Tues. night.

Dear Folks,

Received the box today and it really came on a very happy occasion. It was really swell but really you shouldn’t send those things because I imagine candy bars come few and far between. Karen’s letter was much appreciated but the apologies weren’t necessary. Thanks alot –

The news I have sounded good to me so I’ll have to tell you about it. I leave this Fri. for Thunderbird Field #2 which is just a few miles from Phoenix. I can’t think of any other place I would rather be sent. Supposedly the only disadvantage to it is that it has about a 30 to 40% washout rate, but I’ll worry about that when the time comes. It will be good to be back at Phoenix because it is a pretty nice soldier’s town especially for the Air Forces.

Tomorrow we get paid and have one final pilot school track meet. Thurs. we have graduation and find out what buses we leave on and when. According to all reports we start fllying on about the third day there and they start washing them out on the 4th. We fly Stearman P.T.’s (primary trainers) there which are a good ship to learn in. They aren’t as fast as the Ryan P.T.’s but a little more H.P., ^[1]horsepower, 225 to be exact. The Ryan’s land at 90 M.P.H. which is a little fast for beginners.

They really split our squadron here all to pieces. About 5 are going to Thunderbird #1, and about 5 more to #2.

The rest went to Visallia, Calif. and several other different places. I guess the breaks are hitting right after all.

I have to stencil my name and number on my baracks bags yet tonight so I had better close. I’ll send you my address as soon as I find out what it is.

Give Karen a big kiss for me and tell her I’ll send her some chewing gum.

With love,

Tom