Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, November 18, 2020.
All letters in the Allan Levin 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*.
9 June 66
Dear Folks,
Hope that this letter finds you all OK. Starts like yours, doesn't it Frances. Well to answer you letters, I attended the [projectionist?] School on 6 - 10 June located at the U.S. Army Signal Corps Audio-Visual Aids Center near the main port. we learn to operate 9 different [tapes?] of projectors, tape recorders, P.A. systems + etc.
Presently I have completed my 1st week of a 3 week course on on Atomic, Chemical + Biological warfare. Wednesday we had a practical exercise on Chemical warfare. you can ask Howard to tell you about mustard Gas. It was used in France during WWII by Germany. Its still found today there and is just as potent as ever. Right now I'm in a little pain!
-2-
What we did we used our arm - put 3 circles with [methalate?] on it on the 1st one we put mustard Gas on it and used the 5 step pinch blot method to decontaminate it. It worked fine on the second we just put a drop of mustard Gas on it + left it alone on the 3rd we put M-5 (protective ointment) on our arm the a drop of MG on it - no effect. But the second with no more than this [[circle the size of a pin head]] I have a chemical Burn + a blister like this [[oval much larger than the circle]] I busted it 2 times + its swollen again 1/4" hi at least I'll have a a scar like [[arrow pointing up towards oval]] for the rest of my life. It's the mark of the chemical [copting?]. next day we went through the Gas Chamber again. Pure hell it was the tear Gas - CS - more powerful than CN serves an a chocking [sic.], coughing, sneezing, eye watering agent pure hell again
Tell David Happy Bir. Randall hello Also Howard,
Love
Allan