KOC-008 326th Communication Reconnaissance Company APO 301 22 January 1953 TO: Commanding Officer 326th Comm Recon Co APO 301 SF California Three articles appearing in the Observer-Dispatch newspaper of Utica, New York are submitted herewith as a matter of information. 1. Observer-Dispatch Dec 29, 1952: SOLDIER ASKS UTICA TO AID KOREAN TOTS Our G.I.s are having a rough time in Korea. Anyone who arouses their sympathy must be in a very bad way indeed. You can draw your own conclusions when one of those G.I,s takes time to write a letter like that which The Observer-Dispatch has received from Pvt. Richard R. Leaf, 19, of Utica, now in Korea. Leaf is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Leaf, 311 Wetmore. You can also set your own course of action after you read his letter. He writes: "This letter is a request to the citizens of Utica. A request that I hope will be put to the people by your paper. "I have been in Korea about two months. This isn't very long, considering the full tour of duty, but It is long enough to make me realize that the people of this country need help---in a big way. "I realize, of course, that everyone can't be helped. But there is a special group that I hope will be helped. This is a group of orphans --- 54 to be exact --- who have their home Just a short distance from the 326th Comm. Recon. Co. "I have made frequent visits to the orphanage and, believe me, its most pathetic. The kids are really badly off and need a lot of clothes and various items that this war has denied or taken away from them. We at the company try to help, but we can't do enough. I am hoping that if any- one at home has a few loose ends lying around the house, he will gather them up and ship them over here. Anything at all will help---an old coat, shoes, even a toy. "It's going to be a hard cold winter for those children. "If anything is sent, just address it to me and I'll see that it reaches the kids. I know it will be greatly appreciated. It wasn't God's will that these children should suffer so. "Mr. Editor, I hope you will put an appeal in the Observer- Dispatch and The Press, along with my address. I believe that the people will respond. Please do this for me. I thank you." The address is: Pvt. Victor R. Leaf, RA 12351506 326 Comm Recon Co, APO 301 c/o Postmaster, San Francisco, Calif. 2. This next article is a letter to the Editor of the Observer-Dispatch as a follow up on Pvt. Leaf's original letter given above: NEEDS AT HOME To the Editor: After reading the article in The Observer-Dispatch Dec 29 referring to the letter of Pvt. Victor R. Leaf, I am beginning to wonder just how blind we American people are. Here we have in our own locality a great number of children wearing rags and in the southern part of the country they haven't even that to wear. Yet a great number of service men that are overseas "see the light" and want to dress up and feed the people all over the world with goods they have never seen before or are not accustomed to. I suppose if our armies went into deep of Africa they would want fur coats for all the poor animals. Why don't they just look around when they are home and help the people who have helped them or will be their future protection, and let the other countries do the same? RAY BUTLER 2 Sinclair 3. Here is a reply printed in the Observer-Dispatch answering Mr. Ray Butler's comments on Leaf's letter. EVENING MAIL Praises Private Leaf To the Editor: An open letter to Mr. Ray Butler, 2 Sinclair, Utica. Dear Mr. Butler: This is not to be misconstrued as critical but rather to help you to understand yourself. Have you, Mr. Butler, known the pinch of hunger in your stomach, or the pinch of loneliness in your heart? Have you ever felt the cold finger of despair running down your spine when by an unexpected twist of fate, against which you couldn't possibly defend yourself, you had to choose between love for your fellowman or your own security? I think you have not met such a test or you would not take such a stand as you have put forth. I am one of six children, and our mother taught us that when a person must tear down another to gain a place in the sun, that person didn't have much to start with. But if and when we might meet a person whose thoughts differ with us, discussion by way of reason can and will bring order out of chaos. Saturday night I listened to a radio program conducted by Steve Allen, and he used the idea of "People who write to a newspaper editor are always angry." Somehow I don't believe you're angry but perhaps you know of some specific case where help should have been given, here at home, but wasn't. That could be your particular thorn. I, too, know of such a case, but isn't it better, if we can't have what we want, to do the best we can with what we have? Your side has been noted, I have stated mine, now let us both try to see from the vantage point of Pvt. Leaf. Here is a boy, taken out of his home, sent across to foreign soil, to do not as he wishes, as you and all here at home, including myself do within reason, but to obey commands as one of our armed forces. What does he do? Gripe? He does not, but like a true American, he sees not the thorns on his rose bush, but rather that the thorn bush has brought forth roses. I, for one, would like to meet the mother of such a son, she has given proof of her teaching, that home is where the heart is, and where is he? I quote: "Mr. Editor, I hope you will put an appeal in the Observer-Dispatch and the Press, along with my address. I believe that the people will respond. Please do this for me, I thank you." (O-D, Jan. 2) Well, Mr. Butler, we are not going to let this boy's faith in his Country, his people and his city down, are we? Somehow, I don't think you will, now that you understand him.     Miss Melvina Morse, 130 N. Washington, Herkimer. FOR THE ORPHANAGE COMMITTEE George F, Drake CPL RA 12344689