March 22, 1943

                                    March 22
Dear Folks:
            Arrived here Sunday nite about 9:30. It took us 26 hours to go 250 mi. We didn’t get breakfast on Sunday until 11 o’clock. At 4 we ate at a hotel in San Angelo, then we had chow after we arrived last nite.
            This place is really out in the middle of nowhere. Rode for hours through nothing but sage brush. The soil is white & sandy. The wind has blown strong to-day and everything is covered with dust. The barracks and grounds are new and really fine. The barracks are single story with a porch on all sides & floors are cement. The chow is very good. We get it cafeteria style. The camp is small and run entirely by civilians under contract to Gov’t. Even our flight instructors are civilians. The people seem very friendly & quite different from around S.A. There are no camps around here so we are treated pretty well. Am sending my trunk home (as required) and will send for it when I need it. Sending it C.O.D. express.
            Just took the trunk over & found out I could store it so won’t send it. The water here contains gypsom so all drinking water is imported. We pay for laundry as we have it done instead of so much a week. The beds are 1 3/4 width & have 2 sheets.
            Were issued one good leather jacket, one fleece lined flight jacket, helmet, goggles & gloves. Were shown the airplane this afternoon and will go up for first time to-morrow. The plane is a P.T.-19, “Fairchild”. Each instructor has 5 students. My instructor is about my height, about 40 and seems very quiet — on the ground. He may get pretty rough in the air. Barnett is his name.
            This place is 1-1/2 mile from the town, Fort Stockton. The upper class and several classes before came from California & we are the first from S.A. One of the lower classmen that came over with me bunks beside me. Will start ground school to-morrow also.
                                    Your truly,
                                                John