Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence #2

Transcription

1 Chapman University Chapman University Digital Commons Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence CAWL Archives: The Korean War Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence #2 Albert J. Sedlacek Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Cultural History Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, Military History Commons, Other History Commons, Political History Commons, Public History Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Sedlacek, Albert J., "Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence #2" (1953). Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence This Letter is brought to you for free and open access by the CAWL Archives: The Korean War at Chapman University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Albert J. Sedlacek Korean War Correspondence by an authorized administrator of Chapman University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact

2 Subject Terms Air Force, Housing, Post-War Planning, Personal Narrative, Refugees, Salvage, Keywords job, atomic bomb, censorship, civilians, communications, clearing station, fire, love, marriage, observation, personal stories, postal service, radio, romance, sex, soldiers, switchboard, Thanksgiving, women at home, war work, cold weather, Pusan, Korea Identifier w.r_0002 Copyright The Center for American War Letters Archives promotes open access to its collections for private study, scholarship, or research subject to the intellectual property rights of others. Chapman University may not hold copyright or intellectual property rights to all items in the collections, and contents may be subject to restricted access or use. As a condition of accessing and using material from the Archives, you agree that you are responsible for obtaining all required consents of any copyright holder and to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, and expenses, including reasonable attorney fees, that may arise from any third party claims for copyright infringement, torts, or invasion of publicity or privacy rights. You further acknowledge and agree that photocopies or other reproductions may only be made with the University s prior approval. Requests will be considered on a case by case basis and approval will be in the University s sole discretion. This letter is available at Chapman University Digital Commons:

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7 [AlbertJ.SedlacekCorespondence#2] [Page1-Envelopefront] [AshleyMcLaughlin2/1/17] P.F.C.AlbertJ.Sedlacek [image-fadedblackcirclestamp RA ARMY-AIRFORCEPOSTALSERVICE Free 507 th Sig.co(SVC) NOV29 APO 59,%P.M.S.F.Calif 1953 Atn:8069 th A.U. 59] [text:viaair MAIL] MisJoanC.Palmer 84 West176 th St. [lightpencil:pusanfire] Bronx53,N.Y. USA

8 [Page2-Leter] Nov28,1953 DearJoanie; PusaninFlames, ThousandsHomeles, Milions,-BurningEquipment,-Dolars,PusanCom- CenterBurnedtoaSh[-]ston, SedlaceksRadio Burned toonlyaframe -Thisiswhathappened within24hrs.ican tdescribethewaypusan looksexcept,ifaatomicbombwasdropped itcouldn tdoworse.ifeelsoryforthe people,noplacetogoanditsfreezingout. Theirhomesweresmalwoodenshacks,stil itwashometothem.toseethemwalking around,notknowingwheretogo. LastnightbeforeIwenttosleepwe werewatchingthefirefromthehilonour post.itlookedsmal+faraway.at11o clock theywokemeup,togetmeinajeepandgetmy radiodismantled.thewind(40mph)wasforcing thefiredownontothe[comanter?],kbsheadquarters, +theag,chapelbuilding. WhenIgotdownthere thefirewasabouttwoblocksaway+iquicklystarted workingontheradio. Mostofthemenwereworking likenothingwaswrong,themeninthe[cypto?]room(code) [AshleyMcLaughlin2/1/17]

9 [AshleyMcLaughlin2/1/17] [Page3-Leter] (2) weretheonlyones,besidemyselftryingtosalvage theirequipment.igotonetransmiter[unbolted?] when,ourcrazycaptainbecamepanickyand orderedalmenoutofthecom-center.nownobody isalowedtoentermyradioroomorthe[cypto?] room,unlesyouareclearedbytheinteligence Corps.Reasonbeingthattherearecertainthingsthat [strikethrough]know[/strikethrough]nooneissupposedtosee.thisproceduregoes foroficers+welase.m s,evenifindanger. Wel this[?]ofacaptainbreaksmydoordown,says getout,+thenbreaksdownthedoortothe Cyptoroomdown.Itoldhimmymesages +logsarealclasifiedandup[material?]+ Ican tleavethem[alone?],nowthatthedooris [strikethrough]apar[/strikethrough]broken.hesaidnevermind,getout,soiwent out. Meanwhilealtheequipmentwasleftinthe comcenter,teletypewriters,radioset,taperecorders,[switchboard?], etc.insteadofhavingonemantakeoneofeachofthe itemsandputtheminthetruck,theyloadedthetruck withfurnaturefromtheoficemes.wefinaly evacuatedtothebrokendownalternatecom-center. Inthemorningwevisitedthecom-center,everything was burned,almymesages,radio+machinesmelted,nothing!

10 [AshleyMcLaughlin2/1/17] [Page4-Leter] (3) Icangoonandonaboutthisfire,itwassomething youdon tforget,forsometime. WhenIget back,ifwedon thaveanythingtodo,askme aboutthefire! AsforthereasonIwanttobeaPhys-Edteacher, it snotbecauseofthegirlsinbathingsuits,remember I lbemariedtoyou,yoursupposedtotake[^]careof[/^]althosewants,no???? WelI mgladyoupasedgrammar,you l beabletoteachme????,iwonder! Wehad astormthenightthatiwassupposedto calhome.the[?]wentout,about12:30and couldn tgetthembackin,ifeltbadbutsolong aswecanwritetoeachother,that swhatrealy counts,nexttoourloveforoneanother HowwasThanksgiving,eatenough,chubby? WelJoaniedarling,thatsit,Ihavetogoout againtonightandfixupsomeradioequipmentthat wereceivedfromjapanandworkthetherestofthenight rereceivingthosemesagesthatwere[burned?]+sendthemout. Soon3hrssleep,lotsofcofee+twomeals,nothing likethearmy.givemyregardstoyourfolks+ray almylove, Albert