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 Author | Topic: A Soldier's First Letter Home from Corregidor (Read 50 times) |
Matt
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|  | A Soldier's First Letter Home from Corregidor
« Thread Started on Oct 28, 2009, 11:24am » | |
I have been cataloging my uncle's letters home from Corregidor to his family back in the States. Here is his first letter. He seems to have been a bit misinformed about the dimensions of the island!
**************
Undated-November/December 1940
Dear Mommy and Pop,
I guess you thought that I was not going to write to you. I have been kept pretty busy. I am sure glad to have got off that boat. Have been here for 13 days getting I disagree drilled off with a gun on my shoulder. I am in B Battery. Am also learning how to operate antiaircraft guns. We have four of them. There are about fourteen men to a gun crew. The shells they shoot weigh 27 pounds. I don’t know whether you will understand this or not, Mommy, but Pop will explain it to you. We are camping out sleeping in tents. It is hot here in the day time; nice and cool to sleep at night. I have gained about ten pounds since I joined the Army. HA.
We are moving back to the barracks the 21st of this month. We have nice big barracks to sleep in. They are all windows that are open all the time. We look out over the ocean and see the lights of Manila. That is the capital of P.I. thirty miles away. We are on an island 15 miles long and three miles wide. There are about 7 thousand soldiers and natives on the island. We have street cars to ride on free. The island is nothing but a mountain. We have three towns on it--soldiers towns. I live in Topside. We have Middleside and Bottomside. We have two movies. All kinds of sports. You should see how the natives live. You would be amazed. Some of the girls are pretty nice. Am going to Manila the end of this month. We have our beds made and shoes shined every morning by the Filipinos and even K.P.
Tell Jan will write her later. Am sending your and Mom’s letter together. Please send it to her for I am sending this by air mail and it will cost fifty cents, so you see that she gets it. I didn’t get that birthday present. Will let you know when I do. Betty sent me a birthday card. Jim is in A Battery. Will write and tell you about Manila when I go there. So will close with love and kisses,
Ken
[the word “Corregidor” appears to have been cut from the bottom of the letter by a censor? It says: “_________________ P.I.”]
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Searching for information on my uncle, PFC Kenneth Rosenberry, 60th Coast Artillery Regiment, F Battery. |
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okla
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| | Re: A Soldier's First Letter Home from Corregidor
« Reply #1 on Oct 29, 2009, 12:50am » | |
Hey Matt...Thanks for posting this personal item from your family memorabilia. It's things like this letter that put a personal/human face on those many nameless men who served and were trapped on the "rock". Makes one realize more than ever that each and every one of those guys had folks back home who were sweating blood over their "boy"s safety and well being. Really good stuff. Thanks again.
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fots2
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| | Re: A Soldier's First Letter Home from Corregidor
« Reply #2 on Oct 29, 2009, 11:31am » | |
Thanks Matt. A soldiers view of day to day life on Corregidor is a nice change from the usual facts and figures.
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