This didn’t turn out to be much of a Sun. either. However, we did get to sleep till 8:00 but then we had a lecture at 10:00.

Flying is coming along pretty good. Yesterday it rained all day but we still flew. It was quite a sensation flying in the rain. Up about 6,000′ it was really cold and those helmets and goggles aren’t much protection. We are suppose to get flying jackets soon. Long John went deer hunting and I have had a different instructor the last two days. I hate to think of going up with him again Mon. I don’t know who cusses who the most the trouble is that I can hear him through the gosports and he can’t hear me. There is no getting around it that he really knows how to handle the plane.

I think Zoe is coming out sometime in the next few weeks. I don’t (know) when it will be but I wish you would take about $50.00 or alittle more out of my account and send me check or money order. I might have enough but I wanted alittle reserve. We are not going to get engaged so don’t get that idea. When and if that time rolls around you will know about it in advance. She had been planning on coming out for sometime after she graduated. Send the money as soon as possible because it is possible that she might come this coming weekend. Mrs. Perkins is going to make reservations for her.

I am sending you a book of matches from the field. Will send them in a separate envelope.

Well it’s time for my daily evening shower.

Keep your fingers crossed for me. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dad,

Add this one to your collection and mark it from Thunderbird Field, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Arizona.

Love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

It doesn’t seem like I ever have time to write more than just a note. I think you could class this place right next to kill itself. I pulled about the roughest instructor on the field. His name is John B. Harbin but I call him “Long John”, of course not to his face. The flying is fun but according to Long John I am about the dumbest fellow that ever hit this place. Today I didn’t do a thing right and believe me he told me about it in no uncertain terms. He makes a fellow feel like hitting the silk.

The food is O.K. when you get to eat it. Yesterday I had 5 min to eat breakfast and had a cup of coffee for lunch. Dinner was OK with enough time but it sure knocks your stomach out of whay. The first day up he put that plane through everything I’ve ever heard of. Slow rolls, snap rolls, Chandelle’s spins, loops, stalls, etc. I thought sure I was going to lose my socks and my stomach hasn’t felt right since. I hope it snaps out of before we get into practicing the rough stuff.

Its is till hot here and not any place to go to get away from it. Hope to get a weekend pass next weekend. I have to fly at 7:00 in the morning so had better get some sleep.

Love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

We are really out on the desert about 18 mi. from Phoenix. Arrived here yesterday noon and have really been on the go because we start flying tomorrow. You wouldn’t know today was Sun. because we got up at 5:30 and have been to a lecture and had a room inspection this morning. This afternoon more lectures. The main object here is to let you get as many hours in as possible. For the first 4 weeks we will be on the flight line about 3 or 4 hours a day as well as drill, calesthenics and 2 hrs. of ground school. We should solo in a week or two. After the first 4 weeks we are on the line about 5 or 6 hours with the rest remaining the same. We start out getting about 1 hr. flying a day and work up till we are getting about 3 a day. This is really the thing and it is a good field for flying. There are a few mountains and hills around but I don’t think they cause any trouble. The living conditions are pretty nice even though they are alittle crowded. We are suppose to get out of here on weekends but flying comes first so if you miss a day during the week you fly Sun. to make it up.

The weather here is still pretty warm but there is a good breeze. I’ll know alot more abut things in a couple of days and this is mainly to let you know my address. Cleda I received your letter just before I left. How was Dad’s meal? Thanks for the envelopes I think I will need them pretty soon.

With love,

Tom

Dear folks,

Just a note for tonight. We now have a good deal of free time and all of us are just sort of taking life easy. I went to the show tonight, they have three movies here on the post and every time I have been they are all packed, however, most of them are enlisted men and not cadets so you can see who the busy ones are.

I sent you a package today that I hope you receive in good condition. They have several things at the P.X. and I have been planning on sending you something for the house for a long time. They had some flags there but they are all too gaudy to suit me.

We heard tonight that most of the squadron is going to Visalia, Calif. I think 16 are going to Oxnard, Calif. Visalia is about 50 min. from Fresno as far as I can make out and from all accounts is pretty nice. It is small and they supposedly fly Ryan PT’s (primary trainers). Oxnard is also suppose to be plenty nice but I think I would rather go with the rest of the squadron. We should know who is going where in the next couple of days.

I am sending a couple of stickers to take the place of N.U.’s Wildcat for this year. These stickers represent a pretty good team also.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

I just have a few minutes before taps but I did want to get this letter off tonight. We are having our final exams now, I had one in Maps and Charts yesterday, have one in Aircraft and Naval Identification tomorrow and then one in Physics Tues. Can’t tell you much about what is happening just now because I don’t know myself but should know something definite in about a week.

I really had a swell weekend at Aunt Mollies’. I got in about 8:30 and we visited till about 11:00. I didn’t get up till 9:00 and then had a big breakfast. To top things off they brought me back to the base. It was really a treat, we came by the Douglas Aircraft plant which is completely camouflaged. A net covers the entire plant and the net alone cost $4,000,000.00 and on top of the net they have built a complete rural district which includes everything.

We got to the base about 2:00 P.M. and it would have been pretty late for them to get back if they stayed to see the parade. Elliot Roosevelt and 2 generals were here and were the reviewing officers. They didn’t tell us till just before we went out. It seems like the place is getting more important everyday.

Well time to close but I did want to let you know about the weekend.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

I am writing this in code class on some borrowed stationary. As far as I am concerned school is over. We have had all our exams but a lot of the fellows have to take rechecks on some courses. I don’t know what my grades are yet but done is my lowest, however, I can take 10 words/min. Pretty solid while 8 is all that is required. I think my grades are all pretty good but I did bring my aircraft identification grade down some on the final. Beings our course was knocked about 2 weeks short we really had to breeze through the British planes.

I have really picked up a dandy cold so I might need some more of your cold pills before many more weeks. Just about everyone has a cold. They took our flight jackets in because we will be issued leather flying jackets at primary but until then I guess we are just suppose to freeze. The mornings are still foggy, damp and cold so it isn’t very easy to get rid of a cold when we have to run around in short sleeves. From all indications we will be leaving here around the end of next week. Our classes are over tomorrow but we have several lectures and a track meet before pulling out. Our graduation is next Thurs. and we will supposedly find out where we will go for primary. There are some that won’t get to go because there won’t be enough room in the primary’s and those who don’t get to go will have to remain here another 4 weeks. What a horrible thought, everyone is keeping his fingers crossed. I think everyone will have to admit that we have covered a lot here when you consider we have covered a pretty thorough course in math and physics. Also learned all the main ships in the British & U.S. fleet let alone all their air planes. Besides this have covered subjects in gunnery, maps & charts, Chemical Warfare and several other tactical courses. They aren’t exactly courses you would consider helpful in civilian life but that isn’t the main interest today.

I think I told you that Zoe was graduating about the 4th of Oct. so you might send her something.

Well this period is almost up so had better close.

Boy the way did you receive the squadron pictures?

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

Received your letter tonight and it was really good to hear from you. There isn’t much news from here other than the same old grind. The mornings have really been awful. The fog is so thick till about 10:00 A.M. that it is just like a light rain. Everyone is getting colds because we are still wearing our sun tans and believe me from 5:00 A.M. till noon we really freeze. However, the afternoons are nice and warm and after having calisthenics and running a couple of miles it gets hot. It is really surprising to find yourself running a couple of miles and not getting very tired when you think back to 8 or 9 mos. ago once around the block and you would be puffing like a steam engine. I think just about all of us are use to the physical conditioning but I don’t think we will ever get use to the mental training. I guess that is more important than anything though. The pressure only lets up for about 7 hrs. Out of everyday and that is between 10:00 P.M. and 5:00 A.M. However, this won’t last much longer and from all reports this is the most strenuous of the training.

We will probably get off about 5:00 this Sat. So I will get to Aunt Mollie’s before it gets very late.

We had a physics exam today which was pretty simple. Tomorrow we have an exam in Naval Identification and then Sat. One in Maps and Charts over the aerial photo section. Mon. We get our final in Aircraft Identification, we now know all army, navy and British planes and can identify them at 1/10 of a sec. At primary we get the Ger. and Jap ones and have to work them all up so that we can recognize them at 1/25. Our first test was at 1/5 and after you pass that speed 1/100 seems as fast as 1/10. The way things are happening it looks like we will get out of here soon then expected.

I don’t see why Mr. Wafer is sore about Oli not making it. There are several thousand at Scott Field who as far as normal standards go are in perfect physical condition but there isn’t a thing they can do about it. I feel sorry for Bill B. Because he has really got a problem on his hands going back like that. I doubt very much if it is of his own choosing that he is home because those med. D’s don’t come very easy. One of the boys here in the squadron wrecked his feet and is going home for good in a few days and he would rather go through with us on crutches than leave now. It looks like Warren^[1]Likely Warren I. Cartmell, Tom’s cousin, a son of Doctor Cartmell’s brother is really in on things and it looks like our fighting is just beginning to get under way. I got a letter from Steve and he is in Florida practicing invasion tactics. Well just about bed time so will close.

Goodnight –

With love, Tom

Dear Folks,

Even though it is late wanted to drop you a line while here at the hotel.

It is good to get away from the base for awhile because we had a pretty hectic week. We didn’t get away till late, and when you have several thousand cadets trying to go to the same place you are, somebody has to wait.

We only have 3 1/2 more weeks of school and will probably be around four a week after we finish school. There are so many primary training fields that it is hard to say just where we will go but most of us are hoping to go to Thunderbird which is only about 20 mi. From Phoenix.

Well I don’t want to get behind on too much sleep so will close. We’ll try to write from camp tomorrow night.

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

None of us can sign out to go to the P.X. (Post Exchange) or the movie tonight because we have tests tomorrow, however, not very many or studying but instead they are laying around listening to the radios and writing.

I received the box and thanks a lot for everything, nothing was forgotten and Cleda the brownies really hit the spot. The don’t give us things like that in cadet mess. The clippers are really handy, they ask to see your fingernails everyonce in awhile in a personal inspection. Dad, thanks a lot for getting them for me. Didn’t you have a hard time finding them.

Starting tomorrow morning we have a reverse schedule, that is we start having classes in the morning and drill and calisthenics in the afternoon. This will only give us about 1/2 hour in the mornings to get ready for inspection but gives us about 1/2 hr. Free time in the afternoon and a coke will taste mighty good then.

I saw Virgil Ethridge the other day and just before he was to be sent to Scott Field he got a recheck on his eyes and got put in bombardier school. As soon as he gets settled he’s coming over.

We got passes next weekend but 51 from the sqd. Are pulling guard duty, we don’t know who yet, but if I get off I will try to find Aunt Mollies’.

I think I told you once before but to refresh it one of my buddies got a telegram that his mother was seriously sick and for him to come home, he didn’t get to leave for two days because the red cross had to verify it. In case I am ever needed the correct procedure is to get in touch with the local Red Cross and they will telegraph the Red Cross here so things will be verified right away and there won’t be any delay here. I really felt sorry for Bob (the boy that went home) here he was trying to get away and he couldn’t get a phone call through to find out the trouble.

We finished Chemical Warfare yesterday. I got a 93 in the course. I think we start aerial photography in place of it but I don’t know how soon it starts. Gunnery only lasts about one more week, we have finished studying all three guns now and start range classes and going to the range this week.

Cleda, I received you letter, have you still been keeping up with the golf game? I am afraid my game would be pretty poor now, that isn’t saying much because I never could brag about it.

We got our dog tags the other day so I guess we could be considered veterans now.

A P38 crashed at the field across the road last night. It sounded like a block buster when it hit. I heard they lost about 4 a week from the base, it seems that the boys just forget for an instant how hot those ships are. Some major broke the record out here a few weeks ago when he dived one of them at somewhere between 850 and 900 MPH. He got it landed ok and the speedometer was broken but the way the cowling and wings were rippled they calculated his speed. It doesn’t seem possible to go about 100 MPH faster than the speed of sound.

I have to shine brass and shoes yet tonight so had better get to it. Thanks again for the package. –

With Love,

. – – , . . , – , . . . . , . – . . , – – – , . . . – , . ,

Tom

– , – – – , – – .

Dear Folks,

It feels funny to be going to school again but the courses now are different than any I have ever taken before. That is all except math. My daily schedule runs as follows: Drill and calesthenics from 7:30 AM to 11:00 A.M.; 12:00 to 1:00 PM, Code; 1:00 to 2:00 Gunnery; 2:00 to 3:00 Chemical Warfare; 3:00 to 4:00 Math; 4:00 to 5:00 aircraft identification and naval identification. We have this schedule six days a week with Sun. off if you don’t have MM. It so happens that I have MM this afternoon starting at 12:45.

None of the courses seem especially hard so far but I imagine Code and identification will get hard according to all reports. We will have to be able to take 8 words a min. in code and recognize 50 different planes when they are flashed on the screen for 1/25 of a sec. All this is really a condensed course and you really have to stay on the ball to get it all in 8 weeks.

Sam left for Scott Field Fri. and he said he would call you folks the first chance he got. I imagine they will keep him plenty busy for awhile. He is hoping to get to go to O.C.S.

About 50% of the squadron is walking tours this week-end. You have to start walking after 8 gigs here and I just got under the wire with 8. Thurs. we had 2 personal inspections and 2 barracks inspections, I picked up 6 gigs that day. They usually crack down pretty hard at the first so thing will probably let up alittle pretty soon.

We were the last bunch to be made A/C’s before finishing pre-flight. All those going into pre-flight now go in as A/S at $50 instead of $75. However, we still haven’t got cadet blouses and I doubt if we ever will, but when you get the cadet brass on the O.D. blouse you can’t hardly tell the difference.

We have July pay day coming up this Tues. I don’t know if it will be full pay or just partial payment. I heard that we signed for $754.

I received a letter from Elaine’s yesterday and they really enjoyed their visit at home. I wish I could have been there also, but I am still holding my rain check. If everything goes as planned I will probably make it back there around next April. That sounds like an awful long time, but time goes pretty fast now.

I have to study Chemical Warfare for a test Mon. and I haven’t very much time before I go on M.M. Say if you want to drop a few 6¢ stamps in a letter it will be greatly appreciated. They are as rare as gold around here and just as hard to get. The P. office is open only a short time and we are at class then.

I will try to write alittle more now that we are getting settled.

With love,

Tom