November 19, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 19, 1945

Dear Mother:

What do you think of green ink?  I ran out today and have no more blue so I have to use some that Bill left behind.  

I got your letter today and noticed right away the two Air Mail stamps.  I had been wanting an Air Mail stamp for a letter going to Mary.  I owe her a letter and when the mail goes by Air the lapse time seems less.  So I will send one of them off to Mary.

I have just gotten over a bad case of tonsils.  I had a sore throat when I got back and last Wed my tonsils became inflamed and swelled up so I could hardly swallow.  It was about twice as bad as a sore throat.  I went on sick call and the "Doc" gave me some pills which did no good.  Well now I can write because I am all over my trouble and you won't worry.  I don't know just what cured my trouble but it is really gone now.  I feel like having my tonsils out and will if I have any more trouble.

I guess the women do take a lot of my time and perhaps money but I don't know what to do about it.  Maybe it's me but it doesn't seem to be something you can take or leave.  If I don't see Anne I miss her and when I realize that soon I will be gone for good I feel that I will miss her very much.  I probably could live very well without the female influence but they do make life more interesting.  So what can I do about my case?

Do you remember that pink shirt I said I was going to give to Anne?  Well she has it now and what a perfect fit.  She put it on for me last night when I went home with her and I have never seen a better shrink job in my life.  It looks like it was made special for her and fitted to her.  I was so happy when I saw it.  She says it will be a good golf shirt.

You should have seen me this weekend.  I went to one of those much publicized "Dude" Ranches up in Bandera Texas about 50 miles from San Antonio.  I wore a beautiful red, black and yellow plaid shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.  I hadn't intended to tell you about the boots because I am sure you will think I am crazy but I have had them some time now and they fit well and I don't feel so foolish about them.

Well to go on with the story, those clothes were all I wore up there.  I really felt like a civilian again.  We got up there at 8:00 PM and I changed my clothes in a cabin and off to town we went.  We all had on plaid shirts and blue jeans so we bummed a ride.  They have dances going on all over the place so we picked out one and danced almost all night.  They have hill-billy music in the "Juke Box" so we danced "Put Your Little Foot", "Shoittish" and "Cotton Eyed Joe" most of the time.  We had a grand time doing all those funny new dance steps.

No one sleeps in Bandera, not if anyone else knows about it.  We all had two cabins which were connected by a bathroom and all night after we got back they were throwing water, wet towels, wet sheets and finally wet pillows at each other through the bathroom.  Finally things quieted down a little and then someone filled a bunch of "coke" bottles full of water and then went around soaking beds.  That was the last straw as far as any good sleep was concerned.  So at 0600 AM everyone was asleep but up at a 0800 AM for breakfast.

After breakfast we went riding and I as usual looking like a great horseman was given a high strung horse.  I had to hold him for all of the 3 hours and all he did was prance around stiff legged.  Boy!  do I have a sore rear end.  I wore the skin off in places and can hardly sit down.  Anyway I pick nice big soft chairs now if they are available.

These photos are probably not from this trip, but from an earlier one in either Phoenix or Roswell,
as evidenced by the uniform and lack of plaid or cowboy boots.

After a wonderful dinner they all couldn't stop to sleep for a few minutes but had to go play softball and then go dance again.  Anne and I finally got the party back so I could change clothes and back to town we came last night at about 9:00 PM.  It had really been a memorable weekend, one I shall never forget.

Today I am sleeping in between formations.  I have one more to go and then I must get some shoes in town.  What I really need is rest and more rest and it feels like it will take a week to get it all.  I think the trip was all worth while, because I have some clothes like I have never had before and a lot of pleasant memories.

I guess I am running out of paper so will have to close for now.

With love

Austin

PS Just call me "Tex"

November 10, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 10, 1945

Dear Mother:

Here I am basking in Texas and it isn't all it is cracked up to be.  I got back last night at 7:00 PM with lots of time to spare.  The train ran on schedule all the way from St. Louis.  We got into S.L. 1:15 late but still had 4 hours to spend.

I came all the way with a 1st Lt. named Flaherty from Boston.  He was coming to Ft. Sam Houston to redistribution and rehabilitation.  He had been a victim of concussions over in the Islands.  We did a lot of talking and had a lot of fun together.  He had 104 points and was in for 6 mos or more because of his injury and I am about to get out.  Which brings up the all important subject.

It seems the army wants you to be either in or out.  They don't want anyone in for 6 mos. as I wish but must reenlist for 3 years in the regular Army.  So- that means I will be home for Christmas this year.  Bill Ayers is going home next week to separation and I have to sign up for separation Monday.  Of course I shan't wave my discharge for 3 yrs but will get out immediately.  So you can start looking for good looking civilian clothes and colleges.

It has been a bad day today.  It rained all morning.  I had to run around a little but I had lots of warm clothes and my rain coat was handy.  I have a date tonight with Anne which will be a lot of fun I am sure.

If you can't read this letter it is just because we have to write on the bed for lack of a table.  I can hardly read what I write so you must be having a lot of fun.  I guess you have had a lot of experience reading bad writing.

Everyone was glad to see me back, at least they seemed that way.  Bill and I had a lot to talk over and he kept me awake most of the night and I haven't slept all day.  I lost my pillow somewhere so I have nothing for my head.  The bed is awful hard after mine at home, army life is rather rough.

Now my only problem is, what to do when I get home.  I have little desire to work or to go to school right away.  I also hate to spend all my money and have no income so coming home will be as hard as going away.  I think I would like to get a good hard job which might do me a little good physically or get a job flying or something.  You can't have both but you can see how little I know about what I want to do.  So you had better start reading all those stories on how to treat your returning soldier because I will be out and on my way before you can guess.  Maybe this time I will really surprise you when I walk in.

I was kind of upset to leave last Wed. but I guess I didn't look too disappointed.  It is rather hard to leave after you have had so much fun.  I think I had more fun on this leave than on any before and seeing it is the last I am glad it was so.  I guess we split the time up about right and I spent the right time in the right places.

Well I must go eat and then run.  You know I can't be late.

With love

Austin

"Doc"