July 31, 1943

July 31, 1943

Dear Mother;

I got two letters from home today; and one from Don Towse at the same time.  It sure was swell to get a little news from home.  I think that from now on you will write oftener than I will be able to write.  My correspondence will be limited to off hours and we get only an hour a day in which we clean dust and G.I. everything in sight, and out of sight.

Now a little about Beloit College.  All we can find out about it is that it was founded in 1868 and is a Liberal Arts School.  It has a very high rank out here and the faculty is said to be the best any where around.  We will be very well off academically.  Of course it is coed or it wouldn't function at all.  We have a special Dorm in which we live.  It looks to me to be an old fraternity house in which several fraternities lived together. On many walls you will find the coats of arms of many of the best known.  The building has 3 floors upon which there are about 20 rooms containing 2 to 4 boys.  I am in a room with a fellow from Brooklyn N.Y. (you've probably heard of it.)  He is a swell fellow with a very pleasant personality and very easy to live with.  We have a desk, 2 chairs, bunk beds, a lamp, closet, book case and 2 windows.  On a while the room is well equipped to study in.

This is really a campus college the kind I would like to go to if I had money.  All the buildings are built around a large lawn that is so green and soft it looks like velvet.  Of course the girls would be an attraction too. We don't get time for such things even though you want to.  The war seems to have ruined a lot of the fun around here because the girls seem to have nothing to do but sit on their Dorm step and watch us march by.

Tomorrow is going to be a big day but only the beginning of something bigger.  Sunday we go to class as always but get test on what we have been studying in the last few days.  They will give us tests on "Hygene and Sanatation", "Interior Guard Duty" "Aircraft Recognition" and Military "Courtesy and Discipline".  All are hard subjects and the tests can be very hard or east at the disgression of the instructor.

Wis. is really the place to be.  The climate here is a lot different from the hot muggy climate along the Mississippi.  It cools off nights sufficiently to allow you to sleep well but not be cold.  It is cool during the day and you rarely swet enough to wet your clothes.  It is better here than it is back home according to your letters.  We also haven't had a good shower and I am looking forward to one because we will swim in the college pool on days when it is not suitable to go out doors.

We are all confined to our rooms until next weekend when we may get passes to town. There are a few things I wish you could send if you can find them.  Could you send some coat hangers.  I need a dozen but could use a lot more.  I could use some shaving cream (we have to shave every day) and some soap; I have been using Life buoy but anything will do.  Let me warn you about sending things that are eatable.  Send them in small packages 3 days in a row rather than in one big package.  If we can't consume all food in the room before 8:00 in the morning we have to take it to the Squadron C.O. and he will take care of it.  I sure would like some candy.  You may not think it keeps but the boy from Woburn in J.B. had pretty good luck with his.  If we should get more than we could eat you can be sure that I would keep it out of sight.

{Some examples of Life Buoy advertisements, since I've never heard of it.  Pretty funny.}

Don't let B.O ruin your love life!

                                   

By the way tell William that Harold is in the same camp as Dick French.  When William writes he should tell him.  I am glad William is joining the Y.M.C.A.  If he swims there or does the other things that they offer he might to feel a lot better.  For me I feel a lot better than I ever have before.

I am glad Mary got a job that she likes.  It hardly seems possible that she is out of school and has joined the army of commuters.  I really would not trade places with her.  I also like my job.  I still can't believe that she is working.

Another thing I want is some film for my camera and some stationary.  I have no film and very little stationary.

I told you in my last letter of the tough break we got being transferred to the West Coast Training Area which means we have little chance of getting home from some time.  We heard of another one today.  The next group of Enlisted Students will come in with the nice cadet uniforms.  While we have to go through training with these sun-tans which don't look too bad.  They will really have something we will wait several months for.

Monday we start training, that really is training. Up to now we have just sat on a lawn all day and listened to lectures and did very little studying.  We have had no P.T. but Monday we get it all. 

Today our books were issued and here are some of the titles "College Handbook of Composition" "Basic Mathematics" "Experiments in Physics" "College Physics" "Better Composition" "Introductory Economic Geography" "Goodes School Atlas".  You may remember that I sent the Economics book like the one I have here to Grandma.  I don't know whether I will take it again or not.  I should be easy if I do.

      

If you see anyone who wants to be an aviation cadet tell him that he is in for a hard time.  The training is the toughest in the army and compares with nothing but that at West Point.  You now go approximately 13 months to get a commission.  In every other branch you take 3 months basic and little more before being commissioned.  The fly officers holds more esteme than any other branch of the army except West Point graduates.  It sure will be wonderful graduating but that is a long way off.

Well I have to sign off even though there is a lot more to tell but I want to get a fair mark in those tests tomorrow.

With Love

Austin

PS The meals are swell here and I still get too hungry too often.  The Army takes care of you.

Send the letters to Grandma, I don't get much chance to write. 

July 29, 1943

Pvt Austin L. Rounds

Hdgs 95 C.T.D

Beloit College

Belloit, Wis

Dear Mother,

I am thoroughly ashamed that I have not written before.  We have been here 3 days and I just decided that you should know where I am.  I am glad that I am shipped but this is a different story.

Beloit College is where we expected to go when I wrote last time and I don't remember whether I told you our destination or not.  You can find the place on a map because the town is industrial and has between 30,000 and 40,000 people in it.  We are about 3 hours trip from Chicago and that means about 100 miles. When I say that this is different from J.B. that is just what I mean.  We thought we might be sent to a nice quiet ivy college and have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves.  It is quite the other way.  The upper classmen are after us all the time.  It is a form of hazing even though it can't be called that.  We have a Student Commander and it is his job to see that we learn to march walk stand and sleep at attention.  You may not think so but we walk in what is called "a brace".  A brace is the position of attention only exaggerated.  You have to stand so that you have 4 more wrinkles in your shirt between your shoulder blades than you have years.  The same goes for chins.  You have to stand with your chin drawn in so that you have 5 chins.  Then try to walk this way never looking at the ground and keeping your eyes fixed on a point in front of you.  You have seen pictures of the discipline at West Point and other military colleges; well this is just like that.  Every thing is done to precision, no rests and only positions of attention (in a brace) and parade rest which is almost as bad but not quite as stiff.

All the hazing and training is done by student officers and we seldom see an army man except for lectures.  They are really swell fellows.

Our studies have already started.  A student officer may come in the room and tell you to "sound off."  You have a whole list of stuff you have to know, beginning with "Sir Enlisted Student Rounds Austin L. 31359264, July 29 1943 and so on giving date of graduation, days till graduation, the sponsor, the mascot, a list of colleges, etc.  It is just to get you "on the ball".  We will be on the ball when we leave here you can mark my words.

Just in case you didn't know either

I have some bad news, (not too bad).  When I joined the Army Air Forces I joined in the East Coast Command Area, and was shipped to a Gulf Coast Training station.  I am now in a West Coast Command area which means that after I leave here I will not go East but go west to a classification center in California.  You, I know, will not like this but to say frankly I am going to like getting a chance to see the country.   I imagine that before I get to see much flying I will see twice as many states as I have seen now.  California is a long ways away and even thought the farther from home I go I dislike the thought I am getting something I always wanted, a look at the country in which I live.  I have learned a lot and seen a lot but not a fraction of what I hope to see.

College training may be tough, but it has its good points.  The meals are wonderful served by coed students here at school.  We can't talk to them and might even get gigged for smiling at one but the certainly add to the scenery.  You get light meals during the day but get a big meal with ham or beef for supper.  Potato, vegetables, fruit, ice cream, cake, cream (heavy) in your coffee, all the milk you can drink, cookies, donuts, and everything.  It is swell.  Every thing is compensated- or you just couldn't stand the life.

As yet we're just getting "oriented" or as you would say we are getting lectures on Hygene, Interior Guard duty, Military Discipline (a new word I learned to spell) and courtesy, and the rudiments of Aircraft Identification.  Monday we really start to work beginning classes, and the worst of all P.T.  The P.T. out here is much worse than at J.G. where you could do as little or as much as you want.  Here they really can give you a workout because not too many are here.  About 60 men came.  I saw part of the athletic field and it looked good.

I saw that big train station in Chicago (I was in it) of which I don't know the name.  You come into it under ground and you have to walk up a flight or two to see the taxi cabs and the street.  On the second floor we had one breakfast and it was from that big station that I mailed those cards.  I won't get a chance to see Chicago because we are restricted to a 25 mile radius from the Post.

Chicago Union Station

4,500 aircraft models hung from the ceiling of Chicago Union Station.
See here for more details

I went to the big railroad station in St. Louis to get a train for Chicago.  The name of the station is the Union Station it also is a big place.  On the top floor (or nearly) they have a U.S.O. where you can go and get anything you want to refresh yourself.  You have to buy what you drink but that is all. Doenuts, candy, popcorn, crackers, bread, cookies, crackers and all are free.  They have a special jar of smoking tobacco, of cigaretts, and cigars, plenty of all kinds of everything in this line.  They had wonderful easy chairs and plenty of stationary but we weren't allowed to write or telephone because they didn't want anyone to tell where he was going.  Magazines were everywhere.  You could read all day if you wanted because their were the best fiction and non-fiction just waiting to be read.  It was a service man's heaven.  It was not too crowded however until we hit it.  I felt sorry for the poor women working there because some of the fellows feel the country owes them a living already.  On a whole I am in with a very good bunch of fellows but I will write again as soon as possible and that may not be too soon.

With love
Austin

I am now what they call here an Enlisted Student.  No raise in pay.

July 25, 1943

Boo to you too!

July 25, 1943

Dear Mother;

I might just as well tell you the first thing that I am on shipping again.  That means that you better stop writing and wait for my new address.  Monday we expect to leave and go to college.  This is probably a surprise to you but you couldn't be more surprised than I.  We were in Sq A no more than 20 hours and we were put on shipping.  That is indeed fast work even for the Army.

When you go on shipping in Sq A, you really get a break.  You get no more work but get a chance to catch up on lost sleep.  It also means you are confined to the area and that is not so good.  Every time you go anywhere you have to sign out and tell where you are going and when you will get back.  This is a lot of bother but is worth while considering that you get out a all kinds of work and details.  This is a lazy life but I can stand a little with out too much trouble.

I have a rumor about where we will ship.  We will go to a college in Wis. about 400 miles from here.  This is strickly a rumor so don't send my next letter to Wis. and trust to luck I get it.  People do such things.  One fellow got a letter with his name, serial number and Jefferson Bks, MO.  The people that handle the letters know how to find people or half the mail sent here would never reach the fellows.  

Something funny is slowly happening to me.  You may not believe this but I am getting so that ice cream does not have the old appeal.  The reason seems to be that I am getting too much of it.  I never thought I could get enough but now we get it every night and then I go get the biggest sundie you can get for a dime.  These sundies are the biggest you ever saw and you can't get them at home.  I still eat ice cream but may see a day when it won't appeal.  What a guy I'll be when I get home.

I still feel some times that I have just gone away for a short time and will come home soon.  It seems that when I do get home that things will be changed and things will be new.  It is as if every thing I wish was different has come true.

I don't know what I will write.  It is too hot and I have run out of ideas.  I could tell you that in this switch from one Sq to another I am now bunking with two mid-Western aircraft gunners, 2 fellows from Brooklyn, NY and one from Staten Island.  We also have a Corperal with us.  He is a 2 stripe general but a pretty good fellow.  The NY'ers are always fighting about the merits of Brooklyn and Staten Island.  We get quite a kick out of it.

How do the temperatures compare now?  You may have had some hot weather but do you get it steady the way we do with the humidity at 78% now?  Right now I wish I was back in nice cool, N.E.

With Love

Austin

July 22, 1943

Pvt Austin Rounds

Sq A 29th T.G.

Jefferson Barracks, Missouri

June 22 1943

{He's having a really 

hard time remembering that

 it's July and not June}

Dear Mother

I suppose you wonder why you are getting this letter from J.B. after such a long wait.  Well! that is a long story so I might as well begin at the beginning.

Last Wednesday (more than a week ago) the first bunch from Boston shipped out for parts unknown.  I didn't ship with them because I don't have the right name, at least my name didn't start right.  Alphabetically everyone up to P went and we poor rookies (geeps) who were not favorably blessed stayed behind and waved them off.  That was tough but we didn't mind too much because we were going to gin in the next shipment (we thought).

Friday a new shipping order came in and we were the happiest bunch in camp.  The first thing you have when put on shipping is a teeth check.  I didn't favor so well.  I was classified as I.R. (immediate treatment) and because of the classification I was scratched form the list.  What made it worse was the clothing check and the removal of our barracks bags to a warehouse.  This left us with little more than the clothes on our backs.  Clothes, soap, towels, toilet articles, everything was gone, and what could I buy?  I had just run out of money and had to borrow everything I used.  By Monday I was a sorry sight after having not been able to change my under clothes or wash them, or have a shave.  Monday was a bad day.

Tuesday I got into the warehouse and got what I needed and my morale went up a notch.  We also got the news that the other bunch would not ship and we had hopes of going with them.  Their morale went down but ours went up.  I felt better that day but none too well of the situation.  

Wednesday a new shipping order came through and I was not on that for some unknown reason.  Only headquarters knows who will ship and why the remaining don't.  My teeth were not the reason because I had them fixed.  That same day the second bunch left for Burlington Ver to go to college, 32 of us missed it and 20 of us had never been put on the order.

Today we got orders to move into different huts because the 32 remaining were spread over 3 streets.  we packed our barracks bags (we got them when the other bunch went out) and moved.  We had no more than made our beds and got back from a 2 hour detail than we got orders to move again.  This time to a different squadron down the street and as far as we know we are just "up the creek".  We may have to start our basic all over or we may ship out in a few days.  At any rate we have taken about all the bunk the army can dish out in a week and we don't like the way we get treated.  They say that the morale of a soldier gets pretty low at times but we will get over it.  Well I will get over it if and only when I leave J.B. and get to a college and can find out what goes on.  Here no one knows what the next one is doing.  In my opinion no one person is to blame for our situation but that there is too big a turn over of men each week and no one can get anything straight.  There is too much red tape involved and not enough men who can straighten out the mess.  The army seems to be getting too big to handle.  We are getting to hate it here because they don't give you a break and don't try to consider the individual.  I have lots of suggestions to make but I, alas, am only a lowly "buck private" and this is the Army Air Corps run by the Army Engineers.

Now what of the pleasant side of life.  Last night I got my last injection and it was a tetnus.  They always give a funny reaction.  They attack the nerve around the spot where the needle went in and make the arm numb.  This affect is almost instantaneous.  The arms feels as if you have been hit on a muscle and you can hit yourself to tell what that feels like.  This only lasts about 15 minutes and you get no after effects.  I would rather have that than the typhoid which gives a rather high temperature.

Last night I also went to the main service club.  Compared with our huts this is a palace.  It is a ugly constructed building from the outside (as all army buildings are) but has all the luxuries of home inside.  You can get good meals for a low price, you can get all the ice cream you can eat and all the pop you can drink for a moderate price.  You can bring your girl there when she is on the post and sit in the guest corners or take her to the lounges on the terrace.  You can keep your girl there for a few days or you can just go there and enjoy free entertainment.  All around the main floor there are soffers (sofas?) and above the floor is a balcony with easy chairs.  It is a perfect place to spend what leisure you have. (Leisure - what a laugh!)

Now what of your letter.  I got it on Wednesday one day or rather about 14 hours after I had been paid so the $5.00 was not so needed as it should have been.  I think I will return it because too much money is a bad thing around here.  I was very glad to receive it but I would rather see how long I can live on the $24.40 that I received.  That was last months pay and after all deductions you can see how much I am making.  Money again doesn't seem to bother me.  Even if I received $100 I doubt if I would have known what to do with it.  Too much money tempts and I don't want to loose any.  I might even get to gambling if I had too much and I don't want to do that.

I am glad to hear that Mary is working but I wish she could get something more to her liking.  House work doesn't seem to be quite the thing I would like to do if I were in her place.  I hope that she can make enough money to go to school or at least help her to go to school.  Everyone so far has had a try at it so why shouldn't she.

Pvt Hargove would probably be very amusing but our time for amusement is limited and we would rather spend it doing something unusual rather than reading.  As it is I have several things to read but not the time.

Keep me informed about the potatoes and the farm.  I rather feel that I left part of me up there and I want to know how things are coming along.  

Pop may try to gain weight on vegetables but out there they gain weight on meat and good food.  Even though the "Army Mess" is a mess and often no one can tell what they are eating, the goodness is there and you can grow on it.  Here is a typical mess, they really threw the ice box in this one.  Lima beans left over from dinner, potato from the same meal, meat from the previous day, gravy from some unknown meal, string beans, from a previous supper, carrots from a previous dinner, all cooked together and called stew.  If you don't eat up all the breakfast you get it for dinner in the form of seasoning, like bacon to season string beans or carrots, then if you don't eat it all for supper you get it for breakfast and if you still don't eat it you can be sure to get stew sometime in the near future.

I got my K.M.L news and was glad to see it.  I saw the notice that Jimmy was in the hospital.  I also saw Williams letter and I wonder how he did it.  He did a swell job and should have done it sooner.  Give him plenty of encouragement.  As for my writing I am afraid I am usually in too much of a hurry. I will say this however I am now writing more that I have ever written before.  I doubt if I will ever develop into anything great.

I really wish I could get home for a short time to see how brown the grass is and how bad the garden looks.  I doubt if I could yet eat Hot Dogs but the lemon pie would no longer turn my stomach.  You will be surprised at what I can eat now.  Even I wouldn't have believed that I could eat such a variety.  Even so my skin is still rather rough but that is due to too much soft drink.  I like them and know they do me no good.  If I quit them I know I could clear up most of my trouble.

I suppose you can write to me again.  I don't know what the score is so even if I move before your next letter you can be sure it will be forwarded to me.  Just remember my new address.  I am now in Sq. A not Sq. C.

I sent my suit coat home today so it should arrive soon after the letter. I am sending the $5.00 and hope that it arrives safely.  

I am tired and need a shower so I will sign off for a while.

With Love

Austin

U.S.A.A.F.

July 16, 1943

July 16, 1943

Dear Mother;

You can't guess how I happen to be writing this letter at the hour of 1:00 p.m.  So far today I have had off except for a little walking.  I am sitting in the shade of a dispensary waiting to have an x-ray taken of my ankle.  1 week ago today I strained it playing push ball and have let it go until today.  The only reason I let it got was because I wanted to get in the training time but now I have 28 days so I can have all the time I want off if I have an excuse.  Otherwise you have to work just as hard as always.

The army is a great place to kill time.  If you had anything really wrong with you, you would die before a doctor would see you.  Through the ordinary channels it is impossible to get waited on immediately.  A fellow sitting beside me here has waited 2 days to get an x-ray taken which in itself takes only 5 minutes.  Whenever anyone goes on sick call you always take a pencil and paper because you get plenty of time to use them.  You may see records of the hours that men are sick, well take them with a grain of salt.  Most of that time seems to be spent waiting to be seen or for examinations.  Anyway I get a chance to catch up on correspondence and not get penalized for it.

I don't think that I told you that I have been to the Smith rifle range twice more this week, once to shoot the carbine and once to shoot the Thompson Sub-machine gun.  Each holds a thrill within itself.  The M-1 carbine is a very short .30 caliber rifle.  It is accurate up to 150 yards and has little more kick than a high power .22.  We had no score to get so the shooting was not too good but were familiarized with the piece and that's what the army wants.

M1 Thompson submachine gun

The Thompson sub-machine gun is the .45 caliber M-1 A-1 1928 automatic.  It also has very little kick but has a tendency to rise in the air when fired.  When you shoot it by single shots this is not noticeable but when you switch to automatic the muzzle just rises right up.  It will shoot 600 rounds per minute.

I suppose your not too interested in the foregoing so I will tell you about our trip to Arcadia.  We left here at 1:00 pm and left by the main gate.  This was so that we could get on highway #66 as soon as possible because that was the road we followed.  I guess that we passed the poorest section of this county or the whole state of MO is poor.  The people live in the poorest looking houses I have ever seen.  They are worse than the houses up around Dikes Pond.  The thing is that even in the towns we went through they were all the same with few exceptions.  People in N.E. should be glad they are there because they can at least make a decent living.  These people look like farmers and that don't (no erasure) doesn't seem to provide too good a lively hood.  Some of the farms looked better than others and they in general raised beef or had cattle of some kind.  We did see a lot of MO. mules and they didn't look too stubborn.

We went by several of the largest piles of sand I have ever seen.  Some covered an area about 1/2 mile sq and as high as 3 to 4 hundred feet.  They were just outside of some of the towns and we figured that the piles had something to do with mining.  No one knows just what they were from.

Most likely something like this from the many quarries in southern MO

Arcadia is a pretty enough place.  The worst thing about it seems to be the water.  They have no pure water so all you drink has been chlorinated.  You can really taste the chlorine and that isn't good.  Anyone could get to like this place if he could take a shower and eat off a Tray.  That is all I missed.  

Right now I feel like a nap so

With love

Austin

July 14, 1943

July 14, 1943

Dear Mother,

As you see I am still writing from this good old state of Misery.  I have got back to calling it that because it is getting muggy again and I begin to swet starting at 5:30 a.m. and do so until 10:00 p.m. when I am unconscious (I hope).

I hope you will forgive me for not writing yesterday and answering some of the questions you ask but yesterday I went swimming a soon as I could get out of camp.  The swim was wonderful and I have almost learned to do a forward sumarsalt.  The fellow who showed me how to do it can do anything on a springboard.

(I am going swimming again)

That chance to go swimming came all of a sudden and I figured that even if I owed you a letter I could get forgiven for one more day.  I like to swim well enough in this weather that I would leave anything to go.  They have a high tower and I dive off from that.  It is fun and a thing that few people in the area can do.  I guess the Mississippi river is not a very good place to swim.  It don't look to good.

Tonight before I could start this letter again the hut had to clean rifles.  It was no fun and we had about 80 to do.  It took quite a while.

I don't know what our prospects to ship out of here soon are.  1/2 the squadron has left already but we are left behind to do the dirty work.  We have to work just as if they were with us.  We hate to stay and hope to heaven that we get on shipping soon.

Now a few of those questions.  The last time I saw Harold he had no idea he was leaving.  I was going to see him when I got your letter.  I am glad to see that he got a raise.  I hope he likes Nebraska better than he liked this place. Near the end of his stay here he was doing K.P. most everyday and I don't think that helped his morale.

We sure do get tired out here.  I think that the heat is what tires us the most one day you can run the 1 3/8 mile with ease but on a hot day it is really to much to expect anyone to do.

That Boston group was still together until this recent break up.  As it is now all the alphabet from A to P has left and us poor guys with R's S's etc. have to stay behind because we didn't choose the right name.  Please advise the next A.C. {Air Corps} to be you see to change his name because everything goes by the alphabet.

I suppose you must have guessed how I answered all the letters.  I just run through yours and give you my thoughts on the subject.  That seems to be the best way to let you get my idea on something.

As to my "dear Public" you can tell them that I get along very well.  I argue with the rest and complain but not so bad as some.  I kind of like the life because I am getting something out of it.  It is kind of hard to see some of your best friends leave and know that you have got to stay behind and do hard work while they have it easy.  Everyone complains.  It wouldn't be the army if they didn't.  I get bored with it after a while.

This washing business is getting to be a problem.  You just can't find time for it and do everything.  If you do all you are supposed to you shouldn't wear the same clothes more than twice without a wash.  That means you have to have a lot of clothes or work every night.  The soap works pretty good and cuts the work.  The army supplies G.I. soap that will make anything white, even gray socks.

I am officially in the Air Corps so buy anything that says Air Corp on it but don't by these things that specifically define what you are or do in the Air Corps as I am yet unassigned and may be for some time to come.

As to the guard house I haven't yet seen its inside.  I don't even know where it is.  There area lot of prisoners here and they do the hard work around here. Most of them are fellows who have gone A.W.O.L. or deserted from the Army or some other major offense.  Some of the fellows are nice looking young kids.  They don't look like the type that get in trouble.  {For information on deserters and less glamorous psychological effects of the war, check out Deserter: The Last Untold Story of the Second World War } 

I always like to get the cut outs you send.  You can act as my censor of the Herald.  Anything that is worth sending, send along.  I don't get much chance to read papers but I get most of the news.

I don't know what else I have forgotten but just remind me and I will tell you what I know.  I don't know much about the organization of the army or stuff like that.  I didn't tell you that I met the younger Crosetti brother.  He went in the draft with me but got a transfer to the Air Corps at Fort Devins and came here after 2 weeks at Devins.

Now be sure you get the rest of this.  I hate to say this but I am almost out of money.  Please get me $5 from my bank account and send it anyway you can get it quickly.  I don't have much money and I have little hope of getting any soon.  If I get paid soon I will send it right back.  I hate to get money from home but I don't see anyway out.  I have gone about 6 weeks on $25 and $4.25 is a small sum for the pleasure I have got in town and around here in the last 6 weeks.

With Love

Austin

July 4, 1943

July 4, 1943

Dear Mother, 

What a way to spend the 4th of July. There is no excitement here at all and it just seems like another Sunday.  Last year out here they had a Garrison parade in St. Louis and about 30,000 men took part in it.  This year they have a small parade scheduled but no one from G.B. will take part.  This certainly doesn't seem like home and I miss it.

Yesterday (Sat) I went on sick call to get a tooth filled.  You may remember the tooth I have had so much trouble with, well Friday I pulled out the fillings and a piece of the tooth.  It went to the Dental Clinic to be looked at and they sent me to a dentist.  I had to wait about 2 hours for a line longer than you ever saw at any dentist's office.  These camps have a set up so that they can work on about 14 men at a time with one Lt. in charge.  The young fellow who worked on me pulled out a big filling and some more tooth.  Now the whole front of the tooth is gone and he said it should be pulled but as long as the rest of my teeth are in good shape he will try to fix it.  He pushed and prodded around down there until I thought I was going right out of the chair.  The gum is especially sensitive where the front part of the tooth has broken off and left the gum exposed beneath the surface.  It will have to be filled clear down to the root.

We have done quite a lot of work with the rifle lately.  We are doing a lot of dry firing.  You can ask Pop what that means if you want.  I did rather well in it but that is only an indication that i know how to shoot.  When we have mastered all of the rifle possible without actually firing it we will go to "Arcadier" {Arcadia} a firing range quite a way from there.  Here you get shooting with the Garand rifle and the Thompson sub-machine gun.  If you qualify you are sent back to camp and get put on shipping.  We won't go for several days but I hope it is soon.

We get K.P. again tomorrow and you ought to hear everyone grip now.  Everyone hates the job and would do anything to get out of it.  We are going to the mess hall that we have been eating in.  It is an awful dirty place compared with the other mess hall.  It should be a lot easier to keep in condition than the other.  I am going to S. L. now.  I got a 10:00 pm pass.

St. Louis is the same as always. I am beginning to get an idea of how the city is put together.  As I get to know the city better I find that it does have a compactness that I didn't realize before.  The theaters and night clubs are close together but not as close as in Boston.  You have to walk quite a lot getting form place to place.  They do however have a good system of carfares.  For $1.00 you can by a week pass that allows you to ride anytime anywhere in the city.  Anyday you can but a .25 cent pass that allows you to ride anywhere all day.  You also can get transfers to go anyway except back the way you came.  All this riding is done above ground in cars like the Watertown cars.

All I have tried I still can't find a guide book to the city.  No one seems to know if there ever was such a thing.  You have to get directions everywhere you go and you can hardly find the things worth seeing.  I have a lot to say but I will write about them in my next letter.

With love

Austin

P.S. I just ran into Joe Frasher at the P.X.

July 2, 1943

(I never saw this place!  I don't think that anyone has ever seen it.  It's pretty anyway)

July 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

I suppose that the weather is a good subject to start a letter with.  We see by the papers that you have had some hot sunny days.  out here it has taken quite a change.  Monday we had a shower just as we were returning from the camouflage school.  It soaked everything including us right to the skin.  We were miserable for a while but it was hot enough so that we dried off soon.  However the rain was the start of a cold spell.  It cooled off and the evening was very pleasurable.  we actually slept cold that night and have used two blankets each night since.  The days have been cool and the heat is no longer the major grip (sic) of the day.  Today it heated up quite a lot and tomorrow promises to be a hot day.  This cold weather can't last long.  

We have to have rain around here as we get a lot of dust.  If you stop after marching the dust just rises and chokes.  You have to stay on the pavement to keep away from the dust.  The rain will wet the dust down and wash it into the hollows.  In many p laces this was gets to be several feet thick and is definitely not the thing to walk through.  If you do you have a real job to get it off especially if you let it dry.

This place is a test of home training.  Many of the fellows were brought up so badly that they return to the state of {coarse? coose} men whenever they can.  Manners in the mess hall are terrible and the huts would be so cluttered that you couldn't rake all the junk out if you relaxed the rules on neatness.  I am now sitting beside a fellow who was a very good boy when at home.   His mother had a lot to say about when he went out and how long he went and who he went out with.  He went to B.C. {Boston College} for a semester but didn't learn to much about the world. Anyway now he don't know when to come home when he gets a pass.  He also has 3 girl friends all ready and may get another tonight. Coming in late nights and try to stay awake day times is not my idea of fun.

Today we didn't do too much but still had to put in the time to get it as credit as a training day.  We got Tetnus shots last night.  They really hit you in the arm.  They make the arm numb right off but this can be worked off by pumping the arm.  Often it goes away you don't have any trouble with it.  we don't get exercises the next day no matter what kind of shots you have.  We just sat all day and sang songs or had lectures on different things.  One was defense against a tank, which was very interesting.  We were told the best way to knock out a tank with a standard rifle.  We also had dry firing on the range.  This consisted of lining up  the rifle on the target and having someone check your sighting.  Not very interesting.  We didn't have any hard work so you might call it an easy day.

We have now completed 18 training days.  In 2 more weeks or 10 more training days we will be put on a shipping which means we are subject to shipment to college.  If everything goes well we maybe out in 2 1/2 weeks.  Most of the fellows will be glad to get out of here.

Mail is coming along pretty good.  I get mail that is two or three days on the way but never much longer.  Some of the kids send everything airmail and it takes 2 days and six cents.  I could afford to but I don't think I need to.  Just how long it takes to get my letter home I don't know.

What did Mary get for a graduation present?  I would like to send her something.

I have forgotten to tell you that I got paid.  I got $.50.  That right 50 cents.  That was some paycheck.  I don't know just what it was for other than that it was for car fare to Boston that first day.  All the fellows got paid but some got as much as $2.00.

Well I must sign off now,

With Love

Austin

P.S. What errors in grammar spelling etc. do you find in my letters?

July 1, 1943

Dear Pop,

I got your letter in 2 days which is very fast for mail coming this direction.  Even airmail takes as long or longer to get here.  I can't understand how it came so fast.  The train doesn't come faster than the mail so you explain it to me.

Thanks a lot for the code.  I had forgotten a lot of it and I wanted to finish up on it so I could be a little ahead of everyone.  A lot of the fellows know code as it is.  Especially the fellow who was in the R.C.A.F. and shot down the German planes.

If you should compare the handwriting in some of these letters you would find that some parts are not written at the same time of the preceding parts.  Just now I got back from the Service Club.  Before going there we had our Tetnus shots and we had that on a full stomach.  I started the letter this noon but am writing it at 8:00 tonight.  Some span of time.

The Service Club is new and its a swell place to go and write letters.  It is a 5 minute walk away and not too convenient.  But the girls that work there are really fun.  They are of course Missouri girls and don't talk Yankee talk.  In fact they have a language all their own.  Everything is O.K. to them and it sounds funny when they way it.  Some of the fellows sit at the soda bar and order and reorder just to hear the girls talk. You really have nothing better to do with your money.

You may have a lot of money but just what can you do with it.  You can go to the P.X. and buy things to eat and drink but you soon fill up.  You can't go out and spend it because you need a pass to get off the post.  You can buy things to send home but most of the stuff is Air Corps stuff and I sometimes wonder if I will make the grade to fly.  Anyway the money problem doesn't trouble me very much.

Our "Conditioners" (physical training) is really tough.  They really wear you out if they can.  You start off with exercise of the arms and shoulders.  When they are tired you work stomach muscles and when they are tired you do push ups in cadence.  About half the time is spent running the 1 3/8 mile or the obstical course.  You then get rope climbing, pull ups, and combatitives.  They are a series of personal combat exercises such as Indian wrestling and ends in Jujitsu training.  Before you can fly you have to be able to chin yourself 9 times with your hands on the bar so that the backs are towards you (the hardest way).  You also have to do an agility exercise.  This starts from the position of attention, bending putting the palms on the ground the elbows between the knees, throwing the feet to the rear so that you are resting on the ground on your hands and toes.  You then do a push up and return to a position of attention.  You have to do 15 of them in 20 sec.  That will really be tough.  We also have coordination exercises that are not tough but are a test of your power to act on what you think. With a little practice you get so that you can do them.

I am sending some of my laundry out now.  Some of the stuff I just don't have time to do.  Our coveralls get so dirty I don't get a chance to do the work on them they require.  When you swet and then lay in the Missouri dust you get mud that gets too hard to wash.  Right now there is as much as 2 inches of dust in spots.  We haven't had rain for so long (4 days) we expect the pace to go away in the next big wind.  When the rain does come it will be a cloud burst and wash all the dust into the valleys.

With Love
Austin

{For a more complete discussion of the physical training, check out the Art of Manliness's article.  Are you as fit as a WWII GI?}

June 28, 1943

Jefferson Barracks

Missouri

June 28, 1943

Dear Mary;

I first want to thank you for the letters and of course the yearbook.  It certainly is the best one I have ever seen.  I like very much that last bunch of pictures that were taken by everyone.  I recognized that picture of Jack and Maryanne. I like that picture of "Doc" and "Wild Bill" Miller.  The book was especially interesting to the fellow from Woburn as he knew some of the fellows in your class.

Of course they wanted to see your picture.  They were a very surprised bunch when I showed it to them.  They couldn't see how I could have such a nice looking sister.  You better look out or you maybe getting letters from the bunch.  The only trouble is they all have steady girl friends.  They were really amazed at your picture.  My G.I. haircut must make me look like an ugly duckling. {For a few pictures of Mary, check out the Family Pictures tab at the top of the blog}

I hope you haven't forgotten that box you were going to send along with mother.  Most of the fellows have received boxes from home and I have been eating goodies of from them.  I really must repay them some way.  Most of the boxes have candy but some have things I have never seen.  For instance one had stuffed prunes.  They were stuffed with nuts and some kind of candy.  Once we got some real Italian candy.  It was very sweet, almost like saccarin. Another time we got some cakes with frosting all over them.  All these were really good.  Probably the box is on the way anyway.

Stuffed prunes? 

I went to St. Louis yesterday. It was really great but is nothing like Boston. It is the most incoherent city I have seen yet.  You see a beautiful building like the city hall and almost 1/2 a minute walk from it you find a slum district.  That is the way with everything I saw there, a very beautiful place bordered by a poor section with old down-and-out men in the streets.

We went to the main U.S.O. and had one heck of a time.  They do everything they can to make you feel at home. Free cookies are on tables but you have to buy all your own drinks.  The U.S.O. provides music, entertainment, reading, writing matter, and girls.  The girls are what most of the fellows wanted to see after being in camp for 2 weeks.  Every once in a while an announcement came over the loud speaker saying that 4 boys or 3 boys were wanted for a tour through St. Louis or some boy would be taken to supper by someone, or a party is being given to honor someones birthday. They had pool, billiards and all kinds of games.  There is nothing that you can't do.  I only got mad once.  I had fun shooting at airplanes and had a terrific scare when they played the National Anthem.  Of course I had to stand at attention and watch 8 flights out of 15 go by giving me just a fairly good score.  I had a wonderful time and I will go back when I go to S.L. again.

Thank you Norman Rockwell for expressing it like no one else could.

We left the U.S.O. and went to get supper.  We went into a little place and really got taken in.  I payed 83 cents for a terrible supper.  We had chicken friend in oil (tasted like motor oil) greasy mashed potato, a terrible mixture of vegetables, a good tomato salad and greasy spaghetti. The silver just lid through your hands and the dishes looked bad. I won't go in there again.  It's a wonder I wasn't poisoned.

I am sending to you and Mother some pamthlets that I picked up in the Jefferson Hotel.  You may be interested so when you come to see me you will know where to stay.  The hotel was a really beautiful place and we just wandered around to see what we could see.  We walked into a ballroom that has floor shows down near where the people eat and a stage in back just like the pictures in the movies.  It must have been very expensive. I also got the coldest drink of water I ever had. It made my lips numb.

Sure would love to find room rates like this today

I saw a little of the Mississippi in St. Louis.  Here at J.B. we have to walk 1 1/2 miles to see the river.  Near shore it is really muddy and out near the middle almost blue.  I have never seen anything like it.  Where we are it is about 1/4 mile across but in many places it widens out more than that.  On the other edge it seems to have trees growing in it but that must be because the water is still high and has not left the low land by the river.  No matter where you look you will find something floating in it.  If it is not a tree it may be a branch or a box or can or most anything.  I don't know whether the reason for the stuff in the river was the flood a couple of weeks ago or it is that way always.  It is really a mighty river.  I could only get a 1:00 a.m. pass or I would have taken a trip down the river on the "Admiral", a river pleasure boat.  You may see a picture of it in that group I sent home.      

Not his picture, but a postcard found from about that time period.
The Admiral sailed the river all the way up until it was sold for scrap in 2011.

We have changed our eating place and what a change.  The food is terrible and the silver and trays look half washed, grease on everything.  There are flies everywhere and the table and chairs are a mess.  What a messy mess hall.  I feel that I can now complain about the food.  ( I just heard the "Admiral" whistle about 1/2 a mile away by the crow flies)  We really were fed well in the other place.

We went to camouflage school today.  It is really wonderful how they hide things the way they do.  Guns, trucks, tanks, and everything in general can be concealed from observation from airplanes at a reasonable height.  They also showed us the best way to conceal onesself in battle.  They use everything available that is natural like trees, shrubs, rocks and attempt to break up shadows and shadow effects.  It is one of the most interesting subjects we have studied.

Well I don't know what to do.  I have some washing to do but I am to tired so I guess I will let it go until tomorrow.  I may not have to do it then.  You really don't have time for everything.  However I will try to write again sometime.

With love,

Austin

July 6, 1943

June 6, 1943

{Has he forgotten the date?}

Dear Mother,

I didn't write yesterday because we were on K.P. and were restricted after we got through.  They made us get up at 3:50 a.m. and that is an early hour even around here.  It was late even so, we had to fall out right away.  The hut was a mess and we were restricted.  We really didn't feel like doing anything but we had to G.I. the hut before we could go away.

Tonight we are going to throw a party!  Most everyone including me (many thanks) got food from home.  We are going to break a few rules that say you can't have bottles in the huts, but going to the P.X. and buy soft drinks bringing them back and eating and drinking.  The only trouble is that we have a lot of work to do before a special inspection tomorrow at 5:30.  Something always wrecks the parties and makes them difficult to hold.  I am trying to write early so that I can have some fun.

I got the box today at the noon mail call.  I expected it but I didn't know what to expect.  I guess you collaborated on it.  Pop must have sent the peanuts and you and someone else the soap and cookies.  They are really good.  We are going to use the cookies tonight and I want to use the soap also but even so I doubt if I will have time.  My clothes are dirty but I may get some clean ones from the laundry.

I should tell you something about the meals.  Aside from the weather meals are the main topic of conversation.  Of course our mess hall is really pretty bad in the way of cleanliness and the mess officer doesn't seem to care to much but lets talk about the food.  Now, in the morning you get 2 little bottles  

{the second page of the letter is missing}

They probably hoped the party would be something like this.

It was probably a lot more like this.

June 30, 1943 Part 2 sent in a later letter

June 30, 1943

Dear Folks,

Everyday we do something new.  Today we got "pieces".  They are in civilian lingo rifles but here everything is a "piece" or an "arm".  We went to the supply house and drew these to learn the manual forms with them.  Most of the fellows got the old Enfield rifle but me and a few others got the new ultra modern M-1 or Garand rifle.  They are as you probably know gas loaded and fire a .30 cal. bullet.  But are they heavy!  8 lobs + 3 ozs seems like a ton after it has rested on your arm or shoulder for awhile.

We went on parade today.  At 3:45 we fell out in Class A uniforms and helmets to go to the main drill fields.  We marched up to the field where we formed a squadron front and marched 12 min across, something we had never done before.  We marched onto the field walked by the reviewing stand.  Then all the squadrons lined up in a Flight front and waited by the cannon to fire, the retreat to be sounded with the lowering of the flag, and the band to march up and down the field.  We couldn't move all during this time and I was rather dead in places at the end of the time.  We got back at 5:45 to wait to a very poor supper.

Today I got the box and it was all in fast.  I didn't realize at the time but I may have trouble finding film for the camera myself.  However I am going to town again tonight and I shall try to find some films tonight.  I will write more about St. Louis as soon as I can find out more about it.  Most of the fellows don't think much of it though. 

With love

Austin

Permission slip required for possessing a camera on base.

June 30, 1943

Jefferson Barracks

Missouri

June 30, 1943

Dear Mother;

I try to read your letters as soon as possible and write an answer.  Often it is hard to do just that but for once I have found time before supper to write.  This is not written by street light as most of my letters.

I have bought a book on aircraft spotting.  It shows views of both Amer. and Jap planes.  William might be interested in some of the models we see once in a while.  These are not models made by civilians but are a cast plastic and are much better than other models.  They are cast to size.  As yet we have had no instruction in aircraft identification and we don't expect it for some time.

About that business in the Sat. Eve. Post of the PX's, I haven't had a chance to read it.  Each week one of the boys on the Post comes around and sells them.  Each time I buy one and set it away in my foot locker.  I have read only 2 articles in the 3 magazines I have bought.  I am glad you brought it to my attention.

I don't know whether I wrote or not about our day room.  We are about the only ones in camp without a day room.  Our room was taken over and everything removed to make way for an office staff who does a little of the work on the red tape the army is wrapped up in.  Down the street they have a room with pool tables, books, soft drinks, easy chairs, tables and everything to make you comfortable.  It is really the place to go after dark if you have nothing else to do.

I went to St. Louis Sunday.  It is really quite a place.  It takes about 1 hour and 15 min. to get in and, out it takes longer because it seems every soldier comes home at the same time.  I didn't get a guide to the city as I didn't know just where to find one but I will get one if it is possible.  St. Louis people are so nice they will tell you anything you want to know or do anything for you.  At the U.S.O you can get all kinds of things and invitations to churches and organizations.  Everyone has a wonderful time and most everyone goes back.

Harold was the one who saw to it that I got started in the right direction.  We got separated just before we got on the first bus.  I was stopped by an M.P. who was checking up on the fellows leaving from the 29th.  We had to show some identification and I had only a Mass. driving license.  I thought sure I would miss the bus, Harold and my first chance to get out of the camp.  He did not go all the way with me but went to his girl friends house.  He sure has it bad.  I don't think he is a wolf however.  He is a lady's man alright.

We see a report of temperatures every once in a while in the St. Louis papers.  I guess you have had some real hot weather.  Our hot spell is broken and I slept under 2 blankets last night.  It was cold all day and a swell breeze flew.  I didn't swet at all today even when we drilled 2 hours, had conditioners for 2 hours, and ran the obsticle (sic) course and 1 3/8 miles.  I think I could like it here if it wasn't for the food.  Now we eat in a mess that is a mess. The plates and silver are greasy.  This is something I am not used to.  

Your letters seem to arrive in pretty good time.  The letter you wrote June 26 came today in the mail call at 11:00.  I keep writing about things that I have written before.  I don't know just what I have written about.  I can't realize sometimes how long it takes to get mail home and back.  Sometimes my letters must be rather incoherent because of the hurry I write them in and partly because these guys are always making a heck of a racket.  I sign off now.

With love,

Austin