1943.9.17

Sept. 17, 1943

9:00 P.M. Fri.

Dear Folks:

It’s about time I write you folks another letter. This is about the first chance I’ve had this week.

You know I’ve only flown one day this week outside of Sunday. One day I was grounded because I had 2 wisdom teeth pulled. The next day It rained us out. Yesterday morning they told us a hurricane was headed this way. The instructors and some of the upper class men took all the planes north out of the danger area. So we didn’t have any planes for the last two days. The storm still hasn’t hit here but we are getting pretty strong winds. A storm hit this place a year ago and blew all the buildings away. So now every time they find out a storm is coming we run out and fasten the barracks down with some cables they have fastened on.

I got a letter from Dort and Ma yesterday. Dort said that Dad was going to get a job at American Seating. What kind of work will that be? What do they pay? Do you figure on selling the stuff. If you go to work there’s not much use in trying to keep the stuff to. You would just be working yourself to a frazzle. Say how’s the gas situation there with you folks? I see by the Coopersville paper that there is a labor shortage in Grand Rapids. So I imagine Dad can get pretty good wages. American Seating is on the right side of town too. Say I see Dort is driving to school (Oh! my poor car). If Dad gets that job you’ll have to have 2 cars yet (good ones I mean).

Pug tells me Jim helps milk in the morning and everything. That’s the boy, Jim. Down here we call a person like that an “Eager Beaver”. And I’ll tell you, Jim, you want to learn all you can. It may come in handy some day. Which reminds me, I had 96 on my Navigation final exam. I think we will finish our ground school next week. Boy will I be glad. We really have to do a lot of flying from now on to get in enough flying too.

I got a little confused on Dort’s and Jim’s birthdays. I thought Dort’s was the 9th and Jim’s the 19th but I found out I was wrong.

Well folks I think I better close and hit the hay. I’m sleepy all the time as usual.

I’ve lost a little weight lately. Getting old I guess. About 6 weeks and I’ll be finished training if they don’t wash me out yet. My skeet shooting has been awful lately. I only got 7 targets on my last round today when I should be getting 20. Say, Jim, how much do you weigh now?

Ma said something about if I needed money you would have it. Well don’t hold that money for me. Make use of it. I’ll have plenty. I expect to come home with about $250 to $300 in my pocket. And after that I will be getting $225 a month. So I should save quite a lot of money. Don’t you think?

Well good luck everybody. I hope you all are okay and healthy.

Yours truly,

Alva