Dad,

Just so you will know that you have alittle interest in the Air Corps.

Love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

I have really neglected you in the last few days but we have been doing a great deal. Our squadron got passes today but most of us had tours to walk. I had to walk 3 hrs., two last night and one this morning. However, I got alot of rest so it didn’t matter very much if I got our or not.

Well basic is just about over, I have just about all my flying completed. Have about 1½ hrs. of dual instrument flying to get and about four hrs. of solo. I have completed formation flying, night flying, acrobatics, stages, and all the rest of the dual time. I have about 65 hrs. in here now which gives me about 130 hours in the air. We got to fill out or choice papers yesterday, that is the choice in the type of planes we’d like to fly. My first choice was single engine fighter, (2) single and twin engine standard, (3) twin engine fighter. The single and twin eng. standard is either instructor, or air transport command. They say you usually get your first choice and if not that your second. It doesn’t make an awful lot of difference to me but I have got my heart set on flying a P39 or P51. From all reports our squadron here will got to Luke Field for advanced. That is near Phoenix and a single engine base. They fly AT6’s and P40’s there. It doesn’t seem possible that in a few weeks we will be flying combat ships. The AT6’s are a pretty hot ship. We will get gunnery training in them while at Luke.

I think out of all that we have done so far I like formation flying the best. These instructors really take their lives in their hands when they give you one hour dual formation and then put two students on each wing flying with about 3 ft. from wing tip to tail. Formation take off and landing are the most tricky, everything the lead ship does you do.

You asked about the noise that these planes made. You are wearing headsets all the time you are flying which keep out most of the engine noise but I have taken them off and they make plenty of noise, especially in low pitch. However, the noise is alittle different than a model T. The thing that seems funny at night is that flame coming out of the exhaust reaches clear back to the cockpit. At first you would swear the plane was on fire. It is a good thing they are all metal.

From all I have been hearing you must be quite a handy man to have around when it comes to moving.

Your job sounds as if it is as interesting as you had expected it to be. I am glad things are going to well.

I sent some cards the Elaine’s that I picked up at the PX. Hope you are able to get in on using them. I am also sending you alittle lapel pin.

I’ll try to do alittle better on this writing from now on. Should have alittle more free time. So long –

With love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

Just a short note before lunch. I wanted to send this card back and also let you know a little of what has been happening.

We received passes from Wed. night till Thurs night and then Fri. (yesterday) started night flying and formation flying. We went to ground school Fri. morning, flew in the afternoon, and then had night flying last night, I got to bed at 12:00. A pretty busy day from 5:30 A.M. till 12 midnight. There isn’t anything like formation flying to give a person the shakes, especially formation landings. Last night I shot two landings with my instructor and then went up and circled in my area for an hour and ahalf. The circling got pretty boring after a while but the take offs and landings really give you a thrill. I still think the hardest part to flying is landing the things and as far as I am concerned the saying of “any landing you can walk away from is a good one,” hits it right on the head.

I sent the photographs the other day from Hanford. I had two different kind printed and I sent one to you and Elaine’s . I don’t know who got which.

Will have to close for now.

Love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

I sent all you folks a letter yesterday to Elaine’s. However, I received your letter yesterday afternoon with your new address. Hope you are feeling well settled and that the work will be interesting.

In your letter you said you were enclosing a card for me to sign. It wasn’t in the letter so I guess you must have forgotten it.

I want to ask you about my ears. I flew yesterday and I had, or rather, was just getting over a cold. We did an hour of acrobatics, going up around 10,000 ft. we did some loops, spins and other such procedures that put the plane in power dives. My ears bothered me a little after landing but I had to go up for a buddy ride with another cadet. When we got back to the base they sent me to see the flight surgeon. My ears didn’t hurt any but just felt more stopped up than they aver had before. The Flt. Sur. said I had been pretty lucky and took me off flying duty for a few days. I went back this morning and he said they looked alot better but I won’t get to fly before Mon. I was wondering if you thought any damage was done. I know the printable of the thing that the air expands and goes out of the inner ear when you go up then when you come down the cold keeps the air from going through the tube back into the ear, thus causing the ear drum to be pulled in. Is the only danger in that of getting a broken ear drum when you come down? The Flt. Sur. said they would be OK in a few days, but i still hate to miss the flying.

I guess you are leaving for Chicago today. Did you stop by Decatur on the way?

I haven’t had a chance to look up the people in Hanford yet and we aren’t getting out this weekend either.

The weather there sounds just about like what we are have here. I am glad that you received the dates and cigars.

I’ll be waiting to hear all about things so let me hear from you when you get time.

Love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

Here is a birthday letter for you. We can’t mail any packages from here and if we get off this weekend I am going to send you something.

These last three days have really been tough. I have flew two and a half hours everyday. This is really a good way to rack up the hours but after the first hour it turns out to be work. However, the more you do the better you like it.

Dad, what did you do to your foot? Let me know how you are. Cleda said you were at Van ^[1]Vandalia Hospital, near Greenville for a couple of days. I hope it wasn’t anything bad.

I am sending you an article that I saw in the latest Saturday Evening Post. The picture of the chamber looks like the ones we were in and from the description it is just like the thing we went through. I am almost certain that it is taken from Santa Ana.

Today in flying I shot stage landings for an hour. Long John was pretty well pleased but I had a little trouble in catching on to them. It is just about the same thing as spot landings, that is you land on a line with your instructor who is standing on the ground grading you. We never find out our grades, but we do know if we pass or not. I made it OK but some of my landings were any too good.

I still haven’t been able to find out Long John’s address and I don’t want to ask him for it but I will try and find out.

I am sending you a schedule along with the article so you can tell alittle how things are run here. My flight is #1 and we follow schedule W+X. The lower class have schedules A,B,C +D.

Well Dad, I am really plenty tired tonight and we still have four weeks to go and every min. of sleep means that you will be just that much sharper tomorrow.

Here’s hoping your foot is entirely well. Zoe said she would see you folks and I hope she can answer all your questions.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

This is at least one time since I have been in the army that I have had enough time for letter writing. You have probably read in the paper about the big strike the Pacific Electric Line is having out here. As one of the results of this all members of the service have to remain on their base. No officers are even allowed in Los Angeles. They have also had another rumor of an attack on the West Coast. Our C.O. told us this evening to be ready for an alert tonight. A few of us went down to one of the shows and I never have seen such a long line. All the P.X.’s are packed as well as the movies and service club. I never have seen so many planes over the base as I have today. A squadron of P47s went over, it was the first large bunch of those that been over. There are always alot of bombers and other fighter planes around.

Those of us who got marksmen ship scores at the range a couple of weeks ago received our medals today. I think I’ll send mine home so you can keep it for me. I’ll also be sending home some restricted material that we used here in school. I might need it for reference sometime later so just hang on to it. Just don’t let it lay around too much.

I guess I told you we finished school Thurs. and we are suppose to leave here Fri. I think we’ll know where we are going around the first of the week so I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. We had a lecture from an officer from one of the primary school and he told us the wath out rate at primary was 30% which doesn’t sound very encouraging. However, by this time I have learned to take things as they come and so far things have turned out O.K. I still have my fingers crossed. This officer also told us that most of the primary schools are using Ryan primary trainers which land at 90 M.P.H. and stall at 60 M.P.H. That makes it a pretty hot ship to learn in. The P38s land at about 90 M.P.H. You can imagine how everyone is sitting on pins and needles. I think if they told us to be ready to leave in 10 min. we would all be packed and ready in 5 min.

I received the letter you wrote Tues. night and it was really swell. Thanks alot for the stamps they certainly come in handy. You asked about the sqd. picture. I am glad you got it. There is one Chinese boy and 3 Mexicans, none are colored. I know one of the Mexican boys very well, he was in “J” flight at Tempe. His name is Raul Ramos and he comes from a good family in L.A. The whole bunch are swell fellows and you would have to go a long ways to find any better.

I haven’t seen Jim Brewer or Virgil E. for some time now. It is pretty hard to make connections when all our schedules are different. However, this next week I should have alittle more free time.

Sam’s address is:

Samuel C. Ashcroft, 13114261.
13TSS BKs 809
Scott Field, Ill.

I got a letter from him but haven’t written to him yet. I hope to get one off tomorrow.

I got the letter from Cleda and it was really nice. She was afraid I was worried about things at home and she didn’t want me to. However, Dad, I haven’t worried about them because I felt sure that things would turn out O.K. I was just interested. As for you idolizing me I hope that I can prove worthy of it when the time comes. I know one thing and that is there isn’t a boy living or dead that ever had as good a father as I have.

Well Dad I want to write Elaine tonight. I am going to see if she can’t get Zoe’s Graduation present for me.

I not only wouldn’t know what to get or when to get it.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dear Dad,

Just got in from pass and from Aunt Mollie’s. I got in to L.A. about 12:30 last night and got up at 7:30 and went out to Aunt Mollie’s. Had breakfast there and had a nice visit even though it was short, however, got to make arrangements for my going there next weekend. They are all well and Uncle Harmon looks fine and says he feels better than he ever has. Agnes was there, and things didn’t look much different than when we were there several years ago. I had to leave at 10:00 so I would have time to catch the train back to the base. Next Sat. Night I am going out as soon as I get to L.A. and they said they would have a place for me to stay. I took some pictures of Karen in an gave to them, they really think she is cute.
—————-

The war news sound pretty good especially in Italy. I don’t think any of our bunch will see any action in Europe but should get in on the grandstand show over Japan. I hear that most of the flying done at primary now is in basic trainers which are a heavier and faster ship with a 450 h.p. Engine, where as they were using primary trainers with a 225 h.p. Engine. 225 h.p. Is a big jump. The idea is so you can get more flying time during training in the combat planes. The whole set up as certainly changed a lot in the last 6 mos.

Well I had better get ready for parade because when they blow the whistle you can’t very well get ready and be out there all in 45 sec.
It was certainly good to have a home cooked breakfast again at Aunt Mollies’.

With love, Tom

Will send you the squadron picture in a couple of days.

Dear Dad,

Received your letter last evening and I am almost certain that some of my letters are getting lost some where or maybe they crossed in the mail. I have been trying to get two letters off every week and sometimes more.

I went on C.Q. Duty at six tonight and don’t get off till six tomorrow night and it was just my luck to have it when our squadron goes to the range but I would rather miss that than a day of school because I have had a lot more practice at shooting a gun than I have at taking code and spotting airplanes. Code is the hardest for me but I haven’t started to worry about it yet. I’ll let that worrying go till the last week. The instructor claims that the way it usually comes to a person is that he will come to class one morning and won’t have a bit of trouble with it. About the only way to study it is to read something in code, so I have been reading the paper every night in code.

Dad, I hope my last letter didn’t surprise you too much but there wasn’t any sense in not telling you and I thought you would want to know. Don’t get the idea that there are any plans for the future and when ever there are you will be the first to know about it.

I got a letter from Uncle Leslie today and he said that he had a hat for me and wanted a little more specifications on the coat so I wrote him a short line telling him that an officers coat would be O.K. Because most of the fellows are getting them and then having the belt buckle taken off and the belt sewed on the the coat. I told him to fix me up if he could so if you want to see what it looks like you might stope and see it. I don’t know if he has sent the hat yet or not.

It has been plenty warm here the last few days and now that we are back on the afternoon class schedule everyone has been getting gifted for sleeping in class. I haven’t got gaged four that but just the same I have 9 gigs already for this week. The gig week ends Thurs. night so even if I don’t get any more I am still walking one tour. I got four for a dirty floor and then five this morning for talking in ranks. They don’t fool around here by giving you just one or two gigs at a time but instead you hit the jack pot every time. This means I will have to stay in the Sat. Night but might get off early Sun. Morning and if I do I am going to get up early and go in and see Aunt Molly.

Well I have some reports to make out yet tonight and get ready to make bed check at 10;15.

Goodnight——-

With love,

Dear Dad,

Received your letter yesterday. It was really good to hear from you. I had detail this weekend so didn’t get a pass, here’s hoping I don’t pull M.M. ^[1]Mess Management, ie, KP or Kitchen Patrolnext Sun. I wrote Aunt Mollie and told her and that I would be in next weekend. A persons plans always are getting mixed up in this game.

I guess you received my letter of a couple of days ago. I know that I don’t know everything that has been happening and I was up a stump as to what to say. Let me know if you think if you think things are beyond hope as to getting things patched up.

We start on our morning class schedule again tomorrow. Code hasn’t got me worried any more because I can take 8 words/min. Without any trouble. I hope to be able to work up to 10 or 12 before we leave but my trouble is that I can hardly copy them that fast.

I weighed the other day and topped the scales at 165. I have gained about 10# here in pre-flight.

Jimmy Brewer is in classification here and I went over and saw him the other evening. The first person from home I have seen since you were in Phoenix. I don’t know if he made it or not, he had to get a waver on his eyes and was hoping for navigation.

Well Dad, I know my letters are short but I want you to know that I  am thinking of you.

Goodnight –

With love, Tom

Dear Dad,

I haven’t got an awfully lot of time but wanted to write you tonight because from what I hear next week’s schedule is pretty tough. I am sending a clipping from the L.A. paper I thought you might be interested in The Col. was really interesting and told us all about his experiences with Rickenbacker. The navy flyer, Lt. Eddie, who rescued them was an N.U. Man and had graduated from engineering in 1934.

I guess you received the letter I wrote from the hotel. We were supposedly going to be on M.M. Today and wouldn’t get passes, however, it was changed at the last min. And we have M.M. Tomorrow. I am going to write Aunt Mollie and tell her I will be to see them next Sat. Night. I know it will be late when we get in there but it’s is the only way that I will be able to see them. I wish it didn’t take so long to get to L.A. Do you think they will mind my not being able to get there till 10:30 or 11:00?

Dad, there is something I would like to discuss with you, and that is that Zoe and I have talked some of getting engaged. I didn’t want to do anything without your approval and I would never do anything behind your back. It would be quite awhile before she would get married. She wants to work a year or so, and I would consider it till I finished training. However, I would like to know what your opinion would be. I do know that Zoe is the finest girl I have ever met and I think the world of her. If you want to, and get the chance, you can discuss this with Mr. and Mrs. Foran^[1]Zoe’s parents, who live in Sorento, Illinois, outside of Greenville, but I’d rather that’s all the further it went for the present.

Our pilot school class is 44-D and all the C classes had their graduation Fdri. So we are next on the list. We will probably leave in about 4 weeks. Say, I was wondering if you have ever received my $10,000 government policy yet?

Well Dad Tattoo  just blew so I had better get to bed. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom