November 28, 1943

Nov 28 1943

Dear Mother;

A lot has happened since I wrote last.  Thursday was thanksgiving and we went to the beach for gunnery and the swimming tests.  We swam in the morning and went to the range in the afternoon.  You can bet that the water was very cold and we nearly froze to death.  I took the advance swim test and passed it.

It consisted of a 250 yd swim 1/3 back stroke 1/3 side stroke 1/3 breast stroke.  We then swam 45" under water, made 3 jumps from a 11" tower 1st at attention 2nd with a barracks bag so we could float and finally with a life preserver.  We then put on a suit of clothes (Better than the ones they issue) swam 100' took off the pants blew them up and floated back to shore.  We then blew up the shirt and floated with it.  It was a lot of fun except that is was much too cold for comfort.

We had coffee and sandwiches for dinner and left for the range.  It is constructed so that you shoot off over the ocean and many of the slags skip over the sand into the ocean.  The land is patrolled by blimps run by the Navy and the Coast Guard runs a cutter out 2 miles or so just out of range to keep small craft out of the area.  We first shot the 45 cal pistol for record.  Next we went to the machine gun range and shot 250 rounds at moving targets.  These were aircraft 30 cal. machine guns, the kind they used on all the early airplanes.  The machine gun was the most fun.  We next went and shot the Thompson submachine gun and finished with the 22 cal. rifle leading targets.  We had 50 shots.  Tell Pop that is where all the 22 shots are going; teaching us to hit a moving target.  The range was the best part of the training so far.

We came home to a wonderful turkey dinner.  What a meal. Mash potatoes, gravy, vegetable, turkey, vegetable, ice cream, nuts, candy, turkey dressing and everything.  I am sending a menu of the dinner which everyone got. (in a magazine that is coming)  I only wish that I was home for dinner rather than so far away.

Saturday I got out again and went to Hollywood to see Cousin Emma and "Cousin Will".  They are really very hospitable people and made me feel very much at home, so much so in fact that I didn't want to leave.  Their son Robert was still home from Peru and was headed for O.C.S.  They have a very nice little house with all kinds of fruit trees in the back yard.  Orange tree, fig trees, pear trees and a tomato plant that has been bearing for 2 1/2 years.  I am going to send home a pinecone they picked up in the mts. to burn in the fireplace.  Not only do the have what we have at home but the size will amaze you.  I am trying to find a box to fit it.  I will send it as soon as possible because it takes up too much space.

Thanks for the cake.  It was delicious and I happened to open it after chow when no one was hungry so I got all I wanted.  It was very good.

Tell Pop that the code is coming along but is beginning to slow up because I have hit my maximum for awhile.  If I can pass this 8 word check I have passed the course and got to the point where high speeds will be easier.

We are getting very well fed now and I begin to worry about the folks at home.  Rationing must be plenty tough now.

I have not had too many gigs since I have been here.  Things are getting tougher and you have to be more careful each day.  However our section took second place in the 3rd wing and we are very proud of the fact.

Well I am going to bed now.  I will answer Williams current letter as soon as possible.

With love

Austin.

October 31, 1943

                                                                                   

Oct 31, 1943

Dear A.P.

            I was very glad to get your letter the other day and seeing yours was the last I thought that I would answer it.

            We are not doing very much important but are just biding our time until Pre-flight opens next week.  When we get there our program will really start.  Right now we are doing details one day and classes the next day.  The classes are not anything to talk about except the code class and that is just there to give us an idea of what is to come.  We are just learning numbers and no letters.  We go into a large room with tables covered with earphone and they are connected to an automatic sender.  They give a number ten times and then change for about 4 numbers and then run through the series 5 or 6 times and then give you the numbers in a mixed order.  Not much too it.

            I haven’t done much talking about the meals around here because I thought that may be they would get better as the time went by.  But that is not the case.  I am really loosing weight not fast but steadily.  You can’t get enough to eat under any circumstances.  Maybe all the food is going to the Army but very little is coming here.  It seems to me that there is some poor management somewhere.  For example.  Here we are in the heart of the orange growing country but our fruit consists of Oregon apples and S. American bannanas (not many) and other fruit that is grown outside the state.  To show how much some fellows want something to eat, several fellows have been washed out for trying to buy food from the mess sgt. and the sgt was caught later selling pies to certain people whom he knew well.  Well, I hope we will get fed better at pre-flight but that doesn’t seem likely because we drew M.M (KP to you) in a mess hall at pre-flight and didn’t get fed any more than usual.  Well food isn’t everything anyway.  California is a pretty good state.

Original WW II P38 Training Video

            You would think after awhile that we would be tired of looking at airplanes but on the contrary we look up as much as ever.  I have got so that I can tell a P38 and B12 by the sound of its motors.  We also can tell these Basic Trainers by the roar of the motor when the prop is in low pitch.  Otherwise it sounds just like any other plane.  Today we saw some of these new Navy “Corsairs” that are doing such a wonderful job in the South Pacific.  Those fellows just dive the plane straight down when they want to come down.  The P38 is the one that really whistles as it comes down and when it flies close to the ground over the barracks, the whistle is one way of identifying it from the others.

P38 "Whistling Death"

            Maybe I haven’t told you about the visual education we have had so far.  It seems that the army is try to train men by showing “stills” or motion pictures.  The reason seems to be that they can reach a lot more men with less wear and tear on the vital instructors.  Also they say that it is much easier to remember pictures from a screen rather than pictures set up in your mind that might be false.  Before we had the high altitude test they showed us some pictures of the effects it has on the individual.  They were very good.  Along the same line are books that are composed mainly of pictures with a little explanation of the picture.  It was from a book like this that we read during that hour at 30,000’.  It seems much easier to comprehend the story when you have pictures to along with it.

            Our Physical Training is much to talk about except we are getting in condition for Pre flight where we will really have to work again.  It would be tough hitting P.T. after doing nothing for over a month along that line.

            I am glad to hear that you got the potatoes in all right.  I wish I could have been home to help.  I also saw your add in the Paper so I guess you are trying to get them off your hands. Tell Mother not to send any.  There are too many hungry boys here for her to feed.  Well good luck with them.

With love

Austin

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.

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