Pouring it on

March 14, 1943

                                                                        March 14
Dear Folks:
            Just a note this week. I’m supposed to be studying mathematics hence this pencil & paper. Really been pouring it on us this week. We took 2 10 hour courses in 3 hrs. each. Taking the exams in them this after noon. Of course the exams were made out before this rush came on so they cover all the material as before. We don’t know what the idea is but the underclassmen are sure being pushed through in a hurry.
            The upper class will ship out to primary this week. Had another tour of guard duty last Wednesday.
            Just got through with the final tests and passed them all I think. Will be an upper classman this week sometime. Did you ever get that box of clothes I sent home about a month ago? Should get an open post in about a week. Got the Dispatches this week.
            Yes, we have certain hours for study from 8:15 to 9:30 every evening. Don’t think it would be much harder to get up at 5:30 than to roll out at 6 and be fully dressed in uniform, including garters & collar stay, in 5 minutes. Sure could use the cookies but don’t suppose you’ll have time. The eats are better over here I believe but eating is hard work here. You’re not supposed to enjoy the meals until you become an upper classman. Yes, we get grades in the classwork. 70% is passing. If you fail a course you’re held back for the next class. To-morrow is open post for upper class so will be more or less of a day off.
            There is a strict honor system here. If a man is told to turn himself in for a “gig” and doesn’t do it he is put up before the Wing board & liable for G.D.O. (ground duty only). Of course, any proven case of dishonesty is an automatic G.D.O. No swearing is allowed here either. Quite a few are quitting smoking because they don’t have time to smoke a cigarett[e] all day.
            Marvel Lee, airmail letters take one day to get here
                                                                        Yours truly,
                                                                                    John

                                    Mar. 14
Dear Marvel Lee: Took the final tests in under class subjects & will be an upper classmen this week sometime. To-morrow is open post for upper classmen so will be more or less a day off. Since this is nite before open post we are enjoying the radio. We ought to get an open post in about a week. See Waacs [Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps] had a write up in Life.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John

When oxygen gets scarce

March 2, 1943

                                                March 2
Dear Folks:
            Today is open post for the upperclass and we have no drill or classes. Had a lecture this morning and then went “up” in the pressure chamber. The chamber is a big drum with windows and 2 benches. The air is pumped out of the chamber to simulate the air pressure at any altitude. Above 10,000 ft altitude we are supposed to use oxygen which is taken in through a mask. To show us the effect of lack of oxygen we were run “up” to 18,000 ft. and held there for 6 minutes without oxygen masks on. The lights get dimmer and the finger nails turn blue. Breathing gets faster and talking and moving is difficult. I tried to whistle but couldn’t.
            After 6 min. all of us except 2 put on oxygen masks and were run up to 28,000 ft. The 2 without oxygen were told to write and soon their writing became unintelligible. About the only thing they could remember was their names. About a minute after they put on their masks they were back to normal. The experiment was to show us that we could not trust our judgement when oxygen gets scarce. Both of the men felt a little sluggish but thought they were doing a good job all the time. While “coming down” we had to keep swallowing to keep our ears from hurting. Two men couldn’t keep their ears open by swallowing and really got an ear ache.
            9 P.M. Just got off guard. Went on at 6:00 P.M. and off for rest of night at 8:30. 5 other men & I were lucky in getting off so early because we were assigned as guards at the Service Club. We stood inside the door to see that only the right men got in. It surely is cold here to-nite. Forecast for a severe freeze. Must be having a real freeze up there.
            Sunday March 7. Just got back from chapel. Today is “open post” again for upperclassmen so we will have no drill or classwork. Will catch up on my studying. It is cold here again to-day, see ice outside. The papers and magazine came yesterday.
            The cat score has taken a turn for the better I see. As near as I can figure out I don’t have to file an income tax form since I made less than $250 last year.
            We had measles down here too. The barracks next to us was quarantined for 10 days. Was afraid I’d get taken in on another quarantine. See Bob Davis has been having trouble with quarantines also.
            We are half through with our underclass studies. The “code” is the only thing I have had no experience with. It is something like an audible “shorthand”. We learn the alphabet in “dah’s” and “dits” — such as dit-dit-dit (S), dit-dah (A), dit-dah-dah-dah (J), etc. We listen to those sounds through a set of ear phones and write down the letters.
            Also got letters from Marvel Lee & Arlan. Marvel Lee, the boss ought to make each of you a “vice-president in charge” of something.
            Arlan, where is Effingham, Kans.? Will be 9 weeks in each — pre-flight, primary, basic, & advanced. From what our tac[t]ical officer said there are new primary schools being opened up north and this class will probably be sent north, which would suit me. I suspect it will be pretty warm here in the summer. Is Irwin Fowles stationed at K.S.C.? That set up for cadets ought to allow a little more freedom once in a while. At least, Manhattan hasn’t been a soldiers town as long as S.A. The vener[e]al disease rate in S.A. is about the highest in the country. The army really takes precautions against this, however.
            Am sending some more pictures. 17 men including me were going “up” in the pressure chamber again yesterday to an altitude of 38,000 ft. but something went wrong with their schedule after we got there and we turned around & marched back. Pass this circular around.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John

On the run

February 27-28, 1943

                                                Feb. 27
Dear Folks:
            Had a big parade and inspection this morning & I was lucky to get by without a “gig”. Our class work started Tuesday. Have Mathematics, Organization of Army Ground Forces, and Code as subjects. We are on the run all day it seems. Stood Guard last Monday nite. Got 4 hrs. sleep that nite & went on the regular routine the next day — PT, drill, and classes. A cannon is fired every morning to get us out of bed. As it happens the one cannon for the whole post is just across the street from our barracks, so we are wakened rather rudely. Incidentally, my barracks is on the left side of the picture in “Life” of all the men.
            Got a letter and box of cookies from Aunt Hattie. Got your letter yesterday & Marvel Lee’s and Arlan’s to-day. Looks like the pigs & cattle are doing alright — also the family & dogs! Looks like Chris’s dog needs more to eat. Maybe the other dog was just closer to the camera! Am sending some pictures taken in S.A. Might show them to Josephine & Arlan & Marvel Lee. One is a negative of one I’m sending to Aunt Hattie.
            Went to chapel this Morning (Feb 28). The chapel here is a little larger but on the same arrangement. Will have 2 quizzes to-day so must get to studying. Pass this letter on.
                                                Yours truly,
                                                            John

Being initiated

February 21, 1943

                                                Feb 21
Dear Folks:
            Getting broken in somewhat now. The descipline is really rigid. We hardly dare move without an upper classman saying so. Since Group 9 won the Dartmouth Trophy for being the best group in pre-flight, we under classmen have to snap into a “brace” every time Group 9 is mentioned by an upper classman — which is pretty often. A “brace” is an exaggerated position of attention.
            In the mess hall the under classmen sit on one side of the table and upper cl on the other. The L.C. (Lower Class) sits on the front 4 inches of the chairs and must eat at a rigid attention with one hand hanging straight down, eyes front or down on the plate. We eat after all Upper are served and must ask them before taking anything.
            We have 1 hr. & 15 minutes in the evening in which to study & U.C. can’t touch us. We had P.T. this morning & drill this afternoon. Sunday is like any other day except we can take time off to go to church. The U.C. gets an open post tomorrow and we do Guard Duty. Our classes start Tuesday. All in all it is not too hard and is good training. We will be lower classmen for 4 ¹/₂weeks and then upper classmen for 4 ¹/₂. Some of the things the upper class has us doing is designed to get us to laugh or smile and of course if we do we take the smiles “off” and march them around in all sorts of drill maneuvers. If a man still smiles, he and another man in the same condition have to fill their mouths with water & stand close to-gether facing each other while the U.C. tells jokes to them. Of course the first man to break out laughing gives the other one a shower.
            The class work sounds like it would be interesting. Am sending a picture from the paper. It is slightly exaggerated but we hit all formations on the run. Each of us has an U.C. for a “big brother.” Mine is a pretty good fellow. Two of the U.C. in this barracks are from Kansas. One is from Salina. You might send this letter to Arlan & Marvel Lee since I’ll send them just a card.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John

                                    Feb 21
Dear Arlan:
            Am getting gradually broken in. Will do Guard Duty Monday and classes start Tuesday. Being an under classman is about like being initiated into a fraternity. Will be here 9 weeks but will be upper classmen the last 4 ¹/₂.
                                    Yours truly,
                                                John

Dear Marvel Lee:
            Am getting gradually broken in some now. Will do Guard Duty tomorrow and classes start Tuesday. Being an underclassman is about like being initiated into a fraternity. Will be here 9 weeks but will be an upper classman the last 4 ¹/₂. Barracks has linoleum floor. 2 upper classmen in this barracks are from Kansas.
                                    Yours truly
                                                John

Pre-flight

February 18, 1943

                                    Feb 18
Dear Arlan [and Dear Marvel Lee]:
            Moved across the road into pre-flight to-day. Have upper classmen & are they rough! May not have time to write much for a while. Note [change in] address.
            Yours truly, John

A/C McClurkin, J.D.
Group IX Squadron II
S.A.A.C.C. Pre-Flight School Pilot
San Antonio, Texas