July 3-4, 1943

                                                            July 3
Dear Folks:
            Went on a cross country Monday. Went to Brownwood and Junction and return in 2.5 hours. We landed at Brownwood. Got another 2.5 hrs. night flying in on Thursday nite. The sky was over cast and some lightning from a thunderstorm about 30 mi away. Used the landing lights in the wing and no flood lights to land by this time.
            Have been having quite a few thunderstorms this week. They’re individual storms and not those line storms you have and occur in the afternoons. The temperature has surely been even. Hasn’t changed on an average since we got here. Haven’t seen a thermometer but I think it rarely gets above 90°
            Am now taking some more code. Haven’t had any of that since pre-flight. We also go swimming once a week during PT period.
            July 4. They are having an air show this morning over at Concho Field which is about 5 miles from here. I think I told you it is a bombadier school. Our instructors are taking the planes from here and putting on a formation flying exhibition. The bombadiers will have some target practice for exhibition. Also will be some gliders in the show. About 6 twin-motored transports took off from Goodfellow this morning with a big glider behind each. We could go over if we wanted too but have seen most of it.
            Got the Dispatches. Also a box of cookies from Aunt Hattie. McDill and I went to Baptist church this morning. The preacher was a regular old fashioned evangelist. Also had communion. The only thing they left out was a “ducking” ceremony. Had dinner and went out to the park and took a nap on the grass. Got paid last week
            Hope you got your hay up. We fly from 9 P.M. to 2 A.M. and get up at 8 the next morning. Only fly at nite once a week, will get a total of about 8 hr at nite. Yes, we get Sat. nite until 2 A.M. and Sunday until 10 P.M. as open post. Does Dale stay out there?
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John