We re-join Jack in Las Vegas where he is in gunnery school.
April 14 1944
Dear Ma
I'll drop you a line while I am doing a little setting around.
We have been going to school as usual also have been going out to the range quite a bit too. We have been firing shot guns off the back end of truck & from turrets & standing. It sure is hard on my shoulder in fact It is usually black & blue. It sure is sore now but as I have said I'll probable live.
We had a test in turrets the other day & I made 88 in it so I guess I have been getting o.k. I had a test in Air craft reconition, but I am afraid I flunked it. It sure is a hard course, I don't care what any body says. This course sure is ruff, they have every minet of every day figured out what we are going to do. You think the Navy V8 boys [?] made it rough there well I think we have it just as rough – we don't have to worry about washing out like they do though. They at least get a pass Sat night but us we just stay in & sleep till 7:30
The weather has been pretty nice the last few days but has been rather windy. It cooled off a little bit but is still rather warm. We get to wear our suntans starting Sunday – thank God.
This is Sat rather Fri night so we will have to get ready to have inspection to morrow. I can't figure out any way of getting out of it so I will have to get ready
Say school is darn near out isn't it, I guess the kids are happy about it.
The wind is sure raising hell out again today & I don't mean may be. You remember how it was in Albuquerque at times well thats the way it is here about 3 out of 4 days.
We go to a nother camp in a week to start flying. We will be there a week & back here a week & then the big day. In other words we will be shipping gout of here 3 weeks from today. We haven't heard any more about delay enroute so we all can do is plan on not getting them. The do say we will ship from here to Lincoln & be there the whole sum of 8 days & then be assigned to a outfit. I'll probable be able to get home in the next month or 2 but I won't plan on it until I get it.
Well I guess I'll close now
Jack
Note: I'm not sure if he wrote "Navy V8 boys" but I do find a reference here to Navy aviation pilots in reference to V8.
And he wrote to his sister Bo:
April 16 1944
Dear Bo
I'll scribble you a note in answer to the one I got from you.
I have been going to school same as usual & it's still about the same, plenty rough. We had a test in aircraft reconition & belive it or not I passed. I didn't quite see how I made it but I got a 84 in it. I also had a test in Turrets & made 88 in it, so if I can keep it up I might be able to get a pair of wings after all.
We only have 3 more weeks left here & then we will graduate from here & ship out. In fact we will ship from here 3 weeks from today. We have 1 week here shooting the machine guns & then go to a camp 30 miles from here & start flying. We will be up there a week & then come back here for a week of flying & then it's over. We get about 2 hours a day for 2 weeks of flying.
I went into town yesterday but didn't do much, I have gotten so I don't care if I go to town or not any more. There's not much to do & about all you get out of it is loss of sleep. I would just as soon stay out here & sleep.
The wind has been blowing & the sand comes in. It's so miserable out that most of the guys are just setting around writing or playing cards.
So you will be happy to get home, & you were the one who had to go back to Neb to go to school remember [?] you get 300 miles from home you start crying to get back home. Make up your mind now do you or don't you want to be home.
I should be studying but you know how it is – wait till tomorrow or some time else.
Well I guess I'll close for now & write a note to Ma.
Jack
[with a flourish]
April 19 1944
I'll try to write you a quick letter as I have quite a bit to do & have been rather busy.
We have been firing the machine guns & they are a lot of fun. Its harder to hit with them than I ever thought. I thought it was like a water hose, just spray it but it's like a rifle & you have aim it. I have gotten just a little better than average as in nothing exceptional with the things. I started to shoot the shot guns again to day but the trap house caught fire & then the thing broke down. I only got 3 shots in so I didn't get any score.
You ask about the camera, go a head & use it but read the instructions on both the camera & exposure meter. Yes It probable needs batteries & if you can't get any write me & I'll try to get you some. Use the No 24 film first.
We have some tests to morrow so I have to do some studying to night. We also have a G.I. party in just a few minutes. That will take about 1/2 hour so that takes some more time. It seems like we never any any time to our self.
The weather is still a little cool here but I guess it's probable a lot warmer here than there. I guess I wrote & told you we are wearing sun tans now & they are a whole lot nicer during the day. The mornings are still cold in fact darn cold. We get up and have to put on quite a few cloths but by the time we eat breakfast we sat taking them off.
My clp friend couldn't make gunner on account of his back so he shipped yesterday.
We have had it poured on us this week & will probable have it the same next week.
You ask about the radio, I sold it. After I shipped here I put it up & one night after I had gone to sleep a couple of my "buddies" fixed if for me. Well I figured I would cost me $5-$10 to have it fixed & a guy offered me $12 for it. Now what would you have done, especially if you only had $2 in your pocket. Well I did it. I only paid $8 for it to begin with.
You tell the Runt since I am still the head of the house (until Bo starts to pay her income tax) I will tell you what to do & when it pretends to my stuff I think she out to keep quite. She may be a Sr. next year but with me that don't cut ice with me also tell her she hasn't written me one of those letters in a long time so for her to git to work.
Well I guess I better close for now so write soon
Jack
Notes:
- Suntans according to Dictionary.com is "a tan military uniform for summer wear."
- Jack got the equivalent of $178 for his radio.
- Here is one of Jack's malapropisms. He said regarding Nene: "it pretends to my stuff." He meant "it pertains to my stuff."
- I think we ought to bring back the idiom "it doesn't cut ice."
22 April 44
Dear Ma
I took my big test last night so I am trough with that. Maybe I should have said it took me. It sure was rough & I ain't kidding no one. It was 2 hours long & it took me the solid 2 hours to finish it.
We go to Indian Springs to morrow morning so I imagine that the mail will be slowed down another day. We will start flying Monday, we got the cost of our flying suit today. They sure are nice, also expensive they cost around $35 & there's nothing fancy about them. I guess we get our pants & shoes up there. I heard the whole suits worth around 100.
It has been rather cold around here but warmed up a bit today. It tried to rain the other day but didn't do a very good job of it. It just settled the dust but thats better than nothing.
So Nene tried to beat the other ones & almost did it. Well I guess there are some brains in the family after all. I didn't know she was taking a ___ course; I am glad that she is. To my notion it will probable do more for her than a lot of course she could have taken such as mine. Better tell Nene that she better get on the ball & find out what the score is also who's playing
We have to get up at 3 in the morning & leave for the springs at 630 so will probable be ___ for a while. I wish we could sleep till 5 because Sundays the day I usually catch up on my sleep. I am so sleepy I can hardly hold my eyes open. We are always sleepy & always hungry. I guess we don't get enough.
I should start packing but just can't get around to it.
We haven't done but the same old run the last few days. I'll sure be glad when we get through. After we get out of here we go to a advanced school & then study some more, I am afraid its liable to get me down.
Well I guess I'll close now
Jack
Notes:
- Jack is so sleepy that his handwriting is getting even harder than usual to read, so I can't quite make out a couple words.
- The flight suit he mentions that is "worth 100"? That's about $1485 today!!
