A shipment of fudge arrived, and the unit is assigned to KP duty.
Sun. evening
March 15, 1943 Fresno, California
Dear Folks,
Just a short note to let you know that I received the package and letters. It was really swell and some treat. The fudge lasted about 30 min. When you live with 50 fellows there is no keeping anything from them so no use trying.
The whole flight is on K.P.[1]Kitchen Patrol, setting up for meals and cleaning up after meals for the entire unit. tomorrow which means we get up at 3:30 and you are working straight through till 6:30 in the evening. It is 8:00 now so I am going to bed right away. I got a 6 hour pass Sat. night so Hal and I went into a show and ate afterwards. It was certainly good to get out for awhile and be looking in instead of out. Half of the flight gets off on Sat. night and the other half Sun. If I am here next weekend I will take it on Sun.
March 15, 1943, Page 2
I got a letter from Aunty[2]“Aunty was Lillie DeMoulin, Tom’s mother’s sister, Uncle Leslie[3]Uncle Leslie was Tom’s mother’s brother and several others this week. They are starting to come now. You folks are still tied with Dad so keep them coming and I will try to do the same for you.
If you folks need anything that you can’t get there, such as chewing gum, etc, because of the war let me know and I will take care of you. I can get gum, candy for 3 cents and just about anything at half price. Just let me know. [4]Rationing of many items to the civilian population was common, in order to conserve these products for the war effort.
Ration Book and Stamps. Issued during the war, these were used by civilians to obtain scare supplies, such as meat, sugar, tires and gasoline
I have to get to bed. send me a picture of Karen once in awhile so I can keep up with the changes. Don’t forget.
Tom has been in the army almost two weeks and is adjusting to military life. He’s received letters from his sister and responds to them. He details some of the daily life in camp.
March 10, 1943, Page 1
Tues. evening 5:30
Dear Folks,
I received the letter you wrote March 2nd yesterday and the one you wrote March 6th this afternoon so you can see how mixed up the mail is out here. However, I now have a lot to look forward to, that long air mail letter that you wrote Elaine and also the candy and papers and believe me I am looking forward to them. There is really nothing that I specially need but don’t let that keep you from sending candy or cookies when you feel like it, because as yet the mess Sargt. hasn’t started putting fudge on the tables. In fact it is a mighty long way from that, but the food is getting a little better.
Tom holding Karen and looking proud. This is one of the pictures Tom mentions he received, taken the day he left for the Army Air Corps in late February, 1943.
Karen certainly looks like a big girl in the pictures you sent. The thing that worries me is that I might not know her and that she won’t know me the next time I see her. You can tell her that not only did her Uncle Tom look proud in that picture but he really was. I know that she was the center of attraction while you were home.
Now to answer a few of your questions: We don’t have to get up till 5:15 but it doesn’t get light till 7:30. Believe me getting up early and washing your own mess kits is the worse part of Army life for me. You know how I enjoy washing dishes. The uniform is O.K. and fits pretty good, but we will get different ones when we go into cadet training. All the fellow in the barracks are from colleges in the middle west and several from N.U, however, no Sigma Nu.[1]Tom belonged to the Sigma Nu fraternity while he was at Northwestern. I haven’t been into Fresno yet. Whenever you go to a post you are not allowed to leave for 14 days. I will probably get a pass for this Sat. or Sun. night if we are here till then.
March 10, 1943, Page 2
They say alot of times they keep you for 13 days and then you get shipped. Except for the fact that you can see the snow capped rockies in the distance you would not know if you were in Ill. or Calif. It has rained everyday for the past week and I mean everyday. All our marching has been in about 2″ of mud. In calesthenics (sp) we do push ups in the stuff and all my clothes are dirty. They won’t let us send them to the laundry because we might not be here long enough to get them back and we can’t wash them ourselves because they won’t let us hang them anywhere to dry. As the fellows say that is one hmmmm of a situation.
Yesterday afternoon we had a lecture on, and practiced field stripping the .45 cal sub-machine gun. We are suppose to go on the range with them sometime this week. This will probably be the only guns that we will get instruction on because they are carried inside of a plane in case of force landings. It is certainly a wicked looking gun. The clip hold 20 rounds and it fires those automatically in 2 sec. It can also be fired semi-automatically. Maybe you are not interested in this and maybe I am not to be talking it so will shut up.
Karen (center) with her cousins Susan and Nancy.
Karen, Susan and Nancy must have got along O.K. They are all cute but just between us Karen is my favorite. I am pretty sure that you agree with me.
I forgot to answer your question about playing bridge here. I have only played one game and that was plenty short. You will probably have to teach me all over again. Have Carl or Bob been down to see you yet?[2]I don’t know who Carl or Bob are.
I have a lecture at 15 till 7:00 so had better close. We have lectures just about every night so there really isn’t much time for letter writing. This is the longest letter I have written since I have been here, so you folks can feel complimented.
March 10, 1943, Page 3
I have written Dad every chance I get, because I know he likes to get the letters.
It is generally thought that we will go to some college after we leave here for pre-flight training and if that is right I hope it is a little nearer home or Chicago.
Tell Helen and Norm hello for me an I know that Helen is doing a good job at taking my place and looking after Karen. I am afraid I will be out of practice at changing panties but she will probably be a great big girl by then but not too big.[3]Helen and Norm Higgs were close friends of Elaine and Stanley Hughey, lived close to each other in Chicago, and took trips together on vacation. They remained lifelong friends.
*Ich bin immer von Sie denken. (I am getting a little rusty on German but I think it’s right.)
Love Tom
Translation: I am thinking of you always. (sounds like a line doesn’t it?)
Helen and Norm Higgs were close friends of Elaine and Stanley Hughey, lived close to each other in Chicago, and took trips together on vacation. They remained lifelong friends.
New aviation cadets began with an “Initial Classification Stage” lasting one to two weeks. This meant a series of mental and physical tests designed to enable the examiners to determine the cadets best use as a Pilot, Navigator or Bombardier. [1]Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC Tom indicates he’s taken the Classification Tests, and also inquires about Elaine’s daughter, Karen.
Scrapbook photograph of Tom and Elaine’s daughter, Karen, taken on the day he left for the Army Air Corps, in late February, 1943.March 2, 1943, Fresno California
Dear Folks,
Just a line to let you know that there has been a little change in address as you can see. Flight 71A [2]Flight 71A was the previous class of aviation cadets to go through their training at this base. Tom’s class is 72A. went out today so can expect it anytime now. We had our classification tests this afternoon and dug ditches in the morning. It is 8:00 P.M. now and I am ready for bed. We go on the field tomorrow so I had better get plenty of sleep.
What does Karen weigh now and has she learned anymore tricks?
Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
Tom attended Northwestern University for two years before joining the US Army Air Corps, with the intention of becoming a pilot. His initial basic training as an aviation cadet began at the Fresno Basic Training Center in California.This first letter to his older sister, Elaine, was written the day after he arrived at his training base.
Elaine and her brother Tom Cartmell, in Chicago on the day he left to join the Army Air Corps.February 28, 1943, Page 1
8:00 A.M. Sun.
Dear Elaine, Stanley and Karen, [1]Elaine Cartmell Hughey is Tom’s older sister, and Stanley Hughey is her husband. Their first child, Karen, was a year old at this time.
I thought I would start this letter now but it might be sometime before I get it finished. They have really been keeping us busy. Last night I finally got a chance to take a bath. If they keep us as busy every day as they did yesterday you won’t be able to expect many letters from me but that doesn’t mean I am not expecting them from you.[2]Tom has just arrived at the Fresno Basic Training Center following his induction into the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Yesterday morning I’ve got in about 9:00 and spent the rest of the morning getting our equipment. Everything from a gas mask to a toothbrush and I mean everything. In the afternoon we drilled till 4:30 and then had to get situated. Last night we had a lecture on military laws, etc. They told us our outgoing mail wouldn’t be opened but to keep our mouth shut on certain matters so in case they would look I better not say how many are here, but it is pretty large.
February 28, 1943, Page 2
I don’t think I will be here for much over two weeks but you can’t tell.
All the fellows here are college men from Wis., Ill, and NU.[3]Tom attended Northwestern University (NU) from 1941 until his enlistment in 1943. There has been a lot of discussion over last night’s game between NU and U of Ill. It certainly seems funny when I think of having planned to see that game and then be 2500 mi. away at the time.
Write me all the news about your trip home [4]I don’t know what trip he’s referring to. and how things went and how you made it back?
My address is at bottom and front.
I had better close this letter now so I will be sure of mailing it.
