July 19, 1945

San Marcos

July 19, 1945

Dear Esther:

Well here is the letter you have been expecting.  I suppose I am a little slow but really I am just short of time.  Most letter writing breaks into my social life and you can't have that.  We are going to have some movies here in class now so I have a lot of time while they try to figure out how the contraption works.

We are scheduled to fly tonight but not many fellows will show up. Most of them went on sick call and are off flying for a couple of days.  That means we will only have to fly a couple of hours instead of the regular 4.  

Pop wrote and said you went to see Grandma recently.  I wish I could get to see her again but this darn leave situation is a pain in the neck.  I guess Grandma would like to see me too.

The moves are all over.  They were a couple of U.S. propaganda films about Japan.  You have never seen them and probably never will.  They are called "Our Enemy Japan" narrated by Joseph C. Grew. It was the 4th time I had seen the picture so you can imagine I was slightly bored to say the least.  I just wish someone would wise up and burn some of the films everyone in the army has seen 4 times.  I guess they are saving them for the kids they draft, so they can bore them awhile.

You should have seen the wonderful certificate I got from the civilian defense which by now much be pretty well gone by.  Anyway probably Pop got the same thing saying that they were "grateful for my patriotic service and loyalty during World War II".  I showed it to everyone and the consensus of opinion was that I should be able to go to heaven with all the big dogs now.  Maybe I should just get out of the Army I am needed so badly at home.

Oh yes, by the way, there is a way to get around this leave deal.  So far 10 fellows have left.  Each one has given 3 stock excuses, either their wife had to go home to have a baby and that they had to take her, or that they were going to get married, or that a long lost half brother is coming home after 3 years in the So. Pacific and they want to see him.  Now which one should I use?

Each week I get the paper and look at all the news from the servicemen.  It seems that all the kids younger than I am are getting into the war and getting pretty ribbons while I sit on my dead fanny here in Texas.  You should get a ribbon for being stationed here but they won't hear of such a thing.  All you ever see in the papers around here is how Texas and the United states are winning the war.   They sure think it is a great state.  What I was going to say is; what am I going to tell my kids and their kids when they ask what I did in the great war?  I will have to make up a good story and stick to it.

I guess everyone has noticed that I have a box number.  They had such a mess over at the mail section when they had to go through a whole stack of mail just to find my one little mangy letter that they decided to make boxes.  Now you can go in and look in your box and if no mail, they don't have to look through a stack of mail.  By the way I was only kidding about the one letter, I really get more than I write and am thankful for it.

I always get letters from Pop but seldom write.  The same is true with Mother but I write to Mother  little more frequently.

Well I have got to cut this gab and scram.  I don't know where or what I will do until 7:30 when we fly but I guess I can find something.

Mother has a birthday coming up on the 1st of Aug. is that right.  Anyway if I send anything it will be on the First.

With love

Austin

February 13, 1945

Feb. 13, 1945

Dear Mother:

        It is time to write again but I have no idea what to write about.  What has really been bothering me is whether I thanked you for the birthday candy.  It got here on Feb 9th all right so it was a really 

Christmas  birthday present.  The candy is really good and as usual all of the people here liked it.

(what am I thinking about?)

Life is running along as usual with nothing new happening.  We didn't get to church last Sunday morning but had to report out to the base at 0800 for a oxygen mask refit and to have a microphone installed.  It turned out to be one of those long line affairs with nothing to do in between.  We all got pretty mad about the whole thing.

Mr. and Mrs. Suley got your letter the other day and showed it to me so be careful what you write from now on.  I have been wondering if you have sent that Sunday paper yet.  I hope you have or will soon because they are very interested in seeing one of the local scandal sheets.

Seeing you are going to give a story to the Independent you must know about all there is to know.  I am here in Lincoln to pick up a crew for further B17 base training.  The training is expected to take from 10-12 weeks after which we will return to Lincoln for overseas assignment.  You can give the paper a big story and sling the bull all you want.

I wish I could send a letter to all the people who sent me a card.  I have a big stack of cards and don't feel that I can answer all the little short notes on the back.  I will answer a few of them.  I got quite a kick out of the card William sent.  I showed it to Mr. Suley and he got quite a laugh out of it.  Maybe you didn't see it but it was really rather rare.  I don't know where he could have got it.

I am going to write Esther a letter right now and send it at the same time I send this.  However this one will go airmail and Esther's goes free.  You can see how much difference there is in the time for each.  Maybe you can let me know what the difference is.

I sent you some flowers today so please let me know what you get.  I hope it gets to you on time.

Well I don't know what I should write except that I wish my address would change again.  I am not getting tired of Lincoln but just getting tired of drawing $150 a month and not getting any flying.  I guess I kind of miss the "wild blue yonder" more than I think.  I think I will rent a plane just for a ride before long.

Well for nothing better to write I will write the finish to this little note.

With love

Austin

December 26, 1944

Roswell Field

Dec 26

Dear Esther:

How much I would like to make a trip east to a little town called "Stoneham" you can't imagine.  No matter how many places you see or how much you see you always will compare them with home and none of them add as well.  I often like to imagine on these little trips around the country that I am on my way home but things never quite add up and you always arrive in some strange new, sometimes exciting town.  However it is never home as it really is.

I went to the movie "Arsenic and Old Lace" sometime ago.  It was while I was in town here so not so long ago.  I really got a big bang out of it.  Cary Grant and those two old ladies were good but I liked Raymond Massey's accomplice, Peter Lorre a lot more.  You may not know it but I make it a point to see most of the pictures he is in.  He always looks so mistreated and has that hang-dog but is so wise and smart.  I guess I just like to see him that's all.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jCTg2qvl60

Anyway the picture was really swell.    Charge!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE8kOv26BuQ

I got Mary's card a couple of days ago and admired it a long time.  I showed it to my friends and they also said that she was rather clever.  Anyway what they said made me very proud of her.  I think she should follow up her talent along those lines but she is so good at so much I guess she can't do them all.  From what little I hear from her she seems to likes school and most everything she does.  She must have a creative mind or something.

I got the "Stoneham Scandal Sheet" the other day and noticed a little item near the bottom.  Now as a rule the baby notices are just passed by so I won't know who the little ones are when I get home but the name Spear kind of held my attention.  It looked a little familiar so I read on.  Capt and Mrs. Philip J Spear didn't mean much and 7 lbs and 9 oz didn't seem like such a hot baby but the name Hazel Blackburn told the story.  Mrs. Blackburn sure is getting an awful lot of refugees grandchildren.  I guess this one wasn't a refugee however.  You can give her my best wishes when you see her and give "Jr." a wink for me.

I wrote Mother a letter from Albuquerque yesterday and forgot to mail it.  I will put it in your letter unless I forget again.  I don't remember what I said but I hope it is all right.  It is all beaten up because of the trip down here on the bus.  She can put it in her collection of things from all the places I have been.  When and if I go back I will send her some cards of the town.  I should have done it this time.

I opened my Christmas gifts last night at 2330 so it was still Christmas.  The trip back from the big town took 5 1/2 hours which was about 2 hours shorter than going up.  We had seats all the way even though some people had to stand parts of the way.  Anyway to get back to the gifts, the were very sensible gifts and about all I needed.  I am glad no more was spent because we are very well taken care of or at least we can get the essentials a lot easier and probably cheaper.  I am buying new clothes all the time so that i feel I can buy easier here than you can at home.  I think a War Bond is a lot more appropriate than extravagant spending.

I want very badly to save all the money I can but I always find a new need. I'll either have to stop running around the country or go to a warm climate or get out of the army before I can stop spending.  I have yet to buy some real winter clothes to wear.  I have nothing I can wear off the post if it rains or if it is very cold.  I guess like the women that get good jobs I too am about to become a "clothes horse".  I must have about $350 tied up and another $100 needed but what can you do.  I have very few things that are unnecessary and uniforms complete for two seasons, Summer and Winter.  I imagine that except for replacements and such things as pajamas and bath robes and slippers I will not have to spend much any more except for replacements.  My only hope is that I can wear some of this stuff when I get out of the Army because I have so much tied up.  Maybe a good big fire in the barracks just before my discharge can solve the problem of getting rid of a lot of uniforms and getting a lot of money instead.  

Well I have to hit the sack now.  I have to get up at 10 00 tomorrow and it is now 2200.  You know 12 hours of sleep is about enough for an active youngster they say.

Love

Austin

PS Give the match covers to the man in your office whose daughter saves them.

September 19, 1944

This is written in a big hurry

Dear Esther:

I got your letter yesterday and I might say that it was unexpected.  I already had a couple of letter in the morning mail and then this one.  You see it was not that I didn't expect it but that it came in an unexpected time.

It seems that Betty is having a lot of trouble with all her family.  If I remember correctly the "refugee" was a little shy but she seemed friendly enough when I left.  I guess maybe I frightened her.  Well I guess she will get used to having strangers around if she is one of Betty's children.

So Harold was home lately.  I'll bet William was especially glad to see him.  William must miss having friends his own age around.  If what Mother said about Harold was true I guess the loosing 10 lbs didn't hurt him physically but maybe some mentally.  I guess I gained a lot more than I lost. I think I put on about 20 lbs but am slowly losing it because of the lack of activity.  However while at G.B. the last weeks I gained a couple of pounds.  Maybe the Army doesn't go wrong when they allow some fellows to take A/C training and disqualifies others for reasons mental and physical.

As for his record of not getting a gig I would say he has done well.  Maybe that is the trouble, he worked too hard trying to get and stay on the ball that he has missed a lot of the training down there that you don't get form the books.  I hope Harold doesn't have to go back to the G.I's because he will hate it after the way he has been treated lately.  I don't think he really wants to go back without that commission no matter what he says.

I was just thinking that maybe you had better not write anymore letter or company time because you might get fired but then I might not get a letter if you didn't.  I guess you are indispensable so you just go ahead and write all the letters you want to me on company time.

You know I think Mother is worried about me.  She asked in a letter today what kind of a girl would stay out all night with a strange fellow?  Well I don't know what kind of a girl she was if they can be classified but I see no harm in living at night rather than during the day.  After all you can meet a girl at 9:00 in the morning and stay all day and not create any talk.  Well you can assure her that that was the first and last time because I enjoy my sack time too much to waste it at dances at 4:00 in the  morning and on hard bony old nags which riding schools call horses.  I have had enough of that.

I realize Mary has a birthday soon and it will probably be by when you get this letter but I will try to do something.  I have no idea what I shall get but I am going to town today and will find something nice for her.

I am so glad to hear that she is going to school this fall.  I only hope she has found what she wants.  If she ever needs any money please write and I am sure I can send a gift along that may help her out a little.

Will I must close now and go to dinner.  I am very hungry because I had only a 10 cent breakfast.

With love

Austin

February 6, 1944

Ryan Field

Tucson Ariz.

Feb. 6, 1944

Dear Esther:

Esther's high school graduation picture

I forgot all about your birthday until about a week ago so I couldn't send anything home.  The civilian canteen here has no cards or anything so I guess this letter on your birthday will have to do.  I should keep a stock of cards and such on hand for occasions but I have to get around to it someday and that is the trouble.  I probably never will.

We got out last night for the first time on an overnight pass but strange as it may seem I did not stay out but came back at 12:00 on the last bus.  I came on the last bus because I wouldn't stand on an earlier one and not because I hated to leave the town.  Tucson is the worst city I have been in.  The town is too crowded with officers and enlisted men from other camps.  One big B24 base just a short way from the town must send all its men in town every week-end.  You can see that if these fellows get in town ahead of you, as they do, you don't have much of a chance of getting a place to sleep or anything.  Not only that but every other man in uniform is either a naval officer or a 2nd Lt. with pilots or bombardiers wings.  What chance has an aviation cadet have in a town like that?  

We get in town rather late and that means that about all you can see is lit by lights and even so you can see a heck of a lot.  Of course you can always stay in all day Sunday and look around but I was so disgusted with things last night I came home.  You can go in again but the bus leaves every 3 hours and you have to be awake to get on and as I have been sleeping most of the day I could hardly make the bus.  I am glad now because it is raining very hard now and there is nothing to do in town in such weather.  So I am sitting listening to the radio and helping the civilian morale.  I don't know but what there is something in it after all. 

Well "happy birthday" to you and all that.  I don't know how old you are and I suppose if I hazard a guess I might embarrass myself or maybe you.  Anyway I guess that doesn't matter much.

I guess everyone is remembering my birthday coming up soon and I am sorry I couldn't have remembered yours a little earlier.  The next time such a thing happens I hope I am a little ahead of whats next.

Well I must close now and listen to Jack Benny.  I can't concentrate with all his noise.

Video of Jack Benny and Groucho Marx

With love

Austin

{And just for fun, more pictures of Great-Aunt Esther through the years!}

Cute baby girl!

Cute as a button

A Single Working Woman

Always helping!

Her Wedding Day

All the siblings together!

Esther and Pat

January 8, 1944

Ryan Field

Tucson Ariz.

Jan. 8, 1944

Dear Mother:

I sent a card last night to let you know I arrived at my new "home" safe and sound.  We had a wonderful trip overnight on a Pullman with a diner and all.  We ate in the dining car of course and didn't have to stop for anything.  It was a regular troop train with about 20 cars full of cadets going to primary fields throughout Ariz.  Some of the cars were the new so called Army Pullman cars.  They were built primarily for troop transport and although they are not the quietest sort of a car and even though they do bounce and bump more than the regular cars, they are very comfortable and look like the hardships of such a car would not be too great. Even so, the Army is not afraid of losing its customers.

Buy the poster!

I have written some about Southern Calif so I guess I won't tell you much about it accept that we saw some very beautiful mountains.  They were snow capped and of course multicolored because of the differences in soil.  We didn't go through any very high mts. although we did go up to an altitude of about 6000'.  It was very cold up there.  Things were somewhat greener than when we first came through because it rains once in a while now.

This field is just outside of Tucson (about 20 mi.) in the middle of a deserted plain about 25 or 30 miles across.  Most of the flying is done in the area.  It is bordered by a series of mts. that would in normal country shut out out the wind but not out here.  The wind blows something terrific, and it is not hot wind but very cold.  Yesterday noon it did warm up some but a long as the wind blew it was cold.  There are no trees so there is no shade to get in if it really does get hot.  All there is is cactus plants in all varieties.  Some are large and some are small.  The small ones have the long needles and the tall ones have small needles.  Some have sharp points and others have points that are barbed and stick in you.  I will send a few along one of these days.

Saguaro National Park, Tucson AZ

Out here all the planes are PT22's, a fast little primary trainer.  Maybe William has a picture of one.  They have 160 H.P. motors and a cruising speed of 128 m.p.h.  They are all metal and very sleek looking.  They look like very safe flying planes.

Now the all important question, when do we start flying?  Monday we draw our fly clothes and Tuesday we get our first ride.  We have waited a long time for this and everyone is ready to go.  The flying clothes are fur lined and you really need the fur.  We get a helmet and goggles and a white scarf. You see we are flying in tandem open cockpit planes and it gets pretty cold at 5000' around here.  Just the same everyone is looking forward to it.

And the meals, they are what we have been missing all along.  You can get all you can eat and more.  My eyes are bigger than my stomach because I really have to eat to get it all down.  If they keep it up I will be too heavy to fly pretty soon and that is some load.

Everything around here is a perfect set up and the ideal place to spend the first flying days.  You can get plenty of sleep, plenty to eat, plenty of exercise, not too much spare time, the discipline is not too tough, you can get to town even if you do have tours and they are hard to get, you fly a swell little ship, it is hard to get washed out if you stay on the ball, everything is wonderful.

My writing is shaky because the barracks is so cold.  The wind blows through this place like a sieve.

Now about that watch.  Please do what you think is best.  The money is at home and that should be no trouble.  I can not get a watch here or any other place unless I have a better excuse than just needing one.  They used to issue watches at graduation but that is a long ways away and they may not be doing it now.  I suppose I have come along so far without it so that 4 or 5 more months shouldn't be too long. Even so I really should have had one a long time ago and the need is becoming more urgent at the time.  I probably won't have someone with one with me all the time.

I am wearing Esther's sweater all the time now because it is much too cold to fool around without one.  I don't think anyone has one like it or as heavy as it.  Some of the fellows have heavy sweaters but they were either bought or they are not as heavy as this one.  I guess my folks at home are taking good care of me.

In your last letter you said that Mary was trying out for a new job with pretty good pay.  I hope she makes it and by now she probably has or hasn't by this time.  I wish Mary could get in with a gang that is doing something once in a while because you can have such a good time when a gang goes out and does something.  I wish I could go come and see the old gang and have a good bang up party.

Tell me how I can send some stuff home the best way.  I am undecided which is better, parcel post or the Railway Express.  You see I haven't sent those books and odds and ends yet and parcel post looks rather expensive. Even so the money don't look like too much to me.

Well I will have to close now because soon we will have to get moving.

With love

Austin.

November 19, 1943 (2)

   Dear (oh well I started now!) Nov. 19,

Esther:

What a mistake!  My mind must be wandering terribly.  I am thinking about what I shall do my first night out.  Shall I go to Los Angeles and see the town?  Shall I go to San Diego and see Don Towse?  Shall I go see mother's cousin in Hollywood?  Well I don't really know just what to do.  I might go see one of Pop's relatives in Onterio (or something).  Why didn't Pop tell me about his relatives rather than Aunt Emma?  Really what would you do?

It really is about time that I thanked you for the box that came the day before yesterday.  The sweater was quite a surprise and a very pleasant one at that.  My friend from Belmont asked me who made it "my mother".  When I said it was my sister he was really surprised that sisters did such things.  Evidently in his home his mother does all the favors and the sisters are little or big pests as the case may be.  It really is the thing I need because the cold weather is setting in and the sweater looks heavy and wooly.  There is only one catch.  I can't wear it outside so everyone can see it because G.I. clothes only are worn in plain sight or for any formation.  It looks like I can wear it under my blouse.  I am sure your handwork will be put to a good purpose even though I won't be able to show it off.

The candy was a surprise also.  As I stood admiring the sweater I didn't realize that there was more in the box.  Not until I lifted it out to put it on did the kisses fall out and in the scramble that followed I got 3 pieces of fudge and a couple of kisses.  They sure went fast.  The fudge reminded me of the nights after you got paid with me around helping you eat your box of Sullivan Sq. candy.  It really was good.  I shouldn't have opened the box just before supper.  When these fellows are hungry nothing from home in the way of eats can satisfy them.

You can tell Pop that I passed my first code check but just barely passed it.  It was called a 4 word check.  20 letters a minute in 2 weeks.  It is a check to see that everyone is progressing in one of the hardest subjects we have.  Next we work on 6 words a minute until we can receive 12 to 14 a minute and then we can graduate without worrying. Code in it's self is not too tough it is just certain letters that screw up the works.  I have trouble remembering W and V and U and K.  I can do the rest all right.

Things are running along pretty smoothly and my worries are few except for the ever present little "demerits".  Down here you get gigged but each gig may have attached 3 or 4 demerits so you have to stay on the ball.  So far I have been fortunate as I have had only 5 demerits since I have been here.  I found out what they wanted and did what was wanted so the Sqn. Commander is happy and I don't get gigged.  Some fellows have tours and plenty of them.  One fellow has 24 tours and he is happy because he can get out in 3 weeks.  Well I find it easier to keep a good record and have my overnight passes.  By the way we have the best under classman pre-flight group.  We have the best commander.  We have the best everything.  We are "On the Ball."

Well I don't know what to write except that the further I go in this business the better I like it.  I have picked out the plane I want to fly.  It is the A-20A Boston Bomber.  Get William to show you one. 

A-20A Boston

 It is a plane that has one pilot, a Bombigator and a couple of crew men.  As I am too large for pursuit flying this is the one for me.  Oh well that is a long time off.  If the Sqn. keeps up the way it is I will have a good chance to fly it as the best Sqns to get wing get to fly what they want.

With Love

Austin