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