September 12, 1943

                                                            Sept. 12
Dear Folks:
            Guess the weather is changing to fall weather here. Twice last week the sun set a clear as could be and about midnight a cloud came up and the wind from the north really raised a dust. They sounded the fire siren to get the enlisted men up to hold the airplanes down.
            We landed at Abilene one nite last week and stayed for about an hour. When we got there a bunch of planes from the Marfa Advanced school were landing so when we got mixed in it was a regular “rat race”. They had some of the latest pursuit ships parked on the field including several navy ships.
            Monday. Well we had a full day yesterday. We took off for Hobbs at 12:45 A.M. From there we went to Wink and then to El Paso it is barren looking country. We crossed a mountain range this side of El Paso at Guadalupe Pass. We were at 10,000 feet and the tops of the mountains on the north side of the pass looked to be level with us. Of course the pass was several thousand feet lower. The mountains have no trees and very little grass. The Rio Grande has a wide green strip on either side.
            The airport at El Paso is on a coast to coast airway, the same as Wichita, Kans., and all kinds of army and navy ships go through there. There are more mountains on the edge of El Paso. The town is not very clean and has lots of Mexicans. Some of us got passes and crossed the river into Juarez, Mex. which is about as large as El Paso. Before crossing the border we had to change all our money into U.S. $2 bills. The streets are lined with shops selling souvenirs, hand-made jewelry, leather goods, etc. Glad you got the silo full so quick. Uncle Tommy lived close to Aunt Hattie didn’t he? Send the picture to Marvel Lee since its only one I have.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John
We took off from El Paso at 9:00 P.M. Sunday Evening, landed at Wink and had to stay there until 1:00 A.M. because of storms & finally got back here at 4:00 A.M. Monday.