Dear Folks, Everybody Is Broke, October 27, 1957, 38th Parallel Korea, Love, Robert

Pfc. Robert C. Patton

Dear Folks,                                  27 Oct 57

  Well I hope everything
is ok at home. I am
still playing basketball.
I guess Sam is happy
to be at home. He probably
will make a career out of
ite Air Force. He should
have been in the army. There
is a lot of difference.
We have changed divisions.
The 34th Div is now
the 1st Calvary Division.
Well in a couple more
days it will be payday.
That means one less to
spend in Korea. I'll
be glad when I can
go back to Japan. If
I get enough money
I might go to Hong Kong.
Everything around here
is pretty quiet. End
of the month, everybody
is broke. Well I'll
close for now.

                Love, Robert

Note: Sam was a 1st Cousin.
 C.P.

To Live Quietly And Peacefully

  "To make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you,"
                                                      I Thessalonians 4:11

Dear Folks, Still On The Basketball Team, October 20, 1957, 38th Parallel Korea, Love, Robert

Pfc. Robert C. Patton

                       20 Oct 1957
Dear Folks;

 Well I am still on the
basketball team. I just hope
I can stay on it but you
never know about the army.
Yesterday I woke there was
ice on the ground. In Korea
you go outside it's cold,
you go inside you are still cold.
I received the package and
it was a nice present.
I wish you could send
me the ear plug attachment
if you can. They have people
leaving the company, going
back to the world everyday
but maybe my day will get
here pretty soon.
I don't know when I ever
will start on my course.
Right now I just can't
quite seem to get started.
If I stay on the basketball
team, maybe I will be able
to complete it. How is
Betty doing at Auburn?
How is Ensley doing? I know
that Alabama is sameo
sameo. Well pretty soon I will have
a change of address. We
have become the 1st Cav Division
but I don't know the new
address. I think when I
get out of the army I will
get out in Calif. and see part
of the country coming home.
Probably be my only chance
but I have seen enough of
the world to last me.
  Does Billy still work on
cars, hot rods? Well be
good and write.

                      Love Robert

Note: Betty was a 1st Cousin and Billy was my Dad. Uncle Robert still listened to a transistor radio with an ear plug attachment for many years after he got out of the Army. C.P.

Tom Lester, The Man Who Made Me Laugh Again

Mrs. Sudduth, Addison Civitian President, and Guest Speaker Tom Lester

  It was a fine Autumn Day, the kind that makes a fuzzy sweater feel comfortable and that makes you wear shoes with your socks.

  I was walking around looking at the Arts And Crafts at Pat Buttram Day in Addison, the little rural town that has the only traffic signal in a 20 mile radius of here, gave birth to "Mr. Haney" of Green Acres fame.  As I browsed around a booth filled with hand sewn aprons, my little dog tugged at the end of her leash. The man of the hour, the events' most special guest that year was kneeling in front of me, the sun shining brightly upon him and his little green army hat and checkered shirt. "Dogs, I love dogs", he said as he stroked the head of my little "Ginger". Tom Lester was using the booth where I was browsing as a temporary table in order to autograph a photo of himself as the famous "Eb" of Green Acres.

  Throughout the course of the day I had kept a considerable "starstruck" distance until the couple that were assisting him, members of the local Civitans Club that hosted the event, wanted to go home and watch the Alabama game and had decided to have me (and my Mom) take their place. My star struckdedness quickly evaporated as the warmth of Tom's smile and considerate manner put me at ease.

Tom and I became friends after that day, exchanging phone calls and jokes, his jokes perfectly executed and mine, well, they got better after he had recycled them.

  Tom asked me a simple question once and I started laughing so hard I could barely breathe, you know that kind of laughter, the kind that heals your soul.

I was privileged to have his light shine on me for awhile, I giggled in the glow of it.

Dear Folks, My Luck Is Limited,1957, 38th Parallel Korea, Love, Robert

Pfc. Robert C. Patton

HEAVY MORTAR COMPANY
34th INFANTRY
APO 24

Dear Folks,
 Well I have made the Regimental
basketball team so far. I am going
to be TDY from the company till
about the end of January. We
practice about 3 hours a day, and
that's all. I just hope I can stay
on it, but my luck so far
in the army is limited. The
weekend we are going to travel
and play a couple of practice
games. I believe it will snow
any day now because it sure
is cold over here. At night time
that temperature takes a damn big
drop.

Note: Uncle Robert had great athletic ability and was one slot away from being the high point man his Senior year at Ensley High School. He was also The State High Jump Champion that year. My Dad always said if Robert had had another year in High School he would have been able to quality for a scholarship.  Uncle Robert also played Intramural sports at The University of Alabama.
                                                                                      C.P.

Dear Folks, Lost In Japan, October 2, 1957, 38th Parallel Korea, Love, Robert

                        2 Oct 57
Dear Folks,

 I guess you were wondering
if I got lost in Japan! I
wish I could get lost for
about a year. Those people
live entirely different than
the Koreans. You almost
feel as if you are back
in the states. The army
has several hotels they
run. The are just
as good as any in the
state, you won't find
any better service. Rooms
cost $2 a day and food
runs about $1.50 per day.
You can get a steak
for $1.00. There is a lot
to Japan. I went to
Mt Fuji for a couple of
days then I came back
to Tokyo. I won't tell
you how much I spent
but it was worth
every penny. From time
to time I will try to
send money home if
I possibly can. It must
be pretty nice weather
at home, but over here
at night time it is in
the low forties. Tomorrow
I go out for the
basketball team. I
hope I make it.

              Love
                    Robert

Note: I have a pearl necklace that I wear on special occasions  My Grandmother gave it to me. I sat beside her on the bed and she gave them to me. She told me the story about how My Uncle Robert had brought them back from Korea and had gotten them when he was on leave in Japan. They were mine now. She explained to me how she had had them restrung with a knot in between each pearl so that if the necklace should break the delicate pearls would not scatter. Uncle Robert was in the next room and commented later about Grandmother's gesture and how he thought it was sweet of her to give them to me.
                                                                                                                                         C.P.

What Eye Has Not Seen

Mark Rikard Photography using Lensbaby Photography

 "What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man,
                                           God has prepared for those who love Him."  I Corinthians 2:9