December 6, 1943

Dec. 6, 1943

Dear Mother:

This letter may seem wrinkled but it should be because it has traveled quite a few miles before I even got a chance to start.

Saturday night we started out to L.A. as usual but being very late to start because of a late class and consequently the long line waiting for the bus out we got as far as Santa Ana and decided to go somewhere a little nearer to the base.

We went to Long Beach about 24 miles from Santa Ana.  It is a place very much like Revere Beach only it stays open all year around.  It has all the amusements and little gambling booths as they all have.  Of course the first place the Air Corp heads for is the very tame Roller Coaster.  We rode on that until I was almost sick.  I rode on the first car, the last car and the middle car.  I rode everywhere.  It was a lot of fun but much tamer than it used to be.

We next went on the Dodgeums, you know the little electric cars. {Bumper cars} We rode on them until my knees were black and blue.  They are so big that they kept hitting the little dash board and hood over the front of the car.  When you get a whole gang on those cars you can have a lot of fun.

Things were beginning to quiet down then so we went into one of these places where you roll balls to win presents.  I tried once and didn't win anything so I quit and called it a day.  My friend Bob Sundius (from Brooklyn) had better luck.  He won a package of cigarettes on the first nickel and won every time after for four times.  Missed a couple then won again until he had a carton of cigarettes which cost him about 75 cents.  Regularly they would cost anywhere from $1.15 to $1.50.  I guess that it is possible to win if you are lucky but not many people have the right kind of luck.  We decided that we had better not trust his luck any more so we quit.

We went back to the Hotel Room and got a good nights sleep and I can say that I did sleep.  I don't like sleeping in hotels however.  They can be noisy but noise don't bother me any more.  I do wonder some times who slept in the bed before me and I wonder who might try to get into the room while we are sleeping.  Any way when there are two together you can be pretty sure that nothing can happen.

Well about 12 hours have passed since I started this letter and this new paragraph so things may not follow too well.  

I have received several letters since I wrote last but I just can't find time to write.  I have to study nights for if I don't I may become a military holdover and I don't want.

So I don't complain hu..., well it's this way.  I always feel pretty good when I write and I forget a lot but right now I am burned up because right now I have enough giggs to walk a tour and it was because of someone else's neglect and general lack of responsibility.  We were issued rifles the other day because we are going on guard.  When they were put away today someone put his "piece" in the place I should have mine.  Because I didn't move it I got gigged for improperly putting my rifle away.  This fellow left his bold closed and I got his giggs.  Of course I can protest but I'll have to write a letter to the C.O. and attempt to explain why my rifle wasn't in the proper place.  Even then I can get 5 giggs for improper form for a military letter.  Really there is no appeal.  I have never walked a tour while I have been here and I am burned up with this system.  From now on it's A/C Rounds for himself and no one else.

Two sqns near us have been quarantined one for Scarlet Fever and the other for "Spinal Meningitis".  Of course we can't see those fellows and you can bet we are keeping clear of them.

This letter was not written on the way to L.A. as I expected and is pretty well tattered.

Tell A.P. that I have received all his letters and will send his air mail letter home when I have the occasion.  Get busy on that watch or tell me what the stay is.  I could have got a good watch Saturday but passed it up because I hoped you would send one soon.  I will have to wait a month now for another chance.

With love

Austin.