August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California

Tom’s pilot training courses are not too difficult, so far, but he’s heard rumors that Morse Code and Math will become increasingly hard. His friend, Sam, has left for Scott Field in Illinois. There is a shortage of 6 cent stamps and he’s hoping his parents will mail him some.
Sun. morning.

Dear Folks,

August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 1
August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 1

It feels funny to be going to school again but the courses now are different than any I have ever taken before. That is all except math. My daily schedule runs as follows: Drill and calesthenics from 7:30 AM to 11:00 A.M.; 12:00 to 1:00 PM, Code; 1:00 to 2:00 Gunnery; 2:00 to 3:00 Chemical Warfare; 3:00 to 4:00 Math; 4:00 to 5:00 aircraft identification and naval identification. We have this schedule six days a week with Sun. off if you don’t have MM. It so happens that I have MM this afternoon starting at 12:45.

None of the courses seem especially hard so far but I imagine Code and identification will get hard according to all reports. We will have to be able to take 8 words a min. in code and recognize 50 different planes when they are flashed on the screen for 1/25 of a sec. All this is really a condensed course and you really have to stay on the ball to get it all in 8 weeks.

Sam left for Scott Field Fri. and he said he would call you folks the first chance he got. I imagine they will keep him plenty busy for awhile. He is hoping to get to go to O.C.S.

About 50% of the squadron is walking tours this week-end. You have to start walking after 8 gigs here and I just got under the wire with 8. Thurs. we had 2 personal inspections and 2 barracks inspections, I picked up 6 gigs that day. They usually crack down pretty hard at the first so thing will probably let up alittle pretty soon.

We were the last bunch to be made A/C’s before finishing pre-flight. All those going into pre-flight now go in as A/S at $50 instead of $75. However, we still haven’t got cadet blouses and I doubt if we ever will, but when you get the cadet brass on the O.D. blouse you can’t hardly tell the difference.

August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 2
August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California, Page 2

We have July pay day coming up this Tues. I don’t know if it will be full pay or just partial payment. I heard that we signed for $754.

I received a letter from Elaine’s yesterday and they really enjoyed their visit at home. I wish I could have been there also, but I am still holding my rain check. If everything goes as planned I will probably make it back there around next April. That sounds like an awful long time, but time goes pretty fast now.

I have to study Chemical Warfare for a test Mon. and I haven’t very much time before I go on M.M. Say if you want to drop a few 6ยข stamps in a letter it will be greatly appreciated. They are as rare as gold around here and just as hard to get. The P. office is open only a short time and we are at class then.

I will try to write alittle more now that we are getting settled.

With love,

Tom

August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California
August 9, 1943, Santa Ana, California

A Young Man Went Off to War