| dc.description.transcription | Sunday afternoonDear Mama, Papa, Amy, Brother, Gertrude, Ruth, W.Y., Iris, Cecil, Weasilpuss, and EddieHowdy,This is just a line to let all of you know that I am still alive and kicking. Since I have neither carbon paper or a typewriter I’ll have to depend on Mama or Amy to get this circulated. I think Ruth is in the same boat I am on that score so she can sympathize with me. I wonder if a typewriter would do me any good any way. A-S-D-F-G space H-J-K-L-; space, I guess it would after all. I want all of you to know that I am staying home this afternoon and not going to la ciudad de Greenville just so I can write this and a couple of other letters, I also have about six hours of steady work to do on my navigation problem,this might have influenced my staying home just a little bit.Now for about me. I’m holding up under the strain pretty well. The Army has itscientifically figured out just how hard and far they can drive a man without killing him. I think they’ve figured it closer here than at any other place, but nevertheless its been figured. Believe me though, they didn’t allow much margin for error. One thing about it what they take away from us in sleep etc., they give back in food. I just got through finishing off two high huge portions of fried chicken plus, mashed potatoes, green peas, slow, hot rolls & butter, coffee, milk, ice cream, and cookies. It was delicious, and almost made me homesick. Better not or else I’ll go straight out and put in another long distance call to F.W. 4-1254As for my flying, its coming along “as well as can be expected.” I soloed at six hours, one hour over the minimum allowable, and ½ the maximum allowable. Some of the boys aren’t making it at all. There are three different types of airplanes here, the B.T. 13 A, the B..T. 13 B, and the B.T. 15. I am supposed to be able to fly any of them when I leave here. I’ve already tried my hand at the 13 A, and the 15, there isn’t too much difference. One has a 450 H.P. Prat & Whitney engine, and the other as a 420 H.P. Wright Whirlwind. There are just a few minor differences besides the engine. The 13 B is about the same except that it has a full instrument panel of instruments. It is used for cross country, blind flying cross country, instrument flying, and night flying. Ihaven’t done any of the above yet so I haven’t flown the airplane yet. It also has a new complicated radio that is now in use on all of our combat planes. I say complicated radio, the authorities assume us, just like everything else new, that is really simpler once you catch on to it. My flying so far has just been the routine transition stuff. I’ll let you know when I start the glamor part of it such as formation, cross country, blind flying, acrobatics, etc.Now for the personal stuff.Mama, your last cake was delicious, I’ll bet that you can’t do that good again. I also noticed in church bulletinwhere I finished my flight training. If any of them ask you about it, put them straight.Amy, your knife is a honey. Not quite up to pre-war standards but it does its main and practically only job beautifully, that is, keeping my fingernails clean.Brother, if everything goes well I am due to get my wings in June. That is what the 44 F is for. F stands for the 6thmonth in 1944.Ruth, your last cookies were wonderful, especially the ones with chocolate chips in them. Or were they all like that? Anyway those are the ones that I remember. | |
