Although it warms up during the day, the nights in Tempe are still cold, particularly since Tom’s dorm room is a screened-in porch. He describes his methods for dealing with the cold. He asks his parents for some swimming trunks, size 32.
Wed. night.
March 25, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 1
Dear Folks,
I thought I had better send you as many letters now as possible. We have been having it pretty easy so far but starting Mon. we go on a 17 hr. day schedule with one hour of free time and I imagine you would like to spend that one hour drinking a coke. The days are are beginning to get warmer but the nights get plenty cold. We use our heavy overcoats as bath robes and then put them on the bed to help keep warm. We sleep on a screened-in porch. The food is still plenty good and I still like the idea of the coeds serving it to us. It is all cafeteria but they work behind the counter like I did in Lunt last summer.
Today we had an all day G.I. party which is cleaning the whole place from top to bottom. We wash everything with G.I. soap and brush and believe me the soap is not much more than pure lye. You can’t wash any clothes with it are they are liable to disolve in a solution of it. However, this place is really clean but still has alot of roaches running around. As long as they stay out of my bed I’ll be O.K.
March 25, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 2
There is something I wish you would send me. If you can’t find my swimming trunks get me a size 32. I have gained wt. so it might be that my old ones wouldn’t fit. Uncle Sam furnishes us with everything else in the line of gym wear but no swimming suits. We are suppose to get to go swimming soon and it is hard to get a pair of shorts in this town.
March 25, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 3
As yet I haven’t been able to have any pictures taken. I was planning on having it done last weekend in Fresno but then we weren’t there long enough.
They hold retreat here everynight. I think there must be about 400 on the post so you can see it is more like a family than an army post.
I am going to a concert tonight that will be something different. The worse part of this here is that you never do any thinking for yourself and you march every where you go. You march to dinner, you march to get a hair cut you march here and there, not worrying where you are going or when you will get there.
My address has changed alittle so use the one on this letter. If you have already used the other I will get it but use this one from now on.
Tom has has completed his first day at Arizona State College in the CTP (College Training Program) in Tempe, Arizona. The living conditions are markedly improved over his Boot Camp experience in Fresno.
Mon. night.
March 23, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Monday Night, Page 1
Dear Folks,
It seems like we are all starting back to college. Here we are living in a dorm with tables, wash stands in the rooms, chest of drawers, closets and beds. I and everyone else is very well satisfied. The discipling is pretty strict in fact it is alot like I would think west point to be. All of us are called Mr. and we have to salute non-coms and call them sir. However, we all have a good change to go places if we work. From what I hear the course is plenty tough but I won’t know about that till next Mon. when our classes start. I will let you know the details of the day when I find out all the ropes. Our status is no longer pvt. but aviation student. We are suppose to be here for 5 mo. and get 10 hours of flying time while here. At the end of this training we are suppose to go right into primary flying and we won’t have to go through pre-flight. In a way it will be worse here but we are all working toward a goal that can be seen. The living conditions have improved 100% over Fresno in fact it is like returning to civilization. We don’t have K.P. anymore and no dishes to wash and the two meals so far have been swell. What a life. –
March 23, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Monday Night Page 2
I tried to get in touch with Aunt Molly while we were at Los Angeles but the Lt. made us stay together. I was going to phone her but I couldn’t find her no. in the book. I sent you folks a telegram, I hope you got it.[1]If they received this telegram, it was not saved. The whole bunch of us went through Olvera St. and then to a show in the afternoon.[2]Olvera Street is the site of the original Spanish settlement that has come to be known as Los Angeles. By 1943, it had evolved into a major tourist attraction. I had remembered alot about it from the time we were there. However, sightseeing with 200 fellows is alittle different. We went by Pullman all the way. Maybe if I would travel another 3,000 mi. on a pullman I would learn how to sleep in one.
Olvera Street Market in 2005March 23, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Monday Night, Page 3
I want to take a shower and write Elaine a letter yet tonight so had better close. If you get a chance tell Uncle Leslie and some of the others that have been writing me my new address.
Love, Tom
P.S. This place is only about 8 mi. from Phoenix in case you are wondering, however, we won’t get any passes till God knows when.
Olvera Street is the site of the original Spanish settlement that has come to be known as Los Angeles. By 1943, it had evolved into a major tourist attraction.
Tom has just arrived at the Arizona State Teachers College (now Arizona State University) for 5 months of training in primarily academic subjects such as math and physics. This phase of training was “CTP” or College Training Program.
Tempe, Ariz.
March 23, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Monday Noon
Dear Folks,
Arrived in here at noon. We’ll be attending Arizona State College for next 5 mo. if nothing happens. It is just like living in a frat. Four fellows to a room but so far they have been pretty strict. We are suppose to get some flying here but mostly academic courses. From what I hear, math, Physics, etc.
It is really beautiful here and not much different than N.U.[1]Northwestern University
We spent Sun in Los Angeles like I said but we had to stay together. We went though Olivia St. Remember when we went though this before? It is the same in fact I saw some turtles like I got before.
Tom has suddenly been notified his unit is shipping out, destination unknown. He has 30 minutes to turn in his bedding and pack. He’ll let everyone know where is going as soon as he knows.
Sat. morning 9:30
March 20, 1943, Fresno, California, Page 1
Just a note to let you know we are shipping, so don’t send anymore mail here. It was plenty sudden in fact they called me off of guard duty. However, until you are on the train anything can happen. Have to be ready in 30 min. and I have bedding to turn in as well as pack.
Don’t know where to or how, will let you know when we get there.
Tom describes his typical activities and a pass into town. He’s having some trouble with his feet, but the immunizations have been OK.
Sun. morning
March 15, 1943, Fresno, California, AM, Page 1
Dear Folks,
This is the letter I have been trying to get written for the last two days. Cleda, I received your very interesting letter and thanks alot for the prints. I was wondering how they turned out. You mentioned about me going to bed at 8:00. I would like to do it every night but so far haven’t had the chance to very often. We usually come in from the field at 5:00 and are off till 7:00 at which time we usually have a lecture. By the time thats over and we get to bed it is 10:00. The lights are out at 10:00. Last night I got a big treat, I got a 6 hr. pass to visit Fresno. It lasted from 5:00 – 12:00. Half of the flight got one last night and the other half today. Half of the men must remain at the post at all times. After we got in from drill last night my bunk buddy, who is from N.U. (Hal Berglund), made record breaking time and were in town by 6:00. We went to the show first and figured on getting a steak afterwards. We got out of the show at 10:00 and the town looked as lively as Greenville at midnight. We finally ended up in a hamberger joint and believe me we were hungry after having marched all afternoon and morning. This is all considered a war zone and all the towns + cities are on a dim-out every night. However, next time we go in we are going to eat our steak first. It certainly felt good to get away for a few hours.
March 15, 1943, Fresno, California, AM, Page 2
I don’t know if you saw it in the paper or not but they are thinking about giving all air cadets from 6 to 8 weeks of basic training, so we might be her that long. However, my flight is first on the shipping list and you never know till about an hour in advance when you are going to be shipped.
It is trying to rain today but the last few days feel like some one had turned a blow torch on them. The rest of my face + hands are petty brown, the nights get plenty cold and we use all the blankets we have.
Things are pretty routine now and you can tell everyone is getting toughened up to them alot better. We are on the drill field, which is about 150 acres, from 7:30 to 11:00 in the morning, during that time we have on hour of calesthenics and three 10 min. breaks with no H2O to drink. Going with out water is the worse part of it. In the afternoon from 1:00 to 5:00 we have the same thing including the hour of calesthenics. The only difference is that the sun is hotter and you get thirstier, in fact it is alittle worse all the way around. However, I seem to be living through it all and gaining alittle wt. to boot. My second typhoid shot didn’t seem to bother me much and I was very thankful for it. My feet are holding up O.K. but the tendon in the back of my left foot was plenty sore for awhile. I think it is from the high shoes. I have been wearing my civilian shoes every time I am off duty to give my feet alittle rest.
I sent home the bag with my clothes. I thought I had better send the bag back also because there wasn’t any safe place to put it here and I can always get a small canvas bag if I need one.
March 15, 1943, Fresno, California, AM, Page 3
As I said before I haven’t written any letters for 3 days and I have several to get caught up on. I want to write Grandma. I wrote her one and she answered it right away so I will try to do the same.
I will write you every chance I get. Thanks again for the pictures and letters. Tell Agnes I got her letter and will answer it soon.
Tom outlines the gear he has been issued and describes some of his daily activities in boot camp. Mail to him has started to be delivered, and he got a letter from Zoe. The food is improving but he still dislikes washing his eating utensils before and after each meal. The shots and immunizations just keep on coming.
6:15 Mon. night.
March 8, 1943, Page 1
Dear Folks,
We have a lecture at 7:00 so might have to finish this letter. The mail is starting to come in now which is really swell. I got one from Zoe that was forever coming whereas your air mails come in about 3 days. Cleda, in regard to that place where the lights are on after taps – Taps are at 10:00 and I have come to the conclusion that anyone that isn’t in bed by 9:30 is a dmmmmmm fool. It is a long day from 5:15 till then and a hard one. Besides this it isn’t very comfortable in there anyway.
It has still been raining here every day and we are now marching in about 3″ of mud. So far my feet haven’t bothered me (knock on wood) in fact these GI shoes feel pretty good but they are plenty heavy.
We don’t get to leave the post for 14 days so I haven’t been able to get any pictures of me for you. There are no cameras on the post. Our work uniforms are green coveralls with green hats. We have to wear legging with them. We also have our flight jackets which we can wear with these or our OD’s. The latter (O.D.) is just the regular army uniform which you see around home. We get 1 O.D. coat with 2 pr. wool pants, 3 pr. of summer tan pants + shirt + wool shirts. Two coveralls, 2 pr legging, gas mask, overcoat, tooth brush, shaving brush + razor. Also two pr. shoes, 9 pr. socks. The gas masks are really swell, the entire thing is made of rubber. You keep it with you just about all the time and at night it hangs at your head.
March 8, 1943, Fresno, California, Page 2
This afternoon we had our 2nd shots and a lectured and practiced field stripping the sub-machine gun. If you ever saw a wicked looking instrument that is one. It will shoot 20 rounds in 2 sec. and would do better than that if the clip held more. We are suppose to go on the range with them this week sometime. It seems like they are using them more than the Gerand rifle[1]M1 Garand Rifle. They are 45 cal. and can be fired from the chin to show that they do not have any recoil.
The food is getting alot better. In fact to prove this I have seen a couple of 2nd Lt. eating in the mess hall. I still don’t like the idea of eating out of the field mess kits. When we finish eating we dip them in 3 different barrels of hot water and they are supposedly clean.[2]Loose food was scraped off into one barrel. Then the entire mess kit with loosely attached knife, fork and spoon was dunked multiple times into a soapy hot water barrel. Then the kit was dunked … Continue reading
I hope the shots we got today doesn’t effect me as much as the first did but I don’t think it will. It seems that the typhoid ones are the worst. My vaccination didn’t take so I guess my old one is still good, at least they didn’t give me another one today.
I got a letter from Elaine today and she certainly had a swell time at home. It must have been plenty cold when they got back to Chicago, however, Karen seemed to be all the better for the trip.
I had better close. I know my letters aren’t long but I though you would want me to keep them coming. The latest word was that we might be hear for 2 mo. but someone will probably come in in the morning and say we are leaving at noon. What a life –
Loose food was scraped off into one barrel. Then the entire mess kit with loosely attached knife, fork and spoon was dunked multiple times into a soapy hot water barrel. Then the kit was dunked multiple times in plain hot water to get rid of soap. Finally, everything was dunked again in very hot water as a final rinse and to get the mess kit hot enough that it would quickly air dry.
Tom has been introduced to Army exercise in the sun, and Army shots.
March 3, 1943, Fresno, California, Front
Dear Folks,
What a day. This morning wasn’t bad, we had interviews but this afternoon was what you read about in the paper. We were out on the frill field from 1:00 to 4:30 + my face is so sunburned I don’t know when I will be able to shave. In the time we were out there we drilled till 3:30 + then body conditioning. Then at 4:30 we got shots. A vaccination, + two shots. They give the vaccination with a 10⊄ screw driver by giving it a twist on your arm. Several fellows passed out + are therefore excluded from cadet training. They have so many applicants now that they are through them out for anything. Wish me luck.
Tom shares his barracks with other college men from the University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, and Northwestern. They argue about intercollegiate sports.
11:00 Sun. A.M.
March 1, 1943, Fresno, California, Page 1
Dear Folks,
I am going to try + call you this afternoon but I might not be able to so thought I woud drop you a card.
I finally had time to get a bath last night. They have really been keeping us busy, you wouldn’t know today was Sun. I have a pretty bad cold but I got a good night’s sleep last night which helped alot.
All the fellows in this barrack are college men from Wis, Ill. + N.U. we always are getting into alot of arguments. However, after last night basketball game we don’t say much to the Ill. boys about N.U. team. This is my correct address.
Tom is about to arrive in Fresno, California, to begin his Aviation Cadet basic training. The train arrives at 2:00 A.M., and Tom doubts he will get any sleep once they arrive.
9:00 P.M. Fri.
February 27, 1943, Fresno, California, Page 1
Dear Folks,
We are due in Fresno in an hour and it is hard to say when I will get a chance to mail this. We had dinner tonight at Bakersfield our second + last meal for the day. However, we haven’t done a thing except enjoy the ride.
Today has really been the best of the trip this part of Calif. is really beautiful. The spring flowers are all out and down in the valleys the grass is real green while in the distance you can see snow capped mountains. It will be good to get off the train. It seems like we have been on it for ever.
I doubt if we get to bed tonight because it will probably take most of the night to get our clothing.
We went by several gover Bakersfield. They all have ratings and are going to sea. They came from Norfolk, Va. + have been riding since Sun.
February 27, 1943, Fresno, California, Page 2
The whole train has been blacked out since dark. They come through every once in a while to check up. I hope all this stuff isn’t any military information but I better shut up before it is.
There really isn’t much more to say other than describe the country and I have seen so much of that in the last four days that it would take more time than I have.
I have to get my things together so had better close.
