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May 1943

Monday nite ------ Dearest Mother, Well we are starting another part of our training. They have changed us to Squadron D now and we start our classes an hour earlier each morning. The days are still as busy as ever if not even busier. You can send my mail to the same address until I find out different. No -I won't need my camera I don't think! We have several here in the room. Then too we wont be here so very much longer. About 7 weeks I think. What is wrong with John's truck? Are the tires ok now mine! We have shows here in the school once or twice a week. We just saw a real picture of scenes in World War I. over The radio is on & I just heard the news. It's 7:30 P.M.- We will have to study again at 8 to 10- We have a picture taken here inside the room which I will send you later this week. Did you get the Bonds I sent home? I bought them about May 1st but didn't have a chance to send a registered letter until last Saturday. I got a letter from Carl today- He must be going to a school similar to this one. He didn't seem too pleased with it. Has anyone heard from John & Louise? Yes, Harvey King wrote me a letter and wanted to borrow a little money from me. I answered his letter but told him I had all my money tied up in farming Now we just make about $33 here after we pay our insurance and cleaning bills - That's plenty though for me but I wouldn't have any to lend. I haven't heard from Frank B's Boy yet. Have they heard since they cleaned up in North Africa? I just got a pint of strawberry ice cream from a boy who went across the street after some. That reminds me. I had strawberries for dinner Sunday. Wish I could get some of those good ones from home. I thought I wouldn't go back out last Sat to Dottie's for supper so I didn't, then Sunday afternoon I was downtown and thought I'd call them up. They were wondering what had happened to me. So the two sisters and a girl friend of theirs and myself went to a show They paid their own way - They are real nice. After the show we went over to their aunt's where they had the nicest supper fixed for us. Roast beef, fruit salad, cream potatoes, gravy, chocolate cake, strawberries & whip cream, and then some delicious pie. Icebox I think - no wonder I'm so heavy. Gosh! - I'm going to try to lose some of this weight if possible. We have to be in at 8 o'clock on Sunday evenings. Did I tell you about the other regulations we have? We cannot be in any place that sells beer or liquor after 12:00 O'clock at nite. Then we cannot be seen on the street after 2:00 o'clock or before 6:00 A.M. The bell just rang so we are in the room for the nite- Have got to study my geometry now. It's all new to me. Think I can catch on pretty quick. We have to go through the subjects so fast though. Don't forget to take a few snapshots of the farm etc., Lots o' Love, Austin 1943

Tuesday May 4th Hello Mother, How is everything around home? Have been so busy I can't seem to find time to write any this month. We are having a study period from 8:00 to 10 at night now, so can't write any at night. Have a nice time each weekend but we had to get up at 6 o'clock on Sunday morning. In physics we have 3 periods which are really busy times. We are also taking Meteorology along with our geography class. Thanks for sending the negatives; I will send you some more photos of this place up here when I get them developed. Got my grades on two of my classes today. For the first period (4 weeks) I made 90 on Math and 91 on Medical Aid. I haven't seen my grades on the others but they were pretty good too! Sent sister a little present the other day. Suppose she has gotten it by now. The grass is really growing up here. Sure looks pretty. We have no mosquitoes or flies either here yet! Hope they soon get a little better there. It's time for supper now so must be going. Lots o' Love, Austin P.S. on Back Didn't get time to address the envelope till Wed. morning. Have changed my address again. You can still put my first name first. Pvt. Austin H. Winn Squadron 52 Flight 1 96th College Tng. Det. (aircrew) Oshkosh, Wisconsin Tell everyone hello and looks like I won't get time to write any except little shorties once in a while. We take all the exercises we can stand each day. We are so sore when we wake up we can hardly get out of bed. As we get to doing more of the exercises they just keep giving us more to do. 1943 Friday nite Hello Sister & all, Boy was I thrilled to see the pictures from Florida. They were pretty good don't you think! Say if the others have come just send the negatives & also the negatives for these. I will return these but there are several boys that came from Miami Beach that want to get some of the prints of the hotels and scenery. We can get reprints from a drugstore downtown for 3¢ each. We have classes on Saturday too now. Here-to-fore we just cleaned everything up & had our exercises & inspection before noon - Then we will off around 2 P.M. They are putting so many subjects on us at once we can't put enough time in on any of them. Can you imagine How we can study English, History, Physics, Geometry, Geography, Meteorology, And 2 hours of Laboratory work in Electricity, One hour of exercises, one hour of drill. Then too We have such long lessons in each subject. We are taking a 1 year course in geometry in 4 weeks. We have to learn to read Weather reports as they come in on teletype machines. Here's a sample - METEROLOGY NX E8@ 11/2 R-F-159/50/49 6/999 CGCX CGWG OHRK CLR OR SCTD CLDS IN WRM DRY AIR OVR DIST XCP ST OVC AT 1 TO 2 THSD AND LCLY AT LESS THAN 5 HND TIL 0800 C NX - Estimated 800 ft overcast Ceiling 1100 ft Visibility 2 miles Rising Fog Barometer 10/59 Temperature 58° Dewpoint 49° South East Wind 6 mph Altimeter setting 29.99 Airways: Chicago, Cheyenne, Omaha - Clear or scattered clouds in warm dry air over district except stratus overcast at 1 to 2 Thousand and locally at less than 5 hundred until 8 A.M Central Time Well that's just a sample. We just had that in our lesson for yesterday. The new boys haven't come yet. Don't guess the high water is keeping them if they are coming from St. Louis. Is the water closing all the destruction it did in 1937 when we heard so much on the radio all the time? Won't have time to write tomorrow as it's Saturday. Will try Sunday though. How many hogs has John got now? Is he having any trouble with any diseases in the livestock? Hope everything's O.K., & running smoothly. Where has Frank Ware got his cotton? In the same place! Did John get as much insurance money as it cost to have the tractor fixed up? Also when is the second income tax payment due? Well I've been in the Army fours months now. Wouldn't seem right to be back home now I bet. Id think I was a visitor. Boy I'd like to stretch out on that big bed and sleep till 9 o'clock some morning. Think we wear our Khakis tomorrow. Well So long. Gotta shine my shoes now & shave. Love to all Austin I'm in Sqd D now but will be in Sqd E in a few more weeks - The address at the bottom will last the rest of my stay here I think. change my address to: Squadron 52, Flight 1 96th College Training Detachment (Aircrew) Oshkosh Wisconsin Say you and sister will have to take my letters as being to both of you. I have three teeth that need filling I know. Think I'll see about them in a day or two. But I hate to miss any of my classes. The fillings have come out of the teeth that were already. One of them is below the other are jaw teeth. Last nite I washed my slippers, you sent up here with soap & water. Then polished them after they dried and they are shining good now. Are your flowers pretty? Silly question though. I know! I bet the peonies are blooming & roses too aren't they? The news is still good. Hope you have the pictures from Florida by now. One picture was taken inside the room down there but I expect it turned out bad too. Some were snapped out of the 7th story window over the palm tree tops etc. Some were taken on the train while moving as I went down to Miami. Well we gotta study some so bye bye ~ Tell Auntie and Grandpa hello and be good! How do you like the names of the boys in my room? All funny eh! Love to all Austin

Friday May 7th Dear Mother & All, The day is over and I have a few minutes to spare before starting to scrubbing the rooms up for Saturday morning inspection. Am feeling fine and dandy. Had a sore throat for several days but have gotten rid of it and some glad. Enjoy the letters you & sister always send. Also got a letter from Bro. & Mrs. Arant yesterday. Am sending some pictures home for you to take care of. They look pretty funny. That little girl is about half my size isn't she. I kept one of the small size ones of daddy so you can do what you like with the others. Heard the War news today & it seemed that we are doing pretty good over in Africa. At geography we are studying the Pacific Theatre of the War. All the lands the Japs have taken and how they must be regained. Also trying to pick the next spot that the Japs may try to strike at us again. Kate Smith is on now so I imagine you are listening too. Your radios are still playing aren't they! Bet I wouldn't know those hogs John has now. How is the pasture around Frank Joiner's house? Also the pond, is it full of water? If its not too much trouble I wish you would send my two slippers up here to me. The ones I have issued to me are a little small & hurt my feet. Am learning quiet a bit of new stuff about Physics & Meteorology. We have a Math test again Monday. There were just 4 ahead of me in my class last month & I made 2nd highest on the last test we had. The other boy made 100. We played football yesterday outside with just our shorts on. And we are having to wear our wool shirts & coats to gym classes now while we are drilling. Well sure be glad to get to wear our Khaki clothes again. How does Curtis's crop look now? Is Mr. Bishop getting any better? I hear John & Louise are getting married. I think that's about as silly a thing as I have heard yet. I always get the Lauderdale County paper on Saturday morning so that's in the morning, I don't get time to write to many folks now. Must say bye and lots of love to all, Tell Grandpa & Auntie to keep on fussing. Austin

1943 May 19th United States Air Force Hello Mother and all, Its 4:30 Wednesday nite And I thought & had better send you a line or two & keep you from worrying about me. Can't seem to find time to write anymore. I went to church last Sunday and heard a man who escaped from the Malay Peninsula talk about the Jap invasion off there. Am doing OK, and weigh 180 lbs., can't seem to loose any weight. Got the shoes last week and also the candy the next day. Thanks a lot for everything. I went swimming also Sunday afternoon and had lots of fun. We are still having tests every day or two and I am doing O.K with my grades. I heard Churchill talk today, didn't hear it all as we were studying too at the same time. The bell just rang so the light will be out in a few minutes. Mom say bye-bye - Will lot of love, Austin Happy Birthday

May 21st Friday nite 1943 Dear Mother, Just came in from the ball game. They have a game every afternoon after school. We just ended another stage in our classes. Next week we change our schedule again. Don't know yet what it will be yet. Do know we are going into electrical work in physics. Then too we are getting another teacher in math. The weather here is pretty hot and we still have to wear our wool clothes. You asked lots of questions in your letter, hope I can remember them all. Tomorrow is inspection day again. We really have to shine on Saturday. Was really glad to see the pictures. Say you look like you're getting younger!! The cystern sure looks good where is it, right by the quince tree? Sure, I'm already invited out for Saturday Sunday too. Don't think I'll go though and been going out to the same folks' house so much that I think I'd try meeting some other folks. The swimming pool is in a school building. We are getting some new boys in here between now & the first and some boys are leaving. Will keep the picture of John & sister and one of you too. I didn't have any picture of John. So they are chopping cotton eh! That sounds good take some pictures of the crops sometime you set the lens to take far off pictures I'd like to show these boys in my room some good Tennessee land they cannot imagine anything but hills & rocks as they sit in the picture show about Sergeant York. The screen porch sure sounds good. Would like to sleep out there! Do you still have to pay the light bill for the store? Know you do though. We took some pictures inside the room. I'll send some of them as soon as we get them developed. The news sure sounds good doesn't it! The airplanes are thicker now than when I was home aren't they. Must shine my shoes now so Bye Bye till next time. Lots o' Love, Austin

5/24/43 Hi everyone, It's 7:00 P.M., Tuesday - Still the weather is very rainy. This Sunday is Decoration Day and we are having a parade so we will not get open post that day. In our meteorology today we learned how to read the weather reports as they come over the teletype - I just wrote Jack Sides and Mary Peyton a letter. We should get the pictures we took Sunday back tomorrow. The news is on now and the doughboys are winding up the Japs on some of the Aleutian Islands. Also 5 American planes shot down several Jap bombers which tried to attack one of our air bases. We keep hearing about floods down around St. Louis. Is the Mississippi up over at Dunavent's farm. there went the mail man. I've missed him for tonight so this won't get off till tomorrow some time - I can't find much to write about after I write all I know one time- The boys that were shipped out from here last Saturday went to Santa Ana, California. They really crossed the country didn't they! Have got to get my lessons now; will try to write more early in the morning. Wed. morning. Just came back from our P.T. class where we did more tumbling. We have to take English + history too now. Got the pictures back this morning. Those are the boys in my room - Didn't get any of the beds in the picture, But have some on the way I think. Lots of Love, Austin

1943 Friday Morning May 28th Morning Folks, It's a wonderful morning here. The trees & grass are beautiful. It's 8:00 and I have already been to English class. We are getting up earlier now and have lots more classes. Made 91 on my "Heat & Light" in Physics. Now we take "Magnetism and Electricity" for 4 weeks. We get to wear our Khaki clothes starting Saturday. That will be a pleasure although these early morning breezes are pretty brisk. We are getting so much to eat I can hardly resist over eating. Last nite we had Macaroni & Cheez, Chilie kinda like you make it but not really that good, Celery, radishes, Peach pie, milk, Vegetable soup, & maybe more thats all I can think of at the present. Boy that river is really acting bad isn't it? Sure hope Hatchie doesn't get out on our crops. We had seven WAAC's visit us the other afternoon & talk to the boys. They wanted our cooperation to help them get more girls to join the WAACs. They say the Army Air Corps has asked for one hundred thousand WAACs this year. I told you about the parade Sunday didn't you? We are having our Decoration Day. Think they are letting us stay out Sunday nite till 10 as we will have to stay in all Sunday until the parade is over after more than five or six miles in the Parade. We will feel like having a time I know! I still have never had to walk any giggs off. We really have to stay on the ball to keep from it though.

1943 Sunday May 30th Dear Mother, Its 11:30 And We have already had dinner. I wasn't much hungry so I missed something. We had steak, potatoes, brown gravy, slaw, radishes, milk, butter beans, sweet potato pie. This morning for breakfast we had bananas and corn flakes, sugar rolls; butter, milk. So you see why I'm so heavy. We are going to parade starting about 10 o'clock. Think we will have to march 6 or 7 miles with our wool coats & wool pants on. Yesterday we were allowed to wear our khaki for the first time. Boy were we glad to get into them too. Is the State Guard Parading today? Am sending the pictures back for you to keep, send the negatives of them and the other pictures taken in Miami Beach so I can get them developed here. Change my address - I think & gave it to sister in the last letters. After about 3 more weeks I will be in Squadron E- then we will drop most all of our class subjects except Meteorology, Physical Training, and maybe plane identification. Then We Will take training in flying 1/2 each day. Then after 3 or 4 weeks flying here we go to a Classification Center (Nashville, San Antonio, or San Juan) Then we have 2 weeks of pre-flight training if we are classified as "pilot". Then 9 weeks of primary flying and then 4 weeks of advance flying after which time we should get our wings and either be a "flight officer" or "second lieutenant" I may not have that exactly right but that's as near as I know about it. It's supposed to be 36 weeks after we leave this school for a pilot Less than that for navigators and bombardiers. Bet my photo album is getting lots of pictures in it. Tell sister the candy is swell and we all enjoyed it lots. Will have to be quitting again for today. Give all my love and hope everyone is feeling fine. Bye Austin