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.