January 14, 1952
Monday night
I received the letter you wrote while you were sick. I'm real glad to know you're better now.
You mentioned your red nose. You should see all our faces. The wind has beat them so, we look like walking neon signs.
One of our guys has a big nose. It is so red we call him "Rudolph," you know, the red-nosed reindeer.
You know I sort of envy you getting to lay in bed all the time. It's been so long since we had a real good night's sleep. I don't remember what it's like.
And tomorrow we've got to get up at 2:00, I think. Maybe earlier.
The name of that town is Yokosuka, pronounced YA-KUS-KA. It is pretty small compared to Yokohoma and Tokyo.
No, I didn't make any New Year's resolutions. If I had made one it would have been to come home real soon and I know I would have broken that one.
Charlene R_____'s boyfriend got out, "eh." I wish I could find something wrong with me, but I'm not that lucky. HA
Keeping writing about those song hits. I like to keep up on them and over here I never get to listen to any music. I used to listen to the hillbilly shows, except the "Grand Ole Opry." The only part I liked about it was Rod Brasfield. Did you know he married a girl I went to school with? She used to be a good-looking thing, but I haven't seen her in years. I don't know what married life has done to her.
[Editor's Note: Rod Brasfield's online biographies list only one marriage, in 1931, which would have made Jim's schoolmate 1 year old at the time. The biographies list very little of Brasfield's personal life and note that he was reluctant to give interviews. However, Jim had a remarkable memory and a love of gossip, so I suspect he is repeating what he had understood to the be the truth and there may have been a girl from his hometown who had a relationship with Brasfield, especially given the proximity of Martin (the town in which Brasfield died) and Camden (Jim's hometown). See this link for a scan of "Lewis County Tennessee Est 1843, which provides the most details about Rod Brasfield's life currently available online.]
We had the funniest kind of an accident a couple of days ago. The mechanics were racing the motor of one place as fast as it would go, when the ropes with which it was tied down broke. The plane raced over and cut the tail of the plane parked in front of it. It also put a hole through the flight deck.
I never expected an accident of that sort. That wouldn't happen but once in a lifetime.
So you read where we lost more men, "huh." I didn't write anything about it because I didn't know if the Navy Dept. had released it to the newspapers or not. They were shot down over Korea. I don't know how many we lost, not too many. Yes, I'm a member of the Crew.
Look, kid, don't worry about me. There aren't enough "gooks" over here to get me. I want to come home too bad.
Things aren't very bad over here. Maybe the newspaper just played it up to make a story.
We're going back into Yokosuka around the 19th of this month. "Boy," will I be glad to get back and get my feet on land. I guess I'll have to learn to walk all over again on land, instead of "rolling" with the ship.
Those Japanese girls better stay inside when this boat gets in, because the guys are liable to go wild when they see a woman (me, included).
The Captain said he had a surprise for us that he would announce about the 18th and right away someone started the rumor that we were coming back to the States. I hope we don't, we have 6 months to do over here. We might as well do it now and get it over with.
Well, Norm, I've got to sign off now and hit the sack.
Answer soon.
Your mate,
Jim
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