September 5, 1943

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Sunday Sept, 5

Dear Mother

Well! it must seem like a long time since you last heard from me and it also seems like a long time sine I last wrote.  It was last Saturday that I wrote last and at that time I was about to go on "open post".  I don't remember what I wrote so I will begin by just writing the news.

Thank you ever so much for the box which I received on Tuesday when I was CW.  What's that?  It means charge of quarters and it is a little job every has to do at some time or another.  It consists of a period of duty from 1700 to 2400 when I get relieved by another man who works till 0800.  You are in charge of the barracks and your duty are trivial but numerous.  You ring the bells for formations and study periods as well as for bed and lights out; you collect the mail and make hourly inspection to see that everything is in order and that all the lights are out and no one is A.W.O.L.  The candy came in very handy and tasted very good about 2400.  I was all alone and you can bet I took very good care of it.  My first thought on receiving it was that it must have meant a lot to use sugar for such a purpose.  I just want to say that I really appreciated it and was very glad to receive it.  The powder has come in handy alright and I am glad I have it.  And the film was a very unexpected surprise.  Maybe I'll have to send some more pictures home now.  I suppose I will get a letter pretty soon with your reaction on the last picture.   I am saving the film for the flying field which incidentally is in next weeks training.

Next week and the following weeks are the ones we have been waiting for all this time.  Next Tuesday and for several (4) weeks in a row we will fly 2 weeks in the afternoon and 2 weeks in the morning.  We have really been waiting for this.  The usual procedure was to fly all day for 2 weeks and then the next flight fly 2 weeks and then both leave together. Well they seem to think that this arrangement of flying half time for a month is better.  I rather think that the other system is better because you can concentrate on the thing night and day whereas we will also have studies during the day as well as fly.  Any way we are glad to get started.

We don't know much about what we are getting into.  We do know that the planes are "cubs", red in color except for 2 yellow, they fly over town and that is really a lot of fun.  Some of the fellows have some flying time and others like me are very enthused over the thought.  I will write about it as soon as I can and you may be sure that I will find time for a short note in the middle of the week.

Another shipment of fellows left yesterday.  With them left the "wash outs" of the present flights.  Two of our boys have washed out.  A fellow by the name of Harmsen from N.J. just wasn't what they wanted.  He just wasn't on the ball.  In his short stay here he had piled up 160 tours for everything in the book.  He had been gigged for everything from insubordination to a dirty floor in his room.  He was the most untidily dressed person you ever saw and only took a bath when the fellows told him that he was going to get GI'ed or else.  He just broke all the rules and thought he could talk his way out.  But what a mind.  He had one of the most intelligent minds I have ever seen.  He was really a very good student even though he asked too many questions and made the class very conscious of him and his questions that were off the subject but had a connection to it.  He didn't have discipline and will never have it.  They are sending him to radio school and the Commandant of Students here thinks he will do a good job there.  He will end up as a radio man gunner and that is really too bad for a fellow with his ability and lack of judgment.   

The other fellow was a very mediocre person but knew what he wanted.  He had just as much chance of becoming a pilot as anyone but blew his top to Lt. Manning when he couldn't see his wife and mother whom he hadn't seen for 18 mos and had come 2300 miles

Somehow he ended up with a blank page in the middle of the letter!

to see him.  It was hardly necessary because he would only have to wait several days to see them.  When he was asked at that meeting with the Lt. if he liked it, he told him no and told him what he didn't like.  The Lt. said that he would see what he could do about it so this gentleman will get back his Sgt. rating and go into the ground crew.

We moved last week into Haven Hall about ten yds from N. Dorm. We have a room overlooking the river and a pretty good place to be.  We get a fine breeze all day and the sun shines in all afternoon.  The one trouble is that the breeze also brings a lot of dirt and grime from the factories and the rail road track on the other side of the river.  Even so we like the room better than the one we had.  Of course my address is not changed.

I got one of the biggest compliments of my life yesterday.  I got an English paper back that was a test.  I thought that I had done a very poor job on it but across the top were these words, "Intelligent Paper".  The English teacher and I will get along very well together from now on.  My spelling is not too good but I almost passed the last test.

I also tied for having the second best paper in history.  That test was rather tough but I got the second highest mark in the class.  Now I have about run out of news and shall reread some of your letters to see what you would like to hear.

I almost forgot the newspapers even though they are the main thing cluttering up the place.  I was sure glad to get them and some news from the "home town".  All the fellows got a kick out of my picture.  They thought that I was a lot fatter now than I was.  Well that is a fact.  I weighed somewhat over 180 lbs.  That means that I have gained 25 lbs since that picture and about 20 since June 7.  I almost think that I might get fat.

About that Methodist Church I knew I had to go to church soon or I wouldn't know what to do when I did.  This church was the nearest to the campus and the only church I know.  They gave us a little card to fill out and it was from this that they sent what ever you got.  I did get an invitation to dinner but it just so happens that I had also signed up for a picnick at the swimming pool and I didn't want to miss it.

Our schedule is full until Oct 2 and then we are expected to move to Santa Ana.  Everyone from this college has gone to Santa Ana and I see no reason why we should be the first to change the procedure.  Of course I don't know what we will get for "open post" out there but you better send the information about the addresses out that way.

I got a letter form Mrs. Weeks this week.  It was really a card with a message on the back.  It was a very attractive card and I appreciated it very much.  Please thank her for me. By the way I will tell William in his letter but you can also.  Don't forget because it was very nice of her to think of me.

I got two cards form William from "Old Orchard" and I was surprised to receive them.  He seems to enjoy life quite a lot now adays.  I will write to him too as soon as possible.  I liked Mary's letter a lot.  I thought I had lost it but I finally found it in another "pile of stuff" (this is impossible).

As for Bill Cunningham keep sending them along.  I enjoy his stuff very much.

So the "refugee" arrived.  Well what do you know about that?  I hope she fits the baby carriage.  Nancy Jean is kind of a nice name.  I rather like it.  Give "Bertha" and the baby my love.

You talk about a meat and butter famine.  Out here there is still plenty of everything.  We seem to get the best of everything.  We get get Beef and Gravy 2 suppers and one dinner.  We get cold ham once a week.  We always get a stew once a week to finish up the leftovers.  We get one pot of butter a meal and all the cream we want and all the milk.  You can drink.  The Beloit people do not seem to be short of meat or butter but they are much nearer the supply than you are.  I am (was) going to send you a few interesting things I found in the paper today but as I read it I can only find one little item.  This may interest you the way it did me. I have never seen anything like it in Mass. papers.  Out here you see a great number of people wearing these hay fever masks.  It seems that the ailment is very prevalent out here.

Tell Mary that the service men out here are well taken care of in the way of girl friends.  I guess some of the fellows have more than one in more than one place.  My roommmate has a girl back home and you ought to hear some of his letters.  His mother and sister came from N.Y. to see him this week and that is where I spent most of my time (with them).  We really had a swell time.

I have to close now.

With love,

Austin (the hot Pilot)

{Some of the clippings his mother sent from the local newspaper!  They don't write them like this anymore!}

Funny that they don't tell you the Coast Guardsmans name.

August 23, 1943

Pvt. Austin Rounds
95th C.T.P.
Beloit College
Beloit Wis.

Beloit College

Beloit Wis

Aug 23, 1943

Dear Mother,

It has been quite some time since I wrote last but I have finally gotten around to it again.  I usually plan to write on Sunday but they are very busy when you have nothing to keep you in.  Last Sunday (yesterday) I left just as I could get out.  The reason is that I am gradually learning the town and am beginning to find the places to enjoy ones self.  

Of course the U.S.O. is the main place to gather.  Most everyone that leaves goes by the U.S.O. chiefly because it is so near the school and partly to find out what is going on.  They usually have something planned an if not you can always stay and read the magazines, eat cake and candy, play ping-pong and other games or just sit, or then dance with the hostesses; some of them are really nice.

To get back to what I have done lately I might say that our program has been cut from 20 weeks to 10 weeks meaning that we will leave way ahead of schedule.  This army works that way.  At J.B. you remember we completed 56 days in 30, here we'll complete 5 months in little more than 2 and at classification I hear they have cut the 42 days to about 25, so you can see that you can't always go by army schedule.

Again I have been out of luck because my last name didn't start with a letter low in the alphabet.  Tomorrow some of the fellows that came from J.B. with us start to fly.  They took everyone in our flight from A to M and set them ahead.  As it is I start flying Sept 7 which is about 2 weeks from now.  Oh well I guess I will get there even if I don't get set ahead like the other part of the alphabet.

I got a letter from Grandma last week but haven't been able to write yet to her.  I will try to tomorrow.  You had better keep her informed as I am sure that I will not be able to find time often.

Sunday I went to church!!!  This is unusual partly because I haven't found the time to find out when church started and that most of my friends are Catholic.  The boy in my room is Jewish and has too many "tours" to go anywhere.  After church I went to a swimming pool that is operated by a country club.  It is open to the service men and that is where you find most of them.  The pool is the best of its kind in the country except for maybe a few in Hollywood.  It really looks like a Hollywood pool.  It has three diving boards on which to practic; it is about 50 ft across and 150 feet long.  It has a beautiful lawn all around it and it is a swell place to sit and sun.  If I can get out again I certainly will make a B. line for the place.

Post card found at this website

After the swim there was a special picnic for the service men on the grounds.  They have tables, chairs, and fire places right near the pool.  The U.S.O. furnished everything including the girls.  The lunch was swell, pickles, sandwiches, drink, cookies, cake, candy and all.  Beloit also is a swell place to go on furlough the people are so good.  As we will never get a furlough our open post will have to provide us with enjoyment and this town certainly can do this.

You just can't imagine the urge you have to get away from it all.  All week long you are in under a terrific tension and you have to let down some way or you will soon go to pieces.  Usually when they see you are weakening they ride you and that makes things worse.  One fellow has 153 tours to walk and we are sure he also has a recommendation after his name to be washed out at Santa Ana.  You just have to get out and let down for a short time.  You have to forget that you have a hard job to do the next day.

We got a new class added to our schedule.  It is a class of First Aid given by one of the policemen from town.  He is really good even though he gets rather dry at times.  He gives a lot of information in stories from his experience.  Everyone seems to enjoy the class even though it's hard to stay awake.

Most of my marks so far have been pretty good.  I am well above average in my classes which is about 85%.  "Place geography" is giving a little trouble but I just got a test back that was an 80%.  Otherwise I have nothing too much to say about the class.

The college here has just finished its summer term and all but 3 of the girls have gone home.  That means that the fellows do K.P. now.  It is not too tough because they have several women who work there all the time.  The fellows just serve the food and clean the tables afterwards.  It is really soft compared with the other K.P. I have seen.

I had expected that "lights out" would sound before now but I will write some more as long as I have the time.

I wish you would send me that deodorant powder that was left or if it is gone send me some in the next box.  We have some very foul smelling stuff we put in our shoes to kill athletes foot and harden the feet.  As the powder kills smells I hope it will get the smell out of my shoes.  I haven't used the foot powder for some time but it still seems to be effective.

I wish you would scare around and try to get some film this way.  One of the fellows got some and took my picture.  I was going to send it home but I put it in some place where I would be sure to know where it was.  It's gone now and I will have to find it sometime.

The bell just rang "lights out"

With love

Austin

{And the back page of his letter, written in pencil and quite larger than his normal handwriting!  Probably written after lights out.}

{A letter to his mother from the church he attended on Sunday.}

June 20, 1943

Jefferson Barracks

Missouri

Sunday June 20, 1943

Dear Mary;

We are having a pouring rain now.  It is just coming down in buckets and is running into all the gullies. It is following in under the door and is beginning to wet the floor and make it rather uncomfortable.  But it is a welcome change.  All day long it has been too hot to do anything and I have stayed in an slept or stayed in the shade.  I did a little washing and it was rather hot work and I cam back with my clothes rather swetty.  I went to look up my friend Dick Moir who got in last Thursday.  They had com in coaches and had sopped for six hours in Chicago.   I had seen them come in and had read the shipping orders with all their names on it but I had not noticed his.  if I had know he was hear before I would have gone and seen him.  All of his gang were very interested in that picture.  Thanks a lot for telling me of him and for sending that picture.

When I think of the poor people at home I feel sorry for you with all the rationing.  With the gas shortage you have to walk and the sugar rationing Mother has to worry about how she will come out at the end of a period.  We don't have any rationing at all out here.  The gas shortage don't bother me at all.  I walk everywhere I go and when I go to the main P.X. that is some walk.  We get all the sugar we want and I have gotten so that I leave sugar in the bottom of my coffee cup.  What a waste.  The meat we get may not be the best but who can pick when it tastes good and fills up the right spot.  We really have an easy life on Sundays.

I was glad to hear about the banquet and I am glad you had a good time.  Last year there were cars and gas for pleasure driving but this year you seemed to have a tough time to get around.  As you say Mr. Thibodeau stole the show from the rest of the teachers.  Last year he shared honors with Mr. Miller but he is gone.  The kids always have fun when "Thibby" is there.  He is really a good sport.  I supposed most of the after-dinner speeches were rather dry but that seems to be the case everywhere and every time.

I sure wish I was home to go to the "Pops" or the Esplanade concerts this summer.  As it is we have prospects of staying here 56 days but it probably won't be that long.  If it is I won't get home to go to any of the concerts at all.  Most likely I won't get home for quite some time yet.  Have they played the "Rhapsody in Blue" lately.  I heard it today on the radio and it made me rather wish I was hearing it in Stoneham rather than in Missouri.  It rather reminded me of William and his records.

We really got a good laugh today.  One of the fellows got a letter from his girl and she wrote, quote, "how many hours of flying have you had".  The nearest we get to planes is seeing one or two flying over every once in a while.  We really don't expect to see planes until the end of our college when we get the 10 hours of dual instructions.  That will be the day and will be something to write about.

Today I went to church.  It is really a little chapel that has been dedicated in the last week.  It was really a beautiful service and it made me homesick.  I guess that church is one of the things that I really miss.  I guess I got so used to church at home I will get homesick everytime.  This seems to be the only time of week I felt like I am missing something.

I am writing this by match light because the lights are out.

So!
With Love
Austin

Here's what's on the bottle of eye drops

187864            4.23.43
Drop two drops in eyes twice daily
Dr. Crosby