Kiss Of Fire

December 26, 1952

Yokosuka, Japan

Front cover of William Wegman's version of the classic which
uses his Weimaraners as models. [The editor's favorite.]

Hi "sweet thing,"

'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house

Everybody was feeling like "hell," including me.

[Editor's note: Years later, Jim would write an annual Christmas poem and often parodied the classics. This wasn't an auspicious beginning. Click here for a traditional version of "Twas The Night Before Christmas."]

Our party started at 10 in the morning and broke up at 11:30 last night. Just enough time for us to get to the ship by midnight. (That's when liberty expires.)

But no more like that one, that's too much for me. I quit. "Well," 'til New Year's anyway. HA 

You can tell me what you bowled no matter how low it was. I've done worse. The last two times have almost caused me to quit.

"Boy," it is cold here today. It snowed a little this morning but has stopped now.

By now you should have heard from me. I wrote you 4 or 5 times coming from Pearl Harbor to Yokosuka. Also, a couple of times since we got here.

No, I don't know Babe H____'s husband's name.

I danced to the song "Kiss Of Fire," about 20 times. The last time and every time, I thought of you. The only reason I didn't pass out was I kept moving by dancing all the time. I never have passed out and I'm too old to start over. 

"Boy," that trip to New York sounds O.K. Just stand by and we'll make it some day when I get out of this organization.

Speaking of "are you teasing me," you sure gave me a "fit" last night. I can't stand any girl, especially you, to tickle my leg above the knee. That gets my vinegar up in a hurry. 

Hey, did you hear this definition for "convenience"? It's something that hurts when everything else feels good.

I don't remember if I went back to T-town [Tijuana] anymore or not. I probably did.

I got a Christmas card from Norton L___. I wish you would remember to thank him for me, please.

Well, baby, I've got to sign off now.  Over and out.

Answer real soon.

I love you,

Jim 

[Editor's note: On the front of the envelope Norma wrote, "December 26, 1952 'I love you' first time."]

Click on this link to read the next letter. 

Why Don't You Believe Me?

December 24, 1952

Christmas Eve

Yokosuka, Japan

"Hollywood Goes to the Troops," soldiers at one of
Bob Hope's USO shows, ca. 1952

Hi Norma,

Merry Christmas, honey. I really hope you have a nice Christmas. Wish I could be with you, but that's impossible, so I'll say have a good time all day but think of me once in a while during the day.

The radio is playing Christmas carols now. They are beautiful. This is the only time of the year I like to be home. The other holidays don't mean anything to me, but Christmas always makes me feel homesick.

I suppose it's because of what Christmas stands for.

It looks like you have been having some good church services. I like to hear that, even though I never go to church.

About that box, Norm, it would be nice, of course, but it would be a lot of trouble to you, so don't bother with it.

I've heard "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes," but I still like "Back Street Affair" better. 

I like "Boogie Woogie Flying Cloud," too. Also, "Why Don't You Believe Me" is my current favorite. 

Last night a bunch of us went out and threw a little party. We had a good time.

I got a little "tight," but not as bad as some of them. A few had to be carried back to the ship.

Tell you what, Norm, I'm gonna send you a snapshot of myself that isn't so good, but it's the best I can produce. HA 

Tell Ed C____ to get well fast, otherwise, he will miss the New Year's celebration!

I've been getting Christmas cards from people I don't even know. I got one from a Mrs. Mark P____. If you know her, thank her for me.

Getting back to Japan, it hasn't changed much. They let military personnel wear civilian clothes now, but I don't have any, so I'll wear the Navy blue.

It isn't too cold over here now. Maybe 40° and no snow at all. I like that.

I guess I had better sign off for this time.

So, answer soon.

Love, 

Jim

Click on this link to read the next letter. 

#1 On My Prayer List

[Editor's Note: Norma tucked her letter inside the envelope of Jim's letter. They were both dated December 17, 1952.]

December 17, 1952 

Vintage Christmas card, date and country unknown

Dear Jim:

Just a little note to enclose with your Christmas card.

If you read the verse then you will know my Christmas wish for you. Because wishes, happy thoughts and pleasant memories go out to you every day and in every letter.

Maybe it's not in very good taste to wish you a "Merry Christmas" with you so far from home. So, I'll save that for next Christmas when you should be stationed in the States. You know what I'm trying to say, don't you? Sometimes, I just can't express in words what I feel.

I do want you to know that I do pray for your safety each night. I'm not saying that boastfully, but as a fact. To me, prayer is a wonderful thing for it is talking to God and with Him. That's why you are #1 on my Prayer List and have been since you went to Korea in 1951. Please don't think that I'm corny or acting silly. Right now I'm very serious and everything that is being written is sincere.

[Editor's note: The letter is unsigned and, obviously, unsent. I suspect it was a rough draft for the letter she put in the Christmas card she sent. Whether she edited the final version only slightly or went in a completely different direction, I have no idea. What I do know is that prayer and her faith were important aspects of who she was and she taught me that prayer can work miracles. Norma believed prayer was an active, not passive, practice. However, she would have been careful about discussing her beliefs until she felt secure that she would not be ridiculed and, as noted in previous posts, Jim could have a sharp tongue.]

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Rudolph The Red Nose Sailor

January 14, 1952

Monday night

Stock photo from "A Face in the Crowd," Rod Brasfield's biggest movie role (Beanie).
That's him in the second row, center
If you've never seen the movie, you don't know Andy Griffith.  

Hi ya Norma,

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

Click on this link to read the next letter. 

Snowstorms On Deck

January 10, 1952

Thursday night

Time: 7:40

USS Valley Forge (CV-45) crewmen participate in a snowball fight, while clearing snow from the carrier's flight deck during operations off Korea, circa early 1951.

Hi ya Norma,

I received your letter a couple of days ago.  Should have answered sooner, but I've been pretty busy trying to win the war and things like that. HA.

So you finally got that picture.  I sent it a long time ago.  I was afraid it had gotten lost.

So you think you had rough weather Christmas day, "eh?" Well you should have been here.  We had snow and ice all over the flight deck and shoveling it off isn't like shoveling off the front walk. The flight deck is 890 feet long and 200 feet wide.

Also, we had to tie the planes down with wire cable to keep them from rolling off into the water.

The storm started out with a lot of wind and rain which changed into snow.  The wind was driving it so hard we had to wear goggles to see and pretty soon the googles got so wet we couldn't see (we don't have wind-shield wipers). We couldn't see anything.  We had to feel our way around. It was a funny feeling out there.  I was scared plenty. A couple of times I almost walked over the side. I'm not afraid of something if I can fight back, but when there is nothing I can do but take it, I get scared.

I hope by now you're well of that cold you got Christmas Day.

Tell your girlfriend she is a little off on my height.  I'm almost six feet.  Also my hair is dark and my eyes are blue.  I have a brother who fits her description of me almost perfectly.

[Editor's Note: Jim's siblings were blue eyed blondes, which seems to be typical of Parkers from middle Tennessee.  Jim's coloring, (light eyes, pale complexion, dark hair) and features were common among his mother's family, the Sterlings. Ironically, Jim's mother Bertha believed that his dark hair, set among a houseful of blondes, was evidence that he had been "touched by the devil" and that this was the explanation for his behavior when he was growing up.]

Well, Norm, I've got to sign off and hit the sack.

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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