May 20, 1943

                                                            May 20
Dear Folks:
            It has been drizzling so we haven’t flown for 2 days. We had a lecture this morning on the care and packing of parachutes. They are pure silk and cost $250 apiece. They are 24 ft across when extended so you can see where some of the silk stockings go. Every 60 days the chutes are aired and repacked by a licensed rigger here at the field. The rigger has to have a license because the chute has to be folded just right or it may not open. We sit on the chutes when in the cockpit and the silk gets “hard” and has to be aired and dried every 60 days to keep it soft.
            Each instructor has his own chute assigned to him but we check out one very day from the parachute room and check it back when through for the day. The rigger has a proposition that if a man jumps and the chute opens, the rigger gets a case of beer but if the chute doesn’t open the rigger owes that man a case!!
            Our cross country course was from here to Monahans and then to Pecos and back here. It seems they pick that route so we can follow the sand! One day the sand blows from here to Monahans, the next day it blows from Monahans to Pecos, and the day after it blows from Pecos to here!! The story goes that they put this school out in this country to save gasoline. All they have to do is tie a long rope to the plane, put the cadet in and let it go and he flys all day like a kite.
            Tell Mr. Bennet that I got my wrist watch. Also got the Dispatches. I see Wally Anthony won quite an honor. Hugos gets the Manhattan “Mercury” every day so we keep track of what goes on there too.
            Sunday. It rained more on Thurs. so we didn’t fly until late Fri morning. Of course that put the schedule behind so we flew all day Sat. and this morning. Had quite a thunder storm again last nite. Must be part of the weather you’ve been getting. The 3 of us had supper at our instructors house last evening. He was raised on a ranch at Marfa, Texas, not far from here. Next to flying he likes cattle raising and always wears cowboy outfits when off duty. His wife works out here in the Dispatchers office. Had fried chicken and went riding after wards. They live in a tourist cottage.
            Passed my last army ride this morning and had a total of 65 hrs. We will have an open post to-morrow after noon and leave Tuesday we think. Came here on the train & most likely leave the same way. Got a letter from Wright and he told about the elevator he’s making.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John
P.S. We’ve got another dog. He’s a little bigger than “Torque” was and we call him “Ground Loop”. Our upper classmen took “Torque” with them when they left. This pup has wool for hair and likes to be handled. I think I’ll send the radio home to have it checked over. It fades badly