Evening star., 1952-10-31
Readers Clearing House ,!2;7 s;s';:;;s s2:~2t. z
GIFTS FOR KOREA.

Mrs. L. A. NJ, Siluer SPRING.
j. S. P: The most important
thing of all to boys in Korea
Is letters, letters, letters. My
son returned from Korea in
March after having being there
19 months. He has few sug-
gestions which may be helpful.
First of all. a subscription to
his favorite newspaper. My son
says the first section they look
at is the sports Section-then the
movies Qocal theaters), then the
news. He says we should see
the kicks" they get when they
see the name or picture of some
one they know-"even if they
are in jail" It's some one from
home there with them. Maga-
zines and the small pocketbooks
are also very good. I have heard
from others that they are des-
perate for reading material of
any kind.
My son liked a special kind of
cheese and crackers. You can
also send him soup Canned or
dehydrated). He says it tastes
awfully good when you come off
guard duty at 2 or 3 am. They
just heat it, drink it and get
a halfway decent nights sleep.
He also suggests hot chocolate
which is made by adding hot
water. II your son is in active
combat, he would probably like
to have wool socks, shorts and
undershirtS 1T shirts.
When they are moving they
don't have time to wash and
dry these things. If they have
clean ones, they can take off
the wet, dirty things and throw
them away. Iwould suggest you
get these things at an Army
surplus store.
Send cookies in tin cans and
they will arrive in good condi-
ton. Wrap your packages very
securely, as they get very rough
treatment, and if You send any
thing at all perishable, send it
"airmail." Parcel post packages
60 to the West Coast and wait
sometimes weeks for ship
which has room for them-the
ship is about a month in cross
Ign. Airmail packages arrive in
q comparatively short time.
do hope these suggestions
prove helpful and I pray your
son will come home safely and
soon.
capt P. H. D., Alexandria
In response to the query of
j. S. p, Alexandria, concerning
Christmas gift suggestions for
a son in Korea, I found while
there that the most welcome
packages were food.
The Army in Korea is the best
fed in history, so your son won't
need any of the life-sustaining
necessities, but all men like the
snack foods. Small jars Cor tins,
If you can find themD of cheese,
canned meat and meat spreads,
tuna fish and canned pumper-
nickle always made a hit with
every one I knew there.
Candy, both hard and choco-
late, is in good supply there, so
don't send that unless your son
is particularly fond of fudge,
penuche or some other home
made special. This travels and
keeps very well if wrapped in
silver foil and packed in tins.
In selecting foodstuffs, be sure
to get the smallest available
jars or canS-siZes that can be
finished in one sitting. And
in packing, remember that your
box must travel 5000 miles, and
the last couple of legs of the
journey will probably be in the
back of a jeep. Make the pack
age firm and tight.
Unlike World War II. when
those of us in cold countries
wanted things like sweaters and
muf1ers from home, your son
does not need clothes. How
ever. if you can't bear the
thought of sending a Christmas
parcel without something to
wear, get him a pair of ski nit
tens. The very thin kind made
of byrd cloth or some similar
thin, hard material, and lined
with thin flannel are best. These
are thin and give one consid-