Letters To Home - November 12, 1950

Fort Dix, New Jersey
November 12, 1950

Very busy lately. Basic training started last Monday. Also signed up for G.I. Life Insurance. Am now worth more dead than ever before. Pleasant thought.

Yesterday we learned how to take the M-1 rifle apart, and to put it back together, too. Very simple piece. (Piece, by the way, or rifle, is the official terminology; the only guns in the Army are artillery pieces). Cleaning the thing is going to be a problem, though. Not nearly enough rods and patches. I'm going to send for a good three-piece cleaning rod and some Hoppe's No. 9.

Meals have been surprisingly good. No seconds, though, except for bread and coffee. A sample of Friday's menu: Breakfast was creamed chipped beef on toast (a.k.a. SOS), raisin bran, milk and coffee. Lunch was two fillets of fish, lettuce salad, ice cream, bread, butter and coffee. Dinner: spare ribs, saurkraut, boiled potatoes, salad, bread, butter, coffee and cake. No mutton as yet. I'll survive.

Got our first GI haircuts Thursday. Never did like my hair very long, so wasn't disappointed.

Due, probably, to my size, I've been designated assistant squad leader. A dubious honor, I'm assured. A small, noisy guy is squad leader. Time will tell how we'll get along. Don't know yet what my duties will be, but no doubt I'll learn soon enough.

My money situation is pretty good. We got a "flying ten" during processing, and we're so busy now that we don't get much chance to spend anything. PX prices are unbelieveable: Candy bars-3 cents each; Beer-15 cents per bottle; Movies-24 cents. Dances are free. Four of us are considering buying a radio on pay day. Haven't heard any music or news for over a week.