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March 1943

March 8, 1943 Memphis, Tenn. Dear Mother, Got to Memphis OK. Had to stand up to Millington but got a seat the rest of way. Shaved at the Bus Station and am now at the Depot. Train leaves at 7:40. This is U.S.O. stationery. They have a nice place here to write. Will write more when in Miami Beach. Solong and lots of love, Austin Tell Sister & John thanks for bringing me to bus.

Mar 10, 1943 (AVIATION CADET CANDIDATE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES) letterhead Tuesday nite Hello Folks, It sure feels good to be back at home. I got over to Miami Beach in a cab and reported back to my Hotel. There weren't any boys I knew there. Lieutenant Finnigan told me they had all gone and he didn't know what I would do yet. I went over to another Big Hotel across the street and they sent me to another one. So I finally got fixed up temporarily at least. I have a room all to myself. Have got to report to my Commanding Officer in the morning so don't know much to write tonight. It's about time for the lights to go out so I will close with love. Austin Don't worry about me. Got this stationery at the Drug Store tonight. Went out and ate a sandwich & drank some milk. It sure is raining hard & stepped in water over my slippers. There are about 5 or 6 other boys here that are left behind in the same shape I'm in here. ___ Wed. Morning lights went out before I could address your envelope last nite. Slept fine and have already been to breakfast. Love Austin

(AVIATION CADET CANDIDATE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES) letterhead Friday afternoon Mar. 12th Dear Mother, I started to write this this afternoon as it is headed above but ran down town a while and its 8:30 now. Sent you a card while there guess you got it yesterday. It had the picture of my hotel on it. The Sea Isle. I haven't written you in so long I hope you weren't worried. I have been swimming and running in my spare moments which are more than the were before my furlough. I think I told you about me being in a room to myself and eat when I please and go around on the beach when I please except while I am working. I usually go to work at 7:30 & quit at 5:30. Am working in an office typing ad helping keep daily records of what each Squadron is doing. Got off all afternoon yesterday and today too. The fellow I am working for it really swell. Wouldn't mind staying here for quite a while under these conditions. Well I guess that's enough of talk about me. How is everyone making it since I left? Have you done anything with the store yet? I suppose if you could get 700 at 800 for the stock it would be pretty good. Do Sister and John visit with you often? Hope grandpa is feeling fine and helping you around the place. Try not to grieve over daddy's passing as I'm sure he would not want you to. I know you must be awful lonesome. Let's hope and pray that this war will be over soon and I'll be flying back to the sweetest mother a boy ever had. I am well contented in the army so don't worry your sweet head about me any. Got two letters today and one or two yesterday. The candy was waiting for me when I arrived and am sure enjoying it. I still have some and eat a piece or 2 every time I come in. Sent you a pillow top the other day, Hope it has arrived O.K. Am sitting up in bed writing on my knee. Have a pillow to lean against and there is a cool breeze coming in the window. Really feel swell except my arm is still a little stiff. Can't imagine what could be wrong with it. I take a few exercises every day and hope it will be alright soon. My back is sure red. Hope it don't blister the sun is so hot here it don't take long blister. I got me a bottle of suntan oil and am going to use it. There are about 8 other boys from other flights that were left here for one reason or another. We're all on the same floor of this hotel and are just waiting shipment. Can't tell when that will be. The other guys went to college in Tenn., Wisconsin, and Illinois. While swimming this afternoon I aeroplanes came down the beach just skimming the water. One flew directly over my head and I could have hit him with a fishing pole. It was one like that one that sat in the alfalfa on the Penal farm. Say, have my clothes come in yet? That's beginning to worry me as my camera was in there. I will ask if they have been shipped if I see anyone who knows about it. Am going to the clothing issue in the morning to get a gas mask and some buttons to go on my woolen clothes. Well guess that about all I'm capable of thinking up for the present time so will close with loads of love. Tell Auntie hello and God bless & grandpa not to fuss too much. John may need some money soon from our joint acct, so you can write him a check on me when he does. Tell him & sister hello too. Bye Bye Austin Send Jack Sides address please. Do you want me to send your mail Mrs. W. H. or Mrs. Fannie?

(AVIATION CADET CANDIDATE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES) letterhead Sunday March 14, 1943 Dear Sister John, Got your letter this morning and enjoyed it very much. Am still in the dark about what I am going to do now. My arm is some better now. Didn't go to church today but studied my Sunday school lesson and marked the answers to the questions. Went to a swell movie last nite, saw "Casablanka", a town in North Africa. Also saw a news picture of the invasion of North Africa. Actual pictures taken during the battle. Haven't gotten Jack's address yet. You said he was getting it pretty tough. Well they won't be too tough if he will do what they tell him to. Hope you all get the store business settled soon. How is the farming coming along? Is mother making it OK? Hope grandpa is staying around close. Have been out all day so decided I'll stay in tonight and write a few letters. Tell mother hello and I will write her tomorrow or next day. Have two roommates now. They are nice guys. One is a Meteorologist Candidate and one has just finished Drill Instructor's school. Saw a Commercial Appeal this morning. There is also 2 boys from Memphis on the same floor I'm on. Will close now with love. Have a little book I'm going to read now. your bud, Austin

- Monday 3/15/43 Dear mother, How is everything at home? Guess you keep pretty busy as usual. Got a letter from sister yesterday. Also got one from Otho and he talked like he would be home last week. Haven't heard from him since he has though. I am working in the office morning. Not anything to do now so am writing you a line. My sinus trouble is pretty bad for some reason. Maybe because we've been swimming so much. They are checking up on why our clothes haven't come home yet. It seems that no one has received their clothes yet. I think we will be here about another week anyway. Guess John is sowing something green beside the house. How are the pigs & calves coming or do you know anything about them? Haven't heard from any of the boys that left while I was home. Won't get my shot here they told me but they said I wouldn't have to take them over, just one more. Must close now and work a little, Lots o love, Austin P.S. They haven't paid us yet and are not going to while at Miami Beach. I still have enough to last another week or two though. May have to send after a little money after we leave here. Just got some mail returned that had been sent to Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., That's where I would be now if I hadn't came home.

Mar 19 or 20-1943 Friday afternoon Hello mother, Am still having a nice time except I stayed in the sun too long one afternoon and now I have big water blisters on both shoulders. I can hardly wear my shirt but as I don't have much exercise to take maybe they will get ok. I'm staying out of it for a while anyway. Just got the mail, a letter from Edna. One from sister yesterday. I think we will get another supplemental payment tonight. They won't pay any cadets in full here as we were supposed to be here only 25 days in all. Guess I'll be here 2 months almost. Will either get 10 or 20 dollars. Will try to take some Kodak pictures but I think it hard to get film. Don't suppose my clothes are home yet. Speaking of pictures, I'm sending that one home of me & the cat. Paste it in my album. How did you like the picture at the Hotel? They had started playing Reveliee every morning. they have a loud speaker system on every floor of the hotel. The bugler is on record and after he wakes us up they play records of band music all the time we are dressing & cleaning up. It sounds real pretty ad makes you feel so good. Sorry the fellow didn't take the store. Maybe you all can figure something to do with most of the stock anyway. They have had me guarding a prisoner from 2:00 PM yesterday till 7:30 AM this morning. They arrested him for stealing some money. Don't know what they will do with him. That's something the Army don't like. May Court Martial him. How many chicks do you have now? Hope spring has opened up there now. Guess the garden has been plowed up. I'm sitting here in the Personnel office by myself. The others are all out on the beach as I'm taking care of it while they are gone. I really get some interesting jobs often. Bye With Love Austin

Later (AMERICAN RED CROSS) letterhead P.S. Just heard that we don't get paid tonight. Maybe you had better send me a 20 bill in a registered mail envelope. I might get a check cashed but it's hard to down here. We may ship out and I may run out of money before they pay us after we get to the next place. Hope Otho won't bother you about borrowing the truck. Wouldn't mind if everything weren't rationed and so scarce. Hope he's feeling well and is strong enough to work at some job. (you can use either address Maybe the last one is best) Bye Bye

1943 Tuesday nite 16th March Hey mom, Just time to say hello before bed time. Am sending a good picture of my hotel which I want you to stick in my picture album. Go swimming just behind it or further up or down the beach too. Also lie up on top under the Sign and take a sun bath ever once in a while. Tell Auntie & grandpa hello, got your letter this morning. Send me some clippings out of the Lauderdale County paper. Will have to close now am feeling fine and dandy. We have a free show if I want to see it every nite except Sundays. With love, Austin

1943 Monday noon - March 27th Dear Sister, Thank you lots & lots for all the letters and candy you are always sending me. The fellows are all wondering who this guy "Winn" is. He gets so much mail. I had 10 letters and a box of candy this morning. Don't know what I'll get in the afternoon mail. So you see I'll be pretty busy just answering letters. I wrote 5 yesterday & will write that many today, I suppose. That was really a nice poem you wrote, no kidding. It sounded like some poet laureat's thoughts. I had some little snapshots made the other day. Am sending you one to laugh at. Will send Mother a better one if possible soon. How do you like this stationery? At least it has lines on it and I can write straighter. I was down south on 11th & Washington Ave. Sat. and ran into a boy from Ripley. Was in the State Guard with with him. Went back down there Sunday and saw him again. Really was glad to see him. Jessie Silvernail was his name. His mother works in Nelson's store. Will eat another piece of candy. It sure is good. Has the rain stopped yet? Hope the back water doesn't keep John from getting the crops planted in time. That big hog you were talking about belonged to daddy. How much did he bring? I still have my office job and am here by myself for the afternoon. The rest had to go on Parade. This Colonel sure must enjoy a parade. He has 2 or 3 a week. Haven't my clothes gotten home yet. Let mother read this as it will save me writing the same ones to her too. I am having a nice time. The weather looks like rain. It hasn't rained here since I came back. My blistered shoulders are OK now. I'm ready to go back to the beach again. I'm not going to stay in the sun too long this time though. The waves look mighty rough. A ship was really rocking up and down as I went to chow. We go right out on the beach to eat lunch. There is a long building which about 1000 eat their meals in. There are several of them all up and down the beaches, there are about 100 thousand soldiers here. Thought I was going to have to move to another hotel this morning but am still here. I had rather stay here. There all the difference in the world to the way we are here & the way we were before I came home. I didn't know what a spare moment was while taking basic training. That's the way it will be when I go on to the next place too, I'm sure. Well must close and many thanks again for your thoughtfulness. With lots of love Buddie

1943 Tuesday March 23rd, Dear Mother, How are you & all the home folks making it now. As for me I feel fine this morning. Got up early and ate breakfast and changed sheets & pillow cases. Aired my mattress. Then put my office in order and am about through for the day. Am listening to the radio now. Also to an officer explaining the general orders to a bunch of soldiers who went on sick call this morning. When they don't feel good they have to report for sick call before 6:00. After that time they have to go on & drill just the same as if they weren't sick. I haven't been sick a day since I have been in the army. My arm feels O.K. now too. Bought me another shirt yesterday. I didn't intend to write home for any money but they haven't paid us but $30 since I've been here. And they aren't going to pay us until we get to the next post. Am not exactly broke but thought I might need some before we are paid. Got a nice letter & box of candy from sister yesterday. Haven't gotten the mail yet this morning. They are sending boys out from here every day but I will be here a few more days I think. It really is cool here. I and wearing my sweat-shirt under my shirt. There's a strong wind blowing and it blew all day yesterday too. I haven't gotten the mail yet today. I really do enjoy getting letters. When I have any extra time I'm always writing. It just seems a good way to keep from being lonesome. I really have gotten used to the Army though. It seems like we've been here almost always. Some of the boys are always finding something to pick about but I just take whatever they have to give and try to enjoy it. Otho seems to take the wrong attitude toward life. He thinks he hasn't got any friends left as he can't borrow a car I think. What is he doing now? He said something about he had a chance to go to Pearl Harbor but wanted to wait a little longer before he went. Has it quit raining yet? Hope the weather is good during planting time. Guess John is pretty busy now tending to everything. They are having such an interesting discussion over here I can't keep from listening. Hope everything is running smoothly as possible back home. Edna keeps writing that she intends to spend a night with you soon. Has she been down yet? Guess I'll close for this morning. Will get the mail soon and hope to hear from you. Bye Bye Love, Austin No luck didn't hear from you. Got a letter from one of my former roommates who is in college. Likes it fine but weather is 2° below zero (Illinois). Haven't seen any flower seed yet. Had a good lunch just now. Will get afternoon mail in about 2 hours. Bye now. Will try to send you a surprise next week. Don't get curious now.

Tuesday nite March 23rd 1943 Hello mother, How's everything & everybody? I got my orders that I'm on shipping this afternoon. So I'm restricted to quarters until I am shipped. Really have been excited this afternoon trying to get all my business straight again. I had some pictures made & had to get leave to go to town and see about them. They are through and I'm sending them to you. You can keep the biggest one. Give Edna one of the small ones & just put the others up for the present time. I'm the only one of the boys in this hotel or training group that gets to go. I am going to be connected with another Squadron. I've never been to be connected with another Squadron. I've never seen them or don't know where they are from. Just hope I'm lucky as I've been so far. The other boys envy my leaving. They are really tired of Miami Beach, but thaats the way it is. I like it here fine. Have got to put everything I have in one barracks bag. That will take some packing. You can hold up on any important mail until I get a new address. Well I've got to get back in the groove again. I weighed 172 this afternoon. Washed out all my handkerchiefs today. I left most of them at home so mail them to me as soon as I send my address. Send about 5 or 6 plain white ones. Must close for now if I don't leave tomorrow Ill send you another letter tomorrow. Love Austin

Wednesday Noon 3/24/43 U.S. Army Air Forces Miami Beach, Florida Dear Mother, Got the Card & letter this morning. I am just waiting now till the trucks come after us. They just unloaded about 50 truck loads of troops from New York coming in here for their training. Have you gotten the pictures yet? I also sent a little present for you to keep for me. Edna's birthday is April 17th and I thought I might be too busy at that time to get anything for her. When we go to college I don't think we are allowed out for some time so I will write you what to do with it before her birthday comes. Hope everything is OK. I'll be OK so don't worry about me. You may not hear from me for several days but will write as soon as possible. You can send me a letter or two on to my old address so I'll get some mail the first few days anyway. Haven't gotten the money yet, but have enough to get by anyway. It will be OK if you have already sent it. It will follow me to my new address. Well can't think of anything else to write now as we are so busy getting ready and just waiting. With love, Austin

1943 Sunday March 28th Hello Mother, How is Tennessee weather now? I've changed from one extreme to the other. It's really cold here but I think I'll enjoy it fine. I'm in a room with 9 boys from Penn but I think this is only our temporary placings. We were greeted by the towns folks who seemed glad to have soldiers come. I think we are quarintened for at least one week so won't have a chance to look it over much. Really had a nice train trip. Left Miami at 8 PM Thursday. Came through Atlanta Ga., Chattanooga Tenn., Louisville Ky., Indianapolis Ind., Chicago, Ill. and then a good hole Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I can look out the window and see a big lake about 1/2 mile away. Speaking of the train again I slept on an upper berth all the way. Got plenty sleep and we were just over fed with everything. It's almost time for lunch now. We have plenty milk here as this is a dairy country. We are living in the State Teachers College. Going to start classes next week. No one would have guessed of this place for an aviation school. We have two boys from Miami Beach & 300 boys from Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. We are the first ones here so we don't have any upperclassmen I hope. Hope to get the money soon as I have only $6. I think that will last two weeks and it should be here by then. Tell everyone hello and write soon. Will close for now. Bye Bye Love Austin

Sunday March Hello Mom, Quite a difference in my position now eh. Cannot tell much about the place yet. We are restricted I know for a while. There are of us from Miami Beach & 400 from Jefferson Barracks Missouri. Here's my address: 96th College Training Detachment (Air Crew) Oshkosh State Teachers College Oshkosh, Wisconsin Will write more as soon as possible. With love, Austin

1943 Monday-March 29th Hello Mother, Oshkosh! By gosh! It's a real nice place. We are really enjoying it fine. Haven't been out in the weather much yet. We are having a parade this afternoon for the town folks. They really are nice to us. The ladies that serve our meals treat us as if we were their own sons. They also have sons & husbands in the Army. I really enjoy the eating here. We eat in the cafeteria in the basement of the school. This is real lucky, I will get to go to college now & get paid for same. Most of these boys here already have been to college but they are going to give us another classification test and divide us into classes of different grades. Some will stay here 2 months some 3 and on up to 5 months according to how much schooling they have to get. I got 2 letters this morning. The second day after being here. They were resent from Miami Beach. Say, you can send my electric razor up here as I may need it. We don't have the bathing facilities that we had in Miami. But they are going to fix it up as soon as possible. The address on this envelope is wrong. I left out one word but went on and used it to save the envelope. Here's the correct one, a/c/c Austin H. Winn 96th College Training Detachment (aircrew) Oshkosh State Teachers College Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Its 12:30 now and about time for lunch. We didn't get up till 6:30 this morning. The boys think this is the nicest thing possible. The rough treatment we got the first month makes one appreciate it. It's not going to be easy I know because we don't start our training until April 1st and they are trying to get everyone well of their colds. I am O.K. Haven't had sinus trouble any yet. Have got to go eat now. We had a program last nite in the study hall by the boys. I mean I haven't laughed so much since I've been in the Army. We showed the boys from Jefferson Barracks how to sing too. There's a boy in my room named Winne. Must close now. Bye Bye Austin How's the pictures I sent you? Have Edna got hers yet? Keep the little present I sent for her.

1943 Tuesday March 30th Hello Mother, Received the registered letter yesterday. Was glad to get it. That should last me till I'm paid now. Am sending the envelope back so you can see where all it went to get to me on the back of it. Well & just got up and shaved & washed my teeth. Haven't eaten breakfast yet. I think we will take a classification exam today. Yes, my camera was in the package with my clothes. Hasn't it come yet? If it has yoiu can send it and my razors & handkerchiefs all together if possible? We are going to have a merit system here too. We will be allowed 10 demerits a week. We will have Sat & Sunday off I think but if we get over 10 a week, we have to put in an hours work for each one over 10 on our weeks ends. Failing to salute officers counts 9 demerits. Hands in pockets 2, Dirty fingernails 2, Not shaved 2, Gets out of formation 4, and so on. We will have to stay on the ball to get our weekends off it seems. Am enjoying this place. Getting to go to college and getting paid for it too. We have to be in our rooms by 9 at nite weekly. Will write you a longer letter as soon as we get everything straight & settled. How is Auntie & grandpa? Wish I could have had some of grandpas steak too. The way you cook it. But we have as nice a variety of food as can be expected. Tell sister & John hello too. By By with lots of love Austin