May 11, 1945

May 11, 1945

Dear Mother:

If this letter comes air mail don't be alarmed because it is just a ruse to make you think I write oftener.  My last letter probably got to you a few days ago and this one coming so close behind will make you think I write often. It has really been 7 days since I wrote last and I am a little ashamed of myself.  I have the time but lack the will power and the gab.

Whenever I get time to sit down I usually go to sleep or go to the movies and relax.  It is either work or play all the time and letter writing fits in neither as work or play.  So as I lay in my sack writing uphill I wonder whether letter writing doesn't get to be work once in awhile.  However I don't find it to be work but just something requiring a little effort.

We went to Dallas yesterday noon and came back this noon.  It was mainly a pleasure jaunt and we stayed in a hotel.  We didn't want to go to Sam's house because his mother would have made us come home early to bed and as I said we were down to look the nightlife over.  We stayed at the Baker Hotel which is a wonderful place, in fact it is the best hotel in town.  We had dates with a couple of girls Sam went to high school with and had a swell time.  We went to a dance and then to a Bar-B-Que.  Of course we had my pilot's car and all the gas we could use.  This we got at Sam's cousin's farm down in Gainsville.  We had a heck of a lot of fun but I feel the trip was hardly worthwhile because we were so tired today.  We were supposed to fly but the weather was bad and no ships got off the ground.

We have been through processing and according to all records are ready to ship, from the administration standpoint but we all lack about 50 hrs flying time.  We have only a small percentage of missions complete and they are giving us extra missions for another phase so we will be here for another month or more.  I can almost promise another month and maybe 2 more.  I am very satisfied to stay here for awhile longer especially if we can get more free time.

Maybe I have written about the new missions in the training.  One is a 1000 mile cross country which I have mentioned but another is a 1000 mile trip to Havana Cuba and back.  Its purpose is to simulate combat conditions like those we will get overseas.  In any event it will be a lot of fun.

Thanks for the nuts.  They were very much appreciated by all.  I had no idea how much other people enjoy such things.  I guess I am not the only one.  Also thank you for the paper and the clippings.  I had no idea that such big steps had already been take to make Boston the civilian air base of the future.  Also thank Mary for the B.U. news.  I had quite a lot of fun reading it and went through it almost as closely as I do the Stoneham paper.  The only people I really know was Prof. Scammell and a few such notables and one of the best Business Mjrs, Minna Garden.  She is in those photos of me and the gang at Prof Thompson's house.  I know Norm Whiton and wonder after such a write up and all why he is still a private.  Maybe he didn't get the breaks some of us have had.  However I still say opportunity knocks and is heard only by the men who are not deaf.  However promotions come rather hard in some branches of the army, at least a lot harder than they do in the Air Corp.

Well maybe I have found something to write about after all.  I guess you just have to stop and think for awhile.  Gets difficult at times.

With love

Austin.