| dc.description.transcription | 9-27-45Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen,From 6,500 feet directly above Los Angeles, California. I would like to take this opportunity to inscribe my family a letter. FirstI would like to say that it is beautiful out tonight, for a change. Usually the fog rolls in at night but tonight it is clear with the stars up above and the lights of the city below. I am riding in the tail end of a C-47 just like a passenger. There are four pilots on board. An instructor, two students, and me, I’m just along for the ride and getting $75.00 for it. I’ve already earned? $75.00 this morning for riding 4 hours and this will make $150.00. Not bad for 8 hours of sleeping, writing letters, and reading. I put in 4 hours yesterday so this will make me caught up with my flying time.The four hours I wasn’t flying yesterday I was O.D. The time I was O.D. last week I was only the assistant to two other O.D.’s but this time I was the whole“shybang.” They decided three O.D.s were too many so one was excused and the other one didn’t show up. If you think I wasn’t a busy little shave-tail you are mistaken. I didn’t even so much as get a chance to lay my head down on my desk all day or all night long. Themajor relieved me while I went up to fly and then I logged 4 hours of sack time on the floor of an airplane. Another passenger said it was too cold for him to sleep but I didn’t notice it.Ruth, your lighter works perfectly at this altitude, a sure sign of a good ‘un.Did I tell you that I planned to get off this coming Sat. morning. Well, I’m not going to. There is a heap big inspection and parade for some visiting general coming up and I just must attend. It’s a good thing I planned to spend my time locally instead of going to San Francisco to see Iris and Cecil. Maybe I can get up to see them next weekend if I’m not on my way to Sheppard Field. Yep, that’s where I am going to finish up my army career, the same place I started it. And I am not counting onit being very long either.This airplane is bouncing around like a kernel of popcorn that is just on the verge of popping. If I may say so, I don’t believe that the student flying now can fly worth a good dad gum!Yesterday my clothes came and today a letter from Amy and one from Mrs. Cameron in Ruth’s envelope. Thank you honey. That about takes care of everything except that Jim still isn’t back. He wrote his aunt that he would be here last Tuesday but sho’ nuff he isn’t. Papa, put that being home for me off about 2 or 3 more weekends and I think you will be about right.Love to all,JoeJim got back | |
