Roswell Field
Thanksgiving
Dear Mother:
Here it is the day I had hoped to be home but thousands of miles away. Well that's the Army for you I guess.
I hope you had a celebration in spite of my absence and had a big time. I can just imagine the fun you could have if everyone got together again like we used to do. Maybe in a year or so we can get back to normal again.
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| Military Thanksgiving slide show here |
My Thanksgiving day here is about routine. We got up at 4:30 to fly the first mission which was a Bomb approach mission. There is not much to the thing except setting up the auto-pilot and following a P.D.I. (pilot directional indicator) on the instrument panel. The Bombardier puts a correction on this instrument from his position in the nose and you follow a little needle. It so happened that we flew a course of 90 degrees to 100 degrees most of the time and ended up at Hobbs N.M. about 150 mi away. We then decided to fly some cross country and did this the rest of the time. We flew from Hobbs to Big Springs Tex to Marfa Tex down to Mexico then back over a big girls school to Pecos Tex to El Paso and then home again. We flew the last 3 hours at 13 thousand indicating 190 m.p.h. which gave us a ground speed of 230 m.p.h. I guess we covered well over 700 miles in 4:30 min.
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| Something like this, but as a B17 flies instead of by roads and international crossing stations. |
You should only of received one bond since I came back because that is all I have bought. When we got here we were asked to buy one a month so that is what's happening. Maybe I should buy more seeing I am going to have about $160 left out of last months pay. I guess you can get them as well as I can if you don't object too strongly.
I just couldn't imagine what the Home Front could send which would interest me. The package was so small I thought that it must be one of those little tiny games. I guess the folder with the pictures was a very happy unsuspecting surprise. What better gift could a fellow get from home and such an organization. I must really congratulate the one behind the idea. They are really on the proverbial ball. Really I have been looking for such a thing for a long time myself but have never been able to find one. I think someone with a brain was behind that gift. This will be a constant reminder of the Home Front and the work they are doing.
The Blaisdells live in a little house about half the size of our downstairs. They have no attic and no cellar but keep everything in that little 5 room house about large enough for 2 persons. However they manage rather well considering Mrs. B is not too well. They have one large cedar Box into which all the odds and ends go and everything else has to be thrown away I guess. They have lots of walls for the size of the house so I think if you tried to cover it up with N.E. scenery they would like it. I am sure they would appreciate some of the remembrances of their "home" in Stoneham. Their house is really rather nice inside because Fred has put a lot of work into it. The kitchen is the only bad feature since it is too small.
I half guess that my cross-country will be made to Houston Tex. We did not have too give a chance to pick what we wanted so I decided to go where my roommate and his buddies went. I could have gone to Phoenix or Chanute Field but I decided against it. I think I shall stay down where it is warmer. I don't think the cold and I will get along too well when I get home. You had better have plenty of oil and the heater going when I come in. I will not set any dates this time because they are so likely to fall through.
I guess I have written enough for a day. Mary's letter is the next if she is wondering.
With love
Austin
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