Sun. evening.

Hello Honey,

Your letter was here when I got back today. That is really a swell time to get a letter from you because there isn’t much to look forward to except another week of work, however, flying does make it much more interesting.

I am glad you wrote what you did in your letter, I at least feel that I still have a chance. As far as my getting angry with you that’s impossible. It’s like a nightmare when I think of not being able to have you. I don’t know if it is possible to be in love with more than one person or not. I thought I was once but I found out that one wasn’t real. Perhaps that is your case also, and maybe it is your love for me that’s the one which isn’t real, however, I don’t think so. I do wish I could see you once in awhile.

I don’t know if I want to get married for awhile yet or not. I thought that after my training was finished would be the time, however, I think that would be selfishness on my part, in the respect that if the war is still going on anything could happen. Of course we all feel that nothing is ever going to happen to us except for the fact that it flashes through everyone’s mind once in awhile and is quickly forgotten. I don’t know if you would consider this as being selfish to ask a girl to marry you under these conditions or not. I would like to know your opinion on this if you would care to give it. This letter probably sounds screwy, maybe I could explain better talking to you personally. I do hope that you would give me a chance to see you before you would make any decision such as getting married to “Joe”. Is that a promise?

Flying has been going pretty well, however, I certainly have alot to learn. The field we fly from is pretty crowded which makes it alittle bad and alot of rules and regulations to go by. Even before you can take off you have to wait till you get 2 clearance lights. After you take off you have to be at certain heights over different landmarks because there are planes going out 50′ about you and planes coming in 50′ below. There is an airliner coming in about every 10 min. and different army planes going in and out all the time. I would hate to run in to any of them. I got in about 3½ hrs. last week and I get my check ride this Thurs. I don’t believe we have to do anything other than go through certain patterns at 500′ and shoot a couple of forced landings. I have landed a couple of times but it has been too rough the rest of the times. I have a good instructor but what gets me is that we will be flying along and he cuts the engine which means you have to start looking for a place to land. As you look around you don’t even see a place that a sparrow could land in, however, things get larger as you get close to the ground and the things that did look like postage stamps turn out to be pretty nice land fields.

Did you finally get the dress done? Can you wear it?

You spoke about being sun burned, I can sympathize with you. Fri. I didn’t fly so I got to go swimming from 9:30 A.M. till 2:00 P.M. and believe me five hours under this Arizona sun is alittle to much. The only place I burned was my feet. In gym we would wear shoes and socks which sin’t uncommon but when a person swims they don’t and as a result I blistered from my ankles down. Believe me it has been hell walking ever since, but it is better now.

Dad’s train leaves early in the morning. He is sort of anxious to get back because Grandma had had a heart attack before he left.

Honey, we have to go see a training film in alittle while so had better get ready. I have to fly at 5:30 in the morning which means getting up at 4:10 A.M.

Honey, no matter what you decide I want you to know I’ll always love you –

With all my love,

Tom