Dear Dad + the folks at 828,^[1]828 Lakeside Place in Chicago was Elaine and Stanley’s address at that time.

Another combined letter so hope you won’t mind. We have been here at Gila Bend since Sat. noon. I have found out more what these AT’s will do in the this time than any of the other flying we have done. They really let you kick them around down here and the closer you come to the tow plane the better they seem to like it. I fly tomorrow afternoon on ground gunnery which they say is alot more fun than the aerial but I have been having alot of fun at that. We don’t do our qualification shooting till the last couple of days. The gunnery instructors down here are all plenty good. Alot have come back from combat, in fact mine, Lt. Campbell was a gunner on a B17 in the battle of Midway and then he went though cadet training.

It is really alot safer here than you think, however, we did have one boy killed the afternoon just after we came here.^[2]On April 1, 1944, Oliver S. Johnson, while flying an AT-6B, Serial #  41-17353, was killed in a crash impact with the ground at Gila Bend, Arizona. No one knows what happened, they were returning from a gunnery range flying in formation when he simply fell out of formation and flew her down into the ground. They couldn’t get any radio reply and there wasn’t any attempt for him to get out. They think he must have just passed out but that will just remain another mystery. The boys who really take the chances are the tow pilots, I would hate to have guys making passes at me all day.

Dad, I received your letter today and I must say that there was alot of news that I hadn’t heard of. Also thanks for sending the money. I am paying Mr. Perk $50.00 for his $50.00 deductible insurance, he didn’t want me to but I am going to. Things are all under control and if things go as planned there shouldn’t be any mix up. Your reservations are at the San Carlos Hotel for the 14th + 15th. Get in touch with the Perk’s when you arrive and you will be the guest of the AAF on the night of the 14th. I would like to have asked the Perk’s out for that evening but just our parents + girlfriends (sing.) can come. By the way I have a date for the evening also and I wish you would bring the girl out in the evening when you come.^[3]Note: This is not Zoe Foran, his long-term girlfriend and later-to-become wife Graduation will be in the morning of the 15th probably start around 8:00 AM. I will get off the rest of that day and night. I am going to take the plane from Phoenix at 10:50 Mon. morning and will get in Chicago at 4:00 AM. Tues. morning. I am only allowed to take 40# on the plane so wonder if I could have some stuff sent through on your ticket. The plane cost me $89.00 while the train is $84.00 which in my opinion is worth it if everything goes well. Let’s hope anyway.

See you in about 10 days and the rest of you in about 2 weeks. Goodnight –

Love,

Tom