9:30 Wed. night.

Dear Folks,

Haven’t got much time before taps. Had an exam in navigation tonight which wasn’t too bad. I got a 90 on it. Haven’t hardly any work to do for tomorrow but I could find plenty to do for Fri., however, you know me better than that. That is one thing the army has taught me and that is if you get a spare minute you had better take it.

The most surprising thing happened today. It rained for the first time since we have been here. None of us have raincoats so we had to wear flight jackets and helmets. The helmets make very good rain hats but their express purpose goes alittle deeper than that.

Dad, your medicine certainly did fix me up. The white breathing pills worked fine. Are they pretty strong stuff or not?

I about fainted when I saw the coryza they certainly did the stuff. The swimming trunks are swell, I don’t know how soon we are going to get to use them but it should be any day. Also thanks alot for the air mails and the dollar. We get into Tempe once in awhile to buy things we need. They march us in as a detail, which is another example showing that we march everywhere we go. It will really be a pleasure to get back into civilian life and walk around without having someone counting “hut, two, three, four”.

I signed the pay roll the other day and we are suppose to get paid the 15th of the month. As yet none of us believe it but everyone can hope.

Here is a poem that was on the bulletin board, all the fellows seemed to have liked it:

Air Force

They guide their ships among the stars,
Then hurtle down across the blue–
Laughing young Lords with shining wings–
To swagger down God’s avenue!

I hope you will pardon the theme paper byt Uncle Sam is furnishing it and indirectly you are paying for it so I might as well use it.

Cleda, I received your letter today and it really contained alot of news that I hadn’t heard about. It sounds like you are really giving the house the once over. I probably won’t know it when I get home. I am really beginning to wonder if I will be able to get back in my clothes. However there is alot of time to worry about that so for the present the moth balls and tobacco are just the thing for them. Thanks alot for taking care of them.

I am going to have to get the lights out or I will be getting gigged. Finish this in the morning. Goodnight –

(10 till 6:00)

Have a minute so thought I would finish this. Usually this time in the morning is pretty filled up, but the four of us in the room take turns cleaning it and the other two are cleaning it this morning. It is really cold here this morning. In fact everynight we use two blankets and sometimes put our overcoats over us also.

The night before last there was a USO road show here, it was really pretty good and all the fellows seemed to enjoy it.

Time for breakfast so will close because we have drill right after breakfast and I won’t have anytime then.

With love,

Tom