August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California

Tom has received the items he requested (electric shaver, nail clipper, hair brush) and also the brownies Cleda included. He describes the correct procedure for contacting him in the event of a family emergency (through the Red Cross). He describes hearing the crash of a P-38 Lightening across the road from them. He adds that he had heard the Air Force Base loses 4 a week. Post-war records reveal accidents involving 103 P-38 aircraft during the month of August, 1943, in the continental United States.
Sun. Night.

Dear Folks,

August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 1
August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 1

None of us can sign out to go to the P.X. (Post Exchange) or the movie tonight because we have tests tomorrow, however, not very many or studying but instead they are laying around listening to the radios and writing.

I received the box and thanks a lot for everything, nothing was forgotten and Cleda the brownies really hit the spot. The don’t give us things like that in cadet mess. The clippers are really handy, they ask to see your fingernails everyonce in awhile in a personal inspection. Dad, thanks a lot for getting them for me. Didn’t you have a hard time finding them.

Santa Ana Army Air Base Barracks in 1949, just before being torn down.
Santa Ana Army Air Base Barracks in 1949, just before being torn down.

Starting tomorrow morning we have a reverse schedule, that is we start having classes in the morning and drill and calisthenics in the afternoon. This will only give us about 1/2 hour in the mornings to get ready for inspection but gives us about 1/2 hr. Free time in the afternoon and a coke will taste mighty good then.

August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 2
August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 2

I saw Virgil Ethridge the other day and just before he was to be sent to Scott Field he got a recheck on his eyes and got put in bombardier school. As soon as he gets settled he’s coming over.

We got passes next weekend but 51 from the sqd. Are pulling guard duty, we don’t know who yet, but if I get off I will try to find Aunt Mollies’.

I think I told you once before but to refresh it one of my buddies got a telegram that his mother was seriously sick and for him to come home, he didn’t get to leave for two days because the red cross had to verify it. In case I am ever needed the correct procedure is to get in touch with the local Red Cross and they will telegraph the Red Cross here so things will be verified right away and there won’t be any delay here. I really felt sorry for Bob (the boy that went home) here he was trying to get away and he couldn’t get a phone call through to find out the trouble.

We finished Chemical Warfare yesterday. I got a 93 in the course. I think we start aerial photography in place of it but I don’t know how soon it starts. Gunnery only lasts about one more week, we have finished studying all three guns now and start range classes and going to the range this week.

August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 3
August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 3

Cleda, I received you letter, have you still been keeping up with the golf game? I am afraid my game would be pretty poor now, that isn’t saying much because I never could brag about it.

We got our dog tags the other day so I guess we could be considered veterans now.

A P38 crashed at the field across the road last night. It sounded like a block buster when it hit. I heard they lost about 4 a week from the base, it seems that the boys just forget for an instant how hot those ships are. Some major broke the record out here a few weeks ago when he dived one of them at somewhere between 850 and 900 MPH. He got it landed ok and the speedometer was broken but the way the cowling and wings were rippled they calculated his speed. It doesn’t seem possible to go about 100 MPH faster than the speed of sound.

I have to shine brass and shoes yet tonight so had better get to it. Thanks again for the package. –

With Love,

. – – , . . , – , . . . . , . – . . , – – – , . . . – , . ,

Tom

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August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California
August 16, 1943, Santa Ana, California

A Young Man Went Off to War