May 22, 1944

Hello again!!!

Well here is another set of cards to let you know about the country.  This set is not quite as good as some of the others but the selection was rather poor.  You may be able to get an idea of the desert around here.  I have never seen any Calif. poppies in my travels but the card is rather nice anyway. 

What do you think of this character?  This is somewhat different from the card before.  Maybe you think that deserts have lots of such things but the only wild thing I have seen is a lizard we saw from a train and a jack rabbit we caught on bivouac.  As for snakes they must have gotten tired of hearing BT 13 A's and took off to the mts.

Scotty's Castle of death valley is a well known landmark in Death Valley.  We flew about 40 miles from it when on our second x-country.  Scotty is a well known personage all over the country .  He made his money on Borax O or something and built this castle.  He was originally a prospector who found mountains of gold but could never locate them again.  I guess the heat got him.

Maybe you have head of Red Rock Canyon.  I never had so I guess anything I could say about it would be stretching the truth.  Dad has been to Calif. so maybe he knows.  I have never seen such a rock formation while here even though I have portably flown over them.  The terrain around here looks a lot like this because of the heavy rains and washes they have in the spring.

This is the main "drag" in the "fair" town of Lancaster.  The road that goes left and right is really the main road that goes to L.A. (74 mi) Palmdale Rosemond and Mojave (see sign part).  On the left is the main vegetable store and the right the center of night life (the drug store). In the farthest back ground you can see the mts. that surround Antelope Valley.  I guess when 500 cadets hit this town the people are almost out numbered.  That's all about the town, there ain't no more.

Love

Austin

May 21, 1944

War Eagle Field

Lancaster

May 21, 1944

Dear Mother:

This is Sunday and a wonderful day to relax and have fun.  Flying is over and all is peace with the world.  Today I am relaxing and enjoying life where I can find it because next Sunday I will be in Arizona again and all will not be so well.

I am now laying in the sun in my swimming trunks, having just come out of the swimming pool.  The water is rather cold but not bad at all.  I guess it is a lot warmer than anything you have.  I get quite a kick out of swimming here because this is one of the few outdoor pools I have been in.  They have a swell board and everything.  It is quite a layout.  After getting through basic I guess it wasn't so tough after all.  At least we have had this pool for the last couple of weeks.

I got both your letters yesterday and did not get time to read them until I decided I couldn't make the last bus to L.A.  I was going in but couldn't get my cleaning so had to iron an old shirt I do not like the looks of.  It had been in the bottom of my barracks ever since Santa Ana.  You can guess what it looked like.  I put a iron mark on the back but I don't show too well.  I also had to sew on a patch (Air Corp) on the sleeve so by that time it was too late.  Well I went to Lancaster and had a nice T Bone steak for dinner and went to the movies.  I tried to straighten out my locker when I got back but have made very little headway.  I am trying to get that box of odds and ends together to send home so don't expect that box too soon.  It will probably get off the last minute which will be next Wednesday some time.

Your description of what the surrounds are becoming make me rather homesick.  I wish I could see the apple blossoms and all.  I used to like apple blossoms especially when they just begin to fall and the air seems to be just full of them.  Out here you notice a very pleasant smell when you are driving along the roads, orange trees in bloom.  They really have a wonderful smell.  I think most everyone would like them especially when whole groves at a time blossom and have that sweet smell.

Orange grove in So. Cal.

I guess you have become a coordinator of internal affairs at home.  You seem to be the go between the home front and the fighting front (what a laugh).  I have survived the battle of Santa Ana; the battle of primary, the battle of basic and one more to go.  I hope I get over the last ditch.  I can just imagine a bulletin board in the office (kitchen) with all current notices posted.  Anyway you keep me well posted.

I guess William ought to meet some new girls.  If he were in the Army he would meet more than enough.  I guess Harold Varny is a good sample of what happens.  He used to see that girl every Sunday as long as I was with him in St. Luis.  I never did get to meet her even though he said I was welcome to come out.  We never go to town at the same time.

I saw Albeins picture in the paper.  It sure was a pretty good one of him.  I see he is in England doing some sort of electrical work.  I guess he will be in on the big deal over there.  I guess they intend to make electricians out of bakers until the big blow is over.  I guess it will all be over in a couple of months (we hope)

I am going to dinner

With love

Austin

March 30, 1944

War Eagle Field

Lancaster

Mar. 30, 1944

Dear Mother:

I have received several letters from home and elsewhere since I have attempted to answer any.  The chief reason is that time is rather short here and the schedule run pretty close.  That seems like an old story by now but each time we move we go to a place where time moves faster and intervals between are few and far between.  At Ryan I thought I was rushed but it was a schedule full of spare time compared with our present one.

We get up at 5:45 to meet reveille.  We make our beds and everything that has to be done gets done or else.  We eat breakfast at 6:45 and go to the flight line at 7:30.  We are on schedule there until 12:45.  We return and eat dinner at 1310 and go to first class at 1340.  We finish ground school at 1640 and then go to PT at 1655.  We have an hour of PT and have just time to take a shower.  At 1825 we have supper and then retreat at 1850.  We then have drill for an hour or maybe a little less if it gets dark early. About 2000 we should be free but if you have ground school at night or have flunked some class you don't get any time yet.  We have been having lectures at night that last about an hour and that means we get off at 2100 and taps at 2130.  In that last 30 min. you make your bed and shave.  Then your day is done and starts again before you have a chance to think again.  That's my day.

Flying is going all right I guess but I got kind of discouraged learning to fly all over again. I thought I could fly before I hit this field and here is where I am learning how little I know.  You fly with your right hand on the stick your feet on the rudder pedals and the left hand is flying all over the place.  You have a radio to control and a "mike" you carry if you want to use it.  You have a propeller pitch, a mixture control, a throttle and a couple of heat controls.  You also have a wobble pump, trim tabs, a gas tank switch and any number of instruments.  I sure looked sick in that plane the first day.  You also have a torque correction to take into account, and the altitude of the plane is the big problem.  You try to maintain an even bank, keep the nose on the horizon.  It is a very big job to take on all at once.  Right now I doubt if I could even fly a Ryan but I guess I could if I started to remember a few things.

BT-13A student cockpit

(About 24 hours have lapsed now)

I had to leave off the first part of this letter to go up to the ground school on business.  I had to write a 350 word essay so I could get out this weekend.  I have it all done now so I can go out.  

I don't know what I was thinking about yesterday so I will say something about our flying schedule.  I should solo soon and get in a little time in the air to myself.  Next week we go on our first cross country hop which comes about 300 mi in the form of a triangle.  We are going to have a lot of fun because we will do it solo.  It will be easy to get lost because we will fly over a lot of desert on the way and check points will be few and far between. However a lot of fellows have done it before me so I guess I can do it.

We were kidding the instructors last night about our getting lost.  I told him if I got lost I would fly the "iron beam" (the railroad).  He said that was all right but not to fly down the middle of the tracks but down the sides because the navy flies down the middle.  One leg of the trip will be over a road and near a railroad.  This road follows a rather circular form and goes around a danger area where heavy B29's, B17's, and B20's do precision bombing.  We often hear these boys talking over the radio because this area is not too far away.

I have been dreaming of coming home in the last few nights.  Is that a good sign?  I hope so because they are extending our course another week here and maybe a couple of weeks later on so I may not come home when I expect if I do get home.  It's a wonderful thing to think about anyway.

I will get into your letter now.  I guess the deal on getting out that class book so soon after the boy's death is that one complete page was added.  You can see in the back an empty page.  I guess they had the pages all printed and only had to add this one when they were bound.  It was a rather quick job.

A few of the boys from Beloit went to Ryan with me but only a few.  I think there were maybe 4 or 5 of them.  You see we were only replacements for another sqn. going there so that we got pretty well mixed up.  You will find a few all the way around.  Still fewer are here at War Eagle than were at Ryan.  I sure meet a new bunch every time I move.

As for the group  Richardson the nice looking fellow is here with me.  Rogers and Reynolds went to Marana which his near Tucson for Basic and Rowland was my bunkmate who washed out.  If you think Richardson would be nice to write to you had better write his girlfriend whom he may marry soon seeing he is now near home.  That seems to be the case of most of the fellows here.  Most have very nice pictures tuck up or they are married and their wives live near here.  I guess I am the only totally unattached one in the outfit.

A box will be very welcome you can bet.  We don't have too much we can eat after meals around here.  We can have food in the lockers if we don't keep it too long.  As for 5 and 10 cent candy that will do very well.  I like the licorice that was sent last time.  Any kind of candy that will ship always tastes good.  I suppose things are getting short everywhere except in the Army.

(Another 24 hours has gone by)

This letter seems to be extending over the best part of a week.  Well you can read it and imagine it is three letters all received on the same day.

Today is Saturday and we have just finished our inspection and have the day free soon if they will only have PT. After PT we can go to L.A. and see the town.

I received a letter from Cousin Emma in Hollywood the other day and she said she had Dana's wife is living with her so I guess I had better not expect to stay out there.  I can find a hotel room easily if we get to town early.

Yesterday I soloed that BT13A.  It is quite a thrill of course and I bet I got a dozen grey hairs in the process.  there are so many things you could forget and anyone might make a trip very uncomfortable.  How I would like to get into an auto where you can live with a peaceful mind knowing that if anything goes wrong you have just to stop and think about it.  Up in the air that is rather hard to do.  I guess anyone can fly if they put their mind to it even though there is a lot to remember.

BT 13A Vultee

It is so different flying a closed cockpit plane.  You can't hear the wind as well and you can't feel the air rush by when you do a slip in a turn.  You can easily let the airspeed drop until the plane stalls because the controls are so heavy.  They are so smooth to handle though.  You can maintain your altitude by just moving a trim tab and it will fly at that altitude even when up and down currents of air bounce the plane around a lot.  

I have a lot of fun with my instructor.  He is always trying to screw me up and when I do something a little out of the ordinary he makes some witty remark.  Sometimes he gets awful mad at me for some of the things I do but I guess I am slowly catching on.

I may not get a chance to answer Aunt Emma's gift right away.

I have started now to finish this letter but for good this time.  I won't tell you how much time has gone by.  I guess I have quite a manuscript now and I have run out of things to talk about.  I may get a chance to write during the time we are on the flight line.  I may write to Aunt Emma tonight so if I mention my thanks for the sewing kit that hasn't yet arrived I guess I will be in the clear.  I am sending Mary a few additions to her charm bracelet.  They came from L.A. (maybe you can guess how long it has been since this letter started).

Well I think I will close up for now and get some sleep.  I had a long week end.  I will write about it in my next letter.

With love

Austin.

March 14, 1944

War Eagle Field

Lancaster, Calif

Mar. 14, 1944

Dear Mother:

Well here I am in a new field starting a new phase of training.  The flying I will like very much but the Army discipline will not be much to my liking.

War Eagle Field, Lancaster, CA

This is an Army run civilian field.  The Army sets up the military but the civilians do most of the flying and manage our rooming and board.  There isn't much to say about that except that you can't get enough to eat with out a lot of bother.  They are also making a lot of money on us.  We pay $2.25 a day for food but we certainly don't get that much to eat.  The houses we live in have 16 men in each, 4 in a room.  That makes everything crowded and rather uncomfortable.  The rooms are heated by Butane burners.  They smell rather bad sometimes but they aren't lit too often because we aren't here too much.

We got a warm welcome when we got here.  In fact they came right on the train for us.  We were asleep all over the place and these guys ran in and wanted to know where we thought we were.  They got us out and then we doubled timed out of the station yard.  They gave us an inspection but it was a very general affair.  Everything is just like old C.T.P. with a lot of discipline.  They say they are trying to get you on the ball but it is just hazing in its best form.  It's quite a change from Primary.

We had quite a graduation and I took part much more than I expected to ever do.  When they gave out the awards they call out all the names at once and then awarded the medals.  When they called my name I couldn't guess what they had for me.  I know I wouldn't get the scholastic award; I couldn't get the military award because I wasn't any hot looking soldier.  I couldn't get the P.T. award because I am no physical marvel; so what could it be?  Well there could only be one thing, the hot pilot award.  So for Professional Proficiency in Squadron 8 I got the "Flight Award", out of 80 men they gave me the medal for the best all around flying.  The award was a sterling silver bracelet with the words "Flight Award" Sqn. 8, Class 44G, 3-10-44.  All I need is to have my name engraved on the plate.

I really never thought I could fly worth a damn.  I did so many things that were so poor.  I had trouble with everything and really had to work to get things down right.  I guess I learned pretty fast because my troubles didn't last long but I had them on everything.  I guess I owe a lot to my instructor because he really knew how to fly and he sure knew how to teach.  I thought he had given me up for a lost cause at the beginning.  He never did give me credit for doing well until the near the last when he told me I did a very good stage considering what everyone else had done.  I had made 6 3 point landings in a hurdle stage but he said that it was only a satisfactory C stage.  I guess if he had told me I was good I would have gotten a swell head and never done well at all.

You probably have the box I sent home when I left Tucson.  All the stuff is miscellaneous more or less.  I guess you expected something else but I didn't have anything special to send.  I hope Mary got the bracelet.  It was not too well wrapped up but it seemed at the time to be the best and most available way.

If you haven't found my picture in the yearbook {check out the whole yearbook by clicking that link} just look in Sqn 8 and there I am.  I also have my picture in a couple of small snapshots.  You may be able to find them.  I should have had the book autographed by everyone but I got the ones I wanted anyway. 

I suppose you saw who it was dedicated to.  That poor fellow was killed 2 days before we graduated. He went into a spin at 7000' and recovered only to go into a secondary spin and spin in.  What happened to him could have happened to anyone who could get rattled and get excited.  The only reason he couldn't recover from the second spin was because he forgot all he had learned about spins. Everyone had to go up right afterwards and do spins.  I went up solo and you can guess I felt rather funny.  I did two spins and a couple of accidental spins and then did loops the rest of the time.  I guess sooner or later I will have to get used to it.

I guess this place has its possibilities.  We have two swimming pools and a pretty good place to have games after P.T.  The only trouble is it's cold as heck around here.  There was ice all over things this morning.  The wind blows all the time around here and it sure is cold.  This is Calif.  but it sure feels like home.

Well we will have dinner soon so I will have to close.  I guess I will like it here but right now things are rough.  I guess I can take it all right and will survive.

With love

Austin (The Hot Pilot)