April 14, 1945

Saturday night 2200

April 14, 1945

Dear A.P.

I got your letter the other day and deciphered it and was glad to hear from you.  I am getting so I can read your writing so you can send any kind of a letter you wish.

I am at present working in a big deal to get my C.A.A. commercial license.  All it requires is a little study on my part because I have the flying requirements.  I believe I will have the license  in a few days and will be all set for civilian flying.  The license is worth about 2000 dollars in civilian time but to me it came for nothing but a little effort on my part.  The Army really is giving us the breaks.

I have been to Dallas in the last few days as Mary can tell you.  We had a swell time, Sam and I, and I shan't forget it soon.  I get two days off starting tomorrow and we are going down again and get our final papers on the license.  Mary can tell you about Dallas because I wrote to her today and I guess I didn't actually say much about the city but more about the girls down there.  I have fixed my schedule so as to get 48 hrs off and it is going to be the first time off in about a month.  I guess I am about due a vacation.

I had to get some sleep so this is Sunday now.  We have to parade this morning in memory of our late president. It is raining to beat heck right now but we will be out just the same.  We were supposed to get today off but due to circumstances beyond our control we have to stick around.  It kind of makes us mad because i had a chance to get off until Tuesday at 1200.  We would have been able to get a good weekend off.

I have doubts if we get a leave after our training here is over.  We are now a couple of weeks behind schedule because of bad weather so we will get held over.  That may mean no leaves for anyone.  However the program is getting stalled all along the way and few crews are going overseas but are being held at DOEs and given leaves.  Our POE may be N.H. and if so I still have a chance to get home.

According to the latest poop no one goes to Lincoln after training is over.  We go to another base in Nebr. which is taking the place of Lincoln.  In that case I will get a chance to see more of the state which is OK with me.

Everything here is very agreeable except the doing of the 2nd A.F.  I am getting fat and lazy.  I must have gained back all the wt. I lost up in Lincoln and some besides.  I weigh close to 190 now and getting fat.  Flying and eating is a good weight building combination.

So you are still using the radio.  We could send to you on our V.H.F. set if we could ever get over Stoneham or nearby.  We can send about 100 miles plane to plane but plane to ground operation is not so good.

I am off to Dallas right now.

With love

Austin