October 16, 1943

                                                                                                            SAAAB

                                                                                                            Santa Ana Calif

                                                                                                            Oct 16, 1943

Dear Mother,

            I haven’t written for several days but I was very glad to get your letter.  It came in 3 days all the way across the country.  In fact it came a day ahead of mail sent from Beloit when they forward it to us.  Anyway the mail seems to be coming through pretty well.  I am now beginning to realize that I am far away from home.

            Well M days are continuing although all of the tests are taken and the results are coming in.  Some of the fellows have been “eliminated” already and the rest of us are beginning to hear about our tests and some of us are rather worried, in fact everyone will live under a strain for the rest of the M days.  My roommate was washed out by the psychiatist (no dictionary) and the reason seemed to be that his nervous system was not built to stand the strain the cadets will have to go through.  He was very disappointed but still has hopes of passing when he goes before the board today.  The examiner seems to be able to tell just how you will adapt yourself to training as well as tell if you can complete the kind of training you want.  As for me, no news is good news and if I don’t get called with the names on the list today I can feel a lot safer.  There will be 25 names today from 270 men.  I have got my fingers crossed.

            I never told you about the hair cut I got.  It’s a beaut and that’s what I mean.  When you get here you really get a GI hair cut and they took more hair of my head than I have ever had cut before.  I’ll even wager I had more hair when I was born than I had when I hit the door to get out of the barber shop.  I have a wiffel or something.  I can’t get my hair to sit down.  Even when wet it stands on end.  I can’t part it and it seems rather unruly to me.  However I don’t have to comb it any more and I can wash it every night.  My head don’t itch any more and I may not get bald because I don’t scratch my hair out anymore.  I sure would hate to go home now and let you see this mop-less head.

            I better explain that film.  Before we left Beloit our flight got “off the ball”.  We fooled around too much and just because we were leaving some of the fellows got wise with the instructors and everyone in general.  As a result instead of getting a lot of free time the 4 days before we left we got nothing but hard work and a lot of grief.  We got up at 6:00, cleaned our room went to chow and came back to do our details.  At 7:00 we fell out with gas masks for drill. We had drill to 12:00, 2 hours of which with gas masks on.  We then had chow and had our first class at 13:00 and another at 14:00.  From 15:00 to 17:00 we had P.T. and from 17:00 – 20:00 our time was taken up with evening chow and other duties.  We had to study until 22:00 and then could go to bed only if we didn’t have more than 3 giggs for each week.  Other wise we went out for 2 more hours of drill.  Therefore our day ended at 24:00 (if you weren’t on the ball).  It was rather rough and you can see time for picture taking was nill.  Also our open post for the week was taken away.  We were going to get out Friday night to say goodbye to everyone and get out Saturday morning at 9:00 to go to town and do our shopping for the trip.  We got neither.  The biggest slap in the face came when we got just 1 hour to go to town and get back.  It took us at least 20 minutes to sign out, 10 minutes to get to town and back giving us a mere 30 minutes to do all we wanted in town.  That was not enough time to do anything but the bare necessities and you couldn’t hear many kind words around.  You can see therefore that I just couldn’t use the film that was sent because I did not foresee our future at Beloit to be so strenuous.

            Well it is still foggy around here and the aerial activity has been cut down some.  I haven’t been able to see the hills for several days. Usually about noon and after enough sun comes through to allow take offs and landings and we see a lot of B17’s in late afternoon. Often in the morning the fog is so heavy that you might think that it was raining.  It is much like the dewy days we have at home some times.

            Well I don’t know what to write.  I wish that more news would come and I am glad that you are going to have the paper sent. Of course I won’t all ways be in this squadron as long as I am here but will move from the C.C. area (classification center) to pre flight.  They will get the paper to me and I can send my new address when and if I get one.

            Please write more news about what goes on in the neighborhood if you can.  Probably you do write as much as you can think of there probably is much going on.  Well I have to get to fall out soon so I will close.

            With love,

            Austin

October 8, 1943

                                                      

                                                    This is funny.

                                                                                                            Santa Ana Calif

                                                                                                            Oct 8, 1943

Dear  Mother,

It has been quite some time since I wrote last but this is really the first chance I have had to write except on the train.  On the train however I was much more interested in the sights than in writing home.  It was really a wonderful ride and I think everyone is missing something if they didn’t see more of the country than I had until recently.  Now I have seen a lot of country and am almost glad that I am in a branch of the service that gives sight seeing tours every so often.

We came most of the way on the Santa Fe Trail.  I think Pop has seen a lot of this country.  He can tell you a lot about it.  My greatest disappointment was “Dodge City.” There was a cowboy with in mile and the town didn’t look any thing like what the movies depicted it.

Hoping for a glimpse of Errol Flynn, perhaps?

I have never seen a desert until last week and I might say that I was impressed by the desolation that people can endure to make a meager living.  Even where the grass would hardly grow you can find people with cattle and sheep and attempting to raise corn.

Trip from Beloit to Santa Ana made Oct 2-5 Saturday night 7:30 pm Tuesday 9:30 pm

I have made out our route on a map which I bought in Los Angeles.  You can get an idea how we came.  Each meal we ate was in a Fred Harvey establishment.  He seems to have the concession all along the Santa Fe. Most of his places were very picturesque and seem to have a very expensive look about them.

Santa Ana is a heck of a place to stay. I will just say that now because I want to stop writing and go to sleep.  Tomorrow is M-2 day.  We have our “aptitude and adaptability” tests tomorrow and I want to be on my toes.

With love,

Austin

September 29, 1943

Card #1

I am writing these cards instead of writing a letter because I have run out of paper and as I shall soon leave here I see no sense in buying a lot of paper which has Beloit College all over it.  This is the chapel on the campus.  It is really a very beautiful place made in Olde English Construction.

Card #2

 As we walk from the chapel under the spreading oak trees that shade all the walks in the campus we come to the library.  I have never been inside because it is never open when we have open post and we are not allowed extra time for such things.  My information about this beautiful place comes from the girls (next card)....

Card #3

I have met at different times and at several different dances.  This is the Art Hall where we get movies once and a while.  This is also the site of the last dance.  It is really a hall for art exhibits but the floors and galleries around inside make it a very interesting place to just sit, if you have the time.

Card #4

As we return along our tour of the grounds we came by the gymnasium and pool.  It is here that I had swimming instruction and our First Aid lectures.  We also had a little gym work but rainy days usually carried the schedule of swim rather than work on the rings and parallel bars or the track.

Card #5

This is a view across the campus but is not too good to illustrate the nature of the grounds.  It is really much prettier in the summer and the hill that seems to be in the picture is not really there.  This picture is rather old and does not give a true picture of what I see each day.

Card #6

Chapin Hall is the girl's dorm.  The ground floor has been taken over by the Army and made into a mess hall.  It has all of the modern installations of Army camp.  The low building on the left is where we really eat and the kitchen is under the building.  The girls in the top of the building are a definite....

Card #7

attraction.  The main building in this picture is what is called Haven Hall.  This is where we sleep and log "bunk time".  I might say that bunk time is a thing of the past.  From now on bunk time is logged after 12:00 pm.  Well that's enough for now.

With love,
Austin

September 25, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis.

Sept. 25, 1943

Dear Mother,

I just got your letter and the box.  What a wonderful surprise.  The first thing I see in the box is the layer of cookies.  As yet I haven't got below that.  Your letters are also very interesting because they give the latest developments.

Today I finished all the flying that is given to the C.T.D.s.  I am glad it is over because it is a strain on the nerves and physically tiring.  I have lost about 7 lbs while flying and many hours of sleep that I could easily do with.  But yet I am not in such poor condition.  I still weigh a lot more than when I entered the army.

Flying was a lot of fun but don't give anyone the idea that is just like play.  It is really hard work. After one flight of 45 minutes I always feel like a good nap and the day that I had two flights was a bad day.  On the 2nd flight I just wasn't "on the ball".  My reactions were too slow and the plane got ahead of me.  I tried to do stalls and spins but just couldn't make the plane work for me.  I did the right thing at the wrong time.

Yesterday I was really the "hot pilot".  I did forced landings and made several perfect ones.  The landings at the airport were very good in fact they were the best the instructor had seen in some time, not a bounce or a bound.  It would have broken an egg if they had been all over the plane.

Today I had one flight and a check flight which finished one up.  As usual I got tense in the test and didn't do too good.  I do know however that I passed and have been recommended to go on in my air training if I pass classification.

I haven't said much but we are going to leave Beloit Oct 2 or 3.  Just a week or so from now.  We are going to Santa Ana and will be there from 3 weeks to 8, no one knows.  You had better send a list of my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins along so I can get in touch with them out there.  You had better send me some information on how I shall address them.  It will be funny if I write "Dear 3rd cousin" when she may be "Dear 5th cousin".

I just dug down in the box some more.  The first thing I see is the jelly from our own vines.  What a treat.  "Jerry" Pozen my roommate still thinks I am a "hick".

It's too bad you wrote about the girls especially on the night of our Graduation Dance.  I have been all dated up and we are going to get "hip" tonight.  Oh well!  I guess I can have some fun tonight and it won't effect me too much.  The girls name is Barbara Burling.  I will write all about her tomorrow.

 (Note: The space I give to flying and "the girl".)

I think it is about time I send along the pictures I took while here.  There are not too many but you can get an idea what I look like from them.  There are also pictures of my roommate as well as the last boy from Mass. with me.  His name is Anthony Toschs and is from some town just outside of Boston.

Please wish many happy returns to Mary for me even though it is rather late.  I wanted to send her a present but didn't know what to send.  Anyway I was thinking of her on the 23rd.  I hope she enjoys her job as much as I enjoy mine.

Those hats (caps) you see are not G.I. but you buy if you post commander allows you to.  If I get around to it I will answer all the rest of your questions later.

Love

Austin the hot Pilot

(I guess we know where all that art talent in the family comes from.)

September 19, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Sunday. 19,

Well William,

I guess it is time for your letter to come.  It has taken a long time to get written and it might take longer if I had something special to do.  As it is Sunday is a rather dull time in town and Sunday mornings seem to be the best time to write.

I have now had exactly 5 hours flying time.  The last 1/2 hour was a check ride that was pretty good but still not too good.  My flight work in the air was fairly good but the landings were terrible.  It was taken on a hot windless day and hot rising air made landings impossible unless a lot of flying speed was lost.  You would come in for normally a perfect landing only to have to ship rise on the hot air and let you down with a terrific bounce.  I did it 3 times in a row.

In a landing you come in from an altitude of about 200' and made your turn into the wind.  As you come over the field you should be ready for the landing if you misjudge and come in too fast or too slow you just have to do the best you can.  When you reach an altitude of 20' you begin to pull back on the stick to lift the nose and you stall it in.  The conrtolls get mushy and hard to get reaction from.  When you hit the ground you have the stick back in your stomach.  Friday however when the controls got mushy and you pulled back on the stick for a landing you just started to rise and you had to go forward on the stick again.  This is in disagreement of flight rules so I had to make a couple of bounces before coming to a smooth stop.  That check was surely very poor from the landing stand point.

Friday was a funny day.  On my lesson flight I was flying over a river but to my dismay began to rise at an unheard of rate.  I stuck the nose down and went into a supposedly dive but even with the nose way below the horizon in what should have been a dive we continued to rise about 150'.  After we got out of that updraft the plane came down in a hurry.

Thursday we did stalls and spins.  I climbed the ship to 2500' and the instructor showed me stalls.  In stalls you have no (I hope) aileron control because it tends to act just the opposite to the intended purpose.  Therefore the stick is not used except to pull the nose up.  The nose up and the ship begins to mush through the air at this point the stick can be pulled way back and the plane drops forward into a dive.  You then gun the motor and pull out.

The spins are a lot more fun.  You go into a normal stall but give rudder in the direction you want to spin.  The plane falls off in the direction desired and the earth begins to whirl.  You pull it out by applying opposite rudder and forward stick.  What a sensation.

You better get someone to give you a few rides.  Then you will be converted to the thing also.

All the girls have come back to college and you can bet we are now going to have fun.  The only trouble is that in 2 weeks we will again be on our way.  You ought to see these mid-western girls.  I never saw anything like it in N.E.  It must be because I didn't get around much when I was back home.  I think coed colleges are a coming thing; especially during war time when all the boys are not in school.

I have taken a few pictures lately so I expect that the next mail will bring a few of me and my roommate.  He is restricted this week because of less than a passing mark in one subject.  I should have gotten 3 extra hours for marks above 80% but the order didn't come through.

Your brother,

 Austin (The hot pilot)

P.S. Wish Mary a Happy Birthday for me.

September 12, 1943

Pvt. Austin Rounds
31359264
Hdgs. 95th C.T.D.
Beloit College
Beloit Wis

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Sept. 12, 1943

Dear Pop: (oops I mean A.P.)

Boy!!  I have really hit the part of the training that I have waited for ever since June 7.  Just 3 mos. after entering the Army Air Corp I went to the field to get my first official log time and you can bet that I was the happiest and also the gladdest boy to be alive.  But worst luck we were grounded because of too high wind.  This was Tuesday; Wednesday were grounded as well as Thursday except for one flight.  Friday I got my first ride and it was really "the nuts".  The periods last 45 min. and you can bet you can learn a lot in that time.  My instructor took me up and shot a landing.  We went up again and after following through a series of turns etc. he told me to do the job.  Well you have never really lived until you have flown. At first you go about it in a very mechanical way.  You know that to make a left bank you give left stick and left rudder but as long as it is mechanical you never get the coordination necessary.  When you get the feel of the ship and she begins to fly for you that is really when you live.  When you get so that the rudder and stick work together with out a lot of thought you are really flying; the plane really acts for you and you become a part of it.  The plane is no longer a device to be played with but a part of you.  When you bring the plane out of a 45 degree bank and it comes back on line with none of this wishy-washy back and forth stuff you really feel like a hot pilot.

Every day you get better and better.  Things begin to come more easily.  On my second flight I did turns to the left and right and left and right gliding and climbing turns.  It was on this second flight that I really got the feel of the thing.  I have a strong tendency to not give enough rudder when I turn and I must have a lot of other faults but I think I am coming along.

Some of the fellows are having a real rough life of it.  Two can not get over air sickness.  One has been sick twice and heaved over the side.  The other has got air sick twice and heaved once.  That once was rather disastrous.  He heaved into the slip stream and got most of his dinner back on his face and all over the inside of the plane.  It was no fun to clean up after himself and I felt rather sorry for him.

The plane is a Cub J3 65 H.P. N.C. 37900.  They are equipped with gosports ( I think that's how they spell it), an instructor to student communication system (no back talk) some have brakes and others don't.  The instrument panel has only a few things to watch.  The tackometer, the altimeter, oil pressure, oil heat, and a few others.  It has no turn or bank indicator, no rate of climb indicator, but is rather fit for contact flying.  We wear a back parachute for reasons of regulations rather than safety.  Civil Air Regulation states that during acrobatics you must wear a chute so we wear one.  It is really a good way to get you used to wearing one.  I have taken some pictures with one on and I will send them as soon as I get them developed and printed.

Cockpit

We are restricted to what we can take pictures of so that unless I get permission I can't show you a picture of my plane.  It is a cub with a sliver finish.  It has the R.A.F. insignia and is called the "Delaware Flitfire". It is an easy thing to take off and I did that on my second flight.  I didn't fly it in I guess because I forgot my flight pattern and didn't know I was over the East boundary when I was asked where I was.

One of the few original planes left in 2013.

We went on parade last Friday night on the streets of Beloit.  The people gave us a good ovation as we went by.  You can easily see that the Enlisted Students are the ones that rate around here.  I couldn't write after parade and last night I went over to help out all the new students that just came in.

Training is really beginning to smooth out.  Our hours are still bad but the schedule is not rough.  We only get 3 classes a day and a fourth that is a swim period.  You go to the field at 12:30 and the first flight goes up at 1:30.  There are 3 flights and 3 students on our plane so you fly every day, weather permitting.  The discipline is letting down and we are beginning to give the officers the works.  In fact they stay away from upper classmen as much as possible and only when they have the upper hand where their authority means something do they get tough.  It is rugged but wonderful.  Tell Ralph to do anything possible so he can get in.  He won't regret it a bit.

With love,

Austin                   (The hot pilot)

A short video of a J3 cub flying in England.  Wikipedia has some interesting tidbits to share too.

Grandpa also sent home his first flight log.  

August 28, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis.

Aug. 28, 1943

Well A.P.,

I finally got around to write again and it is not Sunday as often, my usual time for correspondance.  I have got an hour before supper and I find nothing special to do.  This is quite unusual for me as I can always keep busy on something.  I am all dressed up for town and can not do some of the work I want tot do, such as washing and GI-ing shoes.

Well things are pretty much the same around here except that they are getting stricter on some things and lenient on others.  They are getting pretty tough about the studies.  If you don't get a 70% average in all your subjects individually you can't get out over the weekend.  If you get an 80% grade in all the subjects you get 3 extra hours in which you can do a lot.  I am getting out all right but no extra hours.  I got a 76% average in Geography and they kept me off from the list.  1/3 of the cadets here got restricted and about 1/6 of the class got out.  I doubt if I will get the extra hours next week either because I got a low mark in a spelling test (52%).  I should have done better and probably could have if I had a chance to really study the words.  As it was I had to study for a test in physics, on torque and Newton's first 2 laws.  It took me quite a time to catch on to the work and had to spend more time than I expected.

Now I have two things to worry about regarding weekends, "tours" and marks.  Each week I just miss walking "tours" every week.  You know that 8 is the maximum, well I have got from 6-8 most every week.  This week I got 7 and thought sure that I would be "up the creek" as I got 4 last Saturday and 3 last (a week ago) Friday.  That gave me a chance to get one gig in 5 days.  Well I pulled through.  This week I have got 2 all ready, one for dirty fingernails, and one for not having my shoes tied for inspection.  Gigs are something you just can't avoid no matter how hard you try.  If the officers don't feel good they pick out someone to gig and they just wait until they pin something on him.  Every once in a while an officer gets a new gig book and will say something to the effect that he is going to have recorded 15 gigs in it before the day is over.  They usually do if they are watchful enough.  Just try to stand at attention with your eyes fixed on a point and have flies and all kinds of bugs light on you but not move in any way.  This place is noted for its bugs and mosquitoes.  They raise the dickens with you on parade.

Wednesday evening we got a chance to go hear Col. Carlos P. Romulo.  He is a very dramatic speaker, (and a Rotarian) and has a very definite sense of humor in describing unfortunate circumstances.  He is really a great speaker and you should hear him when he comes East.  He has also written a book that I think should be very good reading.  I am sending you the front of the brocher we got at the door.

Some of the fellows are moving out of the dorm to the one a short distance from here.  I may move shortly but as yet I haven't got my orders.  We are expecting a new batch of fellows soon and they will occupy this building. (By the way, I am now an upper classman. It don't mean much other than that we walk in the halls now and don't have to "sound off" as much.)

A lot of things are now happening or are about to happen.  Next week flight 16 starts flying which means we are next and they come the week after next.  Today we won the parade.  We took the honors form B other flights and 2 of the flights had had 5 months of drill in Miami Beach.  We felt real good about it.  Another thing is that we are getting additions to our uniforms.  We will eventually get a "Cadet Patch" (cadet insignia" and an "Air Corp" insignia that goes on the left arm near the shoulder.  I may send one along if I can an extra one.

I found that picture of me that I put away in someplace I could sure to remember.  I don't know if I should send it or not.  You may not like it.  I am sure I didn't.  I think that I was taken in a guarded moment and I wasn't aware of what was going on.  It really isn't that bad.  

Well I will have to sign off because Supper K.P. is being called and we will follow in a very short time.

With love,

Austin

P.S. My serial number must be put on my mail from now on.

August 23, 1943

Pvt. Austin Rounds
95th C.T.P.
Beloit College
Beloit Wis.

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Aug 23, 1943

Dear Mother,

It has been quite some time since I wrote last but I have finally gotten around to it again.  I usually plan to write on Sunday but they are very busy when you have nothing to keep you in.  Last Sunday (yesterday) I left just as I could get out.  The reason is that I am gradually learning the town and am beginning to find the places to enjoy ones self.  

Of course the U.S.O. is the main place to gather.  Most everyone that leaves goes by the U.S.O. chiefly because it is so near the school and partly to find out what is going on.  They usually have something planned an if not you can always stay and read the magazines, eat cake and candy, play ping-pong and other games or just sit, or then dance with the hostesses; some of them are really nice.

To get back to what I have done lately I might say that our program has been cut from 20 weeks to 10 weeks meaning that we will leave way ahead of schedule.  This army works that way.  At J.B. you remember we completed 56 days in 30, here we'll complete 5 months in little more than 2 and at classification I hear they have cut the 42 days to about 25, so you can see that you can't always go by army schedule.

Again I have been out of luck because my last name didn't start with a letter low in the alphabet.  Tomorrow some of the fellows that came from J.B. with us start to fly.  They took everyone in our flight from A to M and set them ahead.  As it is I start flying Sept 7 which is about 2 weeks from now.  Oh well I guess I will get there even if I don't get set ahead like the other part of the alphabet.

I got a letter from Grandma last week but haven't been able to write yet to her.  I will try to tomorrow.  You had better keep her informed as I am sure that I will not be able to find time often.

Sunday I went to church!!!  This is unusual partly because I haven't found the time to find out when church started and that most of my friends are Catholic.  The boy in my room is Jewish and has too many "tours" to go anywhere.  After church I went to a swimming pool that is operated by a country club.  It is open to the service men and that is where you find most of them.  The pool is the best of its kind in the country except for maybe a few in Hollywood.  It really looks like a Hollywood pool.  It has three diving boards on which to practic; it is about 50 ft across and 150 feet long.  It has a beautiful lawn all around it and it is a swell place to sit and sun.  If I can get out again I certainly will make a B. line for the place.

Post card found at this website

After the swim there was a special picnic for the service men on the grounds.  They have tables, chairs, and fire places right near the pool.  The U.S.O. furnished everything including the girls.  The lunch was swell, pickles, sandwiches, drink, cookies, cake, candy and all.  Beloit also is a swell place to go on furlough the people are so good.  As we will never get a furlough our open post will have to provide us with enjoyment and this town certainly can do this.

You just can't imagine the urge you have to get away from it all.  All week long you are in under a terrific tension and you have to let down some way or you will soon go to pieces.  Usually when they see you are weakening they ride you and that makes things worse.  One fellow has 153 tours to walk and we are sure he also has a recommendation after his name to be washed out at Santa Ana.  You just have to get out and let down for a short time.  You have to forget that you have a hard job to do the next day.

We got a new class added to our schedule.  It is a class of First Aid given by one of the policemen from town.  He is really good even though he gets rather dry at times.  He gives a lot of information in stories from his experience.  Everyone seems to enjoy the class even though it's hard to stay awake.

Most of my marks so far have been pretty good.  I am well above average in my classes which is about 85%.  "Place geography" is giving a little trouble but I just got a test back that was an 80%.  Otherwise I have nothing too much to say about the class.

The college here has just finished its summer term and all but 3 of the girls have gone home.  That means that the fellows do K.P. now.  It is not too tough because they have several women who work there all the time.  The fellows just serve the food and clean the tables afterwards.  It is really soft compared with the other K.P. I have seen.

I had expected that "lights out" would sound before now but I will write some more as long as I have the time.

I wish you would send me that deodorant powder that was left or if it is gone send me some in the next box.  We have some very foul smelling stuff we put in our shoes to kill athletes foot and harden the feet.  As the powder kills smells I hope it will get the smell out of my shoes.  I haven't used the foot powder for some time but it still seems to be effective.

I wish you would scare around and try to get some film this way.  One of the fellows got some and took my picture.  I was going to send it home but I put it in some place where I would be sure to know where it was.  It's gone now and I will have to find it sometime.

The bell just rang "lights out"

With love

Austin

{And the back page of his letter, written in pencil and quite larger than his normal handwriting!  Probably written after lights out.}

{A letter to his mother from the church he attended on Sunday.}