The Marine Corps

I thought this was pretty epic!

The Marine Corps

Now at San Diego Recruit Center:

Dear Ma and Pa, I'm doin well and I hope you are. Tell brother Walt and brother Elmer that the Marine Corps beats workin for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all the places are filled.
I was restless at first cause ya get to sleep till 6:00 a.m. but I'm gettin so I like to sleep late.
Tell Walt and Elmer all ya' do before breakfast is smooth yer cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, or fire to lay, practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it ain't so bad, there's warm water and nice soap.
Breakfast is strong on trimmins like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, and such; but kinda weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried egg plant, pie, and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer they can always sit next to two city boys that live on coffee and their food plus yours holds you till lunch when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.
After breakfast we go on 'route marches' which the Platoon Sergeant told us are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so it's not my place to tell him different. A route march is about as far as our mailbox back home, then the city boys get sore feet and we ride back in trucks.
The Sergeant is like a school teacher, he nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board, he tells the Sergeant to do a better job. Majors and Colonels just ride around and frown, they do't bother ya none.
This next one will kill Walt and Elmer with Laughin. I keep getting medals for shootin and I don't know why. The bulls eye is near as big as a chipminks head and don't move, and it ain't shootin at you like the Higget boys at home. All ya got to do is lay there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges, they come in boxes!
Then we have what they call 'hand-to-hand combat trainin' where ya get to wrestle them city boys. I have to real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like wrestling that old bull at home. I'm bout the best they've got except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. He joined up bout the same time as me but I'm only 5'6" and weigh 130 pounds and he is at least 6'8" and got to be nigh onto 300 pounds.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before the other fellas get onto this set-up and come stampedin in.

Your loving daughter,
Alice.