March, 1944: Las Vegas: drinking, gambling, desolation, 38,000 feet

March 22 '44

Dear Ma

As usual I'll just try to write you a letter but I don't know how it will end up.

I am glad you got the earrings & like them. I thought they were cute. I didn't know the runts would have liked them so well or I would have bought them a pair. Tell them I'll see what I can do about a pair of gunners wings for them later on -- that is if they want them & I get mine.

We got our oxygen masks the other day & had to go in the chamber. We went to the same thing as 30000 feet, we had quite a time with our ears but everyone came out ok. We have to go back & try it for 38000 feet I guess thats pretty tough on a guy but I think I can take it ok. From what they tell us about this course it will be a lot of fun but is going to be rather stiff too. Some of the cadets say its different harder than a lot of course in cadets. They also say if you can get through the first week that you can get through with the rest of it.

I have been feeling better the last 2 days but I still don't feel too good. My head has cleared up quite a bit & I don't have quite as bad a headack either. I guess its because K.P. got me down.

The weather has been a little bit better in fact it is getting hot around here. We were running around with just our fatigues on this morning then worked up a sweat. We have to wear fatigues I mean O.D's all the time now. I don't exactly like the deal so much but it does make us look a lot nicer.

The sun still sets in the east & comes up in the west. Oh well thats just about how crazy the whole state is so I guess it can't be helped.

Well I'll close & try to write Tuck & Bo.

Jack.

The envelope for the next letter had Gram's penciled notation "Lotio Alba is a lotion" so I had to look it up, of course!

From The Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association (1912):

Onward!

Dear Ma

While I am laying around waiting to be called out I'll drop you a little note.

While I am thinking about it have you ever gotten any more allotment checks. If you haven't let know &  I"ll see just what I can do about it if any. Also has Margaret & Jim ever come across with any money, also if they haven't let me know & I'll see what I can do about that. 

We went to a couple of lectures yesterday & they were so interesting better than 1/2 of the fellows went to sleep including myself. We also went "up" in the altitude chamber to 38,000 feet, it didn't bother my ears at all this time. We had to set there for 2 1/2 hours with our oxygen mask on, you can't talk smoke or do a darn thing with them on. The only thing that bothered me was I had gas on my stomack & when they relived the pressure it like to set me wild. (I lived though)

We will really start to school Monday I guess. and what they tell me the first few weeks are really rough but after that it get interesting. We start firing after a week or 2 & then the last 2 weeks we get about a 1/2 day flying out of each day. We will fly over the Grand Canyon & Boulder Dam so you can see we ought to really have some fun after we get started

It is still warm here in fact too warm for O.D's but we will have to wear them for about an other week. The nights here are like those there cool in fact the guys who catch guard duty wear over coats & etc. During the day it is so bright it nearly blinds you the buildings are all painted white & the ground is sort of a white clay or sand.

We have a big inspection tomorrow & will have to have every thing spick & span. I just had to go down & read the bulletin board on how to make up beds the way they do it here.

Well I guess I'll close for now. 

Jack. 

March 26 1944

Dear Ma

I'll write you now because I am starting school tomorrow & it may be a few days befor I get another chance to write you.

We had one inspection yesterday & faired o.k. We also went out on parade & won. We were the best student squadron in the parade it was only the 2nd time we had marched as a group. The Louie was very happy about it so he gave us all passes. We also are promised a trip to Bolder Dam this comming week, because of winning. 

About the town it is a swell town for 2 things drinking or gambling. Me I am not a gambler so I didn't do that, and for the drinking I don't have the money for that so personally I don't think much of the town. Every other place is a gambling joint & I really mean it, there are slot machines, dice games, poker or any thing you want to play. I never saw so much silver in all my life every thing is sliver dollars. There is more money floating around there than most places. I went in around 7 & came back out to camp a 9:30 so you see what I think of the town. 

They sure run us all day to day we had to be up by 8 o'clock and we didn't have but a hour off for dinner & then we didn't get done till 5. I guess it will be rather rough from now on but I'll bet you the next time I see you I'll have those wings on me or know the reason why. 

They say the school is very dry the first couple of weeks but that after that it goes so fast you don't realize the time. 

Tell Nene I got her letter but that she should be a little bit more careful about the address because that's the 2nd time she put the wrong one down, Tell her I thought she was smarter than to make a dumb mistake like that. 

The weather is still hot & windy, the sand is still comming at us. I don't see what keeps this state on the map. 

Well I'll close for now

Jack

Next, he wrote a letter to his sister Bo:

March 27, 1944

Dear Bo

Ill try to drop you a quick line while I have a minet to myself. We have been on the go more or less ever since we got here. The last couple of days we have been putting in 8, 9, or 10 hours a day in lectures or in classes. It is really rough too they go over it so fast & you have to get it or else go to night school for a week or 2.

You ask about me getting a picture taken of myself. Well its this way, we can't have it done on the post & we never get any passes here so I don't get in to town to have it done. You wait until I get home & I'll have it taken then with a pair of wings on me (I hope) I am sure going to try to get those darn things even if it kills me trying. It will take us 6 weeks to finish the corse & we are on the last day of the first week. I should be home for my birthday I hope. I also wrote Marg to see if she could be home & I wrote & asked Wayne to see if he could get a furlough. 

I went into town last Sat night & I don't care if I never go back. It's a swell town to go get drunk in or gamble – me I don't have the money for either one so I'll just stay out here & get old. We never get passes any way so I won't bee tempted. I never saw so much silver money in all my life & I ain't just a kidding you very seldom see a paper dollar in town. You ask how I like Nevada well I don't. We have about 1/2 of the State in our barracks all the time. The wind has been blowing pretty steady since we got here but they say it will let up soon (I hope) The state what I have seen of it is rather desolate & I mean desolate.

We have quite a time in this barracks – we have a bunch of guys who washed out of cadets & they are quite a bunch fellows. We also have a couple who were over seas as gunners so that makes it that much worse. All in all we have one hell of a time while we are in the barracks. We also have one buck sergeant who we call the gestapo – he always sticking his nose in some one elses business.

We will go to school for about 4 weeks & then we start flying in B17's a 1/2 a day every day & go to school the other 4 hours. After a couple of weeks we should be having a lot of fun because we will do a lot of shooting & etc. They gave us a book – about 250 pages, the pages are about the size of this page,  & we have to just about memorize every thing in the darn thing

Well I better – I just had to fall out & is 7:15 so you see our time is our own as I started to write I better close for now. 

Jack. 

Next: Closing out March, 1944

March, 1944: Las Vegas Army Airfield

 Jack has shipped from Buckley Field, Colorado, to Las Vegas Army Airfield, Nevada

Here is the envelope from his first letter home from Las Vegas, Nevada to Las Vegas,  New Mexico

Gram had made some penciled notations about fabric yardage. I guess she didn't heed Jacks's stern entreaty to give up the sewing. 

We have some new stationery. There's a picture of a little winged baby dragon thing* backed by a V. The dragon is holding a machine gun and it reads "AIM WELL - SHOOT STRAIGHT". Underneath it reads, "LAS VEGAS ARMY GUNNERY SCHOOL - LAS VEGAS NEVADA" 

* I did some research and found the little winged baby dragon thing is a horned toad, the mascot of the gunnery school. He was named Machine-Gun Pete. Also, interestingly enough, Machine-Gun Pete has his place in the history of graphic T-shirts! See this about a Life Magazine cover story. 

Return address reads: 

Pvt. Bernard C. Eutsler

A.S.N. 39215612

Student Squadron 3#

Class 44-19

L.V.A.A.F.

Las Vegas, Nevada

March 14 1944

Dear Ma

I guess you see where I am & approxamatley what I'll be doing for the next 8 or 9 weeks. We arrived here this morning about 3 A.M. so you see we have had a lot of sleep the last few days. We left Buckley at about 10:30 Sun morning. We were in snow practically all the way in fact it has been snowing here. They claim it is the first time it has snowed here in 2 and a 1/2 yeas so we figured the last time it snowed was a summer. We had a fair trip but it got dreadful tiresome toward the end. I got KP the first day out so my O.D's sure looke pretty now. We didn't do any thing while on the train & nothing while off, one reason we only got off once & that was in Salk Lake & it was for about 15 min. 

They tell us we will go to school for about 8 weeks & then get our wings & go home on a 15 day delay in route. I hope that's so the but the army is so change able that we never know just what to believe. From what they tell us we are going to really be put over the ropes in the next few days. When we finish the course we will get the whole sum of a P.F.C. but I would just as soon home then jam it.

We didn't go into town so we don't know what it is like but as far the surroundings it is pretty much desert with mountains. I don't think I will like it too much here but theres not much I can do about it but take it.

We have 2 story barracks that are rather nice a whole lot better than at Buckley & the chow here is better. We have had some pretty good meals here of course any things good if you are hungry.

Say would you write and tell Bo & Tuck where I am & tell them to hold off with letters until I move again. We won't be at the present address for much over a week or 2. Tell them I'll write and later & let them in all that is happening. 

Well I'll close & mail this. 

Jack.

Note: P.F.C. stand for Private First Class. This was one grade up from Private. 

March 17

Dear Ma

I guess I ought to write & let you know where I am but to tell the truth I just don't quite know my self. We have moved & don't know if I'll get the proper address on this or not. We moved in to a squadron & when you get in one of them you are supposed to start to school. Thats the catch we don't know if we are going to start this week or not. 

I had K.P. yesterday morning from 3AM untill 2 then they sent me back to the barracks & told us to report back at 830 so we had a all night shift of it. I also have to go back to night and work from 8:30 untill 4. 

I haven't felt very good today for some reason when I woke up this after noon I was so dizzy I could hardly stand up. I proceeded to wash some cloths & go back to bed & when I got back up I felt a little better.

The first couple of days we were here it sure nasty weather but it has turned off very nice the last few.

March 18

Well I got all pooed out befor I finished this last night so I'll finnish it now. 

I put in my shift of K.P. last night and don't  have to go on to night – a happy day

We had to go out on parade this afternoon it didn't last but about a hour. It sure wasn't very good if you ask me.

We start to school tomorrow so that makes me happy. The sooner we start the sooner we get through. 

Well I guess I'll close as I have a lot of things to do

Jack

March 20 44

While I have a little time I'll try to write you a little note so you will know the Nev winds haven't blown me away.

We started yesterday morning but about all we did was see a picture show & lay around. I missed a roll call because I was looking at a wrecked B17. They didn't say much but told us not to let it happen again or else – .

I still am under the weather but feel a little bit better today. I would go on sick call but if I did it would set me back & I don't want that to happen I know you will sing your old song but when you get something in this army you hate to drop out because you may never get another chance at it. 

I guess we won't draw any more detail while we are here. They say while we are going to school we don't get any & when we get through we ship & get that good old 15 delay in route.

I don't think much of this state of Nevada its a whole lot worse than N.M.  the mountains don't even have trees on them it is really a desolate state. The sun even comes up in the west & goes down in the east. 

The wind has been blowing to day & I mean blowing. when It blows here the state of Nevada moves. We keep about 1/2 the state in our barracks alone.

I went out & shot the 45 again we shot it about the 2nd day we were here. I shot a 78 with it. That's sharpshooter so I feel pretty good about it.

Well as usual I have run out of anything to write so will close. 

Jack

P.S. Your letters Haven't caught up with me yet. I hope you received the cameras. 

Note: 

• The first mention of a B-17. Jack doesn't know it now, but the belly of a B-17 will become his home away from home in a few short months. 

Next: Jack doesn't really like Las Vegas