April 9, 1945

April 9, 1945

Dear Mother:

I have been intending to write for two days but just haven't gotten around to it.  Today I got the box with the cake and the hat and cookies so I had to write.  I haven't had time to eat any yet or go through the boxes very well so I can't compliment you on your wonderful cooking but everything at least looks wonderful.  The frosting is not sticking too badly so everything is in good shape.  The hat has about another thousand hour crush so the right thing got crushed.

See the bottom of the linked page for an explanation of the thousand hour crush.

I also got a notice that my clothes are in town at the Railway Express station.  They didn't come to the field as I expected they would because they are coming C.O.D.  Whenever they are shipped that way I have to go in town and get them.  It would be rather hard if I didn't know where I could get a car to haul the box in.  My pilot has a car and he can get everything.  Thank you very much for being so prompt, so much so in fact they are here a little early.  I don't need them for a week or so yet but probably they will need pressing.

Yesterday we flew our high altitude for the second time while here.  We had a swell ship for low altitude but not so good for the cold.  It was a -20 C up there which is really only about -10 F so really not so bad.  We had no heater and I had no warm boots so I nearly froze my feet off.  I finally had to get up and put my feet on the warm inverters which act as generators.  I stood on them for five minutes and melted the ice between my toes.  Even so my ankles were cold and I was chilled to the bone.  We were at 20,000' for 4 hours and finally the heat was all gone from in the ship.  That was when I began to get cold.  I did have gloves and a heavy fur jacket so it wasn't so bad.  Next time I will know better and take my boots too.

Our turbos froze up so we couldn't climb above 20,000' but we sure could come down.  We came down slow and had a lot of airspeed.  I don't know what our ground speed was but we started down and came 100 miles in less than 25 minutes.  We really dropped the bottom out from under that box car.  We got home so quick the navigator is still wondering where we lost all those miles back there some where.

Sigmund Romberg

Now to continue tracing back what has happened I find that last Friday we went to see and hear Sigmund Romberg in town.  He really put on a big show for all of these Okies and they really loved it.  What I can't see is how he could afford to play at such a small town. We had the best seats in the house (nothing but the best for us) and it was only $2.10 so he couldn't have made an awful lot.  I will send a program to you if I can locate it in time for the next letter.  Do tell me where he finds those girls who sing.  Not only were they easy on the eyes but they had a good set of pipes.  He said he prides himself in knowing a good voice when ever he saw one.  Even I couldn't do better and I am younger.  They were really talented and good looking.  What a combination.  Maybe Mary knows some at school that way whom I could meet next time I am home.  I will bring my navigator too because he also approved of them.

An evening with Romberg 1945

Well things run along more or less routine and not much happens.  I haven't spent any money on anything for so long I am just loaded with money.  I am trying to get my $400 check cashed to send home but I can't find time to go over when the feather merchants have the place opened.  The war ends at 4:30 PM for them and my war lasts a little longer.  One of these days when we have to stand by at the flight line I will get a lot done.  Tomorrow we may stand by so be looking for the money.

The only excitement of late was a P63 from this field crash landed in a field.  He came in with wheels up of course and an "Okie" runs up and asks him why he landed here.  He also asked if them thar things don't have wheels on them.  I got a big bang out of these poor dumb creatures you meet down this way.  I guess you can't blame them because most of this country is in bad financial shape and pretty much run down.  The soil looks good and they have rain but they just can't make things grow.

I was kind of wondering how much my total assets were.  I have a few bonds and some in the bank.  Maybe you could get Pop to find out and send me the bad news.  It doesn't have to be in a hurry or anything so don't worry but I kind of would like to know.  If I am much short of $750 in bonds and bank account please write after I send the next money order.  I should have at least that.  Maybe I haven't saved enough even so.  I have tried to save my flying pay and I don't know if I am short or not.

I have been writing this letter from the Club and as usual there is a lot of confusion.  We are setting up on a balcony overlooking the dance floor and stage so are away from a lot of it.  This is a pretty good club as clubs run but not the best I have been in.  The one at Roswell was about the best but this one isn't too bad.  I guess I never write much about our home away from home. You might be interested in something about this club, they loose money on everything except the slot machines and they pay for everything.  They make an average of $100 a day on them so they can afford to payout some money on other things.  Last month they got $3,300 on the slot machines and about $1 of it was mine so this is almost a free hang out.  Of course we pay $4 a month dues so it is really very inexpensive especially when they have free sacks and beer or cokes Saturday.  I don't have a lot to do over here so don't get all the benefits I could.

Well I guess I have chewed the rag enough.  I guess you don't get much information from my letters but spend a lot of time decoding them.

With love

Austin.