September 9, 1944

Gila Bend

Sept. 9, 1944

Dear Bill:

Enclosed you will find some cartoons.  I hope you get a kick out of them.  They came out of a paper put out each week at Luke.  I hope you get as much fun out of them as I did doctoring them up.

Today I sprayed 400 rounds of 30 cal ammo around the sky and only got 20 hits on the sleeve.  That darn target is sure hard to hit when you are trying.  I don't feel bad about it because there were a lot of scores worse than mine but a lot were better.  As it was I hit nothing the first mission but got 20 the next mission which shows a 100% better scoring record.  You would think that you couldn't miss the darn thing seeing I almost chewed the tail off it a couple times.  I hope to do better tomorrow.  The instructor is going to ride with me so I guess I had better.

One of my friends just finished dictating a letter to me to one of his old flames in Calif.  We asked her for a picture and everything and from what he says we can expect an answer by airmail.  She must be some doll.  I can't understand it because she knows that he is married.  I guess some guys have the old appeal.  By the way how are you and "Dot" getting along.  As for me I still am looking over the field. I hope Mother doesn't worry too much about me and the ladies.  I am not a lady killer yet.

How are you and the hush-hush coming.  We have heard nothing about it lately so you can see I have nothing to write about in that line.

We have some fellows taking the gunnery course here who graduated back in 1942 and have been flying planes around the country ever since.  They are not J.B.'s well we are but have about 2000 hours apiece.  They have flown every type plane in combat and otherwise.  you should see the formation they fly.  It is really close and looks swell.  They are better than a lot of instructors we have here.  As for their shooting they have not done any actual live shooting yet.

I will have to close to go to hit the sack.

With love

Austin.