August 28, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis.

Aug. 28, 1943

Well A.P.,

I finally got around to write again and it is not Sunday as often, my usual time for correspondance.  I have got an hour before supper and I find nothing special to do.  This is quite unusual for me as I can always keep busy on something.  I am all dressed up for town and can not do some of the work I want tot do, such as washing and GI-ing shoes.

Well things are pretty much the same around here except that they are getting stricter on some things and lenient on others.  They are getting pretty tough about the studies.  If you don't get a 70% average in all your subjects individually you can't get out over the weekend.  If you get an 80% grade in all the subjects you get 3 extra hours in which you can do a lot.  I am getting out all right but no extra hours.  I got a 76% average in Geography and they kept me off from the list.  1/3 of the cadets here got restricted and about 1/6 of the class got out.  I doubt if I will get the extra hours next week either because I got a low mark in a spelling test (52%).  I should have done better and probably could have if I had a chance to really study the words.  As it was I had to study for a test in physics, on torque and Newton's first 2 laws.  It took me quite a time to catch on to the work and had to spend more time than I expected.

Now I have two things to worry about regarding weekends, "tours" and marks.  Each week I just miss walking "tours" every week.  You know that 8 is the maximum, well I have got from 6-8 most every week.  This week I got 7 and thought sure that I would be "up the creek" as I got 4 last Saturday and 3 last (a week ago) Friday.  That gave me a chance to get one gig in 5 days.  Well I pulled through.  This week I have got 2 all ready, one for dirty fingernails, and one for not having my shoes tied for inspection.  Gigs are something you just can't avoid no matter how hard you try.  If the officers don't feel good they pick out someone to gig and they just wait until they pin something on him.  Every once in a while an officer gets a new gig book and will say something to the effect that he is going to have recorded 15 gigs in it before the day is over.  They usually do if they are watchful enough.  Just try to stand at attention with your eyes fixed on a point and have flies and all kinds of bugs light on you but not move in any way.  This place is noted for its bugs and mosquitoes.  They raise the dickens with you on parade.

Wednesday evening we got a chance to go hear Col. Carlos P. Romulo.  He is a very dramatic speaker, (and a Rotarian) and has a very definite sense of humor in describing unfortunate circumstances.  He is really a great speaker and you should hear him when he comes East.  He has also written a book that I think should be very good reading.  I am sending you the front of the brocher we got at the door.

Some of the fellows are moving out of the dorm to the one a short distance from here.  I may move shortly but as yet I haven't got my orders.  We are expecting a new batch of fellows soon and they will occupy this building. (By the way, I am now an upper classman. It don't mean much other than that we walk in the halls now and don't have to "sound off" as much.)

A lot of things are now happening or are about to happen.  Next week flight 16 starts flying which means we are next and they come the week after next.  Today we won the parade.  We took the honors form B other flights and 2 of the flights had had 5 months of drill in Miami Beach.  We felt real good about it.  Another thing is that we are getting additions to our uniforms.  We will eventually get a "Cadet Patch" (cadet insignia" and an "Air Corp" insignia that goes on the left arm near the shoulder.  I may send one along if I can an extra one.

I found that picture of me that I put away in someplace I could sure to remember.  I don't know if I should send it or not.  You may not like it.  I am sure I didn't.  I think that I was taken in a guarded moment and I wasn't aware of what was going on.  It really isn't that bad.  

Well I will have to sign off because Supper K.P. is being called and we will follow in a very short time.

With love,

Austin

P.S. My serial number must be put on my mail from now on.

August 23, 1943

Pvt. Austin Rounds
95th C.T.P.
Beloit College
Beloit Wis.

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Aug 23, 1943

Dear Mother,

It has been quite some time since I wrote last but I have finally gotten around to it again.  I usually plan to write on Sunday but they are very busy when you have nothing to keep you in.  Last Sunday (yesterday) I left just as I could get out.  The reason is that I am gradually learning the town and am beginning to find the places to enjoy ones self.  

Of course the U.S.O. is the main place to gather.  Most everyone that leaves goes by the U.S.O. chiefly because it is so near the school and partly to find out what is going on.  They usually have something planned an if not you can always stay and read the magazines, eat cake and candy, play ping-pong and other games or just sit, or then dance with the hostesses; some of them are really nice.

To get back to what I have done lately I might say that our program has been cut from 20 weeks to 10 weeks meaning that we will leave way ahead of schedule.  This army works that way.  At J.B. you remember we completed 56 days in 30, here we'll complete 5 months in little more than 2 and at classification I hear they have cut the 42 days to about 25, so you can see that you can't always go by army schedule.

Again I have been out of luck because my last name didn't start with a letter low in the alphabet.  Tomorrow some of the fellows that came from J.B. with us start to fly.  They took everyone in our flight from A to M and set them ahead.  As it is I start flying Sept 7 which is about 2 weeks from now.  Oh well I guess I will get there even if I don't get set ahead like the other part of the alphabet.

I got a letter from Grandma last week but haven't been able to write yet to her.  I will try to tomorrow.  You had better keep her informed as I am sure that I will not be able to find time often.

Sunday I went to church!!!  This is unusual partly because I haven't found the time to find out when church started and that most of my friends are Catholic.  The boy in my room is Jewish and has too many "tours" to go anywhere.  After church I went to a swimming pool that is operated by a country club.  It is open to the service men and that is where you find most of them.  The pool is the best of its kind in the country except for maybe a few in Hollywood.  It really looks like a Hollywood pool.  It has three diving boards on which to practic; it is about 50 ft across and 150 feet long.  It has a beautiful lawn all around it and it is a swell place to sit and sun.  If I can get out again I certainly will make a B. line for the place.

Post card found at this website

After the swim there was a special picnic for the service men on the grounds.  They have tables, chairs, and fire places right near the pool.  The U.S.O. furnished everything including the girls.  The lunch was swell, pickles, sandwiches, drink, cookies, cake, candy and all.  Beloit also is a swell place to go on furlough the people are so good.  As we will never get a furlough our open post will have to provide us with enjoyment and this town certainly can do this.

You just can't imagine the urge you have to get away from it all.  All week long you are in under a terrific tension and you have to let down some way or you will soon go to pieces.  Usually when they see you are weakening they ride you and that makes things worse.  One fellow has 153 tours to walk and we are sure he also has a recommendation after his name to be washed out at Santa Ana.  You just have to get out and let down for a short time.  You have to forget that you have a hard job to do the next day.

We got a new class added to our schedule.  It is a class of First Aid given by one of the policemen from town.  He is really good even though he gets rather dry at times.  He gives a lot of information in stories from his experience.  Everyone seems to enjoy the class even though it's hard to stay awake.

Most of my marks so far have been pretty good.  I am well above average in my classes which is about 85%.  "Place geography" is giving a little trouble but I just got a test back that was an 80%.  Otherwise I have nothing too much to say about the class.

The college here has just finished its summer term and all but 3 of the girls have gone home.  That means that the fellows do K.P. now.  It is not too tough because they have several women who work there all the time.  The fellows just serve the food and clean the tables afterwards.  It is really soft compared with the other K.P. I have seen.

I had expected that "lights out" would sound before now but I will write some more as long as I have the time.

I wish you would send me that deodorant powder that was left or if it is gone send me some in the next box.  We have some very foul smelling stuff we put in our shoes to kill athletes foot and harden the feet.  As the powder kills smells I hope it will get the smell out of my shoes.  I haven't used the foot powder for some time but it still seems to be effective.

I wish you would scare around and try to get some film this way.  One of the fellows got some and took my picture.  I was going to send it home but I put it in some place where I would be sure to know where it was.  It's gone now and I will have to find it sometime.

The bell just rang "lights out"

With love

Austin

{And the back page of his letter, written in pencil and quite larger than his normal handwriting!  Probably written after lights out.}

{A letter to his mother from the church he attended on Sunday.}

August 15, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis.

Aug. 15, 1943

Dear A.P.

This is Sunday again and I thought I would dash off another letter before I go on "open post." This week end is the first time that I have been officially out and I am going to make the most of it.  

Last week I had to walk off tours.  That was because I received 13 gigs.  Whether I explained this or not the system is that if you step out of line a little, like looking at the ground when in formation, or wavering your eyes while in formation you get what is called a gig.  If they find dirt on your bed or on your chair or desk or anywhere in your room you get a gig.  Of all my gigs that week I got 11 in one day and only 2 the rest of the week.  I got 11 on the first inspection because we didn't know how to hang clothes, fix our chairs etc.  You can bet we found out after that.  You can bet that don't happen again.

One fellow here Hoboken N.J. Has 51 tours to walk off before he gets out on open post.  He will probably spend 8 weeks at it if he walks the maximum each week.  As for me, I am going to spend my week ends in Beloit.

It says in the "student bible" that there will be no hazing at any time but you can bet that can be gotten around.  It isn't hazing here; it is discipline and we get a lot of it; not so much from the upper class men as from student officers.  They really get tough and know how to make you wish you never thought of joining the Air Corp.  Last week we did very poorly in a retreat parade. Although it was not our fault but more the fault of the officers you can bet we got it in the neck.  They really tightened up on us and handed out gigs left and right.  We had some pretty stiff drill along with it but now we are the best outfit on the campus.  Even the older fellows can't make a showing the way we do.

We have had our pay day and on that day I received $38.95.  It was a lot of money and I know I can never spend it even if I wanted to.  There are a few things I need in town and I plan to get them.  I am going to buy a wrist-watch and try to get an American movement as Mother suggested.  I am also going to get a pair of good dress shoes.  That is about all I need or will need for some time.  The watch is really needed because everything around here is done on schedule and the shoes are something that will help keep up my morale.

We have quite a day here compared with the life of a student at B.U.  I get up at any time between 5:00 and 6:00 according to the amount of work I have to get done.  Revielle is at 6:15 and early chow at 6:30, late chow at 7:00.  We go to early chow so that I don't have to shave before breakfast but you must have a good shoe shine and neat general appearance.  After chow we have until 8 o'clock to do all our work around the room, shave and perform special details like cleaning the bathrooms, the halls, the dayroom and such things, and get to first class.  We usually start a day by a period of Physics or 2 periods of Physics lab.  We then have English or math according to what day it is.  This is usually followed by a period of Geography or History.  It turns out to be 4 periods a morning with history one morning and Geography the next; English one morning and Physics lab the next.  We always get back for noon chow about 5 minutes late so that means we get no time to clean up for the shave inspection we get at noon instead of the morning.  After noon chow we wait for 1/2 hour to go to P.T.  The wait is because the other half of the group is eating.  From 1300 to 1500 is P.T.; from 1500 to 1600 is supervised study and from 1600 to 1700 is drill.  At 1700 we go to chow again and have until 2000 to do what we want which means shine shoes and prepare for the next day.  At 2000 we study and this is really tough because you have to prepare 3 to 4 subjects homework in 2 hours.  At 2200 we get ready for bed and at 2230 lights are out.  I didn't think many go to bed right then but most are in for a bed check 10 minutes later.

This is too good a description of my day but it does give the time order of things and you can get an idea of just what the tax payers are paying for.  It is really a great life and even thought it is hard to do a lot of things and have them done on time a lot I am learning will come in handy in the future.

Tell Ralph to join the Air Corp if he can make it.  Even if he don't think he can tell him to try anyway.  Remember I also didn't think I had what it takes.  If you are healthy and have half decent vision the army can take care of you.

Right now we are doing a lot of running during P.T.  We run the 1 1/2 miles and the mile until you can qualify.  I ran the 1 1/2 miles in 9:55 minutes which is not too bad considering it was the first time I ever ran that far.  I made it way under the qualifying time so I don't have to run it anymore.  The qualifying time is 10:40 minutes.  I also qualified in the mile run by running it in 6:18 with a qualifying time of 6:40.  I did the mile after playing a good game of basketball and was all tired out.  we had about 5 minutes to rest before starting.  My legs hurt all the way but my wind held out pretty well.  When I get home I'll be a physical specimen.

If you could use the rifle you can.  I don't know where the cartridges for it are but they were in my drawer when I left.  Maybe Mother found them and hid them  or maybe William has them.  I am sure I can't use them.  I would rather shoot a carbine or a Garavel like I had at J.B.

Well I guess I have written enough.  I am inclosing a card I got from Stoneham.  You might get a kick out of it.  Everyone I read it to thought it was quite a joke.  "We hope you like army life."  Oh well I suppose it was sent in the best of faith and should be treated so.  Still the fellows got quite a kick out of my description of the dear miss that sent it.

Tell Mary to write and tell me about her job.  I am really interested to hear about it.

With love

Austin

A.C. (Air Crew)

August 11, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit, Wis

Aug 11, 1943

Dear Mother;

I received the (package?) yesterday and it was swell.  It was a real surprise as was its contents.  I had no idea what you would send other than a hint that you had put in your letters.  The cookies were a little broken but they were enjoyed (amencly) (can't spell it)  very much.  I have hid the peanuts and the candy and will eat it them at a future date.  The hangers came in very handy.  There were only 2 too many but they are easy to get rid of as very few have all they want.  Thank Pop especially for the shaving cream.  It was just what I wanted just in time as I ran out today and will start on the fresh tube tomorrow.  (Darn it, I threw the old tube away).

I rather suspected that Herb would go in the Navy soon.  I can see how the mothers feel but I hope you don't worry too much.  I am the one that should be worrying not you.  I really have something to think about all day and your happiness or lack of happiness depends upon the whims of a 2nd Lieut. and a few upper classmen.  Of course I miss home and a good soft bed but I have got over the feeling that you need a good bed to sleep in.  In fact I sleep on 3 folded comforters and the springs.  No covers and no pillow.  You can really rest.  Herb will like the Navy even though the change form civilian life to Navy life is very marked.  Most everyone likes the services or at least can endure them because the discipline is tough enough so that you want to do better than the next flight squadron, or section.  Then of course you see so many others in the same boat.

This picture is of Eugene Gerberg, charged with eradicating bedbugs at Camp Lee, VA.
Good thing Grandpa didn't live there!

As for getting all these things before going in that is all right if you can get them but I think it makes the first days worse.  If you have memories of things you like that pop into your mind very often you will get homesick and that makes life miserable.  As for me, if I can get some gas and have some fun when I get home I will be satisfied.

Please give my fair "public" my best wishes.

Now that new item; that was strickly G.I.  Everyone was given a form that they filled out and it had all the particulars on it.  Parts of it may be false, I refer to the part on the 5 months.  We can be here no longer than 3 we are told.  That gives us time to get 10 weeks of college subjects and 4 weeks of flying and "first aid".  Please send that clipping along.  I would like to see it.  Some of the fellows have got theirs and I would like to see what mine looks like.

Announcement printed in the local newspaper.
What a good looking guy!

I was vaccinated up at J.B. but I don't know how it took.  It did redden up a little but I got no big scab or scar like I got on my first.  All I know is that I am ammuned now.  They say that it is supposed to be good on 7 or 9 years but in some they are vaccinated only once.

Now I get around to tell you about the Aviation Program as well as I know it.  Before March of this year you got your basic training at a pre-flight station now you get it first.  Before, you went to Classification first but now you go to basic first because too many "washed out" for unmilitary bearing.  Before too many also washed out at Classification because of insufficient school training.  Because the army had no facilities to train these men in college they had to make mechanics and air gunners of them.  College is just a place to ready one's self to a classification that will eventually place you in pilot, navigator, or bombardier.  College also takes the load off form pre-flight of taking all these rookies and making soldiers of them.  Also college is a place to condition men; too many men got to classification and failed because the were unable to pass physically.  Now they give a rugged program that is really a building program.  After pre-flight you have basic flight training, primary flight training, advance flight, and finally operation flight training.  That is the program to the best of my knowledge.

Did I ever tell you about the river we are near.  It is one of those smelly things that runs through about a dozen factory cities before it gets to what we see of it.  It runs over a dam and furnishes power for a factory across the river.  The bugs and mosquitoes just thrive in it.  Every night very small flying bugs come through the screen attracted by the light.  They strike the light and are killed and it is not longer before you have a noticeable pile of them.  This is the buggiest climate I have ever seen.  When on parade or attention it is very disconcerting to have a few land on your ear or face.

Well that's about all for now

Love
Austin

August 8, 1943

Dear A.P.

I started to write this letter at 13:00 but I was called out to walk "tours".  In case you don't know what I mean and in case the others don't know I will tell you.  Each day we get an inspection, physical and other wise.  If you don't quite live up to expectations you get a gig.  If you get 8 gigs you are a free man but 9 means that you must walk an hour to get rid of it.  If you get 12 or more you walk 2 hours for a gig.  When you get 14 like I did it means you walk 7 hours.  I spent all my free time Saturday and 3 hours today walking them off.  It isn't too hard but it's just monotonous.

The place we walk them off at used to be a pretty good field but now it has a series of parallel paths made by we poor sinners.  We were what you call "off the ball" or "behind the 8 ball".

As yet I haven't had time to find out if there is a Davis on the staff here.  I don't know just how I shall go about finding out unless I do some inquiring next weekend.  I won't have time to do much questioning until then.  I sure would like to meet the gent.  I might get a chance to make some headway around here, maybe see some things I couldn't otherwise.

I wish I could be home on the farm working with the tractor.  It would be a lot more pleasant than some of the things we do.  Our drilling is no farce.  We really drill and the upper class men see to it that we do it properly.  Some people think top Sgts are tough, well they haven't seen any of these Cadet Lts.

I would like to see some pictures of the potatoes.  They must be some sight.  I have never seen as many potatoes as you have.  They must keep you rather busy.  I suppose the tractor is a lot of help when it goes but it seems that you should have trouble with it.

I like Bill Cunningham's articles so when you see the good ones send them along so I can read them.  He is a very clever writer and really put the point across.  He may not be the best writer but he appeals to a lot of people and I am one of them.

As you can see most of my letters are written on Saturday and Sunday.  I have other free periods of course but they are taken up.  I have written 2 letters today already and I want to write another one to Jenny.  Mother's letter will have to come later this week.

I may be able to send some pictures home but you keep looking for the film.  One of the few Mass. boys has some film and no camera.  I may be able to buy some from him.  I can then get them developed and send home a few.  I can't send any home of formations but I can send pictures of my friends and me in uniforms.  You will probably get a kick out of them.  By the way I have grown most of my hair back.  I no longer have an Air Corps clip.

With Love

Austin

August 1, 1943

Sunday August 1st

Dear Mother,

I guess you see how the letters will come from now on.  They will be written mostly on weekends and maybe one in the middle of the week.  From the information I can get few ever find time to do anything outside of work during the week.

Tomorrow bright and early we start our classes.  They will really be tough.  Here is our schedule.  8 periods of physics a week, 6 periods of math a week, 6 periods of geography, 6 periods of English.  12 hours of P.T. a week, 2 hours a night 6 days a week is supervised study.  This does not take in 2 hours of drill a day or the time we spend cleaning up.  On a whole we have a pretty full day.

I rather have to depend upon news form home to keep me up on what is going on.  If you can't fill up your letters, put in clippings you think I might like to read.  I like Bill Cunningham and that "News of the Week on the Home Front for Your Man in Uniform".  Today was the first time I have seen a paper in a week so I am rather dependant upon home for news.  Send vital news clippings if they are not too big.  Yesterday someone asked if Sicily had given up yet.  We got quite a laugh when someone else asked if the war was over yet.  Everyone is in the same boat.  When you get through with the Independent you could send that along or you could send what you think would be interesting.  On a whole we are pretty much in the dark as to what is going on.

What a wonderful climate this is.  I really like it.  You wake up when it is cool and it stays that way much of the day.  Today was the hottest day we have had but it doesn't compare with J.B.  We do get a difference here that we never got before.  There is an overabundance of mosquitoes and small bugs.  The bugs are so small that they come in through the screen and land on all white surfaces under the light.  The mosquitoes on the other hand are a lot larger than the ones at home.  An officer was kidding us by saying that they were big enough to carry you away if they ever landed on you. They are not quite that big.  The reason is that we are on a very dirty river.  Although the water runs over a dam right near here, the water runs rather slow.  Also it seems that a lot of towns are along this river and it must be a good place to dispose of waste.

Rock River in Beloit looking picturesque, but check out the website that posted it....
Grandpa knew what he was talking about!

The town of Beloit is an industrial town.  There are about 35,000 people in it and most of them work in the factories.  This is the first town I have seen where the railroad tracks divided the rich from the poor. Most of the Negro population lives on the far side of the town while the better half live on this side of the tracks.  The little Negro children run around with out shoes.  We saw a few down at the athletic stadium and they just went about as if they had on shoes.  I should think their feet would wear out.

I will write again as soon as I can but until then I will have to sign off.

With Love,
Austin