Physical Description: .4 Linear Feet(11 folders)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains correspondence written by Cpl. Ronald E. Cisney, USA before and during the Korean War. It begins with correspondence written during his basic training at Fort Ord, and continues through his service in Okinawa, Korea, hospitalization at Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, MI, and final assignment at Fort Riley, KS. Correspondence begins in November 1949 when Cisney writes from Fort Ord, CA to "Mother and Blaine" (Mr. and Mrs. Blaine F. Bybee) in Norwalk, CA.

In his letters he makes references to another person he calls "mom." He writes of life and training at Fort Ord - guard duty, weapons cleaning and training, inspections, hikes and bivouacs, movies, and his need for money and postage stamps. He writes of his hopes to be at home for Christmas and then of his probable assignment to Japan/Okinawa. There is a gap in correspondence until March 5, 1950 when he writes from Okinawa "Well we left on the 18th on a big Army transport ship and we got here March 2. It was a really nice ship and we ate good too.... You ought to see this place it looks just like those jungle movies..." He writes of his desire to get into a photography assignment and stay out of leadership and the infantry.

Although he is assigned to leadership school he quits it. About the length of time he'll be in Okinawa he writes that "The medics was against them raising the tour of duty over here to 18 mo. because of so much disease so they told the big wheels that the Medical Dept. wouldn't be responsible for a man's health over here on Oki for more than 12 months..." He writes he prefers guard duty to training because it gets him out of boring routine.`When he doesn't get assigned to the Signal Corps and photography, he acts out - May 29, 1950: "Well, I got back at them. I didn't fall out for any formations, I quit shining my brass and shoes just like some of the rest of the guys do that don't care what happens to them... I told (the First Sgt) that the Army had fed me full of false promises and ideas that I had believed and I was tired of it and I didn't care if I got into trouble ... or even got a 369 or an undesireable discharge... I told him I thought I might as well take the consequences because I wasn't going to let the Army take anything out of me unless I could get something out of it. He asked me then if I would like to be a jeep driver. I told him I would."

He writes about other misbehavior and morale issues in his Company. June 10 - "But even if I don't get in the motor pool ... I will be gunner on the 81 mm mortor ... that is pretty good..." June 29 - "We were alerted today to go to Korea in case of an emergency. But we don't think we will have to go because, well, Russia should have better sense. But I would just as soon go now and get it over with."

July 12 - His thoughts on dying in battle "...if anything happens to me its because God wanted it to. Its the good men that go first so that God can give the bad ones a chance to turn to him."

July 24 - "I wish I could tell you where I was but I can't so I guess you willl just have to figure that out ... shouldn't be very hard for you to guess."

August 10 - he writes about the loss of his friend, Don. "Don't say anything about Don to anyone because his mother may not know about it yet....I know how she will feel.. I wish there could have been something I could have done but it wasn't any use. I tried to do something but it was too late. I wish it would have been me instead of him. I can't even sleep anymore and I'm sick to my stomach when I eat. I wish I could get over it."

July 25 he writes of a misadventure of getting shot at while swimming in a river.

On August 31 he writes of his desire to avenge the death of his friend, Don and of other Army buddies.

Sept 4 - "I just now captured three prisoners myself but I didn't get to do to them what I wanted to because the major was watching."

Sept. 10 - "We are in Co. M of the 35th Inf of the 25th Division ... so now you can sort of figure out about where we are." Sept 11 he describes fighting in Korea, especially at Sobuk mountain and at "Bloody Gap." "Sometimes it was ours and then all of a sudden those darn Gooks would take it away from us. You know we would do darn good over here if we had a lot more troops... They don't seem to have any sense of danger, they climbed over their own dead ... that's how they fight. In bunches and sort of crazy like. Sometimes they are so darned drunk they can't shoot at us. I swear I never knew a war was like this. Anyway it wasn't in the movies."

Sept 20 - "I guess things over here sound pretty goood there at home. Well I guess they are except for us."

Nov. 7 - "We are up here past the 38th now and its really cold... The ground is frozen all day long even if the sun shines... I've seen snow now and I don't like it very well... Our food freezes before we can get it eaten."

Nov. 21 - "I'm sure hungry all the time. I never seem to get enough to eat..." Nov. 29, 1950 - a telegram to Eda Bybee in forms her Ronald has been "slightly wounded in action in Korea."

Dec. 7 - He writes from a hospital in Osaka, Japan to explain what happened "I'm not wounded so don't worry. I just have my feet froze and my hand is a little scratched up... We got surrounded and ambushed and had to start hiding and running, no food or anything for a couple days. It was then that my feet got froze."

Dec. 27 he writes from Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, MI praising the care and concern he's received from the Red Cross and complaining that the doctor tells him he can't go home for 8 - 10 weeks.

In January 1951 he writes he doesn't need his family to come visit him. He keeps them apprised of how well his feet are healing, movies he sees, and news of his outfit back in Korea. He is eager to be released from the hospital but learns "I got some kind of bugs or something inside me that I picked up in Korea.... I'm sure mad. I feel like I hate everybody..." He writes about the treatments for hookworm and roundworm (ascaris).

June 7 he writes he's being given a choice to stay at the hospital for continued treatment of the parasites or to leave and seek treatment at his next assignment.

July 23 - Cisney receives a telegram to proceed at once to Fort Riley, KS. At Fort Riley he writes home about a racist incident concerning an African-American friend of his. He is assigned to the Army Officers Corps and writes he needs money to upgrade his uniforms.

Aug. 18 - "I'm not sick except of Kansas and the Army." Aug. 22 he writes his new job is to repair M-1 rifles although he knows little about them.

Sept. 12 - "I got my books today and I'm starting to go to that sniper-scope school Monday...It's some new way of shooting people at night." Sept. 29 we writes he's been in the hospital again with another malaria attack. In October he writes of his plans for a furlough in November and askes for train fare. There is a gap in correspondence while he is home, then it resumes mid-December when he writes to thank them for presents and to describe the cold weather and his Christmas duty assignments.

In early 1952 he writes about the cold weather - "I'm not sick. Except of Kansas," about witnessing a friend's wedding "There is nothing to it. I thought you had to go through a lot of talking and stuff. It sure scared me to see him get married. I kept thinking what if it was me up there..."

March 3 he writes about getting physical therapy for his feet "... they sure are feeling good and they don't get cold outside any more."

March 10 he writes 'I'm glad I made Cpl. I'll get more money now. I was beginning to feel funny just a Pfc. and in the Army for over 2 years." He writes many times about what kind of car he'd like to buy when out of the Army.

May 15 - "I heard on the radio last night that the bill was passed for the Korean Vets to go to school on the G.I. Bill..."

July 22 - he writes with concern about his parents' well-being following a 7.3 earthquake in Kern County, CA. He writes about giving up smoking, about plans to attend Woodbury College, his thoughts on marriage - "Being married is like being in the Army and I've had enough of the Army to last me forever."

In his last letter, Sept. 29, he writes of preparing for his discharge "I just finished taking my physical examination ... Wednesday I go down to check my records and Thursday I get out ... I'll get discharged here and they will pay for my meals and ticket home... I should be home around Saturday or Sunday evening."

Physical Description: 0.01 Linear feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains a single photograph, a snapshot of Ronald Cisney and two fellow soldiers identified as "Chick" and "Red" in their quarters.

Physical Description: 0.01 Linear Feet(1 folder)

Language of Material: English.

This series contains a "Certificate of Proficiency" awarded to Private First Class Ronald Cisney, United States Army upon completion of "The Operation & Maintenance of Sniperscope Course," September 1951.