December 1945

December

Dear Doc,

Hello, Lt. Rounds, or should I say Mr. Rounds?  Just a short note to let you know, Doc, I haven't forgotten you, such a thing is not possible.

These mad San Antonio shoppers are going to drive me crazy before the Christmas holiday.  I'll be so glad when Christmas comes and Jo and I can go home.  I wish today was January 16th.  Boy, what a glorious day that will be.

It has been very cold in San Antonio, but, of course, no snow.

Well, Tex, now that all the citizens of Stoneham have recovered from the shock of seeing your boots, you can settle down to a quiet life with one of your father's most admirable secretaries.  For you, Doc, that may be a very good thing.

Doc, there are so many things I want to tell you.  Please be patient, I'll write you a nice long letter soon.

Tell me, Lt. Rounds, where are all those Third Airforce men?

It's getting late - will write tomorrow - 

Good night, Doc - 

Anne - 

December 13, 1945

November 19, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 19, 1945

Dear Mother:

What do you think of green ink?  I ran out today and have no more blue so I have to use some that Bill left behind.  

I got your letter today and noticed right away the two Air Mail stamps.  I had been wanting an Air Mail stamp for a letter going to Mary.  I owe her a letter and when the mail goes by Air the lapse time seems less.  So I will send one of them off to Mary.

I have just gotten over a bad case of tonsils.  I had a sore throat when I got back and last Wed my tonsils became inflamed and swelled up so I could hardly swallow.  It was about twice as bad as a sore throat.  I went on sick call and the "Doc" gave me some pills which did no good.  Well now I can write because I am all over my trouble and you won't worry.  I don't know just what cured my trouble but it is really gone now.  I feel like having my tonsils out and will if I have any more trouble.

I guess the women do take a lot of my time and perhaps money but I don't know what to do about it.  Maybe it's me but it doesn't seem to be something you can take or leave.  If I don't see Anne I miss her and when I realize that soon I will be gone for good I feel that I will miss her very much.  I probably could live very well without the female influence but they do make life more interesting.  So what can I do about my case?

Do you remember that pink shirt I said I was going to give to Anne?  Well she has it now and what a perfect fit.  She put it on for me last night when I went home with her and I have never seen a better shrink job in my life.  It looks like it was made special for her and fitted to her.  I was so happy when I saw it.  She says it will be a good golf shirt.

You should have seen me this weekend.  I went to one of those much publicized "Dude" Ranches up in Bandera Texas about 50 miles from San Antonio.  I wore a beautiful red, black and yellow plaid shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.  I hadn't intended to tell you about the boots because I am sure you will think I am crazy but I have had them some time now and they fit well and I don't feel so foolish about them.

Well to go on with the story, those clothes were all I wore up there.  I really felt like a civilian again.  We got up there at 8:00 PM and I changed my clothes in a cabin and off to town we went.  We all had on plaid shirts and blue jeans so we bummed a ride.  They have dances going on all over the place so we picked out one and danced almost all night.  They have hill-billy music in the "Juke Box" so we danced "Put Your Little Foot", "Shoittish" and "Cotton Eyed Joe" most of the time.  We had a grand time doing all those funny new dance steps.

No one sleeps in Bandera, not if anyone else knows about it.  We all had two cabins which were connected by a bathroom and all night after we got back they were throwing water, wet towels, wet sheets and finally wet pillows at each other through the bathroom.  Finally things quieted down a little and then someone filled a bunch of "coke" bottles full of water and then went around soaking beds.  That was the last straw as far as any good sleep was concerned.  So at 0600 AM everyone was asleep but up at a 0800 AM for breakfast.

After breakfast we went riding and I as usual looking like a great horseman was given a high strung horse.  I had to hold him for all of the 3 hours and all he did was prance around stiff legged.  Boy!  do I have a sore rear end.  I wore the skin off in places and can hardly sit down.  Anyway I pick nice big soft chairs now if they are available.

These photos are probably not from this trip, but from an earlier one in either Phoenix or Roswell,
as evidenced by the uniform and lack of plaid or cowboy boots.

After a wonderful dinner they all couldn't stop to sleep for a few minutes but had to go play softball and then go dance again.  Anne and I finally got the party back so I could change clothes and back to town we came last night at about 9:00 PM.  It had really been a memorable weekend, one I shall never forget.

Today I am sleeping in between formations.  I have one more to go and then I must get some shoes in town.  What I really need is rest and more rest and it feels like it will take a week to get it all.  I think the trip was all worth while, because I have some clothes like I have never had before and a lot of pleasant memories.

I guess I am running out of paper so will have to close for now.

With love

Austin

PS Just call me "Tex"

November 10, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 10, 1945

Dear Mother:

Here I am basking in Texas and it isn't all it is cracked up to be.  I got back last night at 7:00 PM with lots of time to spare.  The train ran on schedule all the way from St. Louis.  We got into S.L. 1:15 late but still had 4 hours to spend.

I came all the way with a 1st Lt. named Flaherty from Boston.  He was coming to Ft. Sam Houston to redistribution and rehabilitation.  He had been a victim of concussions over in the Islands.  We did a lot of talking and had a lot of fun together.  He had 104 points and was in for 6 mos or more because of his injury and I am about to get out.  Which brings up the all important subject.

It seems the army wants you to be either in or out.  They don't want anyone in for 6 mos. as I wish but must reenlist for 3 years in the regular Army.  So- that means I will be home for Christmas this year.  Bill Ayers is going home next week to separation and I have to sign up for separation Monday.  Of course I shan't wave my discharge for 3 yrs but will get out immediately.  So you can start looking for good looking civilian clothes and colleges.

It has been a bad day today.  It rained all morning.  I had to run around a little but I had lots of warm clothes and my rain coat was handy.  I have a date tonight with Anne which will be a lot of fun I am sure.

If you can't read this letter it is just because we have to write on the bed for lack of a table.  I can hardly read what I write so you must be having a lot of fun.  I guess you have had a lot of experience reading bad writing.

Everyone was glad to see me back, at least they seemed that way.  Bill and I had a lot to talk over and he kept me awake most of the night and I haven't slept all day.  I lost my pillow somewhere so I have nothing for my head.  The bed is awful hard after mine at home, army life is rather rough.

Now my only problem is, what to do when I get home.  I have little desire to work or to go to school right away.  I also hate to spend all my money and have no income so coming home will be as hard as going away.  I think I would like to get a good hard job which might do me a little good physically or get a job flying or something.  You can't have both but you can see how little I know about what I want to do.  So you had better start reading all those stories on how to treat your returning soldier because I will be out and on my way before you can guess.  Maybe this time I will really surprise you when I walk in.

I was kind of upset to leave last Wed. but I guess I didn't look too disappointed.  It is rather hard to leave after you have had so much fun.  I think I had more fun on this leave than on any before and seeing it is the last I am glad it was so.  I guess we split the time up about right and I spent the right time in the right places.

Well I must go eat and then run.  You know I can't be late.

With love

Austin

"Doc" 

October 12, 1945

Brooks Field

Oct. 12, 1945

Dear Mother:

I guess you wonder why the long silence do you not?  Well I know of no good reason except that I have been occupied by a number of things of late.

First I have found something to do in my spare time; in fact it takes up all my time.  They have a "Hobby Shop" here where you can make all kinds of things from wood or metal or plastic.  As yet I haven't found anything special to make but have just dubbed around.  They have all the tools but none of the mechanical equipment.   They do have electrical had drills and a portable sander and the rest is makeshift.  So the other day I set myself up a lathe and spent the day making screwy designs of no value.

Then I spent a day putting my leave through which is scheduled for the 23rd.  If all goes well I will be home by the 24th on the American Airlines.  It is to be for 10 days leave and 7 days travel time but seeing I am going on the Airlines I will really have 15 days leave and 2 days travel time which is a better deal.  The reason I am coming so late is because the Airlines to Dallas are so crowded they couldn't make space for more than 2 weeks.  But don't worry I will get there soon.

Tuesday nights are always boxing night in town.  Going to the matches is another way we spend time and money.  Some of the fights are really good and the crowd is really thirsty for blood.  They are really thrilling and they draw huge crowds.

Then on Wednesday night we go to the wrestling matches which are more fun than boxing.  Ask A.P. about them and I guess he can tell you about them.  Every one but some of these stupid Mexicans knows the thing is cut and dry and is just a big show before things start but they are really fun.  Some of the characters they get out in the ring are just plain funny to look at.  Even though they look like they are pounding each other to death and tearing each others arms and legs off, they way they walk away from the ring, is sufficient proof of few injuries.  They throw each other around but do little damage and get the most applause when they both start in on the referee.  Anyway it is fun.

Then on Sunday it is the Jalopy Races.  Everyone who has a car that has been smashed up but will still go around a gravel pit track they have, gets said heap and enters in the races.  They too are a lot of fun to watch.  Cars get run into ponds, over banks, into mud holes and tipped over, which leads to the thrills of a lifetime.  

So if you are smart and want to have peace in the family you had better get my clothes out of moth balls and get them cleaned and pressed.  It must be cold up there because it is getting cool here and we can wear winter clothes any time.  I am going to bring home all the summer things I have because I doubt if I will ever need them again in the Army.

Well this is the last of the paper.  I will have to buy some more tomorrow.

With love 

Austin

PS Oh yes we moved to the other end of the field yesterday and may have a change in address soon.

October 2, 1945

Brooks Field

Oct. 2, 1945

Dear Mother:

I have been waiting to hear from you before writing because I didn't know just what the opinion was at home.  Well I got your letter today and so will apply for leave to become affective about the middle of the month.

 I have been wanting to come home for some time but I have been having so much fun that I guess I just needed a little persuasion.  It also looked like a long way and rather expensive.  However I will come on the Air lines and that will make the distance seem shorter but the expense will be a little greater but in time saved I believe it will be worth it.  It will cost 1 1/2 times as much but I can save 5 days and the money will be well spent.  Anyway money ceases to be an object anymore.  

I was a little afraid to send Mary such a birthday present because I had no idea what her taste along that line was.  Also it is awful hard to send perfume to anyone knowing before hand that she doesn't use it a great deal.  I know she would like it but I had a lot of doubts in my mind as to the advisability of such a thing.  In fact I doubted at first if you would approve.  She also has written so I am very happy that it turned out O.K.

It is too bad you can't meet the latest lady fair.  She is such a lot of fun and so full of mischief and fun everyone would like her.  And she enjoys doing everything we do.  She likes to dance but loves to go to record stores and listen to classical records.  We went to the "Opera" last Friday to see Sigmund Romberg's "The New Moon" put on by the S.A. Civic Opera Company.  It was strictly an amateur production with three of the leads taken by  Mt. Opera Stars so it wasn't too hot.  But we all got a big kick out of it.

Gordon MacRae singing "Stout-hearted Men"

Wanting You by Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy

There are so many things we like to do together that I hardly have time to write.  Really there is only one catch to the whole thing and that is she is Catholic.  I have no wish to get mixed up in any such deal so don't worry.  That is also very strange because she is also so bitter about her religion and makes no bones about it.  It is the first time I have seen anything like it.  Usually they are so indoctrinated that it is almost impossible to talk to them but Anne is just the opposite, even though her parents are such firm followers.  Anyway we have a lot of fun together and you have to have something to do in your spare time and we have a lot of it.  I just feel fortunate to have met such a swell person.

We went out to eat one evening last week and she suggested the "John Quattle" because as she says "it has atmosphere".  Well it really was a nice little place outside of town not too far from her house.  You eat outside in a kind of garden but the best part of it was they have a violinist and a cellist who play requests.  They just wander around and park themselves where they can.

We ordered a couple of steaks done Mexican style which are really delicious, you probably have never eaten much Mexican food.  When we were about done the two gentlemen came over to serenade us and were we thrilled.  I guess we acted a little spell bound and I could just imagine how Mary would have liked that.  They played Jealousy and something else by Fritz Kreisler.  Anyway when we left I knew just what she meant by atmosphere.  So that is the way it goes her in S.A, I really do enjoy it because everyday is different and entertaining.  Do you think you can compete?

Jealousy Tango

I haven't written much about S.A. to you because there really isn't much to it.  It is one of the most crowded but still deadest towns I have ever been in.  They have so few things interesting to do that entertainment is scarce.  The movies change once a week and I have seen all of them, we went up to the Alamo but there isn't much to see, if you are not a native of Texas you can't see an awful lot to do.  Since I am interested in everything I do get more enjoyment than a lot of people.  I have found out that a town is no better than the people in it and the Mexicans around here are not my idea of good neighbors.  They have an average of 3 killings a night and all kinds of hold ups and knifings.  Frankly I am a little afraid of the place and may buy myself a gun to carry.  Perhaps I would get a false security from it and then really get into trouble.  Anyway when you have good company you can have fun in any town.

I am sending a picture taken in town a couple of weeks ago.  As you can see we were very happy, just whistling along.  It is not much of a picture, but that is what we look like in our afternoons off.  One of those sidewalk photographers caught us and gave us a little card and this is what we got.  Even though it isn't much I can always get a larger one out of it later on, maybe 40 years from now.

Taken September 20, 1945

I also have one take of Anne on the street which is really terrible and I shan't send it because I am sure you would get an awful impression.  She is an awful good looking girl but the picture has her scowling and looking rather unhappy which is just the opposite of what she is with me.  She may be different than I think but I doubt it.

I am going to send Mary the program from "The New Moon" so if you want it you may have to show her the picture.  Maybe that is a good way to be sure everyone hears what happens down here.

Well I have just rambled on and on and haven't really gotten anywhere.  I don't really have to get anywhere because we are staying in tonite.  I am getting tired of going out and coming in late every night anyway and I think they need a rest.

Well I will keep you informed of the latest developments but don't make any plans until you get definite word and that may not be  until I come up the back walk.  Maybe that would be a good trick to play.  Just because I am coming home don't forget to write.

With love

Austin

September 15, 1945

Randolph Field

Sept. 15, 1945

Dear Mother:

I am a little short on letter writing time at present but I have 2 money orders here to go so I guess I had better send them while I still have them.

Pop paid 1/2 of my income tax and so will want about $65.50 from you so I guess you had better give it up.  I had hoped to put off sending in the tax money until the end of the year but it is just as well now since they will be after me for it sooner or later anyway.  I may as well pay for this war as long as I have the money.  I am certainly getting more for my money than I am spending.

Here is some hot news.  When you receive this letter I will no longer be a member of Randolph Field.  We are shipping across town to Brooks Field so we will still be in S.A.  We have been hearing all kinds of rumors about shipping out and most of them were morale killers.  Everyone thought we were headed for the sands of N.M. again or maybe North Texas.  As it stands now we are still in civilized territory if you can say that of Texas.

As for the money you can pay Pop and put the rest in the bank or any place suitable.  I don't think I want War Bonds because they are hard to get a hold of in a hurry just in case I see something I want.  I could sure use a good car.

I sent Mary a birthday present which should get there on time.  Please give me your opinion of it and be very frank.  I looked around a lot and just couldn't find anything that she might like.  Maybe I am a little too choosy but any way it has gone now and I hope it is fitting of the occasion.

Well I met a girl in San Antone.  Maybe you read Pop's letter or he told you.  She is a little younger than Mary and rather nice looking with Mary's freckles.  She seems rather proud of them too and I might say that freckles never hurt anyone's appearance.  Anne Roberts is her name and she comes from Wausau Wisc.  Her dad is a lumber and paper man; you see I am almost a member of the family.  She is a swell kid and more fun than a barrel of monkeys, and very inexpensive.  But never you fear, Mother dear, it is not the real thing and I will still come home single, I hope.  It is too bad you don't get to see these lovely creatures I get on the string so you could give me some advice.  I could really use some at times and all I have is a roommate but what does he know about women.

Well I will write again soon from Brooks Field and give you my new address.  We report there on the 17th before 23:59

With love

Autin.

September 12, 1945

Sept. 12, 1945

Dear A.P.

I guess you have read Mother's letter so you know what happened on my end of the trip deal.  I am awful sorry it ended that way and wish I could redeem myself some way but now it is too late.   I hope next time I will know enough to make better arrangements before hand.

I guess maybe I am running around with this one dame a little too much but I am getting tired of it.  You ought to know what I mean.  So now I have met a girl in San Antonio who is just the opposite of the one in Austin.  She is 19 years old but acts about 13 at times or about 26, all according to how she is dressed.  When she is dressed to go out she can be just as sophisticated as anyone.  But when she is just slumming around she just does anything that comes into her head.  Anyway she is a heck of a lot of fun and very inexpensive, she brings her own entertainment.  I guess I would rather make a lot of women happy than one unhappy.

Gee, I sure was glad to see those pictures.  It kind of makes me feel that I didn't lose out all together on the trip.  Pictures are always a good way to describe a trip or as a reminder of a vacation.  I only wish I could have been there.  The cabin in the pines down by the lake sure looks like a fun place to stay for awhile.  One of the pictures was taken at a picnic.  Just what was Mother trying to hide?  Tell Dot I am sure it was she by the big feet and who else would Bill be leaning on?

I am glad Bill is going back to school.  I only wish he could find someplace away from home but in his case it is a little different but still it could be a lot better.  I guess he will have to get to studying again and I can't say that I blame him.  It looks to me that Esther and I will have to support the others while they get their education unless they have 

*missing page*

end of the war means to you in Real Estate or Building.  The government is most surely going to ease up on civilian priorities and I suppose housing will be going strong in the not too far future.  So what do you plan to do, stay in Real Estate and dabble in Housing or vice versa?  Either game has a future and the possibilities of a good living  Maybe you can let your partner run the Real Estate end while you concentrate on the construction end.  In that way you might really be able to retire some day.

Well our future here at Randolph is rather uncertain.  Seeing I am in H category and they are releasing A B C D E I guess I have some time yet to sweat it out.  We get our flying time in and not much extra.  We have no way of getting released any sooner than by the normal process.  We may get on orders to a separation center tomorrow and it may also be 6 mos or more before they even post a notice.  Seeing schools have already started I can wait 6 most but I am getting tired of doing nothing. When you have nothing to do it is hard to save money and I am really trying believe it or not.  I have saved $400 and seeing Mother is not coming I shall send it home.  I hope nothing comes up where I need money or you will hear from me.

Well take care of yourself and give me some advice on the woman.

With love

Austin

September 6, 1945

Sept. 6, 1945

Dear Mother:

I don't suppose you actually did leave home last Tuesday as you said you might in your letter.  If you had left I am sure I would have heard from you by now and I could plan but I am just assuming that you are at home.

I have no idea how far you could of gotten with your plans but from your letter I got the idea you were coming and to get ready.  So I did the best I could in the short notice I had.

Maybe you all are thinking I am making excuses but you have not seen San Antonio.  It is the closest thing to a mad house I have ever seen.  It is so crowded it surprises me where the people all sleep.  The streets are crowded all of the time and everything looks like Saturday night.

Hotel reservations have to be made 2 weeks in advance unless they have a cancellation.  All of the motor courts and motels are full and I believe that the park benches are pretty well taken care of.  It is next to impossible to eat unless you go in at odd hours.

I had no idea you would decide in a hurry to come or even had an idea that you would take me up on it.  That is why last Friday I took off without checking the mail or anything.  I did not return until Tuesday late and found all the telegrams (one) and the letters.  I should have wired you right away but decided to call on the plane.  I placed the call at 1730 and it finally was through at 2330 and they rang for several minutes with no result.  It would have been 12:30 at home and I don't suspect anyone was up.  But I wish someone could have got up and answered because I felt it was very important, so much so that I sat on marble stairs for 6 hours.

Now I don't know if your plans went so bad that you don't want to try again or not but here is the deal.  Tell me in time to make reservations in Austin which will be a lot more comfortable.  I can really get things fixed up then.  Also I can get a V.O.C.D. and get off for 6 days or more.  It all has got to be arranged but please don't try to get in touch with me on a weekend especially a holiday weekend.

Now if you have left Stoneham and are already home again just disregard this and tear it up.

I went to my first and I hope it is my last military funeral today.  A very good friend and a swell fellow was killed in a crash last Friday.  He was my roommate here and I had known him all the way from B17 transition at Roswell.  He was from Alaska and because of that he was buried at Ft. Sam Houston not far from here.  The Army really did a swell job and made it a very impressive ceremony. His name was Varnell, you may have remembered the name from some of my letters.  He, Bill Ayers, and I had been triple dating together for some time.  His girl in Austin was very broken up; I guess they had planned to get married but maybe it is a good thing they didn't.  Well so ends the tale of another who gave his all but will be remembered only by his friends and relatives.  This sure is a rough life if you don't take it easy and take too many chances.  I am going to have a lot of grand children.

Well Addie Mae and I had a little misunderstanding last Monday.  So I don't know what is going to happen.  I wrote her a letter that was a little on the nasty side so I guess my future in Austin is all taken care of for me.  She is such a good kid I hate to hurt her but sometimes I get so mad I could lick wild cats and I happened to write a letter while in such a mood.

Theodore Roosevelt saying to William Howard Taft, "I can lick my weight in wildcats, C.Q.D!", and Taft replying, "Oh, that’s nothing; I can eat my weight in ’possums, P.D.Q!" 1906.

Well I guess I have written enough.  I wish you had come because I am sure we could have managed.  

With love

Austin

August 28, 1945

Aug 28 1945

Dear Mother:

Saturday I got your letter from Maine post marked the 14th.  It had taken 10 days to find me.  That doesn't say much for postal service.  I don't know if any more letters will come that way or not but I will look for them.

When you wrote about that camping trip I just wished I could have been there.  Boy I would have had more fun getting wet and then dry again.  I would have been just one more male to run you ragged but I would have had a lot of fun.  When you go camping you have to run into a little rain or something or else it takes all the fun out of getting soaked.  But I guess my point of view is not quite like mine on such matters.  I wish you would write some more about the trip because I got quite a kick out of picturing the thing and I am getting a vivid imagination.  Anyway Pop must have enjoyed relaxing for a day or two.

I suppose you are all wondering just when I get out of the army and all.  Well to tell you the truth no one around here knows very much about us and information is rather hard to find.  They have three lists of men to be discharged in the next 6 weeks but they are from groups A and B which the army has set up.  I am in Group H which will be the last bunch to get a choice.  Last Friday we signed a statement as to our preference and I indicated that the earlier the better but that may be many moths away.  We don't fly B29s anymore but get our time in the AT6's which makes me very happy.  We get 4 hours of ground school now on the B29 and cruise control of the B29 but it is just to keep us busy and have no great value to me.  They are continuing training principally for the fellows who have indicated their wish to stay in the post-war Air Corp and there seems to have been quite a few who wish to stay in.  Financially $240 a mos is a lot more than any of us will be making of a good many years.  However the longer you stay in the longer it will take to get started over again.

Mary writes once or twice a week and to me it seems that everything is all peaches and cream.  I guess she has been taken into a society much to her liking.  I am really so glad that she is happy away from home for a while.  Maybe you feel that you have lost a daughter now but never fear because home always looks good.  Even I after 2 yrs look at Stoneham as the place for me and as soon as I am free again I will make tracks for 15 Wilson Rd.  It is too bad William and Esther can't drag themselves away for awhile and see how the rest of the world lives.  Maybe you don't like the idea but remember you were away from home for a year when you went to school.

We have had the most wonderful weather down here for the past few days.  Starting last week it got really cool, enough so that we slept under blankets or sheets.  It rained a couple of times and then we began to get warnings of the tropical storm headed this way.  The storm never got this far but we were in the area of strong winds and it has just been swell.  We have had a cool breeze all day and the nights have been wonderful.  It is too bad you and Mary could not have been here to see what Texas can be like when it tries.  In fact I am a little surprised myself.  I had no idea it could be so nice and cool.  I hope it stays this way for awhile.

Yesterday I looked at a chart that gave distances from one place to the next and noticed that I am aprox 2010 miles from Boston.  That is a lot farther than I had thought.  But when I get travel pay home it will amount to about $160 plus meals etc.  Not a bad price just to see some more country.

This is an early morning letter.  I got up special so I wouldn't have to write last night.

With love

Austin

August 23, 1945

Aug 23, 1945

Dear A.P.

I am in a writing mood now and have loads of time on my hands, and I got your letter of the 19th today so I guess I have an excuse to write on to you.

First let me get something straight about the last war.  It is over and so far as the Army is concerned they have enough B29 operators right now so my prospects of getting another ride in one of those crates is about as slim as the shadow of a moonbeam.  I am not sorry because from a tax-payers point of view they just aren't worth putting in the air.  Men can get time in PT 17s or A-6 which can't cost more than $25 an hour rather than in the big iron bird where the gasoline alone costs around $100 - $150 at the least.  Yes for my money they can leave the "Queen of the Ramp" on the ramp and let her stay.

How I wish I had a lot of money and could buy all the things I could use in my spare time.  It sure would be nice to have a car but they cost $1000 right now for any car and I can't afford such a price.  Then I would like to have one of these Army Primary Trainers they are selling to the public.  They only cost $875 and use about 10 gal. of gas an hour.  The maintenance is rather high but then you can sell time in them for $16 an hour which is more than double what it costs.  All you have to do is sell 3 hundred hours and the airplane has paid for itself.

I sure wish I could have been in Maine with you a couple of weeks ago.  I'll bet that all you really needed was not time but some one interested to walk around the country-side with you.  I have a pair of real comfortable shoes that could stand more than I can and I am sure we could have found a very interesting walk.  Boy I would really have loved that.  It would have been a swell chance to relax and enjoy life in the quiet where airplane engines don't roar all day.

Yes, I have $240 a month but where it goes I have never found out.  I should keep track of it for one month but it might prove rather embarrassing a few years from now.  Of course too much goes into pleasures but it seems that when you have money you can afford to buy what you want at any price.  It's just like when you get a raise in pay or make a big deal you try to keep up with Jones's and they try to keep up with you.  If you go out to a party and everyone is spending money you can't just sit and watch.  You have to contribute to the fun and it costs money.  Hotel rooms cost and meals in the city cost especially on weekends when you have a date and you pay for 2 (you should know about paying for more than yourself) and taxi fares and bus fares, movies and such all mounts up.  Anyway as of today I have last month's check and $200 sides which will come home next pay day; or the remains of which because we have a big weekend coming up.  Anyway I think I will start out next month on my check and see just what it costs.

Yes I expect the people will feel rather cool towards the army very soon but I hardly blame them.  The army is a rather rowdy outfit.  People stood it while the war was in full swing but soon they will have the feeling that all the neighbors boys and the good boys from the neighborhood are home and only the no-goods who couldn't hold a civilian job anyway are the only ones left.  And as long as we no longer need an army it is just one more thing to make the taxes high.  No I will never blame people for having a cool viewpoint toward the army because I feel I have seen about all there is to see this side of the water.

I really wonder just what my future holds.  Prospects of getting out are not good at present and I am not too sure I want to get out.  I can't start school this year because it is getting late.  The army has no real need for me but they have me in H classification and they are only screening A and B now.  So it will be some time before they get to us.  By then they will have all the men they need and probably wouldn't consider a reenlistment for less than 5 years.  School doesn't seem to be the answer if I do get out but I am sure of one thing.  I haven't yet had enough flying to make me stay on the ground, I don't want my wings clipped yet.

I guess I have written enough. I sure enjoy your letters.  Wish you could write a little oftener.

Love

Austin

August 16, 1945

Aug 16, 1945

Dear Mother:

I don't have much on my mind so don't be surprised if this is a short letter.  I will just write until I run out of words and that will be the end.

Tuesday night about 1930 we got that news that Japan had accepted our terms.  Just what those terms are or how they will affect me is beyond my knowledge but everyone seems to think that it calls for a celebration so that is what 90% of the people did.  As for me I didn't see any discharge papers in view right away and seeing how the schedule starts again tomorrow I see no reason to go out and spend all my money making a lot of noise and making someone else rich.  Maybe I should of at least gone into San Antonio to see the rest of the people lose their heads but instead I just stayed on the base, went swimming and got a swell sun burn and saved my money.

Times Square

San Diego

Times Square

Navy Yard Hospital

Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Times Square

Paris, France

So for the last 48 hours I have been sleeping, eating and swimming and going to movies.  Boy it sure is a rough life to have nothing in the world you have to do but instead you really have to rack your brain trying to find something.  This army is making a lazy man out of me.

Tomorrow ends the big 2 day holiday.  The engines of the 29s have come to life again in preparation for flying tomorrow and the ground crews are again on the ramps repairing engines under huge lamps which lights things up like day.  I suppose the only reason we are starting again is because orders from higher up haven't yet been received to halt the program.  The thing is moving so fast that it will be hard to stop all at once.  We will probably have school for some time to come after official VJ day.  I don't care one way or the other so let them do as they please.  I only wish I could get home again before Summer is over and gone.

I am beginning to wonder just what is to be our fate.  It goes without saying that the army doesn't want all the men it has trained to fly in fact it doesn't need all the men who would like to stay in.  I for one would like to stay in a little longer and see how things are going to work out.  I also would like to go back to school but can hardly imagine myself doing accounting.  Maybe I can bring myself to it but I am sure the social side of college will be to me a lot more alluring.  What a change in the last 2 years.

I got Pop's card Tuesday.  That sure is a big potato on the front.  I really don't believe they grow them that big but you still have to believe 1/2 of what you see.

Well I guess that kind of winds things up.  I hope you aren't bored with the preceding 2 pages.

With love

Austin

what a life

August 14, 1945

Aug. 14, 1945

Dear A.P.

I haven't had any letters from Stoneham in several days so I guess you all did get off on the trip to Maine.  When I first heard the idea I kind of had my doubts whether you could get everyone agreed on it but you seem to have.  I hope everyone had a good time; you are all probably home right now.  I only wish I could have gone along and I could have if I hadn't come here to Randolph.

Well we flew in that big bird the B29 yesterday but had to get up at 0300 in the morning to do it.  Our crew was a kind of observatory crew and didn't do any flying.  We just went along to be checked out as scanners.

Special photo of Air Force bombers from the 1930s through the late 1940s. A Douglas B-18 "Bolo"; a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress"; a Boeing "B-29 Superfortress" and the B-36 "Peacemaker" dominating the group photo with a 230-foot wingspan. Taken at Carswell AFB after receipt of the first B-36 in 1948. 

If you have ever seen pictures of a 29 you will see in the waist a blister window.  A scanner sits in each one of those windows and reports the movements of the flaps, wheels and anything else that moves.  It is just a check on the instruments in the cockpit and a safety measure.  For the first 14 hours we co-pilots will have to sit there and observe.

Blister window directly to the left of star.

When they take these planes up for instruction rides they have 2 crews aboard.  The two pilots ride in the cockpit and learn to land the ship and the 2 copilots ride in back and scan.  After 14 hours they start crew coordination and the pilot and c o-pilot ride in the front while the other crew rides as scanners.

Scanning isn't so bad but it can get boring.  They have a chair back there for you to sit in but it faces the wrong way so we devised our own chair which when we got through looked more like a bed.  I took several parachutes and filled up the seat until it was as high as eh blister and then laid the seat cushions on top which made a bed high enough to look out the window.  It made it very comfortable. Besides that I had a magazine which I hadn't read so I was well entertained for the 5 hours we were up. Just the same I had to be on my toes all of the time.  Anyway it wasn't so bad.

The newspapers have announced that Japan has accepted our terms.  Whatever that means I have no idea but I can tell you that here on Randolph it means not a thing, classes go on as usual.  I would not surprise me to see us finish our training and then go overseas on patrol missions.  I suppose all the civilians of the country are out having a celebration tonight but I will be in class until 2200 which is not my idea of a celebration.  However I have nothing special to celebrate.  In fact if they asked for men to go home I would not raise my hand because I want to finish 3 years before going home.  It will mean a lot in getting a commission in the Reserve.  Also I wouldn't be able to get home for a month or so and then some time to get straightened out so I wouldn't be able to go back to school this year.  If I should wait till next June I will have a better idea what the civilian army will be like and might even consider staying in but if I got out next June I would have time for a good vacation and to get straightened out before going to school.

The Army is the best job I have ever had and probably will be the best I will have for a long time.  Very few fellows my age can make $240 a month and have as few expenses.  The army has taken good care of me and paid me well at the cost of my freedom to do as I want.  If the war is over things won't be the same but the ones who are qualified to stay in will have a very good deal.  Randolph Field is a permanent base and before the war all married officers had their own homes which cost them no more that $45 a month for everything including heating lighting and water.  Tell me where you can get a modern 6 room house for that.  Of course it is never ours but as long as you are on the field it is and no one can put you out.

Well so much for the Army.  It has its advantages but then there is the other side.  I haven't yet heard from anyone at home since I got here and that was 10 days ago.  I'll be looking for a letter soon.

With love

Austin.

August 7, 1945

Aug. 7, 1945

Dear Mother:

Well here I am at the "West Point of the Air", in fact this is my second day here.  Yesterday we cleared on to the post and got processed but today we have had it relatively easy.

I guess you kind of wondered what happened to me last week.  Well it was a rather busy week with clearing the post and all but mostly we went to Austin every day and went flying.  I have been checked out in most of the light planes now so I can give anyone a ride on my commercial license now.

Friday I flew a PT 19 which is one of the planes the army has sold to civilian when they closed all of the primary schools.  It has been rebuilt and was in very good order.  My buddies "Skip" and I took it up for an hour and did acrobatics most of the time.  It sure was swell to get upside down after a year of straight and level.  We did loops, clover leafs, Cuban 8s, slow rolls, barrel rolls, and everything in the book.  It cost $16 an hour so it was rather expensive amusement!

Training video for Army Air Corps Acrobatics

Then I took Addie Mae for a ride in a Stinson 105 which wasn't so expensive but it all mounted up.  We did the same thing for 4 days in a row so you can see we lived like a couple of play boys.  Of course we laid down the law to the ladies and went to the movies afterwards and ate hamburgers instead of steaks.

This B29 sure looks like a lot of airplane to me.  Seeing we are to be the lowly co-pilot we don't have to worry about the responsibility of it but still it looks like a lot of work.  We are all kind of disgusted with the way they picked he first pilots.  Instead of picking them for 4 engine time as they suggest should be done we all have pilots who have 105 hours in 4 (2?) engines and all of them time in low horse-power training planes.  Most of our time is in 4 engine planes but we have to be their co-pilots.  They don't know much about 4 engine planes and that is all we know.  They will probably give me a bad time but I don't care.  If they think I am going to take the bums rust for them and they take it easy I am sure they have another think coming because none of us like the deal.

Randolph Field

Randolph Field was really a cadet heaven.  We are living in cadet barracks and they are just like modern hotel rooms, hot and cold running water in every room.  All the buildings are stone and built 3 stories high.  They also have houses for the permanent personnel right on the post.  They look like these modern homes that were built before the war, ultra modern.  They have green grass and trees everywhere.  Really it is a modern town and industrial center, with its schools and churches right near home.  The student officer's area looks like a huge college campus.  They have ivy on the walls with Evergreen's and palms around the buildings.  It is really beautiful.  In fact I am a little amazed at what I see.  It must have cost millions of dollars.

Tomorrow we start going to school.  We are scheduled for 6 hours a day in 3 hour shifts.  I am scheduled for a class in preventative maintenance, and what that will be I have no idea.  Probably it is an engineering class.  For the next 8 days we are scheduled for 6 hours a day plus ground school which will be quite a long day but not so bad I don't think.  However some classes start at 6 in the morning and end at 9 at night and I am bound to get some of the night classes.  However after we get going we will get every 4th day off and will get to go to town and see what San Antonio looks like.

I suppose you all have had a nice cool vacation up in Maine.  I am sure wish I were there to enjoy the water and sunshine with you.  It would have been nice to have all of us together again.

Well it is time to quit and write another letter.  Please inform eh papers of my change of address.  That will save a lot of trouble.  Notice I have a box number which is rather important.

With love
Austin

July 24, 1945

San Marcos

July 24, 1945

Dear Mother:

I got your letter of the 17th and you seemed a little unhappy about not receiving any mail.  I don't blame you a bit and I guess I need someone to get me on the ball.  I guess I write a lot more to Mary than anyone else right now.  Well I will try to think of more to go in my letters and get them off more often.

Here is a good idea of just what kind of a climate we have here.  It rained today and it got so muggy that when I was standing in a breeze the sweat on my arms and hands would not evaporate.  After dinner I went to sleep for a couple of minutes and woke up with little beads of sweat all over me.  I guess it is just as they say at home, it's not the heat but the humidity.  I have no idea what the humidity around here is but it sure must be terrible.

Well I may be lucky because I didn't get a leave.  Bill Samput got his leave fixed up and now he is shipping out to go to Roswell N.M. for B29 co-pilot.  It seems that it happened to all the fellows who got leaves.  So maybe not getting a leave was a good thing after all.

Bill Samput is on the orders to go to Roswell.  So after knowing him for a couple of months more than a year we are parting.  Well we have had a lot of fun together and I have met his folks.  They were swell and I enjoyed my stays with them.

Let me tell you what happened this weekend.  I met a cop up at Addie Mae's house a week ago and he is a flying enthusiast more or less.  He asked me if I wouldn't like to go flying with him Sunday and I was more than willing to accept.  So Sunday he called the hotel in Austin where I was staying and said he was ready to go.  He has a car so we went out to an airport where he has had some in striation.

Well this is a long story but I have a lot of time.  He had told me previously that he had flown a year with the C.A.P. so I assumed he had several hundred hours.  He also said that he had flown AT-6s which made him a hot rock.  I had to get checked out in this cab which took about 8 minutes on the ground and in the air and then off we went.  

Well we got out to the point of take-off and he asked me to take it off, so I did but I thought it was rather strange that he didn't want to fly.  I took off and asked him if he wanted it and he took over.  We went flying over the city and after a while he got tired and asked me if I wanted to fly.

Sure I wanted to fly so I moved from a position of resting with my elbows on my big knees to where I could put my hands on the throttle and stick I hit the throttle and the engine quit.  Well old Timmy almost hit the roof.  He turned around, shaking like a leaf and said in a very halting voice that I had better take it.  So I grabbed the throttle and away we went.

Well from the way he flew and by his reactions I should have known more about his flying but I being an innocent pilot still accepted his word of 1 year with the C.A.P. flying the border.  Taking things for granted in an airplane does not work.

We came in and I shot a landing and then I told him to take over and shoot one.  When we got around to the final approach into the field he turned around and told me to follow him through which was OK by me.  But when he started to level out 100' up instead of 10' I really started to sweat and when the ship stalled out about 25' up and the bottom felt like it fell out I was really sweating.  I gave it the power in a hurry and we hit and made 4 hard bounces which would make your teeth rattle.

We taxied up to the ramp and got out and then I found out that Timmy wasn't such a hot rock.  He had exactly 3:15 actual recorded stick time and the rest was what he could pick up while navigating on the border.  Well let me tell you that the next time I went up with him I didn't take too much for granted and I stayed glued to the controls.  I guess you can learn something every day, even on Sundays.

Next Sunday I am going to take Addie Mae and her roommate for a ride in a Stenson 105 if I can get checked out.  I think I can so it will be a lot of fun but also rather expensive.  It will cost $10 an hour so you can see where the money goes.  "Bus man's holidays" are rather expensive.

Stenson 105

Maybe I shouldn't tell you my trouble but this climate is kind of getting me down.  I am losing weight rather fast and I don't quite know when it will stop.  Also I feel just sluggish and uncomfortable.  I only feel good when I am cooled off while swimming and only then do I feel well enough to have any fun. I hope I can get used to this climate but it is really the worst I have ever been in.  It leaves you without enough energy to live, in fact I find that I drag my feet unless I think about it.  That is getting bad when you can't find strength to lift your feet.

You probably remember the Bulova watch you sent to me more than a year ago.  Well that darn thing is more trouble than it is worth.  I have spent more on repairs for it than anything I own.  It is just not a hardy enough watch for what I am doing.  I have another watch so don't be surprised if you find this watch in the mail.  I have just l most the stem and will have to replace it.  I have too much trouble to have it around.

Well I shall send these pictures of the Samputs and me.  They are not too hot but they are all right.  You can get an idea of what they look like.  They are typical Texans if there is any way of telling.

Well I hope I am forgiven for not writing because I think of writing much oftener than I do.  

With love

Austin

July 19, 1945

San Marcos

July 19, 1945

Dear Esther:

Well here is the letter you have been expecting.  I suppose I am a little slow but really I am just short of time.  Most letter writing breaks into my social life and you can't have that.  We are going to have some movies here in class now so I have a lot of time while they try to figure out how the contraption works.

We are scheduled to fly tonight but not many fellows will show up. Most of them went on sick call and are off flying for a couple of days.  That means we will only have to fly a couple of hours instead of the regular 4.  

Pop wrote and said you went to see Grandma recently.  I wish I could get to see her again but this darn leave situation is a pain in the neck.  I guess Grandma would like to see me too.

The moves are all over.  They were a couple of U.S. propaganda films about Japan.  You have never seen them and probably never will.  They are called "Our Enemy Japan" narrated by Joseph C. Grew. It was the 4th time I had seen the picture so you can imagine I was slightly bored to say the least.  I just wish someone would wise up and burn some of the films everyone in the army has seen 4 times.  I guess they are saving them for the kids they draft, so they can bore them awhile.

You should have seen the wonderful certificate I got from the civilian defense which by now much be pretty well gone by.  Anyway probably Pop got the same thing saying that they were "grateful for my patriotic service and loyalty during World War II".  I showed it to everyone and the consensus of opinion was that I should be able to go to heaven with all the big dogs now.  Maybe I should just get out of the Army I am needed so badly at home.

Oh yes, by the way, there is a way to get around this leave deal.  So far 10 fellows have left.  Each one has given 3 stock excuses, either their wife had to go home to have a baby and that they had to take her, or that they were going to get married, or that a long lost half brother is coming home after 3 years in the So. Pacific and they want to see him.  Now which one should I use?

Each week I get the paper and look at all the news from the servicemen.  It seems that all the kids younger than I am are getting into the war and getting pretty ribbons while I sit on my dead fanny here in Texas.  You should get a ribbon for being stationed here but they won't hear of such a thing.  All you ever see in the papers around here is how Texas and the United states are winning the war.   They sure think it is a great state.  What I was going to say is; what am I going to tell my kids and their kids when they ask what I did in the great war?  I will have to make up a good story and stick to it.

I guess everyone has noticed that I have a box number.  They had such a mess over at the mail section when they had to go through a whole stack of mail just to find my one little mangy letter that they decided to make boxes.  Now you can go in and look in your box and if no mail, they don't have to look through a stack of mail.  By the way I was only kidding about the one letter, I really get more than I write and am thankful for it.

I always get letters from Pop but seldom write.  The same is true with Mother but I write to Mother  little more frequently.

Well I have got to cut this gab and scram.  I don't know where or what I will do until 7:30 when we fly but I guess I can find something.

Mother has a birthday coming up on the 1st of Aug. is that right.  Anyway if I send anything it will be on the First.

With love

Austin