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