January 7, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
Dear Folks:                                                7 Jan. 1945
            Got started in school last week. Found out some more about the deal here. It seems the army is going to train flying personnel for some ground jobs that have been handled by ground officers up till now. That was the way the air corp was in peace time. The pilots had double duties. This communications course covers all radio and telephone equipment used by the air corp. There is another course here I’d rather take, maintenance engineering, which is more in line with mechanical engineering.
            We fly just enough to get the 4 hrs. minimum a month for flying pay. The planes are small training planes. The weather has been mostly cloudy so far. My trunk hasn’t come yet. I caught a ride to Champaign yesterday afternoon and bought me a better light bulb to read by. Came back on the bus. Illinois University is in Urbana which is right beside Champaign. Rantoul only has a population of 3000. With this permanent base beside it they could make a good town out of it if they would.
            See Perrin is a family man now. Had lost track of him. Glad Floyd likes his new location. No, Dick must not be home yet but I wonder if he isn’t on the road. Yes I wear by battle jacket up here. A large percent of men going to school here are returnees. I got the vitamins.
            Imagine Arlan feels quite a change. As an e[n]listed man you are told what to do. As an officer no one tells you anything, not even what you want to know.
                                                John
P.S. Quite a bit of studying to do, just like college.