June 4, 1943

                                                            Jun 4
Dear Folks:
            A storm blew up this afternoon so we got off a little early. A cloud came up from the south and the wind turned to southeast. The dirt and dust blew off of the field and across the hanger and barracks in drifts like snow. It blew that way for 1/2 hr. before it rained so you can imagine the condition of everything.
            Got your letter Monday and one from Arlan and 2 bunches of Dispatches. I soloed yesterday and am getting used to some of the cockpit handles. The mechanics call the cadets “gagets”. I have my camera registered so can take some snapshots. We’ve all had our pictures taken by the Army 2 or 3 times for “propoganda” purposes. Got paid another $25 to-day. The ground school courses right now are “Navigation” and “Radio Communication”.
            The 3 of us that had supper with the instructor were what was left from original 5. The other two that had supper, Jackson & Feightner, were not in my bay. Hope “Tippy” is convelesing properly. The only animals here are 2 fat cats that hang around the mess hall.
            Sunday. Instead of PT we had a sing-song in the theater yesterday. The theater has an electric organ and the “organist” is a private. He’s really good at it, too. He walks with a cane, so the air corp must have taken him in for his musical talent as an entertainer.
            I just remembered there’s a birthday in the family — today isn’t it? Happy Birthday.
            We had week end off so went to the First Methodist church in town. It is a rather old building and about 1/4 again as large as the M.E. church in Clay. It has a regular pastor and an assistant. We ride a bus to town for 5¢ each way.
            Don’t think I told you I’m taking time on a Link trainer. Its a minature plane with a hooded cockpit and turns, climbs, & glides like a regular plane without leaving the ground. The theoretical path it would make over the ground is traced by a stylus on a paper at the operator’s desk. Thus the check on how we are “flying” it. The idea is to be able to fly a plane “blind” or only by instruments such as would be necessary in a fog or cloud. It’s quite an ingenious machine.
            Might call the colt “Tex” although I don’t know which one would be honored, the state or the horse.                        Yours truly,
                           John