November 29, 1944

Roswell Field

Nov 29

Dear Mother:

I have been intending to write this letter for several days and as you have suspected I was sick.  I ate some tuna fish sandwiches down in Houston and had myself some Ptomaine poisoning.  I have never felt so miserable as long as I can remember and as a consequence I have been sleeping when I should have been writing.  I hope you can forgive me.

Houston is really a pretty swell town to Officers in particular.  We got into town at 9 PM and didn't have too much time to see it but we saw enough to convince me that I shall have to go back.  We had no trouble finding rides around and finding accommodations because everyone seems glad to help out the poor little wanderers.  We had a little trouble finding a room but the Rice Hotel searched around until they found what we wanted which wasn't too elaborate.  Everything stays open until way into the morning and for once we found a city without bars and taverns all over the place.  I guess I don't really have too much of an argument of the city because we weren't awake for more than 4 or 5 hours during our stay.  We had to report back to the field at 11:30 AM to take off and it was then that I ate the fish.

by Marc Copeland

I will never eat a tuna fish sandwich again.  I have learned my lesson.  I had no idea what was wrong with me because this has never happened before.  I just felt like sleeping it off and I tried to do that all day Monday until we flew that night.  I went to the flight line and was sick twice before we could go up so I decided to see the flight Surgeon.  I was beginning to feel better after cleaning out my stomach which by the way tasted like fish.  I felt kind of silly going over but when I couldn't see the flight Sur for about an hour I was fit to die.  He finally got to me and gave me some stuff to take which tasted horrid.  I have been sleeping ever since trying to get rid of the awful headaches.  Well I got lots of sleep yesterday and last night and today I feel in the pink and have my appetite back.  I guess I am fully recovered.

We flew 1600 miles Sunday.  Most of it was above the clouds so I didn't see the cities we went over.  We went up to St. Louis and then west to Tulsa.  It was a 9 hour trip and rather boring but we had the Liaison radio on good music most of the way so it wasn't bad.

I am sending a folder from Houston to you and will send one about Texas to Grandma.  I guess she will like it.

With love

Austin