Dearest,

No, I don’t know if I was interested in knowing that John was going to see you are not, I do know that I envied him. Who knows maybe I’ll get to see you again someday.

You have probably received some of my letters by now. Did your folks forward one to you that I sent to your home? I tried to tell you a few things in it so I hope you received it.^[1]Yes, they forwarded it to her on June 17th.

This morning I took some cleaning down to supply and we can’t send anything else out after next Mon. which probably means we will be leaving a week from this Sat. I hope they don’t censor this letter or I will catch hell. We will probably get our change of address pretty soon so I will let you know as soon as I find out. I have my last check flight this Thurs. That will give me about 12 hrs. but only 10 hrs. of logged time. I hope this check ride goes as well as the other one did.

Fri. one of the training planes lost a wheel, maybe I told you about it. Neither the student or instructor were hurt but if he hadn’t made such a beautiful landing it could have been pretty bad. It fell off when they were about 50′ in the air. It was really exciting with all the fire engines and crash trucks around. The plane turned over so it sort of got torn up, but it taught all of us a lesson. You should see how close everyone is checking his plane now before taking off.

This Arizona weather is really beginning to get bad. Yesterday in Phoenix it was 115° in the shade and it didn’t get much cooler during the night. I think I got about 2 hrs. of sleep and I got up several times to wash my face and everytime there were about 3 fellows taking showers. A couple more nights like that and we won’t be fit for anything.

I hope you are making it ok in your job. Do you find the Chinese very hard to get along with? There are several Chinese cadets out here and they all seem like pretty nice fellows. I was talking to one the other day, he had only been in this country about 5 months and is already flying P40’s. He expected to be through in a couple more months and would then be sent back to China supposedly ready for combat flying. It sounds to me that they are making canon fodder out of most of them.

I received a box from your folks yesterday, we had quite a feast last night. Of course my three roommates had to get their share but even at that I still got alot.

The weekend was very dull but it was the second time I have broken my vow not to drink till after primary. However, before we leave on pass all the officers tell us to take all we can so maybe it’s good for us. Sam and I cooked our supper at the Perkins’ and really did a pretty good job. Your letter was here when I came back yesterday afternoon and it was very encouraging (spelt with dis-) about John coming and spending the afternoon with a frat brother and friend. Don’t you think I used good judgment in waiting till today to write?

Honey, I can’t help getting jealous and I don’t think I am abnormal in that respect. Sometimes I wonder if you are just kidding me along or what, because I don’t know what’s going on back there. I swear to God that I am playing fair with you and believe me in an army town like this there are alot of times a person could forget what he’s doing but honey you certainly have alot of influence with me even if we are 2,000 miles apart.

All my love,

Tom

Sun. evening.

Hello Honey,

Your letter was here when I got back today. That is really a swell time to get a letter from you because there isn’t much to look forward to except another week of work, however, flying does make it much more interesting.

I am glad you wrote what you did in your letter, I at least feel that I still have a chance. As far as my getting angry with you that’s impossible. It’s like a nightmare when I think of not being able to have you. I don’t know if it is possible to be in love with more than one person or not. I thought I was once but I found out that one wasn’t real. Perhaps that is your case also, and maybe it is your love for me that’s the one which isn’t real, however, I don’t think so. I do wish I could see you once in awhile.

I don’t know if I want to get married for awhile yet or not. I thought that after my training was finished would be the time, however, I think that would be selfishness on my part, in the respect that if the war is still going on anything could happen. Of course we all feel that nothing is ever going to happen to us except for the fact that it flashes through everyone’s mind once in awhile and is quickly forgotten. I don’t know if you would consider this as being selfish to ask a girl to marry you under these conditions or not. I would like to know your opinion on this if you would care to give it. This letter probably sounds screwy, maybe I could explain better talking to you personally. I do hope that you would give me a chance to see you before you would make any decision such as getting married to “Joe”. Is that a promise?

Flying has been going pretty well, however, I certainly have alot to learn. The field we fly from is pretty crowded which makes it alittle bad and alot of rules and regulations to go by. Even before you can take off you have to wait till you get 2 clearance lights. After you take off you have to be at certain heights over different landmarks because there are planes going out 50′ about you and planes coming in 50′ below. There is an airliner coming in about every 10 min. and different army planes going in and out all the time. I would hate to run in to any of them. I got in about 3½ hrs. last week and I get my check ride this Thurs. I don’t believe we have to do anything other than go through certain patterns at 500′ and shoot a couple of forced landings. I have landed a couple of times but it has been too rough the rest of the times. I have a good instructor but what gets me is that we will be flying along and he cuts the engine which means you have to start looking for a place to land. As you look around you don’t even see a place that a sparrow could land in, however, things get larger as you get close to the ground and the things that did look like postage stamps turn out to be pretty nice land fields.

Did you finally get the dress done? Can you wear it?

You spoke about being sun burned, I can sympathize with you. Fri. I didn’t fly so I got to go swimming from 9:30 A.M. till 2:00 P.M. and believe me five hours under this Arizona sun is alittle to much. The only place I burned was my feet. In gym we would wear shoes and socks which sin’t uncommon but when a person swims they don’t and as a result I blistered from my ankles down. Believe me it has been hell walking ever since, but it is better now.

Dad’s train leaves early in the morning. He is sort of anxious to get back because Grandma had had a heart attack before he left.

Honey, we have to go see a training film in alittle while so had better get ready. I have to fly at 5:30 in the morning which means getting up at 4:10 A.M.

Honey, no matter what you decide I want you to know I’ll always love you –

With all my love,

Tom

Tues. afternoon.

Dearest,

After hunting up the mail sgt. I finally got your letter. My mail is still alittle mixed up, however, use the J flight address and I will get it ok. Our group number changes everyday. I was up for an hour today, I will get in four hours time this week and five next. That is as far as the schedule is made out so far, we might not be here any longer. I have a good instructor, he lets you do everything, I think I get to take it off tomorrow. I have so many do’s and don’ts cramed in my head that I get all mixed up. There are so many planes coming in and out of the air port that there are really alot of rules which have to be followed. There is a TWA airliner coming in about every 15 min. and it wouldn’t be very pleasant to run into one of them. Two B25‘s landed and took off this morning while we were there. Now that we are flying we have to be in bed at 9:00. We are at the field all morning and when we aren’t flying we are in ground school. I didn’t think I did very well this morning but the instructor said it was ok except on the banks I would pull the nose up to high. There is always something that has to be corrected. Several fellows got sick one happens to be my roommate and he’s still in bed. It seems to me that there is so much to do and to think of you wouldn’t have time to get sick. (Retreat, will finish this later)

(6:10 P.M. or 18:10)

To further disjoint this letter I will probably have to finish this after calesthenics. We have caesthenics from 7-8 P.M. now. However, it shouldn’t be very tough because our tactical officer is going to give it to us and he doesn’t believe in over exertion of the human body. Seven o’clock is suppose to be the hottest part of the day here because of the war time and being so close to the Pacific Time Belt.

From the sound of your letter you must really be turning into a house-wife. I wouldn’t mind sampling some of your cooking, it wouldn’t have to be much better to beat what we get here. The food was ok when we first came but seems to be getting worse as go along.

Lat Sat. night Mrs. Perkins had got dates for Sam and I. They had made reservations in the Corinthian Room at one of the hotels in Phoenix. It was the first time I had danced since leaving Chicago. The girl was pretty nice she had graduated the same year with Bebe at Stevens. I had a good time and it was a good change but it would have been alot better if you had been there.

It appears that I still have a great deal of competition. Even if he is in the paratroopers I still hold alot of respect for them. I am going to have to get ready for gym so will close for the present.

(8:30 P.M.)

Third installment coming up.

I heard from Dad today saying that he was coming this weekend, either Fri. or Sat. I won’t be able to see him till 2 PM Sat. and won’t be able to see him after 3 PM Sun. I think he plans on going back Sun. night.

I don’t know if I told you are not but two of my roommates are mormons. Both are about the best fellows in the flight. All the fellows in the flight are pretty athletic and would rather box than eat. The flight leader holds the middle weight championship. Needless to say there isn’t much horse play.

Dad is suppose to bring my pen so I will try to make the next letter so you can read it. I can’t even read this one. Almost bedtime – Goodnight –

All my love, Tom

P.S. How can I have all your love when there is still the paratrooper?

Dearest,

Honey, I am thinking of you constantly. There isn’t an hour that goes by that I don’t wonder just where you are and what you are doing. Darling, I am living for the day when we can be together and I hope it isn’t so terribly far off. You never have told me when you graduate. I certainly wish I could be there to see it but as things stand now that is out of the question.

I saw Sam today and he didn’t pass his eye test. He couldn’t cross his eyes, it is surprising how many wash out on account of that. He is going to Scott Field^[2]Scott Army Air Base, outside of St. Louis, Missouri, but in Illinois for radio and gunners training.^[3]Sam’s failing of the eye test may have had a profound effect on Sam. After the war, he devoted his entire career to teaching and research in the area of childhood visual disabilities.

We got back from Bivouac Fri. afternoon after walking 15 mi. in 3 hours and 10 minutes. I couldn’t even feel my feet but my right hand was swollen about twice the normal size. I think the pack was alittle tight and it shut off the blood circulation. Anyway it is ok now. We moved in to pilot school as soon as we got back. We start classes Mon. I don’t know all the courses we will be taking but the main ones will be aircraft identification, gunnery, + code. I hear the code is the hardest because you have to get alot in a very short time. About the biggest change is going from an Av. student, to an Aviation Cadet aside from wearing the brass is the food is a 100% better. They are alot stricter on little things such as how the bed has to be made, shoe shines, hair cuts, (by the way for the last 3 mos. my hair has been about 1/2″ long)(almost), order of clothes, etc., etc., etc.

Our new C.O. seems to be a pretty good fellow but you never can tell about those fellows till they get mad and then they can really be a s-of-b. The last one we had had a little trick of having us double time for about 5 blocks whenever he saw anyone out of step. It got so that we couldn’t go anywhere without running.

I got a letter from Bud yesterday and he is in Frisco waiting for shipment. He thinks he will go on a carrier in the S. Pacific. Here we are in the same state but yet a long ways apart.

We had an opening speech from the Col. yesterday, he is the C.O. of the base here. He said that those of us who finished would be through training in 36 weeks. That seems like an awful long time to wait before I see you and even then we don’t know if we will get leaves or not. Anyway, do you think we could make any plans for the, or not?

It is almost time for parade, remember to change the address.

All my love,

Tom

Dearest,

I received your letter this evening and it made me feel so good that here I am writing you letter #2 for today.^[1]I was unable to locate letter #1 for the day.

Honey, you don’t know how happy I would be if could come out here for a visit. I think it would probably take about two days. Sam’s girl who just finished nurses training in St. Louis might come out. Sam sent her your address so she might get in touch with you. If you do come plan it so you will be here over a weekend because we will have passes then. Also if you will be here during the week I will break my neck to get out then.

I am sending you a picture of the best room in the place even if we do get more gigs than any of the others. This clipping I saw in the paper tonight. Isn’t that the stuff you were working on? I thought it was considered a sulfa drug.

They are having a big bull session in the room about the Japs shooting our fliers that were in with Doolittle. I wish they wouldn’t use such language.

It sounded like your formal was pretty nice but what about this biggest part of the evening spent at Katzies’? Remember our bet about who can put who under the table. Of course I am alittle behind because I haven’t had a thing since I left Chicago and that has been two months ago. However, I still except (sic) the challenge.

I noticed in your letter that you signed it “all my love” may I take that as it stands? Or is it still 50/50 between Joe and myself? Honey it seems like I go to bed everynight thinking of you and wake up thinking of you. In between these times if I am not thinking about you I am dreaming of you. If this doesn’t mean I am in love then I never will be. I hope you mean it as much as I do when I say –

With all my love,

Tom

Wed. night 9:30

Dearest,

Are you out of stationery or don’t you have a stamp? If thats the trouble send it C.O.D. I hope you are home now because if you are not I am afraid I sent this to the wrong place.

I did alittle better than I thought I would on that Chem test but still nothing to brag about. I saw my German instructor today and he wants me back in his class. He said if I didn’t get in it to let him know and he would take care of everything. Not a bad fellow maybe we can understand one an other better next year.

I finished my lab work today and check out tomorrow. I completed one more experiment than was necessary, I though I was doing pretty good.

I am going to move into the different place Sat. Stanley is coming up to help me. I hate to think of moving all this stuff down three flights of stairs and then up three more again. You had better address the letters over there from now on: 1945 Sherman Ave., Evanston.

Another fellow and I went to the show this evening and didn’t like them so we left. What a waste of money.

Have you seen Bill or Bob yet? I received a card from Bill the other day and he is back at work waiting for the navy to call him.

When do you have to go back to school?

Will you still be home the 5rh?

Don’t forget to write, and soon.

All my love,

Tom

10:00 o’clock

Mon. night.

Dearest,

Received your letter today it was swell to hear from you. I would have written over the weekend but Bob B. and Cleda were up. We were on the go all the time. Bob is coming up here next year.

I have signed up for C.P.T. (civilian pilot training) I will take the physical exam next Sun. morning and if I make it O.K. I will take my elementary training this summer. At the end of 8 weeks I will be able to get my private pilots license. The only hook to the deal is that at the end of my secondary training, which I have to take, I will have to go into the army or navy air corp. Maybe if I am lucky enough as an instructor. I have to take the physical from the navy air corp doctor, I certainly hope I pass it. I was surprised that dad gave his consent but he sent the permit back as soon as he got it.

I received a letter from Buck Ward the other day and the way he talked he is probably on his way to Ireland. It was really a swell letter.

I really have the work to do next week and then. I have a project due this Wed. over “Antony & Cleopatra” and I haven’t even read the thing yet.

When is it you are going to St. John’s Military Academy” and why”

I am expecting to get alot of letters while you are at home. with nothing to do. Maybe this last is wrong.

Honey, I don’t know why it is that we don’t trust one another all the time but as for myself it seems that when I don’t see you for awhile I get imagining things. Maybe this shouldn’t be but I can’t help it.

I have to go over to Ed’s and study some Chem. so had better close. Don’t expect to hear from me to often in the future because from now on I am going to be going through hell. I wish I like to study.

With all my love,

Tom

11: o’clock Sun.

night.

Dearest,

Have been studying steady since 7:00 and am about wore out. I stayed down at Elaine’s last night and this morning Stan and I got up and played tennis. My game is improving.

About my dating when I was home last time. I saw Mary after the senior play and we went to the restraunt. I know what you are going to say now that you see why I was so understanding about the pin. Maybe I was understanding but I was also disgusted. I have told you many times that Mary doesn’t mean a thing to me and I still mean it. This might not sound very convincing in a letter but I do mean it.

Don’t you think “Bud” is alittle to much of a reduction for John Gerald Anthony Garity Jr? I guess its not any worse than Tom for Thomas E. Cartmell. I never put the Erastus anymore the E. enough.

Fri. night about six of us took the “L” down in Chicago to the show to the “Chicago” saw a pretty good stage show. Wish you could have been here. Honey when I think of how little I get to see you and how little the chance is for us being together for any length of time in the near future it makes me sick.

Have you been having a date every night?

Only two more weeks to go I hate to think of summer school. I doubt if I last through it.

With all my love,

Tom

Thurs. night.

Dearest,

I tried to write last night but even as it was I didn’t get to bed till 2:30. I had an hour exam in chem this morning at 8:30. I got up at 6:00 and studied. I think I did pretty well on it.

I am going to call the folks tonight. They haven’t written for a week and a half so I figure that if I call them and reverse the charges that it might cure them.

They are playing some piece on the radio now that we have played in band but I can’t think of its’ name. That makes me so mad I feel like throwing the thing out the window when I can’t remember the names of them.

I haven’t been down to Elaine’s for a couple of weeks. I think I will go down there Sat. and play tennis with Stanley.

In Trig we are really beginning to get in Spherical Trig. I don’t think I would ever have any trouble with a navy navigation course after taking this.

Honey, I don’t know what going on down there are just how things line up and there isn’t anyway for me to find out. I hope you will let me know if the status changes in anyway. I don’t know what pin hanging means down there but up here it is considered a great deal. Just having it two weeks seems sort of funny.

Just found out what the piece was “Capriece Italian” (sp.)

Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic
Published on Aug 22, 2012

See you some time. I am about decided to take the 11 week summer course.

With all my love,

Tom

Dearest,

Sorry I didn’t get a letter off over the weekend. I just received your letter it was really a surprise to get a letter two days in a row. About the pin hanging ceremony that Illinois will soon be experiencing. Its up to you if you want to take it and I will understand. I hope thats all the farther it will go. By the way what name does the person go by and also what do they call the fraternity. I hope its not ΣΝ^[1]Sigma Nu, Tom’s fraternity at Northwestern.

I have an hour exam in Chem. Thurs. I have so many equations to learn I don’t know where to start. Lab is the only thing I am doing any good on in there. The quiz’s have been just fair. Math is going O.K. and so is English but Psychology is going to hmmmm. The latter is the one I am going to have to write a good finish on.

We have a beer party this Fri. night. As yet I haven’t got a date. Steve always gets mad at me becauser I wait till the night before to get one. Then I have one heck of a time. I had a date with lBetty Fri. afternoon which lasted about 15 min.

I got swated last night and the paddle broke. The first time that happened to me and the funny thing was it didn’t hurt as much as when they don’t break.

Write soon.

All my love,

Tom