Tom describes a lecture given to his class by an experienced fighter pilot.
7-26-44
Dear Dad – Just got back from a talk given us by a fighter pilot who had completed 42 missions over Italy. He had been shot down and captured, however when the allies took Rome, the Germans had to leave him behind because he couldn’t be moved . When he was shot down a 20 mm cannon shell exploded in his cockpit, however he seemed to be in pretty good shape considering it all. He flew a P-38. and seemed to think they were the only plane, most of his fighting was done against the Me-109’s which are supposed to be pretty hot. We got a pretty good rumor yesterday. The cap. in charge of us here said, we would be getting a furlough soon, maybe in a couple of weeks. Maybe this was just to keep the boys from pestering him but supposedly the orders came through to give all fighter pilots a 7 day furlough plus travel time home. It might not apply to the night fighters or else before they would have a chance to give us one we would be shipped out to Salinas. Anyway it has helped morale a little around here by giving us something to think about. I rc’d Elaine’s letter this Pm and your letter yesterday, was glad to hear that everything was OK. and I hadn’t heard for some time how was everything at home? Is anything straightened out on the farm and have you decided what you are going to do with the house in ______? I rc’d ______Mr. McCane that he had rec’d the check OK. All of us here aren’t going to be with ________if they don’t get us out of here and back in the air pretty soon. They are having a pretty hard time getting the _________ classes as most of this stuff is about as far fetched as you could ask for or else we have already had it covered 6 or 7 times. Usually by 3 PM every one’s back in their bunks sleeping and after so long a time this does a person more harm than good.
They have, however, started giving us a little P.T. every morning which helps some. The food is better but is heavy & greasy for this kind of weather.
It’s 5 PM and Mort wanted me to wake him then so we can get over + eat before the rush starts. Here’s hoping that I hear something definite but yet good on this furlough deal soon.
With love
Tom.
