October 15, 1944

Roswell Field

Oct 15, 1944

Dear Mary:

Seeing this is Sunday I thought this would be a good time to dash off a short letter to you and send you a couple of more charms for your bracelet.  I don't know yet how I shall get them in the letter but I will figure out some way before I am through.

These charms come from Phoenix and not from Roswell.  I bought them the last day in town just before I shipped.  I guess you can make out what they are so I won't have to tell you what I think they are.

Yesterday I flew that "Big Bird".  I'll admit that there was a novelty to flying it for the first time.  It was an awful lot of fun but more hard work than I had ever imagined.  It flys worse than a truck in that you can push and tug and puff and blow and still nothing will apparently happen.  Then all of a sudden you overcome the resistance of the thing and the whole 30 tons of it begins to move.  And then you try to stop it.  You push and tug and puff and blow and it begins to stop and finally when you have thrown all caution to the winds and are ready to give it up for a bad job it stops and flys along so peaceful you wonder just what all the cussing of the seconds before could have been for.  Now I know why they have been so serious with the physical training in the last few days.  I am afraid I have not been trying hard enough to become a second "Superman".  

Every two weeks the Officer's Club tries to put on a show for the post entertainment.  2 weeks ago today they put on the Edgar Bergen radio show and last night they had Woody Herman and his Orchestra.  I guess lots of people like his music but I don't think he is so sharp.  His vocalist is not too good and I didn't think his trumpets were anything to brag about.  All in all I would say that he has about a second rate band.

Edgar Bergen on What's My Line

Woody Herman recording of the GI Jive from 1944

You know that letter you sent last smelled just like you smoked cigars.  Could it be?

Yes I recognized your stationary just as soon as I saw the seal. "Universitas Bostoniensis" means quite a lot to me and I shall never forget my freshman days there.

Thank you for the picture.  I am looking for a suitable frame for it.  It will have to be an awful good looking frame.

With love

Austin

(I hope I didn't ruin this letter)

{The letter had multiple holes punched in it, most likely from the charms that he sent}