Everyone,

As you can tell by the address I have one heck of a time writing on a train, thats the reason for the pencil.

Elaine, I just finished the ham eggs and banana and everything was good eating. Thanks alot.

We really hit everything right on the head Sun night even though our good byes were alittle short, but I think I would rather have them that way. How was Karen going home? She is about the sweetest thing I have ever seen, I wish I could have taken her along with me. I am already looking forward to my next time back to see you folks, but I imagine I’ll have to wait awhile.

I imagine that Dad got you folks home OK and that Bill took care of Zoe. Elaine, I hope all the rushing around didn’t get you too tired out. I certainly hope that the deal goes through for the girl next summer.

This letter is mainly just a thank you note for all that you did for me. I really enjoyed every minute of it and will always remember it. Dad, I was glad to see that you were enjoying your work so well and you certainly look 100% better.

The porter said he would mail this for me so will sign off. Thanks again – and give Karen a kiss for me.

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

Well we are still down here with the desert monsters, and I am not kidding when I say monsters. However, no one has been wounded as yet and with alittle more luck we’ll all make it OK. I imagine the animals of the Hughey household will seem pretty tame after this. But, if I do get afflicted with them I’ll insist upon one of those regular treatments. If it is OK with you the studio couch sounds plenty good to me. This is on one condition and that is that you won’t go to any trouble. Make it just like it was when I’d come down on Sat. nights about a year ago.

Say if I make it all the way to Chi. on that plane without getting put off how about meeting me at the airport at 4:00 AM? It is on the American Airlines so you could call up to check on the time definitely that will be on Tues. morning.

I have just 4 hrs. + 45 min. of flying time left to get in. It really doesn’t seem possible. Tomorrow I do my record firing on ground gunnery. You asked about what we fire on; both sleeves towed by another plane and on targets placed on the ground. The ground is more fun because you get to do alittle buzzing. The way it is done is you fly along at a 90° ∠ from the targets and turn on to your target and start your dive at the same time. Get it in your sights and cut loose, you would be surprised how accurate it is with just one machine gun. After firing you level off and make a steep turn away which is the critical point because you are usually about 75 ft. above the ground and there is a plane coming down right behind you who is just as liable to hit your fanny as he is the bullseye. We will probably return to Luke on the 12th.

Everyone is just taking it for granted that we are going to get a leave but I guess it is the truth. Keep your fingers crossed. Time for bed now. –

Love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

Just returned from the line and I received Dad’s letter and Karen’s package today noon. Give Karen two big kisses for me, one for the swell Valentine and another to get well on. I certainly hope she is entirely better by now. Dad said in his letter that her temp. was down to normal. I am going to try and call you folks in a couple of days. Will try to get a call through to Dad’s hotel but will send a telegram ahead of time saying when I will call. Would like to talk to you too if you could be there then but don’t know how that could be worked out, will just have to wait and see.

This letter is also for Dad because I don’t have time to write two. It hasn’t taken him long to get places up there, Chicago Medical Asso., on the staff of the Mercy Hospital. I am glad he is liking it all the more.

We have just about finished our transitional flying and start formation Wed. We get everything from three to 12 ship formations and also one high altitude formation at about 20,000 ft. You have to use oxygen from 10,000 up. At 30,000′ you have to breath pure oxygen. We are getting lectures on O2 in ground school here, it is really very interesting. Will tell you more about it in April. They say it is really pretty hard to fly formation up there because of the thinness and sluggishness of the plane. Will know more of that in a couple of weeks.

This morning we shot skeet for two hours and consequently have a sore shoulder tonight. We get at least 8hrs. of this and probably more, it is suppose to improve your shooting eye and when it comes to leading the target has a correlation with aerial gunnery. It is alot of fun and it is good instruction. Have an old captain down there who was the national champ and he can bust the clay birds by shooting from the hip.

Well I want to get a shower before bedtime so will have to close. Hope to get to talk to you in a few days. It is about time we are getting a day off, we have been here just about 2 weeks.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Dear Folks,

Just time for a short note to extend my birthday greeting to Elaine, even though they are late.

I received Dad’s letter this evening and he said that Karen was sick. I certainly hope she is better by now. Let me know? I am certainly glad that Dad was there and able to get things under control.

Flying is coming along pretty well but believe it or not we got rained out today. I got an hour of dual in but they would clear us for solo. We have really been catching hmmmmm down on the line. Yesterday two boys out of our squadron ground looped. That is on their landing they didn’t keep the plane going straight and the tail wheel was thrown out and the plane whirle around. One of them crumpled the landing gear and tore up to prop. The other knocked off the landing gear, crumpled a wing and tore up a prop. It goes pretty rough on the boys, they have to go before the accident board, take several check rides and if they are plenty good (and lucky), might keep from getting washed out.^[1]February 1944 USAAF Stateside Accident Reports show that on February 12, 1944, Warren E. Skeels, piloting an AT-6C, SN 41-32900, had an accident while landing, leading to a ground loop. It was … Continue reading

They have been keeping us plenty busy, we get up at 5:00 A.M. and get back from the line at 6:30 PM. Last night we had a lecture on malaria so that is why I didn’t get to write last night. I don’t know if I am going to be assigned to this instructors squadron for good or not, however, you can’t ever tell what you will be for sure until you get your orders after graduation.

They tell us our schedule will get lighter after a few weeks so I’ll probably be able to do alittle better at writing more then.

Happy Birthday – and take good care of Karen (I don’t see any reason to say this) anyway give her a kiss from me.

With love

Tom

P.S Tell Dad that if he ever does want to call me he can probably reach me through the field here. Will you send me your phone no.?

Thurs. afternoon.

Dear Folks,

It was really swell to receive your letter and get all the latest news. I am glad you received the cards at such an opportune time. From the sound of things I can seed why Stan has his doubts as to ever seeing the new curtains and drapes. Mrs. S. Hughey and daughter Karen seem to be keeping up the social standing of the Hughey household.

Thanks alot for sending Karl’s note, it had been some time since I had heard what the boys had been doing. He didn’t know what his address would be did he? Do you know his mother’s address? If you do send it to me. If he was amazed at how much Karen has grown I probably won’t even know her.

You had better wait till I send you my new address before sending any packages because they are alittle slow on forwarding packages but letters will be OK.

Stan, I wish I was there to help you put a coat of paint on the hamper. Maybe it will be nicked up enough for another coat when I get there. I told the boys the joke you told me that Elaine told you, however, I didn’t say my sis heard it but rather my brother-in-law.

Tell Dad that I just received his letter and am glad that things are going so well for him. It sounds like the emergency cases are increasing. I never have heard of Dad say anything about a weekend off until now, it doesn’t seem quite possible. It sounds like you folks really had a nice Sun., church, drive, dinner and bridge. Sounds good. – He wondered what had happened to Zoe, as far as I know, nothing has. I am surprised that she hasn’t called you. I imagine she is alittle peezed (sp?) at me because I figure things alittle different than she. I know exactly the type of girl I am looking for but will probably have to wait till after the war to find just what I am looking for. At the present I haven’t even been able to find one that is even alittle bit old fashion and that is one of the first requirements. Someday when I have alot of time I’ll tell you my idea of the woman worth waiting for, however, I’ll tell you now that it will probably sound an awful like I am describing my “Sis.” Well, that should be a gib enough compliment to rate a box of cookies.

We haven’t been doing much the last couple of days. I doubt if we get much of a pass. They are suppose to give us a 24 hr notice but usually if you get a 4 hr. notice you are lucky. They even had us drilling yesterday afternoon so we wouldn’t get bored. It was the first we had done any of that since we left primary. Doesn’t sound like the army does it?

Our bunch is really getting split up here. Most of the fellows are going into bombardment, it is funny how we all seem to want different things. Alot are going to Colo. and fly B25’s and it is rumored that they will get their transitional training in Australia, which means they will be across inside of 3 mo. The rest of us are going to Tex., New Mex., and Ariz.

Enough for now

With love,

Tom

1-30-44

Dear Folks,

We had another delightful California day today, needless to say it rained. I had supposedly finished my flying last Tues. but it seems that the brass hats got a bright idea to give our whole class another check ride. Squadron 17 had them this afternoon and we have ours tomorrow afternoon. No one can figure it out because we have already had our final check rides. The boys from 17 said they had everyone out giving the checks from the major on down. It would be just my luck to get mine from the major tomorrow. We got to see our orders today and I am scheduled to go to Luke Field. (Tell Dad) Ernie Burgess and my other two roommates are also going there.

I have finished one of the books you sent me, “Topper.” It was interesting and full of laughs. You would really be surprised at the amount of reading we do here. It seems like down on the flight line when ever you see anyone not flying he is usually reading a pocket book. They just fit in the knee pockets on the flying suits.

Just heard that the reason we are getting checks is because of new orders out from Santa Ana. The funny thing is that they gave alot of the flying officers a few days off and now those that are here have to give all the checks. I can imagine what kind of a mood they are in.

How do you like your new quarters by now? I almost said barracks. From what you told me you must have alot more room. What does Karen think about the deal? Has she had any trouble getting use to the new surroundings?

Dad told me in his letter that Karl Abt had called. Did he get out to see you? What does his future look like?

I hear from Bud VanMeter everyonce in awhile. He is still on some island in the S.P. and seems to be having a pretty good time. He says he is looking for me out there some of these days. I don’t know if that would be good or bad. Steve says he wants to see me in England so I don’t know how I can see them both. I don’t know where Bob Lake is, I imagine in the Pacific somewhere. Steve said he met a marine officer on the boat going over that knew Frank Haigler (the fellow that looked like Randolf Scott) so I guesss the ΣN’s are fairly well spread out over the world. I got a letter from Auntie and Jim the other day. Jim has my old job working with Roscoe Taylor and likes it fine. They sent me a couple of ties that I can very easily use as you can tell by the picture I sent. The way that this looks I must have slept in it for a couple of nights.

It seems like my roommates don’t appreciate the lights being on so to keep peace in the family I had better close. Hope to see you in April.

With love,

Tom

Sun. evening.

Dear Folks,

So you hate to think how long it has been since you wrote, how about me? We have had alittle more free time lately so I am finally getting caught up on my correspondence. In fact the whole room is really clicking off the letters tonight.

No, I can’t imagine Dad on the working end of a paint brush. It really sounds as if he is enjoying himself up there. It seems that the new work is interesting and I know he likes being around you folks. He spoke of Karen getting alittle spoiled, I wonder if Grandpop had any part in that. I guess it is a good thing Uncle Tom isn’t there or she really would be spoiled. I am sure that her baby brother (or sister) will straighten things out in fine shape. I don’t remember an awful lot about my psychology course but it seems that I remember something about how two children helps divide the attention and keeps them from becoming spoiled. However, I am pretty inexperienced in child raising so will not venture forth with any advice.

About the picture: Yes, that is our regular dress uniform more commonly known as the class A’s. It is also regular cadet cap, however, it has the cadet emblem and blue braid rather than the officer’s braid. The coat isn’t the one that Dad gave me but as far as you can tell in the picture just like it. The coat belongs to one of my roommates who broke down and let me wear it. Do you really have a fire place in your new abode.

Stan, have you heard any more about your deferment yet. If there is any chance at all to get one take it, they have enough men in this army already. I don’t know how they get by with it, but they complain to the civilians about wasting man hours when the army does more wasting of any organization I have ever seen. However, I guess in anything as big as this it is pretty hard to get things running smooth.

Elaine, you asked about night flying. It is thrilling especially landing and taking off. One of the things that some times happens is that you confuse the earth with the sky. When this happens it is time to start referring to your instruments or you will end up in a spiral. It is surprising how much lights on the ground look like stars. We had to make blackout landings, that is without landing lights or floodlights but just the little colored lights around the landing lane being on. You can’t see the ground so you start leveling off with you get down to the lights. The usual tendency is to level off too high and drop it in from about 20 feet in the air. One fellow did this and one wing dipped when it settled and the wing dipped when it stalled and the wing hit before the wheels. A new wing was needed.

I’ll finish with my flying in a couple of days. All I need is an hour and 50 min. dual instrument time and about 1 1/2 hrs. solo. We got our choice as to the type of plane we would like to fly the other day. I told Dad about it in his letter.

I picked single engine fighter first, single and twin engine standard second, (this is either instructor or air transport command), and twin engine fighter third. They told us you usually got your first choice unless they had all they needed and if not that were almost certain to get 2nd choice.^[1]As it turned out, he was given his third choice, twin engine fighter, the P-61 Black Widow night fighter. I don’t know if I would like being an instructor or not, but I guess I’ll do what they tell me.

By the way I sent some cards that I got at the PX here hope you received them in good condition.

Enough for now. – Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Thurs. afternoon.

Dear Folks,

I have a few minutes before retreat formation and wanted to get this letter and money off to you. I would have sent it sooner but haven’t been able to get a money order. As you can see I still haven’t been able to get one. We were suppose to get open post (passes) yesterday but had to make up some time so didn’t get off so wasn’t able to get into town. Here’s hoping that the $3.00 arrive o.k. in this letter. I also mailed some packages the other day that should arrive by now. I wanted to get something engraved on yours but there wasn’t anyplace to get it done here. I didn’t know if they wore those in Chicago or not but the girl at the PX^[1]PX=Post Exchange, a retail store on base said “she felt sure they did,” in a very sweet voice. I also saw the little girl bracelets there, I didn’t know what Mama would say about Karen receiving such things from men as such at early age.

I imagine the folks arrived OK and are fairly well settled down by now. Has Karen got use to Dad’s cigars yet?

The upper class moved out today and the new boys moved in. Consequently we are now the upper class big shots and have to change barracks tonight. I am beginning to dislike moving very much you would think once every 8 weeks would be enough.

From what I hear I won’t be flying AT17’s which I am glad of. I asked for single engine training and from the latest report got it, which means I’ll finish up basic in these BT’s and then if lucky enough will get to go into single engine fighters for advanced. Hope to get to go to Luke Field. They fly P40’s as well as the AT6’s there.

My ears finally got better but it knocked me out of flying for four days, which put me behind some. I am just about caught up now. I have 35 hrs. in the BTs up to date which is about half through basic.

Enough for now.

Love, Tom

Thurs. afternoon.

Dear Folks, (This includes everyone, Dad, Cleda, Elaine, Stan + Karen)

Talk about having it easy, I can’t complain. Here I am writing one letter that includes everyone from my Dad right on through to my niece. This is also about the first chance I have had to do any writing. I had my 3rd wisdom tooth pulled this morning and was taken off flying status for this afternoon, however, will be able to fly tomorrow morning. I think this one hurt the least of any of them in fact not even any bad after effects.

Dad I received the blouse and cap today and are they ever nice. I don’t think I have seen a blouse that would compare with it. It is just the thing and everything is regulation. I wish I could show you what a perfect fit it is. It is over at the tailor shop getting an air corps and cadet patch sewed on now. Thanks alot for everything Dad.^[1]The DeMoulin Brothers factory in Greenville produced uniforms for the Army during WWII. It would have been relatively easy for Tom’s Uncle Leslie Demoulin (who ran the company at this time) to … Continue reading

Cleda, I want to thank you for the cake, you hadn’t forgotten how I liked chocolate. It was in perfect shapes in fact the icing wasn’t even cracked. I am real glad I got to talk to you Christmas morning and hope I didn’t sound too sleepy.

It seems like this is really a letter of thanks, and I want to thank Elaine, Stan + Karen for your gifts also. I am wearing a pair of the shorts and socks already and most of the candy is gone. Your choice of books was swell. I am reading the “Invisible Man” now, and have read several of the other stories in the pocket companion. ^[2]I believe this is a reference to H. G. Wells’ novel, “The Invisible Man”, published in 1897. Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” was not published until 1952. It is really a good book and certainly has a wide variety. Did you happen to read the poem about the Mississippi River? As much as I have needed a clothes brush you would have thought I would have gotten one by now, but it is a good thing I waited. Thanks for the whole works.

The flying is coming along pretty well but I have been sitting down so much my rear end is getting sore. Yesterday I was flying for 4 hrs. and 15 min. without even unfastening the safety belt. This was the most I have ever done at any one stretch before. They gave us all a plane and at 7:30 AM. I picked up my instructor here at Lemoore Field and got in an hour dual and then landed over at West Field (an aux. of Lemoore) and let him out, got in an hour of air work, then shot 10 landings, then went back up and flew till 11:45. Not bad for one morning. While we were shooting our landings one fellow landing right in a water puddle and nosed over and bent his prop and ground about 6″ off of each end. When anything like that happens we all catch hell, I guess to make sure that no one else does the same. I also got to watch a beautiful crash landing yesterday, two cadets were up in a AT17, as pilot + copilot, when they couldn’t get one wheel up and the other wouldn’t go down. They cleared the field at noon and when they came in everyone was there watching. They made a landing that an expert would have been proud of, all they did was damage one wing. The fellows were in the upper class. We will be the upper class in a few days, the time certainly moves fast. We will start night flying in about a week.

Enough for now, I want to get in alittle “sack time” this afternoon. (Sleep to you folks)

With love,

Tom

P.S. Zoe gave me a frat ring. Sterling with black onyxc and EN^[3]Sigma Nu crest.