Dear Cleda,
Received your letter and tried to write last night but even if we aren’t doing as much as we were it seems like I haven’t any more time. I will probably have to finish this letter tomorrow because it is 8:30 now. When you are flying taps are at 9:00 instead of 10:00. Tomorrow is the day I don’t fly so should have some spare time. So far this week I have got in about 3 hrs. flying time but today it was so rough we couldn’t hardly get off the ground and had a heck of a time landing. I have a swell instructor who really seems to know his stuff. The worse thing about the field is that the airliners and army planes are coming in all the time and make it pretty crowded. However, it is all precision flying which it has to be for safety sake. Today two B25s (the kind that Doolittle used) landed and took off. If you could see the size of them and the space they used to take off you wouldn’t think it possible for them to take off an aircraft carrier. Also a formation of P39s came in, they are my favorite. Their full name is the Bell Aircobra, you see them in the magazines all the time.
I think I am really beginning to learn something now. However, there is so much stuff to remember that my instructor is always telling me to keep the nose up, bring the lefty wing up, look around before turning, and a number of other things. I guess he thinks I could still make the grade because he told me he hadn’t given up hope entirely.
I guess Dad is on the train now roaring toward Arizona. I will get off at 2:00 P.M. Sat. and won’t have to be back till 3:00 P.M. Sun.
(Will finish this tomorrow)
(9:00 A.M.)
Back again, but I am going to have to cut this shorter than wanted to. We are suppose to go swimming in a few minutes. I just received the candy bars and thanks alot. I guess they are as scarce at home as they are here.
Last night at 10:30 the C.QQ. woke me up for a telephone call. It was Western Union with a telegram from Dad saying that the train would be late. I was so sleepy I didn’t hardly know what they were talking about. The C.Q. had a heck of a time waking me up in fact the other three fellows were wide awake trying to wake me up. That is one thing the army hasn’t changed in me.
I am certainly looking forward to seeing Dad, and I wish you could have come with him but I know how traveling is and I hope the trip isn’t too hard and tiring on him.
There goes the whistle so will have to close.
Love,
Tom
