Soldiers a bargain in 1950
By PETER WORTHINGTON Last Updated: 6th July 2009
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Few things underline how different today's Canadian army, navy and air force are from their counterparts of the past, than the pay scales of 60 years ago.
Mike Czuboka, vice-president of the Manitoba Korean Veterans Association (KVA) Unit 17, and editor of its Rice Paddy newsletter, has an irreverent sense of humour and an eye for the unusual.
In the June edition of the newsletter he recalls the basic pay scale of the army in 1950 when he joined the Princess Pats as a private to go to Korea -- a far different pay scale than soldiers today who enlist to go to Afghanistan.
For example, the private in 1950 who got $90 a month, today would get nearly $2,600 a month -- and that's basic pay, not including years of service raises, or trade, or signing bonuses, or danger pay. In 1950 a major-general got $786 a month -- roughly one-quarter of what a private today draws.
Here are 1950 monthly basic pay rates itemized in the Rice Paddy, with today's basic monthly pay rates in brackets beside them: Private $90, ($2,585); corporal $103, ($4,345); sergeant $119, ($4,991); 2nd lieutenant $162, ($4,136); lieutenant $195, ($4,507); captain $234, ($5,714); major $312, ($7,727).
Canadian Forces don't like to advertise pay rates for colonels and above, but in 1950, a lieutenant-colonel's basic monthly pay was $367 for commanding a battalion, with a brigadier drawing $689. Today they'd get $10,000 a month or more.
Today, army doctors and dentists get a $225,000 bonus if they sign up for four years, $80,000 if it's only two years.
Perspective
Czuboka tries to put the 1950 rates into perspective by noting such things as hockey sticks costing $1.98, a vacuum cleaner $19.94, a used car $100.
Bread cost 10 cents a loaf, gasoline 20 cents a gallon, $2,000 was a good yearly salary. A decent house could be purchased for $10,000.
(My first newspaper job at the Vancouver Province in 1954 paid $35 a week, or $1,820 a year. I joined the Toronto Telegram in 1956 at $60 a week, or $3,120 a year. My new Nash Metropolitan convertible cost $1,500).
The newsletter also reprints a curious order issued by the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Black Watch that served in Korea after the truce in 1953.
Col. R.M. Ross was offended at the number of cats that infested the battalion area, most of which, he said, "have grown fat and indolent."
He ordered that a program be started to "weed out and destroy old and useless cats," and that a "hunter class" of cat be developed "by diet and training for use as a rat exterminating agent."
Old cats were to be "destroyed ... despatched (sic) out of hand," while others were to be "deliberately starved and set loose at night" to kill rats. When they succeeded, they'd be rewarded.
The colonel's order concluded: "When hardened to hunting condition ... trained cats will be disciplined ... by being struck into activity. Smart and efficient cats will be given small amounts of extra food and attention. Breeding will be discouraged."
Captain Queeg-ish
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By PETER WORTHINGTON Last Updated: 6th July 2009
Article Link
Few things underline how different today's Canadian army, navy and air force are from their counterparts of the past, than the pay scales of 60 years ago.
Mike Czuboka, vice-president of the Manitoba Korean Veterans Association (KVA) Unit 17, and editor of its Rice Paddy newsletter, has an irreverent sense of humour and an eye for the unusual.
In the June edition of the newsletter he recalls the basic pay scale of the army in 1950 when he joined the Princess Pats as a private to go to Korea -- a far different pay scale than soldiers today who enlist to go to Afghanistan.
For example, the private in 1950 who got $90 a month, today would get nearly $2,600 a month -- and that's basic pay, not including years of service raises, or trade, or signing bonuses, or danger pay. In 1950 a major-general got $786 a month -- roughly one-quarter of what a private today draws.
Here are 1950 monthly basic pay rates itemized in the Rice Paddy, with today's basic monthly pay rates in brackets beside them: Private $90, ($2,585); corporal $103, ($4,345); sergeant $119, ($4,991); 2nd lieutenant $162, ($4,136); lieutenant $195, ($4,507); captain $234, ($5,714); major $312, ($7,727).
Canadian Forces don't like to advertise pay rates for colonels and above, but in 1950, a lieutenant-colonel's basic monthly pay was $367 for commanding a battalion, with a brigadier drawing $689. Today they'd get $10,000 a month or more.
Today, army doctors and dentists get a $225,000 bonus if they sign up for four years, $80,000 if it's only two years.
Perspective
Czuboka tries to put the 1950 rates into perspective by noting such things as hockey sticks costing $1.98, a vacuum cleaner $19.94, a used car $100.
Bread cost 10 cents a loaf, gasoline 20 cents a gallon, $2,000 was a good yearly salary. A decent house could be purchased for $10,000.
(My first newspaper job at the Vancouver Province in 1954 paid $35 a week, or $1,820 a year. I joined the Toronto Telegram in 1956 at $60 a week, or $3,120 a year. My new Nash Metropolitan convertible cost $1,500).
The newsletter also reprints a curious order issued by the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Black Watch that served in Korea after the truce in 1953.
Col. R.M. Ross was offended at the number of cats that infested the battalion area, most of which, he said, "have grown fat and indolent."
He ordered that a program be started to "weed out and destroy old and useless cats," and that a "hunter class" of cat be developed "by diet and training for use as a rat exterminating agent."
Old cats were to be "destroyed ... despatched (sic) out of hand," while others were to be "deliberately starved and set loose at night" to kill rats. When they succeeded, they'd be rewarded.
The colonel's order concluded: "When hardened to hunting condition ... trained cats will be disciplined ... by being struck into activity. Smart and efficient cats will be given small amounts of extra food and attention. Breeding will be discouraged."
Captain Queeg-ish
More on link