May 3, 1945

May 3, 1945

Dear Mother:

I don't know when was the last time I wrote.  It must have been last week some time when I sent the money orders.

I haven't heard about the money orders yet so I have no idea if they got home all right or not.  I have been waiting for a letter for the last 3 or 4 days and I am a little worried about them.  I know they can't get lost or anything but I was just wondering what has happened to them.  Please write and tell me what you intend to do with the money or what you have done.  If you are waiting for a suggestion, you can just put it in the bank until I find something better.

We made a 1000 mile cross country yesterday and came out relatively well even though we didn't get credit for the mission.  We didn't have the navigator shoot enough sun lines to get credit for the mission.  We flew to Marfa Texas, which is about 100 miles from El Paso.  We ran into a couple of storms but our course happened to lead between them, so we had no trouble.  One of the fellows thought he could fly through a hail storm and ended up with a wrecked ship.  It was torn up so bad by the hail that he had to make an emergency landing at a small advance school down there in Texas.  They said that the hail did so much damage that the ship may not be repairable.  Well some fellows are a little bit foolish when it comes to flying and it might have happened to me if I had come near the storm.  Some things always look so harmless but turn out to be the most dangerous after you have been through them.

Another fellow had to feather an engine because he says it was running rough.  Undoubtedly it was not running properly but anyone who would feather an engine when all his instruments read properly and then land at a place called Pyote, Texas should have his head examined.  That field is a hole in the ground and a hundred miles from anyplace.  Even so he had no reason to land when he had 3 good engines.  This old plane will run on 2 engines to say nothing of 3.  This airplane commander is noted for the foolish questions and dumb stunts he pulls.  He is also somewhat of a blowhard and generally full of wind so that stunt is about like what he usually pulls.

I wish you had told me William needed shorts and shirts before because I had some brand new white ones he could have had but I have worn them now.  I can get shirts that are white ribbed and the shorts are another story.  I can get khaki colored ones some silk ones that look better but I have never worn them so I know nothing about their wearing qualities.  They have elastic tops and might be just what he wants.  Just tell me what he wants and I think I can get them or send some of mine, even they don't have holes yet.

Grandpa wrote to me the other day.  I sent him a letter on his birthday and I guess he wrote right back.  I guess he was rather glad to hear from his wandering grandson.  I told him about all these beautiful Texas girls and he seemed all for the idea.  He said to land a nice pretty one and bring her up to Maine and see him.  He seems to be all for another marriage in the family and doesn't seem to have to much cooperation from the Rounds family.  Anyway we are all still looking even though some members don't seem to be looking too hard.  Well things are not too good lately for such things.

I have been writing from the club here because I am holding down a good seat for a show they are going to have here.  It is a stag party but as usual everyone had brought their girls so it won't be very enough.  It is just a novelty show more or less anyway.

Well the way things look now N.E. won't be our P.O.E. so tell Pop to stop worrying.  Europe seems to be a closed issue now.  It might be a training ground but nothing less or more.

Well I have some other business to attend to so I will have to close for now.

With love

Austin.

March 11, 1945

Mar. 11, 1945

Dear A.P.

I guess I have kind of neglected my writing to you of late so here is one going your way.

Well here it is Sunday again and nothing special in the way of a schedule.  Most every Sunday so far has been a day of rest with no flying but next week we have a change.  Next Sunday we fly the second mission in the afternoon.  That means no rest on the one day a week you want to have off.  Well I am rather used to looking at a schedule rather than a calendar.

So far we have had no real hard work but rather a full schedule.  We usually get up at 0530 or 0630 in order to have breakfast and get to class on time.  Our first class is at 0700 and they continue till 1700. we then have the rest of the day to ourselves.  Sometimes it means getting to bed right away to meet a formation at 0230 the next day.  It makes you rather tired after the second day.

The other day we flew the second mission.  We got up at 0230 and went to briefing at 0330.  Our take off time was 0530 but we got off at 0600 instead.  Our mission was to have the navigator checked out on cross countries.  I had to file a flight plan for the route because we went along the airlines.  I had to call each station on the way.  The experience was brand new to me and along with my other duties made me very nervous.  We of course went to the line in the dark.  Nothing seemed to go right.  It was our first solo hop with the crew and they were very dependent upon me.  We had no flashlights due to my own negligence which made things all the worse.

The lights on the ramp shine in your eyes rather than on the ramp and made me almost night blind.  Then the lights in the navigators comp. shined up in the pilots compartment making it almost impossible to see the instruments.  Then we had a heavily loaded ship, not exactly overloaded but about 4000 # from the maximum.  I had never flown a ship like that.  Then I have an engineer who knows practically nothing about the ship so when the lights went out he didn't have any idea what was wrong.  I had to get the lights going myself.

Then they have good sized hills all around this field so that when the ship so heavily loaded didn't climb too well I was almost ready to give up.  I just held on and kept the power on until there was no danger.  For all I know we just made it over the hills but actually we probably went over them with plenty of space to spare.  We couldn't see the ground it was so dark and the light from the navigator's lamp made the instruments unintelligible.  Then we couldn't see any other ships in the air so I half expected to get run down any second.

Then I sighted what looked like a star because it was where stars should have been and found after looking at the instruments that we were in a steep bank.  It rather scared me especially when our airspeed was so slow and anything can happen in a heavy ship with the nose too high.  I finally got things righted and not until later did I realize what a strain it had been.

I never was so glad to see the sun come up as I was that day.  For that 2 hours before day break I had felt like I was running through a field full of ditches and gullies full of barbed wire fences in the middle of a moonless night with my arms full of high explosives. I felt like letting go of everything and letting the stuff explode.  Sun brought security again and a feeling of knowing what was going on.  I finally did let my pilot take over and went back to have some coffee.  I drank it black and shook so bad that it almost spilled.  Finally after 6 hours in the air I got back to the base and finally to the room where I was too tired to roll over.  I was almost shaking all over.  I guess I fell to sleep and slept 3 hours and woke up refreshed.  However the feeling of futility of that morning will last for a long time.

I really like my job and get the biggest kick in the world out of it but it gets so nerve wracking at times that I only wish I could be home in bed rather than making little moves and decisions which effect the lives of 9 others besides my own.  I am not afraid to make a wrong decision but I only hope I make them on the ground rather than in the air where it is so important.  Maybe I will be an old man when I get home at least I will have aged a little.  However I believe everyone will still recognized the kid in me.  I will know that I am ready to settle down for a while and live a peaceful life with no responsibilities for awhile.  I guess it will be rather hard.

I don't know if I should write this or not and get everyone's hopes high but if we finish flying ahead of schedule we get an eight day leave.  It will mean getting home again for a short time which will be a break.  However I am not planning on any such thin to happen so please don't you at home plan on it. It is just something to think about.  It sure would be swell.

I hope you are saving for that plane and not just thinking about it.  I am sure I will have enough money before this thing is over to have one so I think we had better have a plane fund like the camp fund for the future.  I have a government check for $144 here and a check for $350 coming next month so a lot is going home next month.  Someone besides me had better start saving.

What has happened to Bill?  He never writes though I hardly blame him but I would like to hear from him.

I guess I have written enough for 2 letters now.

With love

Austin

December 11, 1944

Roswell Field

Dec. 11, 1944

Dear A.P.

I wrote Mother a letter yesterday but did not mail it so you will probably get two letters in Stoneham today.  Some of your questions can't be answered in Mother's letters so I must write to you once in a while.  Don't think I don't think of you but it is just that it seems Mother can tell everyone all the news I write.

Yes we pilot and travel around in those big B17s all by ourselves. It must seem wonderful to you but really it is nothing at all to us.  The flight to Houston was a surprise cross country meaning that an instructor was along to help us along.  There are a million and one little details to take care of on such a trip and they were breaking us into the job.  All kinds of frogs and papers have to be filled out and the instructor was along to see that it was done properly.

I am glad to hear that you are going to take a trip to Chicago this month.  I think you should take Mother along even if she is reluctant.  She will probably say that she has too much at home on her mind but I don't think a little housework or mending or anything should stand in the way.  It could be so much fun for her to see the city.  She has been stuck at home much too long.  Please do everything to get her away from Mass.

Jan 22 I will be in ground school as well as on the 23rd.  However I should be on the way home some time after that.  Of course everything is very indefinite and no one here knows what our chances are of getting home for Christmas and New Years.  I do know that 15 days is coming our way soon.

You have never written much about your radio.  I was wondering what frequency you broadcast on.  I imagine you use a voice procedure and no code.  I was wondering because our because our Liaison set in the plane can pick up anything from 300 KC to 18 M.C.  It is also good for several thousand miles.  You see we can pick up Tokyo on it but that is a beamed station.  We might be able to hear you if you have the power.  I have no intention of listening to you but I was just wondering.

Liaison radio station

Christmas is really a problem.  I have no great pressing needs and wish only to be home.  I want to buy everyone something but have no ideas.  Everyone seems to think that hey can buy for me while I am no expected to show my gratitude.  I have been with you all for such a short time the last year that I have no idea what you have on your mind or what you would be pleased to receive form me.  If I were home I am sure things would be a lot different.  I only wish I were on the way home rather than sweating out a course in which i have no interest and from which I will derive little.

Well enough of all this gloom.  Next week I am going to have a special pass to go down to Mexico.  All military personnel must have special passes to get in but that is the only restriction.  We may have a little trouble getting on the 1230 bus but we will devise something somehow.  I figure that next weekend will be our last chance and we plan to make the very most of it.

As long as I shall be home before reaching my next station I will not need any information about wills etc.  I am sure we can make arrangements when I get home.  Maybe I have no great need for such a thing seeing everything of value, bonds and money, are in someone else's name along with mine.  Anyway I plan to grow a long old grey beard when I get to be your age.

Well I have a book to read and this letter seems to drag out so before I begin to bore you I will finish. mother will tell you about my trip to El Paso last week.  You know I am going to see more than you did when you were out here.  It is under slightly different circumstances but just the same I am getting rid of my itchy heals.

With love

Austin

November 23, 1944

Roswell Field

Thanksgiving

Dear Mother:

Here it is the day I had hoped to be home but thousands of miles away.  Well that's the Army for you I guess.

I hope you had a celebration in spite of my absence and had a big time.  I can just imagine the fun you could have if everyone got together again like we used to do.  Maybe in a year or so we can get back to normal again.

Military Thanksgiving slide show here

My Thanksgiving day here is about routine.  We got up at 4:30 to fly the first mission which was a Bomb approach mission.  There is not much to the thing except setting up the auto-pilot and following a P.D.I. (pilot directional indicator) on the instrument panel.  The Bombardier puts a correction on this instrument from his position in the nose and you follow a little needle.  It so happened that we flew a course of 90 degrees to 100 degrees most of the time and ended up at Hobbs N.M. about 150 mi away.  We then decided to fly some cross country and did this the rest of the time. We flew from Hobbs to Big Springs Tex to Marfa Tex down to Mexico then back over a big girls school to Pecos Tex to El Paso and then home again.  We flew the last 3 hours at 13 thousand indicating 190 m.p.h. which gave us a ground speed of 230 m.p.h.  I guess we covered well over 700 miles in 4:30 min.

Something like this, but as a B17 flies instead of by roads and international crossing stations.

When we got to Marfa which is an advance school we chased a couple of AT17's around for awhile.  This old B17 will go most any speed you want if you want it to.  Those AT17's didn't have a chance.  We were up solo with a bombardier for an instructor and usually they are rather afraid of the Pilots but this guy got quite a kick out of those A.T. 17s.  We flew the whole way without suitable maps and only used the radio compass.  I don't know what we would do if we lost that compass.

You should only of received one bond since I came back because that is all I have bought.  When we got here we were asked to buy one a month so that is what's happening.  Maybe I should buy more seeing I am going to have about $160 left out of last months pay.  I guess you can get them as well as I can if you don't object too strongly.

I just couldn't imagine what the Home Front could send which would interest me.  The package was so small I thought that it must be one of those little tiny games.  I guess the folder with the pictures was a very happy unsuspecting surprise.  What better gift could a fellow get from home and such an organization.  I must really congratulate the one behind the idea.  They are really on the proverbial ball.  Really I have been looking for such a thing for a long time myself but have never been able to find one.  I think someone with a brain was behind that gift.  This will be a constant reminder of the Home Front and the work they are doing.

The Blaisdells live in a little house about half the size of our downstairs.  They have no attic and no cellar but keep everything in that little 5 room house about large enough for 2 persons.  However they manage rather well considering Mrs. B is not too well.  They have one large cedar Box into which all the odds and ends go and everything else has to be thrown away I guess.  They have lots of walls for the size of the house so I think if you tried to cover it up with N.E. scenery they would like it.  I am sure they would appreciate some of the remembrances  of their "home" in Stoneham.  Their house is really rather nice inside because Fred has put a lot of work into it.  The kitchen is the only bad feature since it is too small.

I half guess that my cross-country will be made to Houston Tex.  We did not have too give a chance to pick what we wanted so I decided to go where my roommate and his buddies went.  I could have gone to Phoenix or Chanute Field but I decided against it.  I think I shall stay down where it is warmer.  I don't think the cold and I will get along too well when I get home.  You had better have plenty of oil and the heater going when I come in.  I will not set any dates this time because they are so likely to fall through.

I guess I have written enough for a day.  Mary's letter is the next if she is wondering.

With love

Austin

November 15, 1944

Roswell Field

Nov. 15, 1944

Dear A.P.

Have a little time to write in between P.T. and gas mask drill.  Every Thursday is gas mask day so P.T. is very short.  As it was we ran around the field with our masks on which is very strenuous exercise.

PT drills in gas masks

We flew last night and will again today if the weather clears up.  Last night we went on a 600 mi cross country and it took us a little more than 3 hours.  We ran into rain and snow about half way around accompanied by low ceilings so had a rather rough time.  A couple of our radios went out so we had a pretty unhappy trip.  Night cross countries are pretty easy.  You take up the general direction you are heading and then take out the drift by the radio compass.  It is all pretty easy.

Today the weather is socked in so the first flight this morning did not get off the ground.  Maybe we won't either so I am not planning anything this afternoon.

This weekend we get a 36 hour leave so we are going to see some of the country around here if things go as planned.  They have a big summer and winter resort up in the mts about 100 miles from here so we are going up and see some snow.  It may be a little expensive but we don't care too much as we haven't spent a heck of a lot of money lately except upon movies.  It will be a pretty good change.

We have been having personal affairs lectures lately and they tell us that we should have a will made out if we own anything of value.  However they tell us to have it made at home rather than here because of the lack of suitable witnesses to such.  They say that many of the witnesses we get here would not be available if it were to be executed some time in the future.  I think that it is better to have it made out at home when I get there soon I hope.

Do you think we could arrange a short trip to Maine when I am home again?  I sure would like to see Grandpa and Aunt Emma.  Maybe we could use some of those fish reels you found.  It sure could be a load of fun if we could.

Do you know if Mother got my last bond a short time ago.  She should have.  We are asked to take out a bond a month here and they twist your arm a little to see that you do.  I don't mind buying bonds and really think it is a good way to save money but this high pressure salesmanship is what gets me.  I guess I just hate to have people tell me what I should do with my money.  Maybe they have our best interests in view.  We are buying them anyway which is what they want.  Incidentally the officers have a 100% subscription on this post.  

I kind of wish Mother had found the time to see the West last month.  I guess I didn't to to sell the idea enough.  All she needed was a little more pushing and she would have come.  Maybe I fell down on the job.  This is a poor time of year to come because the weather is getting bad.  It is getting cold and damp and a lot like some of our March weather.  Mrs. Blaisdell in Phoenix says it is still swell around there and that they still get 80-90 degrees everyday.  However the nights must get cold even though it warms up during the day.

Last Sunday we went to the First Methodist church in town.  I'm sending along the calendar which you can give to Mother if she is saving such things.

Since I have started writing I have been to dinner and been to the flight line.  We did not fly because of the weather.  It doesn't make me too unhappy to stay on the ground but you rather hate to spend the time and not get the flying in.

Well I guess I shall go into town and get my watch cleaned and maybe but a book to read.  Do you have any good suggestions?

With love

Austin

July 22, 1944

Luke Field

July 22, 1944

Dear Mother:

I have finally decided to use my little spare time in writing a letter.  Of course I could be reading the news or the new S.E.P. or studying for a gunnery exam but I won't waste the time.  You see a lot has happened since the last letter.

I sure sweat out the Flight Officer list when it came out.  Over 1/2 of the class was made F.E. against about 30% of the last class.  And as in everything else my luck held out and I made the Lt. list.  Most of my friends were made F.O. but maybe my record pulled me through. It is not too good but it is not bad.  I think my year of college and the year of R.O.T.C. had a heck of a lot to do with it.  Anyway if all goes well you can say lieutenant when I get home.

Monday we had the 200' cross country.  It was an interception problem  You flew to a point and circled till 4 hour and then took off to rendezvous at a certain point at a certain time about 65 miles away.  I had to intercept a plane flying up a railroad at right angels to my course.  In other words I had to be on time to the second.  I flew up to my first point and had about 10 mins to kill so I flew up and down a couple of canyons and washes.  one was a bout 40' deep and I flew pretty near the bottom looking up at the sides.  I then took off for my rendezvous point and buzzed the desert in between.  A couple of ladies waved when I went by their house at 3 miles a minute.  I almost did a barrel roll for them but that is dangerous and against regulations.  I ran into a range of hills and flew through them rather than around or over them.  I came out on the railroad a little early so flew down the tracks to a station to get a look at the sign and found that I was in the right place.  I then flew down behind some hills and waited for my plane to come an rout I scooted right on time, he though.  It sure was a load of fun anyway.  I wish I had more low flying scheduled.

We are now flying cross countries and some are pretty rough.  I almost got lost Wednesday.  Iran into some bad weather over the mts which comprised 1/2 the course and had the first rain fail on my for about 5 months I guess.  It is some experience to be caught in a rail squall at about 8000'.  The weather was a little rough and blew me off course a little but I found my way to my next turning point all right.  It just so happened that the trip was called off just after I left the ground but they never did catch me.

We had been having some funny weather lately.  Cool moist air form the Gulf is up over this country and made to rise by the desert and met which results in towering cumulus clouds with thunder and lightning squalls.  As a result we had rain last night and my again tonight.  you can hear the thunder and I expect the rain will come soon.  I would like to run around in it.

Now that flying is about over and I am almost sure to graduate a 2nd lt. I will need some calling cards made up.  You must know what I mean.  Pop gives them away as well as do all important people.  I guess it is a custom or something.  They should have my name with middle initial only and have Lieutenant Air Corp Army of the United States.  Please see what you can do to get me some.

I am very sorry that William is in the hospital.  I guess by now his is out.  I don't see what could be wrong with him maybe he just needs a rest anyway.  I sure would like to get stuck in a hospital for a couple of weeks in a couple of weeks. 

Here is the latest rumor from the head quarters ("poop from the group" to the army).  It is quite possible that I am about to become an instructor of single engine planes.  They have a pretty large turn over in instructors here and it is likely that the Lt's will be made instructors and the F.O.'s will fly the P63's, 47's and 51's.  That is a heck of a break especially when everyone wants to get into a hot airplane.  Well I won't kick too much for a while.

You may remember that clipping you sent to me about the B29.  It just so happens that I knew all along all that and I guess a lot more than has been released to the general public.  The two pressure compartments are not all the B29 has.  It is really equipped to withstand a beating but hand up a much heavier one.  As far as that goes these new P63's are going to make someone worry in the Pacific and it is not Tojo because he has just resigned.

Well I will have to send Mary a few more pieces for the bracelet and you a few postcards and then I can leave Phoenix.  Just think I have been here almost 8 weeks now.  How the time does fly.  Well I will now read the new S.E.P. and then go to bed.

With love

Lt. Austin

Someone just threw and broke a pillow and the feathers are all over the place.  Big laugh!!!

July 8, 1944

Luke Field

Phoenix

July 8

Dear Mother:

I guess you haven't received any letters for some time and I hope you haven't worried but as usual the bad penny has turned up finally.

All last week we spent flying nights and sleeping and classes during the day.  Our schedule was pretty tight and I just couldn't bring myself to get up an hour early to do the important things.

Night flying consisted of cross countries and black out landings.  The x-countries were very easy but the landings were something else all together.  You have to feel for the ground and then have the plane in a 3 point attitude or any number of things can happen.  Out of the 2 sans flying we had no accidents and no students lost, a pretty good record.

Night x-coutries are a lot of fun.  They consisted mainly of flying towards a set of lights in an airway light line or following a predetermined heading.  The other night we ran into some low hanging clouds and I flew through a few.  It was rather against regulations but it was a lot of fun.  We also did a little night formation which was not scheduled.  Regulations don't mean too much here.  Single engine men are supposed to be a little cocky and so long as you are not caught violating rules nothing is said.  It is something like that old Greek myth about the boy who stole the fox and it killed him without him crying out because it was a shame to be caught stealing.  Of course they don't tolerate dangerous flying or flying that endangers civilians but as far as the army cares just bring that plane back in one piece.

Here is the schedule of last week.  It started at 1315 dinner.  1415 fall out for class 1630 till 1730 PT. We ate again at 1845 and went to the flight line at 1915.  We stayed there till 4:30 and then came home to be.  It is rather hard sleeping during the day when it is hot but I got used to it in a hurry.

I am now going over your last letter to see what I can write about.  Yes I sometimes wonder how it is possible for me to get where I am.  Each time I look at a plane I wonder can I fly that contraption with all its dials and gauges. Where did I get the ability to fly.  I almost bet I can't do it but when that engine starts and the instrument panel comes to life and the air begins to flow over the wings and tail there is no doubt if I can fly in my mind.  It seems so natural to fly.  It is so easy I wonder why so few do have the urge.

When I first hit the field I looked at what had to be accomplished before I got through.  With the completion of night flying I have finished almost everything.  I have about 20 more hours to go and if everything goes well I can get through them easily.

A Flight Officer is an officer in the Air Corp who has not lived up fully to the standards of a good cadet and therefore might not make a good officer.  Therefore he is given a rating one step before a 2nd Lt.  A fellow becomes a Ft. officer if he has had too many gigs, or poor ground school grades, poor flying grades, poor military discipline or for any of 12 different things upon which you are graded.  I hope I do not become one but one can never tell.  I have only had about 10 gigs in 2 months and no tours in 8 months.  My ground school grades are not too bad so I don't know what will happen.  I guess I will just have to sweat it out until the F.O. list is put up.

I was interested in the clipping you sent.  I want to see if any of the fellows I came in the Army with had gotten their wings.  I have found out from some of the fellows who kept contact with them that most of them are still in Basic and will not get to advance for another month.  Maybe I was lucky to come out here where they at least put us through an schedule even though they are washing out 1/4 of the class.  No one should get washed in Advanced but they are doing it here.

I wish you could be here when they pin the wings on.  However I shall save those wings and let you pin them on when I get home, if I do.  It is considered unlucky to wear those wings in the air so they will hold only sentimental value to me.

Graduation exercises at Luke Field are not what they are cracked up to be.  They are nothing like what you imagine or you have seen in the movies.  They start with a big parade and the parade was on the reviewing ground.  Here they have a large platform and at least 1000 chairs for the graduates and their parents.  Up on the platform are a dozen officers.  One gives you your wing the other your commission.  You salute one and shake the hand of the other.  As you leave the stand you get a set of gold bars or blue and gold bars if you are a flight officer. (You next pick out the prettiest girl in the crowd and kiss her and give a dollar to the 1st GI you salute).  There are not beautiful uniforms just plain suntan cloths.  I don't think I will get too much of a kick out of it.  I would much rather get home.  

I am going to write to Mary now.

With love

Austin

May 1, 1944

War Eagle Field

Lancaster

May 1, 1944

Dear Pop (A.P.)

I forgot and wrote Pop before I realized what I had done; please excuse.

I haven't written to you in some time even though I get word from you every once in a while.  I guess you get all the news from the other letters.  I do write to quite a number of fellows I have met so all my letters do not go Stoneham way.

Today I got my 2nd cross country.  It was some trip.  I had a good plane and a good parachute.  Everything was swell.  I almost got lost but used a little common sense and found my way back on course.  The only trouble was that the more I studied my map the further off course I got so that I lost 10 minutes in route.  One fellow hasn't returned yet.  Another fellow ended up over near the Colorado river about 150 miles off course.  He had to come down and get gas before he could get back.  Those fellows just didn't use too good sense.  When I was a couple of minutes over E.T.A. (Estimated Time of Arrival) I started looking around.  I was over a railroad which I knew I should be over but which way I was to go was my problem.  I found out soon enough.

Of course there was a lot of cutting up along the course.  I didn't get into much but did to a little wing tip to wing tip flying part of the way.  They had a control plane that was trying to "shoot down" any one who was not looking around.  This plane would fly formation with you till you saw him.  You were then shot down.  He got a few fellows; not me.

We have put in our preferences for what we will eventually fly.  I put in in the following order. P51, B25, and B26 1st, 2nd and 3rd.  Of course that is only my choice and may not have anything to do with what we will finally fly.  A large percentage of the fellows put in for P51 and P38.  I didn't put in for 38's because they have plenty now and unless I am really hot I would be put on a B24 as co-pilot which is not my idea of flying.  My 2nd choice of B25's is a possible one because they will soon be using them in great numbers in low level work.  I might even get into A 20's which was my 1st choice at Santa Ana but they are now principally used for night fighting.  B26's are my 3rd choice because they are medium bombardment planes.  I don't want to get too high off the ground.  B24's, 17 and 29's will be flying too high for me.

P51 Mustang

B25

B-26

We have changed into sun-tan uniforms.  Today we were scheduled to put on the new uniform and by chance the weather took a change for the better.  I guess that's California for you.  The calendar says fair weather and what happens but the sun comes out.  We also went swimming in the swell pools we have.  They are just cold enough so that about 15 minutes of swimming is enough.  We don't have time for more anyway.  I get a kick out of it just the same.  I'll bet you don't feel like swimming.  I get a chance to see a few weather maps of the country and it don't seem any too warm back there.

Richard Bong - Pacific Theater Ace

Don Gentile - European Theater Ace

I guess you have heard about some of the present war aces; Bong and Gentile.  You have probably heard about how they canned Gentile after his crash.  As a matter of fact around here he is being used as an exception to all the rules of good flying.  The reason he is sent back is because they had got fed up with his flying.  He overshot his field and didn't go around for another landing as he should have.  That was a violation of flying discipline.  He has had about as many planes shot out from under him as he has shot down.  He was washed out of cadets from this field when they were training British cadets 4 times for dumb stunts that are never tolerated.  The British got fed up with him and were glad to see him transfer to the U.S. Army when we entered the war.  In all he is a very lucky man to be alive and can attribute his whole skin to the efforts of others.  As for his 23 planes I guess he had a little more luck than most fellows.  I guess they have saved his life for the last time when they bring him home.

I haven't got to L.A. for the last couple of weeks.  I go into Lancaster on the bus and get a big T Bone Steak see the movies and then go roller skating.  I get a lot more fun out of it than going into L.A. where there is a lot of nothing to do and expensive to do it.  I also get a lot more rest because I can sleep all day Sunday or do anything I want.  In any case I don't have to worry about getting back.  Much easier on the nerves.

I wrote to my Primary instructor the other day and much to my surprise he wrote right back to me.  The more I think of my training there the more I know how well he taught me what I know.  I only wish I had him all the way through my training.  He said that I did my part all right but I guess he knew what he was doing more than I did. 

Well I must close now.  I am again working on 10 words in code an my pass 10 before I leave.  We only get one period a week now.

With love

Austin

April 27, 1944

April  27, 1944

Dear Mother:

I guess it is about time I wrote again.  I wrote last about a week ago so I guess this one is long overdue.  Anyway I can still use the old excuse of no time I guess.

We have been on a new schedule this week.  If I were getting night flying as some of the fellows are I doubt if you would have even received this one.  Our day starts at 08:00 in the morning when we fall out for an hour of P.T. we get back at 0900 and take showers and get ready for breakfast at 09:20.  Breakfast is never ready on time but we have to keep our schedule even if we have time to eat or not. Classes start at 09:45 and last till 11:45.  We then get off till 1200 when we have dinner.

Dinner is just a hit or miss affair because there is such a short time from breakfast till dinner.  We go to the flight line at 1300 and stay till 1800, we then have an hour to do what we have to during the day such as go to the canteen, get hair cuts, read the bulletin boards etc besides have a retreat parade and stand in line for evening news.  We eat at 1900 and go back to the line at 1930 and are there till 0200.  That is just about an 18 hour schedule with few loop holes and spare time.  Thank goodness my week like that doesn't start for some time to come.

I got the box the day before yesterday.  Everyone was glad to see it including me.  Such things are pretty much of a surprise to me.  I never expect one and then all of a sudden it pops up.  The chocolates were very good of course.  I like the raisins very much because they were a surprise to me.  I haven't had anything like that for some time.  They sure brought back the picture of the pantry shelf with the beans in front of the raisins to save them.  I guess raisins ran out fast while I was home.  I got Mary's contribution.  I got a couple of them and they were good.  I left them in my locker at night and they were pretty well gone by the morning.  I guess the night fliers are hungry when they get home.

Not much out of the ordinary happens around here; just the training keeps going and changing all the time.  I finally got in that cross country I wrote about so long ago.  It had been put off about 2 weeks because of "Unusual weather conditions" along the route.  You see you can't just go out and fly the trip any time but must get a clearance.  When we could get clearances we couldn't get the weather.  I flew the trip in a ship that was a poor excuse for a good plane.  It flew like a "mac" truck and had to have a lot of control movements to get any reaction.  The airspace indicator was off 20 mph; the radio made a terrific racket, so much so that I listened to it very seldom and then only when the engine was on the left mag because once there it made a little less noise.  When I was on the last 100 miles the weather started to close in and the engine almost quit because of air in the carb.  I only found 4 of my important check points so that I felt lost most of the way.  And to cap it off my parachute fitted too loose so that I knew only the most extreme circumstances would separate me and that crate.  Well I got back all right a little grayer for my experience.  There really isn't much to such a ride if you have a good ship and everything is in order.  It was more or less a joy ride and I guess I enjoyed it just the same.

We are now getting our instrument training.  There really isn't much to such that can be told except that it is a lot like link trainer only not at all like it.  You can get the simulated conditions in a link but never the real thing.  This is really precision flying.  You don't get a lot of leeway on altitude and air speed.  Also the instruments and you don't always agree but you can always bet you are wrong.  They have a word for the sensations you get but I forget what it is.

All this talk about graduating is all well and good but I guess no one can plan on it till the day before.  So far our sqn. has had no wash outs but they may start most any time.  I am trying to get my check rides so pretty soon I will know how I stand here anyway.

I saw in the paper that "Al" Seward was missing in Europe.  That came as kind of a shock to me.  I had no idea he was anywhere near the fighting.  That kind of brings things close to home.  I always used to think that you didn't loose navigators but I guess you do after all.

So Bob Page is the local air plane spotter.  Maybe I can send him something to put in his collection.  I will try to answer your last letter next time because I want to close this one.

With love

Austin