May 3, 1945

May 3, 1945

Dear Mother:

I don't know when was the last time I wrote.  It must have been last week some time when I sent the money orders.

I haven't heard about the money orders yet so I have no idea if they got home all right or not.  I have been waiting for a letter for the last 3 or 4 days and I am a little worried about them.  I know they can't get lost or anything but I was just wondering what has happened to them.  Please write and tell me what you intend to do with the money or what you have done.  If you are waiting for a suggestion, you can just put it in the bank until I find something better.

We made a 1000 mile cross country yesterday and came out relatively well even though we didn't get credit for the mission.  We didn't have the navigator shoot enough sun lines to get credit for the mission.  We flew to Marfa Texas, which is about 100 miles from El Paso.  We ran into a couple of storms but our course happened to lead between them, so we had no trouble.  One of the fellows thought he could fly through a hail storm and ended up with a wrecked ship.  It was torn up so bad by the hail that he had to make an emergency landing at a small advance school down there in Texas.  They said that the hail did so much damage that the ship may not be repairable.  Well some fellows are a little bit foolish when it comes to flying and it might have happened to me if I had come near the storm.  Some things always look so harmless but turn out to be the most dangerous after you have been through them.

Another fellow had to feather an engine because he says it was running rough.  Undoubtedly it was not running properly but anyone who would feather an engine when all his instruments read properly and then land at a place called Pyote, Texas should have his head examined.  That field is a hole in the ground and a hundred miles from anyplace.  Even so he had no reason to land when he had 3 good engines.  This old plane will run on 2 engines to say nothing of 3.  This airplane commander is noted for the foolish questions and dumb stunts he pulls.  He is also somewhat of a blowhard and generally full of wind so that stunt is about like what he usually pulls.

I wish you had told me William needed shorts and shirts before because I had some brand new white ones he could have had but I have worn them now.  I can get shirts that are white ribbed and the shorts are another story.  I can get khaki colored ones some silk ones that look better but I have never worn them so I know nothing about their wearing qualities.  They have elastic tops and might be just what he wants.  Just tell me what he wants and I think I can get them or send some of mine, even they don't have holes yet.

Grandpa wrote to me the other day.  I sent him a letter on his birthday and I guess he wrote right back.  I guess he was rather glad to hear from his wandering grandson.  I told him about all these beautiful Texas girls and he seemed all for the idea.  He said to land a nice pretty one and bring her up to Maine and see him.  He seems to be all for another marriage in the family and doesn't seem to have to much cooperation from the Rounds family.  Anyway we are all still looking even though some members don't seem to be looking too hard.  Well things are not too good lately for such things.

I have been writing from the club here because I am holding down a good seat for a show they are going to have here.  It is a stag party but as usual everyone had brought their girls so it won't be very enough.  It is just a novelty show more or less anyway.

Well the way things look now N.E. won't be our P.O.E. so tell Pop to stop worrying.  Europe seems to be a closed issue now.  It might be a training ground but nothing less or more.

Well I have some other business to attend to so I will have to close for now.

With love

Austin.