Corey Letter Post Marked Nov 25

Dad, Nov 23rd

Well I survived the 15K and the night infiltration course. Right now I am at the hospital waiting to get my foot looked at. I have had an ingrown toenail for about 1 ½ weeks and it is pretty ugly. I didn't go get looked at earlier because I didn't want to have to go on code and miss training.

The night infiltration course was really exciting. First we had to climb a defensive wall up on to the "Battlefield". It was like going up out of the trenches in an old war movie. There was machine fire and simulated Motor rounds, burning jeeps and barbwire we had to crawl through around and under. We had to low crawl and back crawl about 300 meters, through all the chaos. There were also 50 cal rounds and tracers overhead and flares. After the crawl we formed up a firing line in the prone and laid down suppressive fire while 2 platoons flanked a bunker on a hill. Then we charges up between two bunkers and made our assault. We then formed up in a box formation with the other platoons. Our Platoon Guide got our ACE Report (Ammo, Casualties, Equipment), and gave it to the Drill Sgts in the middle of the formation. We were done then.

After the night course was complete we moved onto the rights of passage ceremony. It was really cool, very moving. Now we are done training. We have to clean our barracks and equipment for inspection and turnin.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a great holiday. This is the first Thanksgiving, I have spent without Angela since we started dating. It is really sad not to be around her and the girls during the holidays.

I still haven't found out if Angela will be at graduation. Last I heard no one was available to baby-sit for here. I really hope she can make it. Graduation is on Dec 2nd either way. I will ship out for Goodfellow Airforce base in Texas where I should wait until Christmas Exodus on around the 17th of Dec. I still don't have a place to stay for Xmas or how Angela and I will pull off the holiday. Hopefully everything will work out. Once I get back to the Barracks I will write down my address at Goodfellow.

I love you,
Corey Rutherford

I have had two phone calls from Corey since he graduated. He is headed to Monterey (old Fort Ord) for language school. He will be learn Korean. Classes start in early January. His wife Angela has arranged base housing for the family. The housing is available on Dec 12th so they will have a place when he is on leave. They may not have much furniture but they will have a place. He is not going to Goodfellow but will stay in MO. until he is released to go to Calif around the 17th.