August 14, 1943, Santa Ana, California

Tom gives Elaine advice on how to break Karen (age 1) of her habit of twirling her hair to the point that it comes out. He also thanks Elaine for her advice about his contemplated engagement to Zoe. He has decided to become “pinned.” He answers a number of her questions, discussing the weight of a full pack, and the issue of being able to cross your eyes. He describes his dog tags and some of his course work.
August 14, 1943, Page 1
August 14, 1943, Page 1

Fri. morning.

Dear Folks,

Finished cleaning a little early this morning so I have a little time before breakfast. I received your letter last night and was really glad to hear from you and also get your opinion. To several of your questions I don’t know the answer just yet and until I am certain of them my frat. pin will be enough. Would you send that to her? The address is 706 S. Mathews, Urbana.

Old Sigma Nu Fraternity Pin
Old Sigma Nu Fraternity Pin

It seems that you should be able to teach Karen how to curl her hair around her finger without pulling it out. It sounds like a bad habit to break her of. Have you had any success yet? Maybe you will have to put on her de-thumb-suckers to keep her from pulling her hair.

Alpha Omicron Pi University of Illinois
Alpha Omicron Pi, University of Illinois, 706 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois, This is where Zoe Foran resided in 1943.

It is almost time for the whistle so I had better get ready, will try and finish this tonight. When the whistle blows we have 45 sec. to be in ranks at attention. I am on the second floor and it is really a race to get out there. It is worth two gigs if you don’t make it and several times I haven’t.

(7:00 P.M.)

Back again. To answer a few of your questions. A full pack weighs about 35 lbs. This can vary with rifle, etc. They also get heavier starting from noon on and about 4:00 P.M. they weigh about 135#. I don’t exactly know what the idea of crossing your eyes is for, but they run a pointer down a ruler and check the distance. They are trying a new night blindness test that is still in the experimental stage.

August 14, 1943, Page 2
August 14, 1943, Page 2

It is really quite complicated We don’t get any flying here at pre-flight, that starts at primary where we go next. Primary is probably where this fellow from Stanley’s office washsed out. However, some get almost all the way through and then can’t land heavy planes and get washed on account of this.

U.S. Army Dog Tags from World War II
U.S. Army Dog Tags from World War II

We got our dog tags today so I guess we are really veterans now. You have probably seen them they are two duplicates which you wear around your neck. They have your name, serial number, Religious preference, blood type, and persons name (Dad’s) and his address. It is the first time I knew what my blood was, it is O what ever that means.

Thanks alot for the advice and I will assure you everything you said will be thought through. Don’t worry about anything happening for some time yet but I just wanted to know what you thought.

We finished our chemical warfare course today. I think I did pretty good on the test, I got a 100 on the first math test we had, we have two more for the course. I think we start aerial photography Mon. It doesn’t seem possible that we have already had two week of school. We are suppose to get passes next weekend if we don’t have M.M[1]Mess Maintenance or guard duty. I am going to try and see Aunt Mollie then.

I hope you are all settled down now with all the cleaning completed. Is Karen left handed? You said she would sling the H2O over her left shoulder, explain please.

With Love
·–, ··, -, ···, ·-··, —, ···-, ·,

Tom
-, —, –,

August 14, 1943, Santa Ana, California
August 14, 1943, Santa Ana, California

References

References
1 Mess Maintenance

A Young Man Went Off to War