stood at least 6 hours every night. So we’re not
going to have too much time off. We’re only going to be there 13 days, so that won’t be too bad.
That’s about all I can think of now.
Love
Ken