February 13, 1945

Feb. 13, 1945

Dear Esther:

I guess I haven't written for some time so it's about time I got something off in your direction.  I got your nuts yesterday and was pleased as usual.  You seem to know what I like.  I only wish I could say the same.

We don't have very much to do all day but raise the dickens and amuse the Suleys.  We eat at a drug store and usually spend about 2 hours eating a sandwich and a bowl of soup.  We sit and sling a line at the girls and just have a good time. We kid them along and they kid us.  It's just one big session to see who can make the best wise crack before the others can open their mouths.  The girls are married I believe but their job must get monotonous. Anyway they just laugh now when Sam and I come in.  Mr. Suley says we are a couple of Tommy Manville's, a couple of playboys on a much smaller scale.  He says we have nothing to do but think up mischief and get into as much as possible.

Just to show you that all this playing is doing no good I can give you two examples.  I was pulling a sled a couple of weeks ago and sprained my ankle and had to hobble around for a couple of weeks.  Last Sunday I was riding a young lady's bike and twisted my knee and sprung it so that I again hobble around.  I guess it's no use, I must either go to work or quite fooling around before I really do some harm.

You know I have all kinds of trouble writing letters with the folks around.  Mr. Suley (dad) keeps telling stories about when he was a traveling man and he keeps us pretty well entertained.  He is really quite a character.  He took us to dinner with him yesterday at the Chamber of Commerce and then we took him to play pool.  We let the loser pay and he paid most of the time.  Then he started giving out the story that he had been picked up by the soldiers and they were taking his money.  If he hadn't said it with a smile I might have believed him.  

Maybe you like gum.  I saw this in the PX yesterday and thought maybe there was a shortage at home. I don't have much of a choice but you can have what is left.  I believe I shall make up a box for you poor civilians and send it along soon.  All I need is a few ideas and a box to put them in.

Well I must quit now and let Mr. Suley talk some more.

With love

Austin

January 30, 1944

Ryan Field

Tucson Ariz.

Jan. 30, 1944

Gee Bill,

I guess I haven't written you in some time so I will tell you a little about life out here.

We are having a whale of a time because we all have the same objective in mind and are beginning to get somewhere.  I am in with a bunch of fellows who like to have a good time and you can bet we really make life worth while.  I have just finished a steam bath and a water fight.  We go in, turn on all the hot water in the shower except for 2 and we stand under them so we won't melt.  With six showers giving off steam you can guess how hot it gets.  When we have had enough steam in our lungs we turn off all the water except a few and then we squirt these at each other.  We have quite a time.  We are sure running the Army's water bill up.

Friday afternoon I soloed as everyone has all ready been told.  It was quite an experience.  I made 3 landings all of which may have been good if you were looking at them from a far off but one was sure lousy.  I was coming in over a plane that was revving up its engine so just before I had it stalled out about 5 ft. off the ground I hit the slip stream and at the same time a cross wind picked up the right wing until I thought I would roll up in a ball.  However I brought the plane in pretty well and except for a few gray hairs I guess I came out all right.

A lot of fellows ground loop around here and they really get the "bird".  You have to know how to fly to go up so unless a cross wind comes all of a sudden there seems no excuse for it.  Of course when you stall these ships in for a good 3 point landing a left wing is very likely to drop if you don't watch out for it.  To correct you kick the opposite rudder to bring it up, no aeolian is used.  When you land then you don't land straight and have to do a lot of rudder work.  But still you shouldn't do it very often.

Video of a wingover in a crosswind

Video of Ground Looping

These little ships are really "hot".  They come in and take off a lot faster than most of the ships we will fly in the future.  I don't mean they fly top speed faster but that the landing and take off speed is a lot faster.  An A.T. is the only ship that lands faster.  If we get so we can land these you can bet we can land a B.T. because they are a lot slower.  You see we have flaps but still.  You come in about 80 m.p.h.  Many fighters don't even land that fast.

Today we had to go on gas truck detail.  We pumped gas for the planes for the fellows who have to fly to get their time in so they can leave this next week.  We pumped gas in the planes, on the planes, and over the planes; I pumped gas on myself and into the knee pocket of my flying suit.  We had a heck of a time.  We pumped about 600 gals in 4 hours.  I guess we pumped more than that because that was for only 3 of the 4 fillings.  We had a swell time.

While we were working we saw something you will never see back home.  We saw a mirage.  It was no beautiful gal or some oasis out in the middle of this desert but a series of mts. where there are none.  We were told that those mts. could be about 70 miles more away.  They did not stay just mts. but became little hills and then plateaus and then peaks again.  They were quite something to see.

Well how is civilian life?  I guess it is getting rather rough on all you poor people who try to keep up the home front.  We get good food and everything.  I suppose the old rationing is getting everyone all balled up.  How does the gas hold out?  I guess you don't get the car very often.

Say!  Give Dot my love.  By the way how is Dot these days?  From what I heard last you two were getting alone O.K.

So.

Until Later

Austin.

December 11, 1943 to Mother

Dear Mother:

This will have to take the place of a letter for a while.  I am so busy that my spare time is very limited.

Now that it is the Christmas Season I am getting very homesick and wish that I could be home for a short time.  Christmas time was one that really meant the most to us and I know this year can not be the same.

With love

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

November 15, 1943

Nov. 15, 1943

I have just finished debating whether I should do my homework now and go out to the movies tonight and I have a good chance of flunking a test tomorrow or stay in and write this letter and study tonight and pass the test tomorrow.  I have decided that the letter choice is the better So;

Dear Mother:

We have a little time off now before evening chow because most of the cadets are over seeing Joe Louis and the rest of us have free time.  I guess the letter should be written because I owe more than one to you all by now.

See Brown Bomber Joe at 1:00.

I have gotten those 2 packages you sent.  I would not advise you to try to feed all my friends because when boxes come the friends multiply to unheard of numbers.  If I can keep it out of sight I can be sure of keeping the contents between 6 or 8 of us.  The Independent came regularly for 3 weeks and I haven't got any since I got to pre-flight.  I guess it will catch up with me.

I read the article in the Saturday Even. Post and thought it was very interesting.  The test that fellow took was one to determine the altitude a fellow is qualified to fly at.  None of us will take such a test until near the end of our training days.  He told about the bends coming on slowly after an hour or so at 38000'.  This is the height that we went too but stayed for only a very short time.  The article was on a whole very much like what I would have told if I had written it.

I am very glad that Mary likes her job and glad to hear that she got her promotion.  I haven't heard much about her "night school" work.  I wish she didn't have to go to school nights.  I should think that she would find it very tiring.  I wouldn't want to do it.  She seems to be the one that is really working for an education.  Tell her to send along something she has done.  I would like to see it.

So you got a map of the camp.  Well that is more than I have because such things are restricted around here.  Each day we get confidential information which we are not supposed to pass on.  However a map of this camp for those in the camp can not be too dangerous if they are handing them out to the parents of the cadets.

I am glad to hear that Ralph has passed his exams for Air Crew training.  It is just the thing for him and I am sure he can take the rugged life that my be before him.

You are getting to be a airplane spotter.  The P38 really whistle when it comes down.  The other day one dived on the P.T. field.  It really screamed and when it pulled out a black trace was left behind that came from the wing tips but immediately disappeared.  It looked like smoke and I thought something had happened.  The explanation seems to be that is pullouts at high speed the air over the wing tips becomes so jumbled up that it can be seen.  Maybe William can tell you what happens.  I really don't know myself.  I have a very good airplane spotters guide here and I will send it along when I get to the post office.

Can you go in an Army-Navy store and get me something?  What I need can't be purchased anywhere on the camp.  They are the little

  and the 

that go on an officers uniform.  Get the real brass ones that can be polished and get at least 3 pairs.  They will probably cost you 2 dollars but don't let that bother you.  They are worth a lot more than that to me.  Be sure you get the officers and not the enlisted man's badge that look like this:

  They are not what I want and I can not wear them any longer.  I hope I haven't confused you by drawing the enlisted men's set.  They are worth their weight in gold around here.

I am sending a "Cadet Patch" along which you or any one can sew on an old coat or something.  It is from some the fellows threw way because they are the wrong size and color.  Ours are blue and orange.

Now what do I think about Christmas presents.  Well right now you could get me a nice furlough and a plane ride home for Christmas and I will be satisfied.  That is just a dream  I have very few needs as you can well guess.  My clothing needs are well taken care of an it would take a couple of barrels of food to feed my friends.  Those insignia would be a good present.  What can I send home?  That seems to be the real problem.

Well I have spent enough time for a while.  How is the weather at home.  It is very foggy in the morning an hot afternoons here.  I will write soon I hope.

. _ _  ..  _  ....      . _..  _ _ _ ..._  .

Austin.

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 6, 1943

{Included in the letter was the Army Emergency Relief Booklet. The Army Emergency Relief is still in force.  To see the 2012 annual report, click here.  To see photos of the last living member of the "This is the Army" show that raised funds for the AER, click here.}

July 2, 1943

(I never saw this place!  I don't think that anyone has ever seen it.  It's pretty anyway)

July 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

I suppose that the weather is a good subject to start a letter with.  We see by the papers that you have had some hot sunny days.  out here it has taken quite a change.  Monday we had a shower just as we were returning from the camouflage school.  It soaked everything including us right to the skin.  We were miserable for a while but it was hot enough so that we dried off soon.  However the rain was the start of a cold spell.  It cooled off and the evening was very pleasurable.  we actually slept cold that night and have used two blankets each night since.  The days have been cool and the heat is no longer the major grip (sic) of the day.  Today it heated up quite a lot and tomorrow promises to be a hot day.  This cold weather can't last long.  

We have to have rain around here as we get a lot of dust.  If you stop after marching the dust just rises and chokes.  You have to stay on the pavement to keep away from the dust.  The rain will wet the dust down and wash it into the hollows.  In many p laces this was gets to be several feet thick and is definitely not the thing to walk through.  If you do you have a real job to get it off especially if you let it dry.

This place is a test of home training.  Many of the fellows were brought up so badly that they return to the state of {coarse? coose} men whenever they can.  Manners in the mess hall are terrible and the huts would be so cluttered that you couldn't rake all the junk out if you relaxed the rules on neatness.  I am now sitting beside a fellow who was a very good boy when at home.   His mother had a lot to say about when he went out and how long he went and who he went out with.  He went to B.C. {Boston College} for a semester but didn't learn to much about the world. Anyway now he don't know when to come home when he gets a pass.  He also has 3 girl friends all ready and may get another tonight. Coming in late nights and try to stay awake day times is not my idea of fun.

Today we didn't do too much but still had to put in the time to get it as credit as a training day.  We got Tetnus shots last night.  They really hit you in the arm.  They make the arm numb right off but this can be worked off by pumping the arm.  Often it goes away you don't have any trouble with it.  we don't get exercises the next day no matter what kind of shots you have.  We just sat all day and sang songs or had lectures on different things.  One was defense against a tank, which was very interesting.  We were told the best way to knock out a tank with a standard rifle.  We also had dry firing on the range.  This consisted of lining up  the rifle on the target and having someone check your sighting.  Not very interesting.  We didn't have any hard work so you might call it an easy day.

We have now completed 18 training days.  In 2 more weeks or 10 more training days we will be put on a shipping which means we are subject to shipment to college.  If everything goes well we maybe out in 2 1/2 weeks.  Most of the fellows will be glad to get out of here.

Mail is coming along pretty good.  I get mail that is two or three days on the way but never much longer.  Some of the kids send everything airmail and it takes 2 days and six cents.  I could afford to but I don't think I need to.  Just how long it takes to get my letter home I don't know.

What did Mary get for a graduation present?  I would like to send her something.

I have forgotten to tell you that I got paid.  I got $.50.  That right 50 cents.  That was some paycheck.  I don't know just what it was for other than that it was for car fare to Boston that first day.  All the fellows got paid but some got as much as $2.00.

Well I must sign off now,

With Love

Austin

P.S. What errors in grammar spelling etc. do you find in my letters?