May 14, 1944

War Eagle Field

Lancaster

5-14-44

Dear Mother:

Here it is Mother's Day and I have apparently forgotten you.  Well that is not quite the case.  Lancaster is a pretty small town and does not have the facilities to send things for Mother's Day as does the City of L.A.  I guess until a later date just a plain old senseless letter will have to take the place.

Ruth W Rounds - in her later years.
A rare picture as she was somewhat bashful about having her picture taken.

We are on the last week of flying here and we are really "Sweating out" these last 5 days.  I have 2 hours a day to put in which is more than is scheduled for most.  I have 5 hours of instruments, 4 hours of formation and a 1 hour check ride by the Army.  That is some schedule since it is the last week and most important one here.  No one has been washed out of our group yet but no one is through with flying yet so no one can yet predict his future.  I am just hoping I make the grade.

They said that as soon as you get through primary you could see the gold bars.  Well I am through basic (almost) and I still don't see them.  In fact I doubt if I will see them until after I get them.  Advanced will probably be just the same as this.  You will sweat from one ride to the next.  I wonder when I will be able to stop worrying about my future.  I guess never.

I had a civilian spot check ride the other day.  I gave the man a fairly good ride even though I have had no transition for about 3 weeks.  This fellow was turned loose in the sqn because we have too good a record.  The 1st day he didn't flunk anyone but the next day he put 2 out of 3 up for Army re-rides which are re-check rides which can lead to an E-ride.  This fellow will be going over the sqn for the next week.  I guess we have a case for worrying.  We also have some Army standardization ride coming up which may prove fatal to anyone who gets them.  ( I don't know why I keep coming back to the subject of elimination.)

A couple of weeks ago I selected single engine fighter as my first choice of an advance school.  Today we got the report that 146 were washed out at the school we will be sent to.  I don't know what the average percentage of wash outs that could be; it may be 1% or something but it just don't look good to me and some of my friends here.  We don't know how big the school is but 146 looks like a lot of lee way to catch up with anyone who is not a "hot pilot" and I don't think I am any more than "luke warm".  I guess all we hear around here is wash out and elimination and no one likes the sounds of the words.

 I don't know if I wrote about the bivouac we went on last week.  We went out on Friday afternoon and came back Saturday about 1100.  We carried our own tents and sleeping equipment (blankets).  We even got out on the desert. They gave us C rations for supper and breakfast.  All they were was a couple of cans of bean soup and a couple of cans of dry biscuits.  So for supper we had the opportunity of eating bean soup with a lot of corn beef as flavor with a couple of dry biscuits.  But for breakfast we had Biscuits and a can of corned beef with bean gravy for flavoring.  We slept on the ground as well as we could which is very well.  In fact I got a lot more sleep than I generally do Saturday morning.  Of course we camouflaged all of our tents and equipment so that the next day (Sat.) when some of the B.T.s buzzed us they only saw 2 fellows.  You can bet we appreciated the swell hot bath we got when we got back.  I also went swimming so it wasn't such a tough way to spend a Friday night and Sat. fore-noon.

C-Rations

Maybe you wonder why I don't go to L.A. anymore.  Well in the 1st place you can stay at home and save money for a day when you may want it.  It is also a lot easier on the nerves and the humor.  I also find it a lot more easy to fly Mondays after a quiet weekend.

By the way, what has happened to my drivers license.  I sent it for renewal at least 3 weeks ago and haven't got it yet.  It was probably sent to the house and has got in some pile of junk you must still have on the buffet.  Please look it up and send it along as soon as possible.  I don't know what would happen if I should get caught driving with the one I have at present.  Some of the fellows rent cars in L.A. and I may do likewise when we get a 3 day pass ( I hope a hope).

Pretty soon I will send home a package which will contain all kinds of odds and ends, class books, pictures, and a few things I put away for memories.  I wonder if I will remember what they all mean.

I was thinking the other day that I am getting my traveling out here while I am still younger than he was. Of course he had a lot more education and was a lot freer to move but still I guess I am getting around.

Well I guess I better sign off for a while.  I hope I will be home for next Mother's Day.  If not I guess you know how I feel about it.

With love

Austin