Encoded for the Veterans History Project, January 7, 2021.
All letters in the Robert L. Barber collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by Veterans History Project staff. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
April 28 [1951]
Dear Mom,
Well I’m back in it again, and it sure looks bad. We were on Hill 902 and had to pull off yesterday under heavy attack. The Chinks are pouring in like flys. I sure wish they would end this thing.
I had to help bring a dead man down the hill, which was about 4 miles, and the dead sure weight a lot. While bringing him down the 2nd Bn sent up a relief for us litter bearers and Thomas Parker was helping to carry the same litter.
George Sullivan got hit night before last, but not bad. The gooks over ran the Third Platoon and killed and wounded 47 so we don’t have but 2 platoons left in “G” Co.
We are about 3 miles north of the [30 degree] and I fear we are gonna have to withdraw. See Mom we don’t have but 150,000 men over here and the Chinks have twenty times that many.
Last nite you could here the Chinks yelling [?] together, talking and some digging in. But our munitions and artillery held them up.
If only I could be home with a big glass of milk and just sitting listening to the radio and reading the paper, I’d give a million dollars.
We didn’t have no water or food for almost two days and when we did get food we were moving and you lose it all.
Well Mom I just thought I’d let you know how I stand at the time.
I guess you see how things change from day to day. One day you might be in the rear and the next month on the line.
I’ll close for now.
Loving you all always
Your son
Bobby
P.S. Write soon and often.