November 23, 1944

Roswell Field

Thanksgiving

Dear Mother:

Here it is the day I had hoped to be home but thousands of miles away.  Well that's the Army for you I guess.

I hope you had a celebration in spite of my absence and had a big time.  I can just imagine the fun you could have if everyone got together again like we used to do.  Maybe in a year or so we can get back to normal again.

Military Thanksgiving slide show here

My Thanksgiving day here is about routine.  We got up at 4:30 to fly the first mission which was a Bomb approach mission.  There is not much to the thing except setting up the auto-pilot and following a P.D.I. (pilot directional indicator) on the instrument panel.  The Bombardier puts a correction on this instrument from his position in the nose and you follow a little needle.  It so happened that we flew a course of 90 degrees to 100 degrees most of the time and ended up at Hobbs N.M. about 150 mi away.  We then decided to fly some cross country and did this the rest of the time. We flew from Hobbs to Big Springs Tex to Marfa Tex down to Mexico then back over a big girls school to Pecos Tex to El Paso and then home again.  We flew the last 3 hours at 13 thousand indicating 190 m.p.h. which gave us a ground speed of 230 m.p.h.  I guess we covered well over 700 miles in 4:30 min.

Something like this, but as a B17 flies instead of by roads and international crossing stations.

When we got to Marfa which is an advance school we chased a couple of AT17's around for awhile.  This old B17 will go most any speed you want if you want it to.  Those AT17's didn't have a chance.  We were up solo with a bombardier for an instructor and usually they are rather afraid of the Pilots but this guy got quite a kick out of those A.T. 17s.  We flew the whole way without suitable maps and only used the radio compass.  I don't know what we would do if we lost that compass.

You should only of received one bond since I came back because that is all I have bought.  When we got here we were asked to buy one a month so that is what's happening.  Maybe I should buy more seeing I am going to have about $160 left out of last months pay.  I guess you can get them as well as I can if you don't object too strongly.

I just couldn't imagine what the Home Front could send which would interest me.  The package was so small I thought that it must be one of those little tiny games.  I guess the folder with the pictures was a very happy unsuspecting surprise.  What better gift could a fellow get from home and such an organization.  I must really congratulate the one behind the idea.  They are really on the proverbial ball.  Really I have been looking for such a thing for a long time myself but have never been able to find one.  I think someone with a brain was behind that gift.  This will be a constant reminder of the Home Front and the work they are doing.

The Blaisdells live in a little house about half the size of our downstairs.  They have no attic and no cellar but keep everything in that little 5 room house about large enough for 2 persons.  However they manage rather well considering Mrs. B is not too well.  They have one large cedar Box into which all the odds and ends go and everything else has to be thrown away I guess.  They have lots of walls for the size of the house so I think if you tried to cover it up with N.E. scenery they would like it.  I am sure they would appreciate some of the remembrances  of their "home" in Stoneham.  Their house is really rather nice inside because Fred has put a lot of work into it.  The kitchen is the only bad feature since it is too small.

I half guess that my cross-country will be made to Houston Tex.  We did not have too give a chance to pick what we wanted so I decided to go where my roommate and his buddies went.  I could have gone to Phoenix or Chanute Field but I decided against it.  I think I shall stay down where it is warmer.  I don't think the cold and I will get along too well when I get home.  You had better have plenty of oil and the heater going when I come in.  I will not set any dates this time because they are so likely to fall through.

I guess I have written enough for a day.  Mary's letter is the next if she is wondering.

With love

Austin

October 30, 1944

Roswell Field

Oct. 30, 1944

Dear Mother:

I am glad you like your "chews" but as for cementing foreign relations with gum I only hope it works.  You know that was a rather poor pun.  Don't get discouraged I am sure you can do better.

You know those little lion cubs are rather cute.  The first thing I thought of when I saw them was that they would make swell mascots for some unit overseas.  However I guess they would eat too much and might scare too many people.  on second thought they are much better off in Paul Greggs hands feeding off the taxpayer's money.

Tomorrow I am going to Bob Hope's radio show here on the post.  I was lucky to get a ticket as only 69 out of 300 got a chance to go.  My number happened to come up so I am jumping at the chance.  Here I have a chance to see a real live movie star.  This would never happen if I were any other place.  Maybe Roswell has it's advantages.

Bob Hope

Say, do you think you could send me a little jar of that dandruff killer.  My head is getting into rather bad shape even though I wash it every 3 or 4 days.  If I had some of that ointment I might be able to do something for it.  I don't want to take any $3 treatments like some of the fellows are doing.  It seems like such a waste of money.

I still have that check for $300 and I guess I will send it along soon.  You know a lot of money like that gives a kind of feeling of security.  I guess it would be a lot more secure in War Bonds and in the bank.  I will tell you how I want it put away.

I write to Mrs. Blaisdell right along.  You know for a person who can't get around too well she seems to enjoy life an awful lot.  She writes quite a number of letters to Freddie's buddies and some of her friends in Stoneham and seems to get a lot out of life from them. She asked me what I wanted for Christmas and even though I feel I shouldn't ask for anything it might make her feel bad.  I think she gets a big kick out of making cookies and things for her boys.  She really is such a swell person.

Time seems to pass so fast here.  I guess it is the schedule.  We keep going from sunup to sun down.  If you fly in the morning you see the sun rise through the clouds and if you fly at noon and after you see the sun go down through the clouds.  If you fly at night you just see the moon and if there is no moon you don't see a thing.  In fact this is the darkest country I know.

We had to fly Sunday afternoon.  There had been a little ground fog all morning and we had hoped that it would soak in so that we would stay down but no such luck.  We flew 5-10 which made last Sunday seem like any other day.  I guess that is the reason time flies so fast.

We still get ground school 7 hours a day on the days we don't fly but it is not so bad as it was the first week.  We are getting all kinds of subjects thrown at us so that we can run the whole ship by ourselves.  In fact I don't see the need of a crew if they had pilots who could get around fast enough.  All a B17 needs is an automatic pilot in good working condition and a good first pilot.  They have good automatic pilots but not so many good first pilots.

Maybe I have written that they have a B29 in the field.  The instructors are being checked out in it so that soon they can begin to instruct.  Roswell will soon become a B29 school so maybe I can get in on a new deal.  Maybe I don't want it after I hear what has happened to some of the so called super flying fortresses.

You know soon I will have a chance to go to most any city in a radius of 1000 mi. from here.  What one would you select if you had a chance.  I think New Orleans or San Francisco would be my choices.  What do you say?

I am glad Mary is enjoying her school so much.  I am sure if I could have liked my Accounting a little more I could have liked school a lot more.  Right now I can't see myself settling down to it again even though I may have to.

With love

Austin

October 4, 1944

Roswell Field

Oct. 4, 1944

Dear Mother:

This will be the last letter for several days as we are about to go on an 8 day week here with no breaks.  Classes will run 9 hours a day and after eating and cleaning up the room there will not be time for much else.

I am going to write a few other people tonight so don't be surprised at the shortness of this letter.  I kind of feel that I am going to leave the world for a couple of days.  I guess it isn't that bad.

We are getting very good meals here.  In fact they compare very well with what we had during Cadet days.  They cost a flat rate of $35 a month.  This is not too bad compared with what we paid at Luke.  At least they are not going to make your stay here miserable but let you concentrate on the things at hand.  the schedule is much too tough to have a lot else on your hands.

I live in a small room with one buddy who is a Texas boy.  His name is Rollins and a swell fellow.  There are two to a room and plenty of room for us; two chairs, tables, lamps, lockers, shells, and everything.  Things are going to be very comfortable.

I hope you have disregarded my last letters because I have been so discouraged by what has happened.  I guess when I get to work things will get a little brighter.

I haven't received one Independent since I returned from home.  Maybe my subscription has run out or maybe they have just got lost.  Please look into the situation.

I got two letters from you today so I now understand the box situation.  I was getting a little impatient but I guess it will be along soon.  I hope so because it is cold here and that (pinks and greens) are about to become the uniform of the day and I will have to have them.  I am sorry I didn't know what part William had in the ring.  He seems to hold the bag most of the time putting in the money and getting none of the thanks.  Please thank him for me.  I guess I kind of take him for granted too much and should write more often.

Pinks and greens

You also said that Mary's gift had not arrived.  I guess instead of sending it Airmail as I directed they have sent it regular mail and it is taking longer than I expected.  However I am worried about it and if it doesn't come soon I shall write and see what can be down about it.  Maybe I shall be stuck.

I shall close now and write to the Blaisdells.  Erma did not have what the doctors all thought for a while.  She has dyptheria or something.  At least she doesn't have to worry about the effects of polio. Mrs. Blaisdell was so good to me I hated to leave.  If Fred B ever comes to Stoneham I want him to stay in my bed.  That could not be too much of him.

With love

Austin