Feb 20, 1943
Sat. 7:30
Dear Folks:
Well folks I have a little spare time. Very little. We start classes Mon. We had a lecture yesterday and another today. These upperclassmen really give us the works. They leave me pretty much alone though. They really work on the boys who can’t keep a straight face. We are all potential officers so we are supposed to have perfect control over ourselves. If an underclassman cracks a smile he is in for trouble. They make him do all kinds of things.
Tonight one of them tried to make me smile. He stood in front of me and made faces and everything but I never flickered an eyelash. He finally gave up in disgust. The only way we can get back at the upperclassmen is when we are called out for formation. We are supposed to hit it on the run. If any upperclassman gets in our way we knock him down and run right over him. If we don’t they give us heck. Then some day towards the end there is a turnabout day. We switch places and then we can let out everything we’ve stored up for 4 1/2 weeks.
Most men from group 14 have asked for G.D.I. because the strain was too much for them. Group 14 is tougher than our bunch. They carry it too far.
The boys there are in a brace all the time. That is strict attention plus. We must stand at strict attention quite often too. Our chests go way out, our stomach in and our chin in. I’ve lost two inches from my waist already I think. Our beds must be made perfect. We fold them back 6 inches and they must be exactly 6 in. and really tight. Our shoes glisten and our belt buckles too. It is really a tough racket. Harder than you could imagine. An underclassman never walks, he always runs everywhere.
We drilled for 1 1/2 hours straight today. Cadets are potential officers and must know their marching. I’ll bet cadets at pre-flight could show anybody a few things about marching. Everything is snappy and I mean snappy. We make no mistakes. Everything must be perfect. When I get home you folks probably won’t know me. They just drive this army stuff right into us so that it becomes instinct. We cut all square corners and make everything snappy, even our talk.
Well folks I have a lot of things to learn yet so I better close. I will write as soon and as much as possible but don’t think I don’t want to write you folks if I fail. I’ll do my best folks.
With love,
Alva
P.S. Tell Jim we hustle every minute of the day. Someday I’ll tell you folks all about it.
Ancestors Across the Ages 