Wed. night.

Dear Folks,

Just a short note to let you know I am thinking of you this Christmas and hoping that you enjoy a swell Christmas Day. Also, that you have a white Christmas because it never seems like that Day unless it does snow. The best it can do here is rain and it has been doing plenty of that lately.

I receive your letter of the 16th. To answer a few of your questions: Stan, you asked about how we were shipped from one base to another, it is by train and so far have always had sleepers. Two in the bottom and one in the top bunk. It really makes a pretty nice way to travel and better than most airlines can do. I want to thank you folks alot for letting me go in with you on the Christmas gifts. The selections sounded swell and I hope it didn’t cause you too much trouble. I am sending a money order in a few days when I am able to get to town also Elaine the rest of your Christmas is going to be alittle late.

I had heard that Jim Brewer got married at Santa Ana. I imagine it was in one of the chapels out there, however, it is alot of red tape and they frown on cadets getting married. When I saw him he didn’t mention a thing about it.

We had a class book at Thunderbird and I am going to send you one. We were given two one leather bound one and another paper one. They are  both the same so I’ll send it and you can get a pretty good idea of how things were there.

I got rid of the cold that I had but the way the weather is here it is hard to say how long I can stay clear of another.

I witnessed my first fatal airplane accident on the afternoon of my birthday. A boy that came with us from Thunderbird and sho lives in L.A., he stalled the plane at about 150′ in the air when he was taking off, and spun in. They don’t know what happened because they couldn’t find anything wrong with the plane, he probably pulled it off alittle to fast and when it stalled he didn’t get the stick forward. One thing about such things even . though they are awful tough on one person is that it makes about 200 safer pilots here at L.A.A.F. His picture is in the book I am sending you under squadron III photos, I have his name checked it is G.J. Heller. From what one of his buddies told me, he was to be married in L.A. Christmas Day and had a special leave for it. Enough about this. –

We will finish with instruments tomorrow and then get a few days of acrobatics, then go into night flying, formation flying and we will supposedly get to start flying the AT17s (look it up) in a couple of weeks. I don’t know how I’ll like the twin engined jobs.

Well I want to take a shower and get to bed. Give Karen and Stan big Christmas kiss for me. –

With love,

Tom

Thurs. night

Hello Folks,

It was really sell to receive the pictures and the letter. Thanks alot for sending them and Elaine, I am glad that you got yourself … one of them. I like the wings on the coat and I guess you are a regular air corps fan. Karen, certainly has grown more than I had imagined. I sent alittle Christmas box to you folks last Mon. while we were on pass in Hanford and here’s hoping the things I got for her fit. The shopping facilities in the burg are really limited and Penny’s was the biggest store in town and they can be exchanged anywhere. I still owe Karen a doll but they didn’t have any in town and Christmas isn’t Christmas for little girls without new dolls. If you wi8ll explain to Karen for me tell her that Uncle Tom is sending one as soon as possible. In case you can’t figure it out the sweater and tie are for Stan. Elaine, I still have something here at the base I want to send you and the handkies were in case this was a little late. By the way did the dates arrive yet? Let me know if you don’t get them because I had them ordered in Phoenix. I had some while there and they were the best I had ever tasted so hope you enjoy them.

The flying is coming pretty well. Yesterday I was transferred to the instrument squadron for 10 days to get my basic instrument training. It is probably the most nerve wracking part of our training. Everyday while on the flight line we get an hour of dual instrument flying, an hour instrument lecture, an hour in the link trainer and an hour solo time. It really keeps you hopping and the biggest complaint is that you don’t even have time to visit the john. Your dual instrument ride is the most screwy thing I have ever been in. You ride in the back seat with a hood covering the cockpit while the instructor sits in front and observes. He told me today I had the thing upside down several times and I didn’t even know it. After about 15 min. up there you really begin to trust your instruments and distrust your senses. It seems that all the instrument instructors are very calm and patient fellows, which is a good thing. I am sending a picture I got here of one of our BTs. It shows alittle bit of what our area looks like. The picture makes the plane look smaller than it really is.

I received a letter from Cleda yesterday. I am enclosing part of it which I thought you might be interested in, and I would also like your idea of the thing. She is really going to begin to get Dad thinking he is getting old the way she is always bringing it up. I am afraid Dad isn’t getting much encouragement from her. However, I can’t help but think he is doing the right thing and I admire him for doing what he is. I wish I were there to move with him.

Well I want to get in some early sack time for tonight because I am trying to get rid of a cold and sore throat. It doesn’t take ,much of a cold to make your ears act up around here.

By the way I soloed last Fri. I hadn’t expected to tell at least the first of this week but I have about 5 hrs. solo in already.

I might as well admit it that I am alittle scared of the thing, but everything turned out OK. Enough for now – Give Karen a kiss for me.

Goodnight –

With love, Tom

P.S. I had some pictures taken Mon but I won’t be able to get them before the middle of Jan. I’ll send one then.

The lake in the background is about a mile from the field.

It’s a nice little airplane but tricky.

Tom

…of those folks like Mrs. Cox – Mrs. Grigg etc. who are so well read – but I suspect I was a good guesser ha –

We have been sorta on edge and since the time is drawing nearer for us to leave it is getting worse.

I think your dad has never realized just what his leaving or going away would mean. The last few deays he is becoming pretty nervous about it. I really feel sorry for him. Don’t worry about it for things will work out but I don’t think he’ll ever be…

…content. It will be so different not seeing his old friends and after working for himself so long the change and working for some one else, will be so different + the age he is – So I think you can do a little encouraging – by telling him that if it doesn’t work out + he doesn’t like it in his new work – he should come back here and have the house and start on a different basis of hours etc., + be a bit more independent etc. He thinks he’ll have so much…

…time + that his talking of having an office downtown in Chicago – which certainly won’t mean easing up one bit. I’m not at all in favor of his going for his sake -n However – I will say I have not discouraged it much for he must try the change before he will really know + I sincerely hope he will like it for someone who is his age must not be at an unrest.

We don’t know what we’ll do with the house nor the furniture nor anything else much – I’ll likely be back + forth for some time – There is no use tearing up when your dad isn’t too…

…sure of himself in his work.

Here’s hoping it works out!

I suspect Elaine wrote you of their anticipated new member. – In their family -I think it is awfully nice. I’m glad for them.

I hope you like your new place fine –

Good luck + good wishes –

With Love

Cleda

Thurs. night.

Dear Folks,

I guess you think I have forgotten all about you but I really haven’t. Don’t be a bit surprised if this letter sounds disjointed but the way things have been happening you can’t tell when you are going to have to hop up and go somewhere.

It certainly didn’t take them long to get us under way here. As you know we arrived Mon. morning, started flying Wed. morning and I have 3 hrs. + 15 Min. of dual in already. These BT’s are pretty nice but plenty complicated. You have a procedure for everything you do, for example in the Stearman when they jerked the throttle off and yelled “force landing” you just picked a field and set her down. In these when they pull the throttle off you pull your prop control in low pitch, switch gas tanks, roll down 20 degrees of flaps, work the wobble pump a couple of times, open the canopy and finally start looking for a field. Everything you do  in these is the same way, with a definite procedure. They fly pretty nice but it is really alot different having a metal plane with 450 h.p. They are known as the BT 15. Enough for airplanes.

A Minnesota flight of a BT-13 in 2009.
BT-13’s were essentially the same as BT-15s, but with a different engine.

The post itself is really the nicest we have been on yet. However, we haven’t much time to enjoy it.

From 6:00 AM till 9:30 PM we have about a total of 2 hr. free time which goes pretty fast. Our mail is really handled swell, each A/C ^[1]Aviation Cadet has his box with combination. It is just like the kind Dad has at home. The barracks are divided into rooms with four of us to a room. The rooms are pretty large with desks and chairs. It is alot better than living out of a barracks bag like we did at Thunderbird.

My instructor is a nice fellow and I think one of the best out there. He is real young, not over 21 and has alot of patience. He is a 2nd Lt. and it doesn’t pay to get too chummy with them.

I have been trying to hold my own with a cold but today in ground school they sent everyone that was coughing to the flight surgeon. They gave me some pills and told me to get plenty of rest. Just how in the hell you are suppose to do that is beyond me. My head is clearing up and I feel alot better so I guess he gave me a moral uplighting. The trouble with having a cold here is that your ears about drive you crazy.

I don’t know if I told you or not, that Zoe was in Chicago. She said she was going to call you, she is staying at 7343 S. Ridgeland. Where about is that? I think she is working in some lab, but I don’t know so awful much about it.

I sent you folks a Christmas box from Phoenix. I am going to try and get a little somethings else off before Xmas but the way things look now it might be a little late. By the way, what can I get Karen?

It’s almost 9:30 so will have to close. Give Karen a kiss for me. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Mon. night.

Hello,

Just a note to let you know my address. After tonight when we move into our permanent quarters here there will be a box number added to it but this will work. As you can see the Marana deal didn’t go through but this is a twin motored basic school and we might get some time in some AT 17’s as well as the BTs‘ while here.

We have to move into our regular squadrons tonight so will have to close. We’ll let you know everything later, have had a plenty busy day today. Arrived here 6:00 this morning.

Give Karen a kiss for me.

With love,

Tom

This is the Lemoore Army Air Base.

Hello,

Just a note tonight to ask you about something I forgot last night in my letter. About this years Christmas for the Aunts, Uncles & cousins. How about me pitching in with you folks on the deal. I have the money but not the time. If this is OK with you just let me know how much money you want and I’ll send it. I hope this is OK. and it will really help me alot. What ever the cost is just let me know.

I finished up my flying time today and really had a time. Was up doing 3 hrs. of acrobatics and really know it tonight. It is about as rough on a person as a game of football.

Give Karen a kiss for me.

With love,

Tom

Mon. night.

Dear Folks,

I received your letter and Thanksgiving box today. Needless to say I was really glad to get them both. Thanks alot-.

Congratulations on the coming addition to the family. Uncle Tom doesn’t have any special choice and I am sure Karen would like a brother just as well as a sister. Maybe I can be there sometime next summer to hold down the home front while you two take in a show. I promise not to use as many of the triangular strips as I did before. Stan, see to it that Elaine behaves and doesn’t do too much running around.

Our Thanksgiving Day here wasn’t much different than any other day other than the fact that we had a pretty good turkey dinner that evening. We still put in a good day’s work and even though I am not much at going to church I did miss it this Thanksgiving.

I should finish up my flying here tomorrow, have 3 more hours to go to get my 65. I flew 3 hrs. this morning and 1 hr. + 45 min. in one stretch which is against regulations, but can be done if necessary. I really had a surprise today when Long John took me aside and told me he liked my flying very well, and the Lt. that gave me my army check ride said he liked my coordination.

He also said he had recommended me for instructors school which comes after you get commissioned. It made me feel pretty good but I don’t know if I would care for it or not. It would probably be one way of staying in this country a little longer. I was also called into headquarters this noon and asked if I would be interested in light or heavy bombardment. They explained things to me and it seems that I had the opportunity to go to Marana for basic which is near Tucson, Ariz. It is suppose to be a good deal and when they told me that we could also go into P38 fighter training from there I accepted and will therefore go to Marana in a few days. I didn’t like the idea of the bombardment stuff but the rest sounds OK. A couple of my buddies are also going there. It is suppose to be multi-engined stuff all the way through.

I also heard Fred Waring’s program and it was for both fields. All the instructors are civilians and most of the personnel but we still have our non tactical (ground) officers. Will let you know my address when possible. Goodnight.-

Love, Tom

Wed. night.

Dear Folks,

I was going to write last night but we had flying critique which lasted till 9:30. Well, I have alot to tell you so I guess I might as well start. We have just about finished primary and it shouldn’t be long till we will be flying BT’s. I had my army check ride Sat. and I really gave the Lt. a pretty good ride. However, I forgot to check the time that we took off and he really gave me hell as well as made me walk an hour tour. He really expected a good deal and after going through a real long check list he told me to take off, leave the pattern, climb up, do a chandelle to the rt. and left, a lazy eight to the rt. and left, a turning stall to the right, a rudder exercise to the left, a snap roll, a slow roll, a two turn power on spin to the left, and then fly a cross road eight and come home. He told me all this in one breath and you have to remember it all in order and do it. While we were in the spin he called back “force landing” and there just happened to be a nice big field handy which served the purpose. It was my first crack at the army check and I think Long John was pretty well pleased because I was the first in our bunch to pass it, the other four had all failed their first one.

They have there [sic] rechecks tomorrow. All I have to do now is finish up my flying times, pass my ground school courses and I guess I’ll be through primary. I certainly didn’t think I would ever make it, but I really think I get more fun out of flying now than did at first. Now that we can practice acrobatics it takes the monotony out of the other less interesting things. I have about 55 hrs. in all together and will get 10 more while here. We will be leaving for basic about the first week in Dec.

I received a letter from Dad today and it sounds like he is all set to start to work in Chicago the first of the year. He really sounds all enthused about the whole thing. I really think it is the best thing for him and I am sure he will like it and it will keep him busy. If he stayed at home he would either have to quit entirely or else keep right on going and either would be impossible. He said in the afternoon that he would be there in the same building with Stan filling out reports.^[1]Stan worked at the Kemper Insurance Company in data processing. The building was located at 4750 North Sheridan Road. That certainly seems funny doesn’t it? It really sounds like he got a good deal and I am really proud of him for getting such a good position and starting out on something new.

He told me that Karen was making up with him and I’ll bet he will really enjoy being around her more as well as being around you folks.

I received your letter of 11-18 and needless to say I certainly enjoyed it. It sounds like you folks have really been having a busy time as well as having alot of visitors.

About Christmas: There isn’t much that I need but underware [sic] or socks always come in plenty handy. Socks are size 11 1/2 and military brown. Under ware [sic] size is 32. Nothing like telling you just what I want.

My Christmas shopping is really going to be a problem because we will be confined for 2 wks. in basic and I don’t know when we will be able to shop.

I think I have really got my air legs now because I get plenty hungry but the food is still lousy. It certainly doesn’t seem like tomorrow is Thanksgiving because as far as we are concerned it is just another day. I doubt if we even get a special meal but they might surprise us. However, I’ll be thinking of you folks and wishing I could be with you.

Give Karen a special big Thanksgiving kiss and a happy Thanksgiving to you all.

With love,

Tom.

Sun. night.

Dear Folks,

Well not many more weeks of primary to go, in fact just two more weeks of flying and we will probably leave a few days after that. The rumor has it that we will go to Pecos, Tex.

I think I had the shortest case of the flu ever known. I went on sick call Fri. morning and has aching bones and 101 degrees of fever. They put me to be and gave me some horse pills [6 inches in diameter – diagram]. My fever broke at noon and they let me out Sat. morning in time to fly 3 hrs. Sat. afternoon and then go on our week end pass. I feel fine now and apparently haven’t had any bad effects. When they told me I had the flu I thought sure I would be held back a class because if you miss a couple of days flying you wouldn’t have time to catch up.

Flying is coming along pretty well and Long John seems to be satisfied. He told us as long as we were flying for him we were doing OK. Even if I do get disgusted with him sometime I still think we have the best instructor at the field. I have a picture of him and the five of us that I am going to send to Dad. It is the only picture we can get so so {sic} maybe Dad can have a couple of extras made and send you one.

It is really a good picture of Long John including the cigar stub in his mouth. The plane looks like something they used back in the World War I but it is the best training plane they will ever make.

I received the brownies and they were really swell. They really tasted fresh and didn’t have time to spoil. Thanks alot for them.

I seem to have misplaced your last letter so I can’t remember if there were any questions to answer or not. I do remember that you wanted Steve’s address:

Ens. Steve Hempelman
Advanced Amphibious Training Base
Navy 414, c/o Fleet Post Office
New York City

Give Karen a kiss for me. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Sun. night.

Dear Folks,

I have really gotten behind on my letter writing this week. This has been the hardest week I have put in yet but I really made headway. I got 14 hours of flying in in six days which isn’t so bad. After getting 12 hrs. of sleep last night I really feel rested and all ready to start another week and the way things look the next three weeks will be plenty rugged because we have to get 35 hours in that time. So far to date I have 30 hrs. in and I have accomplished with a fair amount of success the art of doing slow rolls, snap rolls, loops, chandelle’s, lazy eights and the basic maneuvers.

https://youtu.be/bbDZIGcfKG0

My force landings have to be improved on but it takes a while to develope[sic] your judgement on them. I passed my spot landing stage ^[1]Without using the engine, land the plane, touching down within a large white circle on the runway.last Wed. which wasn’t too tough. To tell you the truth I am really beginning to feel at home in one of these Stearman’s. Maybe some day I can take you all up for a ride.

We really had a swell dust storm here yesterday afternoon and there is about 1/4″ of sand all over our floors. You should see one of them (dust storms); you can close all the windows and doors and it stills [sic] comes in. However, in between dust storms the weather here has really b een swell. The nights get pretty cold but the days are really nice, in fact we usually get a dip in the pool every day.

I received the Advocates ^[2]Greenville Advocate, Tom’s home town newspaper and there was really alot of the home town news that I hadn’t heard. Thanks alot for sending them.

The way things sounded the folks must have had a good time while in Chicago. I got a letter from Cleda the other day talking about Dad being in the hospital. I got a letter yesterday from Dad and he seems to be better and back to work. I was tickled at Dad he told me that he and Karen got along alot better and he thought that if he could be with her more that they would really hit it off good.

The new class arrived last week and start flying tomorrow. It is usually very amusing to watch their landings for awhile, anything can happen and usually does.

Well enough for now, give Karen a kiss for me.

Goodnight –

With love,

Tom

Wed. night.

Dear Folks,

Here I am finally getting this letter off to you. I received your letter today with the pictures of Karen. No kidding, I can’t realize that she can be as big as she is. I am taking the pictures in and show them to Zoe this next weekend.

I don’t know how long Zoe is going to stay out here. She is planning a little on going to work in Chicago. We really had a swell weekend. She got into Phoenix about 3:00 A.M. Sat. morning and my pass started about 4:00 PM. Sat and had to be back at 7:30 Sun. evening. I really had a wonderful weekend and it was swell to see someone from home after not having seen anyone since Dad was out ages ago. We had Sun. morning breakfast with the Perkins’s and drove over to Tempe in the afternoon.

The flying is coming pretty good even though I didn’t give him such a good ride today.

Up to date I have about 4 hrs. of solo time and about 10 hrs. of dual. I’ll soon be having my 20 hr. check so wish me luck on it. I think I am pleasing Long John even if he does get pretty disgusted sometime. I am getting so I can do a pretty decent spin, stall, chandelle, lazy eight, S-turn, elementary eight, rectangular course and with alittle[sic} encouragement a snap roll. Still have alot to learn and not only learn it but remember it which proves to be the hardest of the job.

U.S. Navy Flight Training Film – 1944

You can send the brownies anytime you want to. The food here is still pretty poor but I guess we can’t expect an awful lot. I think I have lost alittle[sic} weight but it takes awhile to get aclimatized[sic} . I think that’s the word I mean.

Before I forget, Zoe received the dressor[sic} set and I think she is really pleased with it.

She brought the comb to show me and it certainly is beautiful. Thanks again.

Karen certainly seems to be taking an interest in everything. It looks like Mom had put in alittle[sic} work on her hair from the looks of the one where she has her back turned and you are with her on the porch. Is she wearing white shoes in the picture where she is wearing her overalls?

Let me know how things turned out while the folks were there. Give Karen a kiss for me.

With love,

Tom