August 23, 1945

Aug 23, 1945

Dear A.P.

I am in a writing mood now and have loads of time on my hands, and I got your letter of the 19th today so I guess I have an excuse to write on to you.

First let me get something straight about the last war.  It is over and so far as the Army is concerned they have enough B29 operators right now so my prospects of getting another ride in one of those crates is about as slim as the shadow of a moonbeam.  I am not sorry because from a tax-payers point of view they just aren't worth putting in the air.  Men can get time in PT 17s or A-6 which can't cost more than $25 an hour rather than in the big iron bird where the gasoline alone costs around $100 - $150 at the least.  Yes for my money they can leave the "Queen of the Ramp" on the ramp and let her stay.

How I wish I had a lot of money and could buy all the things I could use in my spare time.  It sure would be nice to have a car but they cost $1000 right now for any car and I can't afford such a price.  Then I would like to have one of these Army Primary Trainers they are selling to the public.  They only cost $875 and use about 10 gal. of gas an hour.  The maintenance is rather high but then you can sell time in them for $16 an hour which is more than double what it costs.  All you have to do is sell 3 hundred hours and the airplane has paid for itself.

I sure wish I could have been in Maine with you a couple of weeks ago.  I'll bet that all you really needed was not time but some one interested to walk around the country-side with you.  I have a pair of real comfortable shoes that could stand more than I can and I am sure we could have found a very interesting walk.  Boy I would really have loved that.  It would have been a swell chance to relax and enjoy life in the quiet where airplane engines don't roar all day.

Yes, I have $240 a month but where it goes I have never found out.  I should keep track of it for one month but it might prove rather embarrassing a few years from now.  Of course too much goes into pleasures but it seems that when you have money you can afford to buy what you want at any price.  It's just like when you get a raise in pay or make a big deal you try to keep up with Jones's and they try to keep up with you.  If you go out to a party and everyone is spending money you can't just sit and watch.  You have to contribute to the fun and it costs money.  Hotel rooms cost and meals in the city cost especially on weekends when you have a date and you pay for 2 (you should know about paying for more than yourself) and taxi fares and bus fares, movies and such all mounts up.  Anyway as of today I have last month's check and $200 sides which will come home next pay day; or the remains of which because we have a big weekend coming up.  Anyway I think I will start out next month on my check and see just what it costs.

Yes I expect the people will feel rather cool towards the army very soon but I hardly blame them.  The army is a rather rowdy outfit.  People stood it while the war was in full swing but soon they will have the feeling that all the neighbors boys and the good boys from the neighborhood are home and only the no-goods who couldn't hold a civilian job anyway are the only ones left.  And as long as we no longer need an army it is just one more thing to make the taxes high.  No I will never blame people for having a cool viewpoint toward the army because I feel I have seen about all there is to see this side of the water.

I really wonder just what my future holds.  Prospects of getting out are not good at present and I am not too sure I want to get out.  I can't start school this year because it is getting late.  The army has no real need for me but they have me in H classification and they are only screening A and B now.  So it will be some time before they get to us.  By then they will have all the men they need and probably wouldn't consider a reenlistment for less than 5 years.  School doesn't seem to be the answer if I do get out but I am sure of one thing.  I haven't yet had enough flying to make me stay on the ground, I don't want my wings clipped yet.

I guess I have written enough. I sure enjoy your letters.  Wish you could write a little oftener.

Love

Austin

July 4, 1945

San Marcos

July June 4, 1945

Dear Mother:

All leaves have been canceled.  We got the good news yesterday and everyone is a little unhappy.  They are expecting some shipping orders for some of the boys and so no leaves are being given out and all those on leave are coming back.

Well I guess that kind of fixes up my little visit home.  I was kind of looking forward to it and had made some plans but everything is shot now.  I just wish this army would make up its mind and decide to do something.  If orders do come through I hope I am on them and that it is to B17s and not B29s.  Then I will be happy for not getting a leave.

Well the same old routine seems to go around here.  Up at 0800 class at 0900 until 1200 then from 1200 to 1600 and then swimming or what ever you want, the day is yours.  Yesterday we went swimming with my new swim fins.  You put the things on your feet and they cut down the motion of your feet but they give you twice the speed.  In fact your hands and arms get in the way until you get used to them.  You can swim under water a lot faster and some what farther without using your hands.  They are a lot of fun if you can forget you have spent $9.00 for them.  I believe I will use them long enough and have enough fun with them to make it worth while.

Well today is the 4th of July a holiday but here I am in class writing this letter.  Classes should have started 10 minutes ago.  (They are starting now)  Be back later.

We just went out to a class in Loran which is connected with Radar and very secret.  It was the most interesting class I have ever been to here at San Marcos.  They use Loran to shoot a line of position which will give you a radio fix anywhere in the world accurate to 1/2 mile or less.  It is accurate to 500' but because you fly down your line of position while making readings on the 2nd station you loose part of the accuracy you can get two simultaneous readings so the faster you can read the stations the better the fix.  It is really one of the most interesting things I have seen on this field.

San Marcos Field

I was a little surprised to hear that you were in the process of losing a daughter.  I had no idea that any like that was in the wind.  However I am happy to see her get away for awhile and glad to see she has the gumption to go ahead and do something on her own.  I think your younger daughter has more gumption than the other two.  I guess you will miss her and I don't blame you but I hope you can get along.  It is too bad Pop doesn't stay at home more and provide a little company.  I guess William and Esther will be around so you won't be all together without gab.

So Mary is going to go live with a houseful of women.  Boy!  Would I like to go see her.  That would turn out to be quite a date bureau, just the place for me.  I suppose the idea of the thing is kind of to keep in contact with your music and make money during the summer vacation.  It sure is a good way to keep up with your music and work at the same time.  Maybe Mary won't be able to make much money and stay at the house but what fun she can have being away from home.  She will enjoy it as much as I have I am sure.  Now if you can only get a couple more of the family interested enough to live away from home awhile you would be doing a good job.  Well two of your youngsters "have flown the coop". 

Well I am going to Austin tonight and have a date with the girl I met selling War Bonds.  Her name is Addie Mae Schwake, a Krout from way back.  She is a lot of fun but don't worry, it's not love, just fun.  Anyway it's a good way to spend the money I was going to use on airline fare.  Dancing and taxi fares and hamburgers don't cost much so don't worry about the money.

I have written enough.  I am sorry I got your hopes all up and maybe made plans but things stand as they are and who am I to change them.

With love 

Austin

June 26, 1945

San Marcos Field

June 26, 1945

Dear Mother:

I have had several letters from Stoneham in the last few days so I will write one for a change.

This is the last of the paper for at least of the envelopes.  It has lasted quite a while.  If you remember I bought it up in Lincoln right near the end of our stay there.  I guess it has lasted longer than any paper I have had.  Maybe I haven't written enough but really it was quite a lot of paper.

I got the clipping last week that came out of Press and everyone got quite a kick out of it.  I will keep it until I get home and then whoever can get his or her hands on it can have it.  That is the first time I have ever seen that particular pose.  I think it is the better of the two.  Anyway the boys thought it was good.

Samput got himself a girl in Austin and so I went on a blind date last Friday night.  She was one of these college girls who goes to a co-educational school to study campusology and for the social contacts.  We had a lot of fun dancing but she didn't act the age she was trying to make out to be.  She wished she were 21 but was only 17.  Tell Mary I am a little disgusted with the 17 year olds also.  It's not that we didn't have fun but that she was trying to impress me with what she knew and talking about all her dates and such stuff.  She had a date Saturday so I don't feel that I have to see her again even though I probably will because Samput wants me to go on a date with  him to Dallas next week when they both will be there.

Saturday was a quiet day with nothing special to do except entertain ourselves.  We went to Austin early and went from one air conditioned theater to the next in an attempt to keep cool.  There wasn't much doing in town so it was a rather weary day.

Sunday I went out to Bergstrom Field, near Austin, which is a troop carrier air base.  They have C46s out there and I went to eat dinner and look around.  I finally wandered down to the flight line and looked over the C46's.  They are one of the largest ships I have ever been in.  They are cargo and troop carrier planes but are often used to tow gliders.  They have enough room in them to transport 44 men with full equipment or 10 tons of supplies.  They can put whole airplanes in them if they find the need.  When I got back to town a young lady stopped me to buy a War Bond but instead she got a date.  She and another girl and sold $4,000 worth of bonds.  They took another fellow and I home and cooked us a meal and topped it off with a peach pie.  We had quite a lot of fun getting the meal which we finally ate at about 11:00 PM.  We all had to be up early Monday so had to leave early.

I started this letter last night but didn't have the energy of finish it.  It is so hot around here I just spend about all the time I can resting or trying to keep cool.  If I had a job to do I am sure I could muster enough strength to do something but as it is I have just about enough energy to get up in the morning .  As Ernie Pyle said, when you have anything to do and it is hot the Air Corp makes a lazy man of you.  We have so little on our mind I doubt if I could ever take a job again. 

Ernie Pyle, war correspondent

Most every day I go swimming at a place called Rio Vista Park in town.  They have a fairly good pool and the water is very clean.  It is spring water and cool.  One of the fellows has a pair of swim fins to put on your feet which are a lot of fun to play with.  You can paddle your feet and not have to use your arms.  However when you use your arms you can really move.  You can do all sorts of things with those fins.  I think I will buy a pair even though they cost $9.00.  I think I can have 9 dollars worth of fun with them.

I have some good news.  I am coming home on leave on the 6th July.  I am going to leave here on the 6th and drive with a buddy as far as possible.  We may get only as far as Dallas or Okla. City but may get to Chicago.  From there I will have to take the train.  Therefore I should be home on the 8th.  That will give me 10 days at home I hope.  It all depends on how long it will take to travel.  Most of the the transportation in Texas is so bad that it could take a day to get out of the state and then 2 more days to get home.  I am hoping to et a ride on an airline but that is almost out of the question.  So you can make all the plans you want.  I only hope we can schedule a few days where I can feel some good cool sea breezes.  Hint, Hint.

Well we are supposed to fly that darn double breasted sparrow this afternoon.  It is going to be a very boring 4 hours which will get me nothing more than flying pay for this month.  Boy this sure is a heck of a life.  I am getting rather tired of it.

Well I have to get to go eat dinner now.  I am not hungry because it is too hot but if I don't eat I might not get home pretty soon.

With love

Austin

Birthday - 45

Birthday - 45

Dear Mother:

I got letters from about everyone today and I really should answer them but how can I and keep up in my social life?  It is just one big whirl.  

Well Mother, you can no longer make me do dishes or go to bed or do anything but disinherit me and kick me out.  Today I am a man???  I am no longer your little boy but 21 years old, old enough to vote and pick the next president.  My it's a wonderful feeling but I feel like I did yesterday.  I know my rights now and you had better look out.

You know I don't think I will disconnect myself from the family quite yet.  I still like most of the people in Stoneham and it seems that my favorite relations live in Stoneham.  The Army still has quite an influence on me so I can't see that I have gained a heck of a lot in the last 24 hours.

The Seeleys and the Schmales were both wonderful.  They tried to give me a good time and were very successful.  It's no so much what they do as just the gesture.  It makes one feel good to know that someone cares. I doubt if we could have run into two any finer families if we had set out to find them.  How lucky I am.

Well Sam and I are giving the girls a break.  We are having a little trouble breaking their hearts but I hope they get over it and don't take their lives because we spurned their love.  After all they should feel lucky to even get a date with such an eligible pair.  We sure are a gift to the women.  We meet all comers on their home ground.

Well maybe it isn't that bad but we have never been refused since we have been here.  Once we took a girl away from a lab period and again away from a study period for an exam.  They are always too glad to come and help us spend our money.  The trouble is they don't seem to be gold diggers but rather spend thrifts.  

I shouldn't write to you about such things because you might get the idea that I will fall in love or something but that won't happen.  I am immune to women and have a fond intention of being a bachelor.  Maybe after I have made a million I will give some nice pretty home-loving girl a break but not till I find one such.

I hope you haven't forgotten the newspaper for the Seeley's.  Now about those pictures.  I sure would like some kind of proof that I had the pictures taken.  Never mind the small pictures if they are going to be a bunch of highway robbers.  What they are asking is much too much.  maybe Mr. Braynard can tell you what we should know but don't get the small pictures if they are going to ask all of what you quoted to me.

I guess I will have to leave off here and continue some other day.

With love

Austin.

February 9, 1945

Dear A.P.:

Today is the one I have waited for for just as long as I can remember.  Today I am 21 years old and am no longer my father's responsibility.  Now all the little lessons of my childhood will be put to a test and we will see if my family did the job and gave me the right start.

I am sure I could not have picked two better parents.  If I had had a chance to pick who would give me my home I might have picked millionaires but I doubt if I could have been as happy or have learned any more practical ways of living than I have from you and Mother.  No my home could not have been much happier.

Years ago I had the idea that by 21 everything would be running smoothly and my life would be settled for me.  I had dreams of having a home of my own and making enough money to be happy.  However I have lost the last couple of years to that dream and instead I have gained a very technical education that makes life's problems no easier.  Socially I am no farther advanced than a year ago or two years ago but economically and mentally I am far advanced for my time, not that I am a great brain or anything but that I have qualified at 21 for a job held down several years ago by men far my senior.  Actually my 21 years still classifies me as only a kid in this game.

I suppose by law now I am my own boss and the parental strings are about cut.  I am no longer responsible to you but to myself.  I suppose I can take the family name to glory or to ruin.  I have only my pride and pride of my name to guide me.  Yesterday I was a kid but today I am a man but feel like a kid.

Well I am meeting my share of the girls out this way some I like and others I have little or no interest in.  Most of the college girls are loads of fun and very attractive and come from good families.  The other girls on the other hand do not generally come from the better families.

You probably know that when you are looking for fun you take along most anyone who will fit in.  I met an elevator operator who looked rather nice.  We had a date then just what you can expect happened.  She fell for the shiny buttons and the wings.  She also came from a very poor family and has no high school education.  Now when you get all the facts you can practically tell what will happen but when you ask a girl for a date you can hardly ask for her references.

Another one is the daughter of the Attorney-General.  Of course she is attending college and a heck of a lot more sensible.  We met her quite by accident.  She picked us up.  We were waiting on a street corner one cold afternoon for a street car when this big car stopped at a stop light.  She rolled down a window and asked us if we wanted a ride.  We piled into the back seat and saw an Alpha Phi sticker.  We know a couple of Alpha Phi girls so we asked them about it and found out we had a couple more of the family.  So you see once you hit it off good and the next time you get caught for being friendly.

Well this birthday has been the best since I have been away.  The Schmale family gave me a celebration last night and the Suley's today.  People out this way are really wonderful.  Also all the people at home seemed to remember me.  I wish I could thank them all and I hope I get the time but maybe I won't be able to find the time.  I am really glad to have so many friends especially when some special occasion comes up.  Maybe all those little jobs around the church pay off after a while.  I never would take one for that reason but the friendships are really wonderful.

Well I hope my next year will be as happy and as successful as this one.  It has had a few minor disappointments but I have received all of the major things.  I have the wings and commission and a flying job, what else could I want.  Yes I am very happy and well pleased with what I have accomplished even though at present it look like not much at all.

With love
Austin