Oct. 15, 1943
Fri. 9:30 P.M.
Dear Folks:
Well I suppose today was the first day of hunting season. For myself I’ve been hunting for ways to get out of working so hard.
This morning I flew 2 hrs. 15 min. in the P-40 and I got in 2 hrs. 30 min. in AT-6 this afternoon.
In the old P-40 I’m blacked out about half the time. I have went about 350 M.P.H. in it. Boy you should see how I bounce that baby in. I’m an expert at bouncing them and then catching it with the throttle and easing them down.
I’ve been trying to make arrangements to come home on a plane. That is to Chicago. If I do I will be in Chicago about 3 P.M. Nov. 4. We will have to layover at Dallas for about 8 hrs. I hope I can do that. I would cost $60 to Chicago.
The fellows who just came back from the island say that the mosquitos are big and rough.
Boy flying those P-40s knocks the dickens right out of a person. You know if I could take one of those I could get home in a hurry.
I had an instrument ride today but I don’t think it was my check.
I signed my discharge papers today. They have to discharge us before they can commission us as officers I guess.
Boy it doesn’t seem like Dort should be a senior in high school and Jim be in high school too. Folks your family is growing up. Sometimes I feel pretty old myself. (All worn out. tsk tsk)
Well it is almost bed time.
Be seeing you.
Yours truly.
Alva
Note: The AT-6 Texan was used as an advanced training aircraft by the USAAF, USAF, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. The Texan would have been the last trainer aircraft that a 1940s era pilot would fly before graduating to a figher aircraft or being sent to multi-engine school to learn how to fly bombers and transports. Source: https://wotn.org/aircraft/at-6d-texan/
Ancestors Across the Ages 