Jim Uses The "L" Word. As Only A Southern Boy Can

Dec. 31, 1951

Monday Evening

Photo courtesy of the National Archives

Hi Norma,

How's the cutest girl I know?

I'm fine, except this pen is driving me nuts.  It writes for awhile and then stops for a rest, I reckon. I called it all the bad names I know and some I didn't know and it still won't write.

When your last letter came I was on topside and after I read it, I started to put it in my pocket but a jet plane pilot started racing his motor and the blast blew it out of my hand over the side and I can't answer all of it.

It was cold last week over here, but the wind is what hurts.  When it is 20° above zero over here, the wind makes it as bad as 20° below back home.

Look, kid, I got a different pen, same difference, "eh?"  I think I sent you a picture.  It should get there around Christmas and don't get the idea that I don't love you, because you know I do.

I'll be glad when we go into port again.  I'm getting tired of water.  We've been out almost a month now.

Today is New Year's Eve, if I was home, I would probably throw a big "bender," even if we were in Japan I would, but out here, there isn't anything to drink.

I got a letter from my brother today.  He said he was sending me a bottle of wine for Christmas, but it didn't get here yet.  It might be a good thing for me if it didn't come because when it does I'll probably be too drunk to work for a day at least HA! 

"Yeah," I remember Ken C_____ but I would like to forget him.  I never did like him very much.  If he isn't playing for Gilead anymore, I would call it good riddance. He's another "pog" that should be in the service.  How those "damn" guys stay out is beyond me.  Excuse the language, but I'm a little disgusted that some of us have to fight a war and some others stay home and make out with all the women and good jobs.   

Do you remember Dick Contino, he used to play an accordion on the Horace Heidt Show?  Well, he dodged the draft and was sentenced to 6 months in jail.  He served 4 1/2 months and now he is out and, so far as I know, he won't be called up again.  I wouldn't mind spending 4 1/2 months in the "jug" rather than stay just 6 months over here.  It isn't just the cold and the long hours that bother us. There are other things, such as crack-ups and lots of time they start fires and there are always live bombs and ammo lying around.  If some of the fire ever got to those bombs, we're through.  And it almost did last week.  We had to throw about 4 tons of bombs over side to them away from the fire.

"Boy," I was already seeing visions of abandoning ship. HA Only I would have been around to abandon ship.  I would have been playing a harp.

Well, kid, I've got to sign off now.  I want to write my buddy on the East Coast.

Answer soon.  

Your pal,

Jim

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Sweet Thing

Dec. 25, 1951

Christmas Day

Wesson Oil print ad, ca. 1951. 

Hi Norma,

You sweet thing, how're things with you?

Your package arrived last week and it was the best one, by far, that has come to my division so far.  I only got a small piece of the fruitcake.  The guys took the rest from me, but the piece I did get was the best I ever ate.

The cookies went like a snowball in NEVERMIND.  I wish we had chow like that every day.  This Navy wouldn't be too bad if we did.  

My buddy from Kentucky sitting beside me said to tell you "hello" and that he liked the cookies, too. He is coming to Detroit with me the next time we get home.  He has relatives living there.

Well, kid, today is Christmas and I guess we are a little lucky.  We aren't launching any planes, we're refueling, so the Air Dept. gets to rest.  "Boy," the way we've been killing those "gooks" the first three weeks, I don't see how they can hold on much longer.

If them "doggies" (soldiers) will quit fooling around waiting for those truce talks to be over and do some fighting, we would wind this thing up in a little while. 

I sure wish I were home today to go out with you kids to have fun singing Christmas carols. A guy doesn't know how to appreciate those things until he leaves home.

There isn't any of that "peace on earth"  "good will towards men" over here.  In fact, there is very little Christmas spirit of any kind.  But maybe by next Christmas we can all be home.

Well, kid, I've got to close now.

Thank you for the box and God bless you.

Answer soon.

Your buddy,

Jim

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Norma Finally Gets A Picture

Dec. 8, 1951

Sat. Evening

Airman James C. Parker, headshot by Speckels Photo Studio, 111 Broadway, San Diego, Calif.., 1951

Hi ya, Norma,

How are things in our home town?

Guess where I am?  I'm in Korea now HA and there isn't anything so exciting about it, after all. We haven't started flying strikes on the enemy yet, but we probably will tomorrow morning.  

There are two 5 inch guns mounted outside of our living compartment and right now they are "banging" away, shooting at some targets.  Those gunners are pretty good, too.  I've watched them knock down lots of those plane-tamed targets.

We were in Yokosuka, Japan for a couple of days last week.  I only got to go ashore one time and didn't get to stay long then, liberty expired at midnight.

It was about what I expected it to be, lots of beat-up, run-down houses and narrow streets.

The rickshaw boys are mechanized now.  Instead of pulling them by hand, they pull them using bicycles.

I bet you are planning on a swell Christmas this year, "huh."  Where do you plan to spend it, in Detroit or Kentucky?

I don't know for sure, but I guess we will be out here for Christmas.  I don't think we will go into port anymore until the middle of January.  But we will stay 10 or 12 days the next time we go in.

I'm sending you a picture, it isn't very good, but we will blame the camera.  [Editor's Note: He's right, the picture doesn't do him justice.]

Well, kid, I've to sign off now.

Answer soon.

Your buddy, 

Jim

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