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Brace, Robert L. (Korean War correspondence)
2021.018.w.r
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Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Robert L. Brace Korean War correspondence
source:
Brace, James David
Creator:
Brace, Robert Lee, First Lieutenant, 1929-1988
Identifier/Call Number: 2021.018.w.r
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear Feet
(3 folders)
Date (inclusive): 1950 June 27 - 1953 September 4
Abstract: This collection contains 24 correspondence written by Lt. Robert L. Brace, USMC to his friends Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Beasley
during the Korean War. Also included are photocopies and biographical and historical information, as well as one photograph
of Brace.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 30
Container: 16-18
Container: 1-3
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of James David Brace.
This collection is arranged by material type and chronology.
Lieutenant Robert Lee "Bob" Brace, United States Marine Corps (7/5/1929 - 2/5/1988) was born in Macomb, Illinois to Evelyn
J. Young and Lee W. Brace and graduated Pittsfield High School in 1947. He attended the University of Illinois and Illinois
College, earning a BS in chemistry before serving in the Marine Corps from June 1951 to September 1953 and as a reservist
until June 1955.
During his service, Brace trained with Company C, B Barracks, 10th SBC Marine Corps Schools, as well as Company C, 1st Training
Battalion, Camp Barret at the Marine Corps Station in Quantico, Virginia. He then deployed overseas and served for 13 months
in Korea during the Korean War, serving as a Naval Gunfire and Artillery Forward Observer with the following units:
- Air Naval Gun Fire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), 1st Signal Battalion, 1st Marine Division
- USMC, Shore Fire Control Party (SFCP), Korean Military Advisors Group (KMAG), 11th Marine Division, IROK Corps
- USMC, IROK Corps, KMAG, Fire Support Coordination Center (FSCC)
- A&MGF Platoon, Signal Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division
Robert Brace was married to Kathryn Ann Brace (born 8/26/1935) who worked as a registered nurse, and they had two sons, James
David (born 12/14/1960) and Michael Porter (born 8/27/1963).
Robert passed away due to cancer in 1988 at the age of 58 years old and was interred at Green Pond Cemetery in Pearl, Illinois.
This collection may contain materials that are difficult to view, are potentially harmful, or use outdated and culturally
insensitive language. Chapman University preserves and makes these materials accessible to researchers to ensure long-term
accuracy of these historical records. This repository aims to not promote or otherwise celebrate this content, but to use
it for educational and research purposes.
Please see the National Archives and Records Administration's (NARA) "Statement on Potentially Harmful Content" for more information:
https://www.archives.gov/research/reparative-description/harmful-content
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Robert L. Brace Korean War correspondence (2021.018.w.r), Center for American
War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains 24 correspondence written by Lt. Robert L. Brace, USMC to his friends Mr. and Mrs. Wallace and Betty
Beasley during the Korean War. The collection contains original correspondence as well as photocopies of the correspondence,
with one photocopy not included in the originals (letter, dated September 4, 1953). Also included is one biographical "sketch"
of Brace, one timeline of the Korean War, photocopies of three obituaries, one photograph of Brace (older, at his desk at
Conoco), and a magazine clipping and a parody of the magazine clipping, "grooming habits of American soldiers;" these both
include photocopies as well.
NOTE: Wallace and Betty were not married during the first part of the correspondence; they married sometime at the end of
1951.
The correspondence discusses college, military training, deployment to Korea, returning to Virginia to work a desk job as
a Marine, and getting out of the Marine corps and his first governemnt paycheck after service. The letters also include discussion
of women (most significantly: Donnie, Ann, and Rosie), daily activities, hunting, and a lot of discussion of drinking alcohol.
Additionally, there are several instances in which he discusses his disdain for Hollywood and the motion picture industry.
The correspondence begins with two letters prior to joining the Marine Corps, dated June 27 and July 6, 1950. He was attending
college and wrote about his busy class schedule and fishing trips. The third letter in the collection he wrote on September
24, 1951 while in training in Quantico, Virginia. He described the weather and country while in the field, but tells them
that he applied for immediate overseas duty, saying, "I'm really hot to go, and if things keep going they way they are in
Korea it looks like I'll be getting my wish." He continues:
For at least a few letters, it appears that Brace wrote to Wallace while he was in class, stating on November 15, 1951 "This is a most boring class on Personnel Administration so I'll see if I can get caught up on my correspondence." He wrote from nice barracks on the main base in Quantico and later moved to a quanset hut at Camp Barrett in the woods. He mentions a girl he dated in Alexandria, seeing a football game, coming home for Christmas, and generally distaste for his new environment at Camp Barrett. There is also some discussion of his training and daily activities."No kidding Beas, if this Marine Corps has done anything for me, it's put more itch in my feet. There's so damn much to do and so damn many places to go - and I'm going to see some of those things and go some of those places...You might as well reconcile yourself to the fact that I'm never going to amount to a damn and when I get done roaming around I'm going to come back and live off you."
By March 1952, he finally moved and got stationed at Camp Pendelton, California. He drops a line in one letter and then another
longer description (undated letter) to give them his address and mentions his oversized platoon of 62 men and "trying to get
them in shape, teach them something, and take care of them...I think they're trying to get me killed by walking my legs off
up to the waist." He mentions wondering if he would be a good officer, "everyone does," but feeling that he is and he has
two sergeants that are "really on the ball, so that is a big help." The letters include a description of his new off-base
housing about 40 miles away an a house in Laguna Beach, California and the cost associated.
In his next letter dated June 17, 1952, Brace wrote while deployed, possibly aboard a ship in or near Japan (a mention of
a Japanese woman in the next letter). Though mostly discussion of his dating life, or lack thereof, and Betty's efforts to
get him married, Brace mentions his boredom and some activitiy:
In his next letter, dated July 29, he says that he has been at the front for a week. He exclaims his dissaproval of a magazine he is reading, the August issue of "Modern Screen," the stories of Hollywood stars contained therein; "Enough of this - my candle just burned out so I'm going to burn the (magazine) page by page, to make light enough to finish this letter by." He gives some detail on his unit, a line division, but expects to move out soon to the east coast with another division. He mentions a report about a Korean brothel that is going to be broken up, explaining that these are typically used as intelligence gathering tricks."As for myself, I'm still doing the same old thing - nothing. We're only shooting about once or twice a week, and playing poker in between times. They won't even let me go out on patrol so I'm getting bored with the whole thing."
In October 1952, Brace did go to the "easternmost, northernmost portion of the line" with the IROK Corps, working with the
Korean Army with the Korean Military Advisors Group (US Army personnel), mentioning "As a matter of fact it's quite exciting
here - we got 761 rounds of incoming day before yesterday." This included living in a bunker and firing every other day from
the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61).
In his next letter dated October 10, Brace's tone changed:
He continued, "It's quite a strain...being frightened and not being able to tell anyone about it - my four radio operators are the only Americans around and it wouldn't do to let them know what a pinch we're in..." He mentions running out of beer, a common topic of discussion, and having not had a drink in two days."All hell has broken loose over here since I started this letter. I'm no coward believe me, I've proved that to myself enough, but frankly I'm scared to death now - and don't let anyone kid you, there isn't a soul over here on the lines that isn't petrified."
The next letter dated November 6 explains his new job, which includes flying with the Korean Air Force and spotting naval
gunfire and artillery from the air, flying two mission per day in Cessna L-19 airplanes, and a station about twenty miles
from the front with another American named "Pappy" Weaver, the Air Liaison Officer. The rest of the letter details a new officer's
club, including a bar at which a party was to be thrown that night, and some off-color descriptions of Korean women.
November 11, 1952:
Following that tale, the letter documents the next several days of rain, keeping him grounded (with some wet running ink on the page). In his next letter he outlines his drinking habits and an impending trip to Japan for rest and relaxation. Possibly included in this letter is a carbon copied Christmas poem.Two days ago all hell broke loose on this front - for which I had a grandstand seat...Last night, I disobeyed orders and stayed up until about two hours after dark - and accomplished more for our side towards winning the war...then I have in all the rest of the time I've put in...By watching for muzzle flashes on the ground I plotted the position of every artillery piece the Chinese have in this sector - so the wheels were pacified when I came back with that information. In fact they've just about decided to send me up after dark more often."
In March 1953, Brace describes being hospitalized for laryngitis, among other illnesses, and picking up the letter over a
week later because he was moved to the east to help that sector during a "fracas" that had him flying and shooting everyday;
he referred to the issue as Anchor Hill, referring to the strategic hill on the east coast of North Korea.
On April 23, 1953, Brace wrote that he flew his last mission and would be heading home soon:
By his letter on June 16, Brace was back at his new station in Quantico, VA, writing about his boredom with an office job reviewing top secret materials for a board and trying to get into school. In July he mentions being broke and cutting expenses, "I decided to limit myself to half a case of beer a day, 2 packs of cigarettes per day, steak only every other day, stay home one night a week and write home for more money." It is unclear if he is being facetious. He continues discussion about his job reviewing secret documents and hatching a plan with his librarian to trick his superiors into doing more work and making his work lighter."I flew my last mission this morning, heard the last gun go off...and above all got shot at for the last time."
In a typed parody letter (undated), he asks to meet in Chicago but addresses them "Dear Comrades Beasleyski," and continues
on a humorous rant in a typed accent about the Glorious Communist Party, ending "Yours till the Glorious Revolution (then
it's every man for himself). His next letter also discusses planning on meeting, though not until he is out of the Marine
Corps when he can leave whenever he wants; mentioning interest in moving out west for school, also mentioning for the third
time a girlfriend named Rosie.
The collection closes with an undated letter after a Thanksgiving vacation and receiving his first GI check; presumably 1953
or 1954 while back in school (mentions classmates) and out of the Marine Corps.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Korean War, 1950-1953.
Korean War -- (1950-1953) -- Correspondence
Korean War 1950-1953 -- Homefront
United States. -- Marine Corps
Brace, James David