The Letters: Mark's Complete Letters
Basic Training: April 23--July 4, 1972
Fort Knox, Kentucky
Company C, 17th Bn, 5th Bde
152. Mark
[Birthday Card; postmarked May 17, 1973]
Dear John:
It must be weird, I haven't written a letter since you've been in the service. It's just that there's never anything to say. Life here is just a drag, school's a hassle, and I'm really bored out of my mind. It will change once I'm safely out of school if I ever get out of school where I'm floating along on the usual D's & E's (just kidding). Know that I have my new bike (a Ross 10 speed). I'll be going everywhere hopefully. Dad brought up going to Niagara Falls & Toronto but I was hoping we would be sliding West, like Colorado. I sincerely doubt it but it still a dream, to ski the Colorado mountains if I learn to ski which I hope to learn to do as soon as possible.
So the next time some exciting news breaks out I'll write, meanwhile Happy Birthday.
Your brother,Mark
European Tour: October, 1973--April, 1974
Hanau, Germany
Company A, 503 Supply & Transport Battalion
180. Mark
10-21-73
Dear John,
I've read your letter and I've looked up those prices for your stereo system. Just in case you needed it I got a little more information on the other receivers and other Dual turn tables. I just couldn't find your CX88A speakers anywhere. But here's the info:
Receivers
Pioneer SX 727 - $349.95Pioneer SX 626 - $279.95
Pioneer SX 526 - $239.95
Pioneer SX 828 - $429.95
Turn Tables
Dual 1929 - $225.00Dual 1218 - $155.00
Dual 1215 - $125.00
Dual CS16 - $125.00
Dual 1219 - $185.00
Of course these are U.S. prices. You save about 65 dollars buying your stereo over there. Sorry about your speakers but if I find your speakers I'll tell Mom to get it in one of her letters, since I don't write too often. Mainly because there's nothing to write about. Everything over here is pretty dull. Nothing to do because practically all my friends have moved away. The best things to do are listening to Tull, Chicago, Led Zepplin & Beatle albums because there's nothing good playing on the radio. And watching T.V. & going on bike rides after school. School's a drag, we have this neurotic teacher who promises us (the class) home-work every day, and he keeps his promise.
Jim just told me the speakers you're buying are almost just like his except yours has one more tweeter and one more mid range. He paid $64 each. That doesn't help you much considering he paid less there than in the U.S.
This paragraph might sound slightly ironic. I bought new headphones. Well, first I had those D/C headphones, remember those. And then I bought those $52 Realistic Pro/s. Then I traded them in for those $83 Realistic HP 100 Electrostats. I thought they weren't worth $83 so I took those back and waited a week for their check to come back to me in the mail. Finally I bought new $44 Sennheiser 414 headphones. [I still have a pair of 400's, excellent headphones!] Those were good but like your Fisher headphones. They had little or no isolation. Dad complained about the "noise" so I took those back and bought $60 Koss Pro 4AA headphones just like yours and Bill's. I'm really satisfied with those.
Homecoming week is next week (Big Deal) that includes some weird days like grub-dress up day, a dance & a football game. Well I shall bore you no longer and take up your time. But remember these words "Hang loose brother."
Au revoir, a bientot
(Good bye, see you soon)
Your Brother,Mark
P.S. Please disregard the bottom drawings.
