Luke Field
Phoenix, Ariz
June 27
Dear Mother:
I got your last letter last Saturday and here it is upper classman's graduation day so we have time to spare. I can think of nothing better than to write because I am thinking of home again. Of late especially since those pictures came home has been on my mind. Maybe I am getting homesick??
I get quite a kick out of the pictures. Someone got a hold of that one 10 years old and got a kick out of me. I think I shall return it because it is valuable. I noticed that you are still wearing the same clothes you wore a year ago. How about spending some of my money on yourself and get your picture taken so I can see what you look like in something new. I wish you would take some of the money because it means very little to me.
I have a chance to go out today if I want but instead I shall stay on the post and go swimming and try to improve on my tan. I am getting a swell brown in fact I think I look a little black. Is there any black blood in the family? You can get a sun burn around here in 1/2 an hour. Of course I don't sun bathe all the time but try to do underwater acrobatics. Sunday I banged my head on the bottom and it made my head ache. Maybe I should take better care of it.
(I have just come back from supper)
I left this letter about 8 hours ago and have been swimming and to the library. I haven't done much except get more tanned and read some of the book "The Strange Woman". It doesn't seem to be much of a story and is much too big for me to read. I have got a headache as it is.
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| {ed note: The book was made into a movie in 1946 and can be seen in full, online} |
I haven't told you much about chow lately. I haven't eaten a piece of bread for over 5 weeks now. We have so much more to eat. We get all the vegetables we can eat. We also get a lot more fruit. Oranges and grapefruit are very plentiful. We are still getting multiple desserts and cake for breakfast. I think I eat too much.
I put a penny in a scale the other day and weighed 186. I guess with flying clothes and a parachute I must run pretty close to the 200 lb crew weight in these planes. I must lose a lot of weight during the day because it is so hot. You don't sweat because it is too dry.
I am still thinking of coming home but I hardly think I'll have a good chance. I know you would like to come out but you should consider everything before you come. you know that T.W.A advertisement looked pretty good. However I might find a B24 and crew heading the right way if I am lucky. I must get ready for bed. Tomorrow is a big day.
With love
Austin
