May 11, 1945

May 11, 1945

Dear Mother:

If this letter comes air mail don't be alarmed because it is just a ruse to make you think I write oftener.  My last letter probably got to you a few days ago and this one coming so close behind will make you think I write often. It has really been 7 days since I wrote last and I am a little ashamed of myself.  I have the time but lack the will power and the gab.

Whenever I get time to sit down I usually go to sleep or go to the movies and relax.  It is either work or play all the time and letter writing fits in neither as work or play.  So as I lay in my sack writing uphill I wonder whether letter writing doesn't get to be work once in awhile.  However I don't find it to be work but just something requiring a little effort.

We went to Dallas yesterday noon and came back this noon.  It was mainly a pleasure jaunt and we stayed in a hotel.  We didn't want to go to Sam's house because his mother would have made us come home early to bed and as I said we were down to look the nightlife over.  We stayed at the Baker Hotel which is a wonderful place, in fact it is the best hotel in town.  We had dates with a couple of girls Sam went to high school with and had a swell time.  We went to a dance and then to a Bar-B-Que.  Of course we had my pilot's car and all the gas we could use.  This we got at Sam's cousin's farm down in Gainsville.  We had a heck of a lot of fun but I feel the trip was hardly worthwhile because we were so tired today.  We were supposed to fly but the weather was bad and no ships got off the ground.

We have been through processing and according to all records are ready to ship, from the administration standpoint but we all lack about 50 hrs flying time.  We have only a small percentage of missions complete and they are giving us extra missions for another phase so we will be here for another month or more.  I can almost promise another month and maybe 2 more.  I am very satisfied to stay here for awhile longer especially if we can get more free time.

Maybe I have written about the new missions in the training.  One is a 1000 mile cross country which I have mentioned but another is a 1000 mile trip to Havana Cuba and back.  Its purpose is to simulate combat conditions like those we will get overseas.  In any event it will be a lot of fun.

Thanks for the nuts.  They were very much appreciated by all.  I had no idea how much other people enjoy such things.  I guess I am not the only one.  Also thank you for the paper and the clippings.  I had no idea that such big steps had already been take to make Boston the civilian air base of the future.  Also thank Mary for the B.U. news.  I had quite a lot of fun reading it and went through it almost as closely as I do the Stoneham paper.  The only people I really know was Prof. Scammell and a few such notables and one of the best Business Mjrs, Minna Garden.  She is in those photos of me and the gang at Prof Thompson's house.  I know Norm Whiton and wonder after such a write up and all why he is still a private.  Maybe he didn't get the breaks some of us have had.  However I still say opportunity knocks and is heard only by the men who are not deaf.  However promotions come rather hard in some branches of the army, at least a lot harder than they do in the Air Corp.

Well maybe I have found something to write about after all.  I guess you just have to stop and think for awhile.  Gets difficult at times.

With love

Austin.

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.

April 24, 1945

Tuesday 

April 24

Dear Mother:

I haven't got anything else to do so I will write a letter.  Nothing to do tomorrow so I can stay up all night.

I was very much at a loss as to Harold V. latest misfortune.  I might say that I lost all faith in women for the time being at least.  I had the opinion that he was very happy and that there was to be an addition to the family. I thought the Varny's would be happy having another grandchild but as it stands they must feel very sorry and rather unhappy about the whole affair.  I am a little disappointed in Harold because I thought he had a little better sense than to jump into something he couldn't finish.  However maybe everything is turning out for the best.  I really don't see any special way to avoid such situations since you usually don't use your head when falling in love (I am told).  Maybe there is more to the story than has come out.

I am rather lax in writing to people I should.  I haven't written to the Suleys lately or to the Schmales or Blaisdell's or anyone.  It seems that when I get a chance to write anyone it is usually someone at home that gets a letter.  I should write Betty also but I just don't think of it in time.  I may do it tonight but if not you can tell her the next time you see her that I am thinking of her.  Also give her the old line that I am busy.  It's always good for a stall for awhile longer anyway.

They had an accident down on the line which was not serious but could have been.  A man loaded his station in the ball turret and then proceeded to time the solenoid on the gun and consequently fired 14 wild shots.  They struck the runway and ricocheted into the wing and ratio room of another ship.  The other ship had two men in the radio room and they got grey hair as the slugs went through.  It tore up the ship a little and cause quite a disturbance on the field when the news got around.  It just makes you feel a little more strongly that those pretty little shells really can do a lot of damage.

I hate to admit it but I have been wagering my nickels and dimes against the one "arm bandits" in the club.  To date I am aprox. $3 ahead of the game.  I have put in one dime and one nickel a day and have been getting all my luxuries at the machine's expense.  It can't last long but my luck has just run with me.  The money just seems to run out at my bid and call.  This is probably putting me in a position to lose my shirt any one of these days.

I wish I didn't have money around because people come and want to borrow money.  My pilot borrowed $20 and the navigator the same.  Also a friend has $20 so come around pay day I will be rich again. This month I will again send home about $150 so at the rate I am going I will have a small bankroll when I get home.  I guess you were rather surprised when I sent all of $400 home.  I only wish I had some way to put it to work so it could make more money then I would really be in big business.  With the education the government promises us after the war I guess I can become a play boy for a couple years and spend it all but I guess I can't really because I was brought up too well for that.  I guess I don't regret my good bringing up when I see the fellows around here who are broke all the time.  They will be the ones after this thing is over who will look to the country for a job.  Maybe it is like the ant and the grasshopper and I hope I shan't be left out in the cold.

 

The Ant and the Grasshoppers Silly Symphony

I have been reading about the chances of civilian aviation becoming a big thing in the future.  A great many of the experts believe that it is a thing of the future and something not to be overlooked.  Too many people are two dimensional and have no idea what the 3rd dimension, up, has to offer.  I am sure that with a commercial license I could find a lot of fun or maybe a good occupation in flying.  I have my eye on a job but I need 4 years of college for the job and also a few breaks.  If private flying doesn't get too big before I get my 4 years of college I am sure I can talk someone into giving me a job.  An airline pilot put the gun in my ear and if I was good enough for him now I will be good enough for me when private aviation gets going.  I also believe my present experience meeting people and handling men will help a lot.  Maybe I am getting more form this training than I thought at first.

I just seem to ramble along and not say much.  I guess I never write about my troubles but I am getting a little hard boiled.  One of my men got a little out of line and he is getting company punishment for his little oversights.  Could have prevented this getting the 104th article of war but he has just taken one step too many in the wrong way and something had to be done.  I got a little tired of trying to set him on the right road.  Now he will have to stay on the post and not see his wife for a week.  I feel rather sorry for his wife and kids but after all I am now in the position to pass the buck to someone else and it was either her or I and I enjoy leisure enough to guard it a little.

Well I will have to quit for a while.  I am a little tired and it is 2300, time to hit the sack.

With love

Austin

April 20, 1945

Ardmore AAF

April 20, 1945

Dear Mother:

There seems to have been a long silence from this end of the line but as usual I have been busy or too tired to write.  Think today is the 20th but am not sure so don't figure the mail is coming too fast until you check further.

I guess I left Pop's letter rather abruptly the other day when we took off for Dallas.  Sam and I went down with my gunner in his car.  It took about 3 1/2 hours to go the 110 miles.  We stopped in Denton to see the town again but took off again in not time at all.  As usual we had all kinds of adventures and fun on the way.

Sam and I were sitting in the back seat and halfway to town when the door on the car blew open.  I had been in the car when it happened before but Sam almost went out through the roof.  Owen, my gunner, slowed the car down and I went to shut the door and it fell out of my hand on the street.  It went skidding and thumping along on the hinges and knob.  Well we stopped and looked at the damage and found the hinges were broken so we had to hold the door on until we got to town.  We couldn't find any hinges so we wired it on and it stayed perfectly.  It never was shook or anything all the way down.

They let us off at Sam's house and his folks were awful glad to see us.  His grandma was there and his aunt and uncle from Fort Worth came over.  We had a lot of fun talking to them and they had a lot of fun with me talking to me in German and just kidding me along about my accent.  They are all swell down there and I had more fun talking to people like them than I have had in some time.

We went to see some of Sam's old girl friends and I went along of course.  We took his dad's car and filled it up with gas.  The gas stamps were something we picked up somewhere.  We went to see a girl named Nancy Hunter and she had a visitor named Margaret Rombeau so we all went to a movie.  We had a lot of fun with Margaret because she cried all during the picture.  The picture was Since You Went Away and I didn't think it was so weepy.  This was Sunday night.

Guy Madison in Since You Went Away

Monday we went to Love Field and got our Commercial Licenses.  They were not very much trouble.  We had to take a written exam on regulations but that was about all.

Monday night we took the same two girls out to the Fair Grounds where they have a carnival going on at all times.  We rode on all the things that go round and round and had a lot of fun.  We couldn't spend much time there because Mrs. S. said we had to be in at 11:00 to go to bed.  We got in on time all right so had no fights in the family.

Tuesday we took off in the car for home at 0200.  He was so tired I had to drive most of the way.  We got back in town in little over 2 1/2 hours.  We made no stops and had no traffic so we could come right along.  His car would really go and the roads are so straight it is safe to drive that fast even though a cop might have pinched us.  Anyway we only averaged 45 miles an hour.  We got back good and early which was what we wanted.

I think I had more fun in those 2 days than I have had in a long time.  I don't know when I had take 2 days off and gone and done what I pleased and met nice people.  If you could only come to Texas you would see what I meant by nice people.  They are the very best in the country.  I am now half Texan.

I will have to put an end to this and go get those money orders.

With love

Austin .

April 14, 1945

Saturday night 2200

April 14, 1945

Dear A.P.

I got your letter the other day and deciphered it and was glad to hear from you.  I am getting so I can read your writing so you can send any kind of a letter you wish.

I am at present working in a big deal to get my C.A.A. commercial license.  All it requires is a little study on my part because I have the flying requirements.  I believe I will have the license  in a few days and will be all set for civilian flying.  The license is worth about 2000 dollars in civilian time but to me it came for nothing but a little effort on my part.  The Army really is giving us the breaks.

I have been to Dallas in the last few days as Mary can tell you.  We had a swell time, Sam and I, and I shan't forget it soon.  I get two days off starting tomorrow and we are going down again and get our final papers on the license.  Mary can tell you about Dallas because I wrote to her today and I guess I didn't actually say much about the city but more about the girls down there.  I have fixed my schedule so as to get 48 hrs off and it is going to be the first time off in about a month.  I guess I am about due a vacation.

I had to get some sleep so this is Sunday now.  We have to parade this morning in memory of our late president. It is raining to beat heck right now but we will be out just the same.  We were supposed to get today off but due to circumstances beyond our control we have to stick around.  It kind of makes us mad because i had a chance to get off until Tuesday at 1200.  We would have been able to get a good weekend off.

I have doubts if we get a leave after our training here is over.  We are now a couple of weeks behind schedule because of bad weather so we will get held over.  That may mean no leaves for anyone.  However the program is getting stalled all along the way and few crews are going overseas but are being held at DOEs and given leaves.  Our POE may be N.H. and if so I still have a chance to get home.

According to the latest poop no one goes to Lincoln after training is over.  We go to another base in Nebr. which is taking the place of Lincoln.  In that case I will get a chance to see more of the state which is OK with me.

Everything here is very agreeable except the doing of the 2nd A.F.  I am getting fat and lazy.  I must have gained back all the wt. I lost up in Lincoln and some besides.  I weigh close to 190 now and getting fat.  Flying and eating is a good weight building combination.

So you are still using the radio.  We could send to you on our V.H.F. set if we could ever get over Stoneham or nearby.  We can send about 100 miles plane to plane but plane to ground operation is not so good.

I am off to Dallas right now.

With love

Austin

April 9, 1945

April 9, 1945

Dear Mother:

I have been intending to write for two days but just haven't gotten around to it.  Today I got the box with the cake and the hat and cookies so I had to write.  I haven't had time to eat any yet or go through the boxes very well so I can't compliment you on your wonderful cooking but everything at least looks wonderful.  The frosting is not sticking too badly so everything is in good shape.  The hat has about another thousand hour crush so the right thing got crushed.

See the bottom of the linked page for an explanation of the thousand hour crush.

I also got a notice that my clothes are in town at the Railway Express station.  They didn't come to the field as I expected they would because they are coming C.O.D.  Whenever they are shipped that way I have to go in town and get them.  It would be rather hard if I didn't know where I could get a car to haul the box in.  My pilot has a car and he can get everything.  Thank you very much for being so prompt, so much so in fact they are here a little early.  I don't need them for a week or so yet but probably they will need pressing.

Yesterday we flew our high altitude for the second time while here.  We had a swell ship for low altitude but not so good for the cold.  It was a -20 C up there which is really only about -10 F so really not so bad.  We had no heater and I had no warm boots so I nearly froze my feet off.  I finally had to get up and put my feet on the warm inverters which act as generators.  I stood on them for five minutes and melted the ice between my toes.  Even so my ankles were cold and I was chilled to the bone.  We were at 20,000' for 4 hours and finally the heat was all gone from in the ship.  That was when I began to get cold.  I did have gloves and a heavy fur jacket so it wasn't so bad.  Next time I will know better and take my boots too.

Our turbos froze up so we couldn't climb above 20,000' but we sure could come down.  We came down slow and had a lot of airspeed.  I don't know what our ground speed was but we started down and came 100 miles in less than 25 minutes.  We really dropped the bottom out from under that box car.  We got home so quick the navigator is still wondering where we lost all those miles back there some where.

Sigmund Romberg

Now to continue tracing back what has happened I find that last Friday we went to see and hear Sigmund Romberg in town.  He really put on a big show for all of these Okies and they really loved it.  What I can't see is how he could afford to play at such a small town. We had the best seats in the house (nothing but the best for us) and it was only $2.10 so he couldn't have made an awful lot.  I will send a program to you if I can locate it in time for the next letter.  Do tell me where he finds those girls who sing.  Not only were they easy on the eyes but they had a good set of pipes.  He said he prides himself in knowing a good voice when ever he saw one.  Even I couldn't do better and I am younger.  They were really talented and good looking.  What a combination.  Maybe Mary knows some at school that way whom I could meet next time I am home.  I will bring my navigator too because he also approved of them.

An evening with Romberg 1945

Well things run along more or less routine and not much happens.  I haven't spent any money on anything for so long I am just loaded with money.  I am trying to get my $400 check cashed to send home but I can't find time to go over when the feather merchants have the place opened.  The war ends at 4:30 PM for them and my war lasts a little longer.  One of these days when we have to stand by at the flight line I will get a lot done.  Tomorrow we may stand by so be looking for the money.

The only excitement of late was a P63 from this field crash landed in a field.  He came in with wheels up of course and an "Okie" runs up and asks him why he landed here.  He also asked if them thar things don't have wheels on them.  I got a big bang out of these poor dumb creatures you meet down this way.  I guess you can't blame them because most of this country is in bad financial shape and pretty much run down.  The soil looks good and they have rain but they just can't make things grow.

I was kind of wondering how much my total assets were.  I have a few bonds and some in the bank.  Maybe you could get Pop to find out and send me the bad news.  It doesn't have to be in a hurry or anything so don't worry but I kind of would like to know.  If I am much short of $750 in bonds and bank account please write after I send the next money order.  I should have at least that.  Maybe I haven't saved enough even so.  I have tried to save my flying pay and I don't know if I am short or not.

I have been writing this letter from the Club and as usual there is a lot of confusion.  We are setting up on a balcony overlooking the dance floor and stage so are away from a lot of it.  This is a pretty good club as clubs run but not the best I have been in.  The one at Roswell was about the best but this one isn't too bad.  I guess I never write much about our home away from home. You might be interested in something about this club, they loose money on everything except the slot machines and they pay for everything.  They make an average of $100 a day on them so they can afford to payout some money on other things.  Last month they got $3,300 on the slot machines and about $1 of it was mine so this is almost a free hang out.  Of course we pay $4 a month dues so it is really very inexpensive especially when they have free sacks and beer or cokes Saturday.  I don't have a lot to do over here so don't get all the benefits I could.

Well I guess I have chewed the rag enough.  I guess you don't get much information from my letters but spend a lot of time decoding them.

With love

Austin.

April 2, 1945

April 2, 1945

Dear Mother:

This is going to be just a short note because I have got to get some sleep before flying the first mission.  It is now 1900 and I can get 8 hours sleep if I go to bed now so every minute I write is one minutes sleep lost.

We had a rather uneventful week end.  We were supposed to fly but the weather got rather bad and no one got off.  Of course it was Easter Sunday and I had to go to church but decided to go at night rather than waste all that sleep getting up early.  As it was I got 12 hours of sleep and to church in the same day.  I went to the Baptist Church because I know some of the people there and don't know any in the other church.  I guess it doesn't matter a great deal where I go.  As it turns out we usually go to the largest church in town because they have more doing at night and the minister and services are always better, you know just shop around for the best in the Air Corp.

Anyway they had a wonderful musical service and I enjoyed it a great deal. After church is Fellowship where you meet all the young people of the church, and those about my age, mostly girls, some deal.  We go to some house and have a bang up time playing cards, dominoes, or what have you.  They have refreshments and all good things to eat.  I rather look forward to these Sundays because they are a lot of fun and relaxation.

I suppose you wonder what we do all day long, well things are rather rushed and the schedule has few loop holes.  We do get an hour out for dinner in between 8 hours of scheduled classes besides 1 hour of orientation.  It gets to be a long day but most everything is interesting.  I fell to sleep in one class and almost fell out of the chair and then couldn't go to sleep again.  It was a "ditching" class so I hope we don't ditch in the ocean some day.  We had 3 hours of Aircraft Engines and Engineering and also a test in Airforce Air Regulations and some other classes but they weren't very interesting and I don't remember what they were.  We had an hour of P.T. which is rather rough.  We may get soft sitting in chairs all day but the last thing they do is toughen you up for another day.

Please send the clothes as soon as possible if not sooner.  I hope they have gone by the time you get this and if not please make a special effort because I will very soon need them.  What do you think of the idea of getting my summer blouse made into a battle jacket?

I guess I will get some letters about N.Y. in the next day or two.

I hope you can read this letter.

With love

Austin.

Musical selections from program

Prelude   "Easter Evening" - Faulkes

Hymn      "All Hail The Power"

Offeratory "Supplication" - Asper

Choir       "Rejoice the Lord is Risen"

                "Hosannah in the Highest"

                "O, Jerusalem"

                "Then They Took Jesus"

                "There is a Green Hill Far Away"  Organ Solo

                "Behold the Angel of the Lord"

                "Lift Up Your Voices"

                "Resurrection Bells"

                "An Easter Prayer"

                "Christ Is Risen"

                "Lo, I Am With You"

                "Lift Up Your Heads"

                "Thanks Be to God"

Postlude   "Alleluia"  - Mallory