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February 1944

Feb 1st 1944 Dear Mom & Sister, How's everyone today? We are about to wind up our flying here. The war news is looking pretty good. I got the leather bag from you yesterday, thanks. Yes, I'm all rid of that cold I had. I got the Lauderdale County paper today & have read almost every line in it. ha ha Say I told you about my grade in navigation but I made 100 on the final with an average for the course 98. On meteorology I made 98 on the final exam & averaged 99 for the total course. That was the best grades of anyone in the Squadron. I saw where Mr. Press Moore was drowned. John seems to be getting along fine doesn't he! The trading was good. I don't see how he bought the hogs from Mr. Alex. I must shave now & get to bed. We are flying mornings this week. We have a general on the post this week too. Love to all, Austin P.S. How do you like the cute song "Mares eat oats"?

Thursday Feb 3, 1944 Dear Mother, I wonder how everything is at home? I finished all my flying time here this morning. I'm having an interview this afternoon. I got 70 hours of time here and had 60 at Dos Palos. I don't know if we are going to get a pass or not. If so, I'll write you again. We may leave Sunday & not get a pass. It's looking like rain here. I got a letter from John Bishop today. I'm listening to the radio now while waiting for the interview. They take us alphabetically and I am pretty close to last (ha ha). I have several Air News Magazines etc. I'm going to send you. I've got to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in the Air Forces (ha ha). Do you learn anything about airplanes from the magazines. A B-25 just landed here on our field. They are pretty big planes. I got the leather bag and it will come in real handy in moving. I have a little cloth bag but it's about worn out. Sure has been a long time since I was home hasn't it! Well, I think I'm pretty sure to get home in April. Yes, I'll still get some more training after I get my wings. If I get in a big bomber "Dyersburg Air Base" is a training base for officers before going overseas. In this interview this afternoon we can volunteer for over-seas duty or at least they ask you if you want to go. Some of the guys signed up for instructors but not many. The shipping orders are here. I'm going to Texas. The same place I mentioned before. Love to all, Austin

Feb. 5, 1944 Dear Mother, Hello from Los Angeles. You see we got a 2 day pass so I'm having a swell time while it lasts. Turner & I came in together and have a nice room here with all the comforts. We had to take a whole suite in order to get it (2 rooms with bath between) so last nite around 10 o'clock we let a Lieutenant in the Navy have one of the rooms for half of what the two had cost us. Business men eh! We will get another nice soldier for it tonight. Ha. We waited so late before letting anyone have it so we could tell whether they were drinking or not. (haha) Have seen a couple nice shows. We saw Frank Sinatra in Higher & Higher last nite and the theatre was packed with ladies. It really was a swell show though I everyone got so much fun of just watching the girls coming out after the picture. They were all so thrilled, and every one was just happy & jabbering themselves silly. Then we went slumming down on main street. I got my bracelet engraved with my name on it. Slept till 11:30 this morning. We probably won't get any sleep on the way to Texas so I'm storing up a bit here. We'll be over 2 days on the trip to Marfa - Have you found it in the map yet? Well, Mother'll be flying a 2 engine plane at this next field. They say they are really easier to fly than the B.T.s were though. The only thing is they just fly along straight & level in these trainers & don't get any fun doing acrobatics etc. (ha) I should have been a fighter pilot I guess the way I like to wring the planes out. I have everything all packed for the trip and will be ready to go upon returning to War Eagle. Must close now and write Edna a note. Love to all Give sister & John a hello Austin

(Editors note: I don't have this card in my copies. Austin)

LA-31 South Patio Union Depot Los Angeles California

Mrs W.H. Winn Henning, Tenn. Hello folks How's everyone? I'm O.K. and sitting right where the man in the blue suit is on the front of this card. Leaving it a moment. Having a nice time on the train. Love Austin

Monday Feb. 7th Dear Mother & all, I'm on a train heading East, thank goodness. We left Lancaster last nite about 11:30 PM & went to bed immediately upon getting on the train. We were awakened at 6:00 this morning and found we were in Los Angeles. So everyone quickly got up & we had breakfast in a nice Restaurant. We didn't know for sure how long we would be there so had to stay around the station all morning. It sure was a busy place. Air Cadets from all fields were coming through that terminal. Lots old friends were seen from other fields. Finally we pulled out about 1:30 PM today. Had lunch on the train & have been traveling through the most beautiful part of Calif I guess. It really is pretty, lots of green pastures & cattle! We didn't get our class books before leaving Eagle Field. They are going to mail them to us though. I guess we won't get out of Calif before dark. Will miss a lot of the scenery tonite. I got yuour letter telling Jack has gone overseas. I guess Miss Josie Bell is worried about him. But he'll be a pretty tough one for the Japs to tangle with I bet. Am so glad Sister is getting along swell. Maybe I'll get to come home after the blessed event. Can you picture me as an uncle! Well, and you as a grandmother. Well it's kinda hard to write on the train so I'll close for now. I may not get to mail this until tomorrow so might add some more later. Love to all Austin

Feby 12th Sunday nite Dear Mother & Sister, Just a few minutes before lights out. I got 3 letters from you & sister today via Lancaster. Was sorry to hear Mrs. Bishop had passed away It may have been for the best though Mrs. Bishop is getting pretty feeble too I guess. Am glad John got to come home again. So Jack is in the Marshall attack. Hope he makes out O.K. I didn't go anywhere this weekend. We have the best Pilot Information Library of any field in the Western Flying Command here on this post. I stayed over there all afternoon studying different types of planes trying to decide which type I want to fly. They have a radio there where we can listen to stations all over the world & also planes & ships etc. Tomorrow we begin flying these AT17s, I also begin ground school. I met my instructor Saturday. Lt. DuBois The director of training here is Colonel Wynne. You'll see all the pictures of the officers in our class book. The book from Lancaster hasn't arrived here yet. They were mailing it to us. Alden Winn is right here with me now. We are flying with the same instructor. We went to the show tonite and saw :The Desert Song". The theatre is nice & we have a regular army PX. The only thing wrong with the place now is the Texas sand & dust storms. We couldn't see over 50 yds today for the dust & it got all in our mouths. It's pretty cold in the mornings here too & we have 2 coal stoves in the barracks like you have I think. One that you can fill up with a whole lot of coal. I'm in bed now & just writing until I have to stop. We have a pretty tough course ahead of us here and the class is the largest ever to come to this field. That has been the case every where we've been though. Well, sister I hope you're just fine. How's John getting along now? He's farming right along & guess. About the income tax. Yes I guess you might as well go ahead & pay it now. There will probably be some extra tax on it if we wait. Say, is that truck going to be suitable for an officer to go see his girl in! (haha) That looks funny doesn't it? I better knock on Wood. Well that's OK just so I get home is all I want anyway. It's time for lights out now so sweet dreams. Love to all, I'll write as much as possible but we're going to be pretty busy here I am thinking. Bye now, Austin

Wednesday Nite 9:30 P.M. Feb. 16th Dear Folks, Am really staying busy here. We have a strong wind blowing here almost every afternoon & the dust is so bad you can hardly see. I have been flying every day this week. These 2 engine planes are pretty hard to fly but I think I'll get used to them in a day or two. We are busy most every nite too & have lots of Physical Training. We do lots of running - also lots of eating! Ice cream every day - at noon we had Fried Chicken, Cream potatoes, green beans, lettuce, Chocolate pie, Ice cream, coffee milk and about 5 or 6 other things also. Have gotta go now. Lots-o-Love Austin

Sunday Feb 20, 1944 Dear Mothers & All, How's everyone? I haven't had time to write much this week. Had lots to learn about this new plane. Will send a few of the things we have to check over each time we make a flight. I went to church this morning. It was real nice to sing some of the same church songs we used to sing. I wrote Harvey Kinney a letter this morning. Just how cold is it at home now? I ordered my uniforms from Hart Schaffner and Marx Bros. I seem pretty confident don't I! Well, it takes quiet a while to get them & you don't have to take them anyway if you don't make it. There is always a pilot & co-pilot in these planes - The pilot is in charge & gives all the orders. You have a lot more responsibility now. Last week I took the plane off for the first time without an instructor. Instead I had a fellow Cadet who had the same amount of time I had. This was called our first Solo, so I flew it around & landed & then exchanged seats with him & he flew me around. Since then I have been the pilot & had Robert Zulany for my co-pilot. He has never even soloed the plane yet so he has to have a lot of confidence in me. He says he'd rather be with me than any other Cadet he knows. Quiet a compliment don't you think! I'll probably begin my instrument flying tomorrow- I got off to a good start & am ahead of most the others guys under my instructor. A.V. Winn & I did have the same inst. & would have been flying together I guess but they gave me another instructor just to keep us separated I guess. (haha) We have the same mail box & always eat together etc We saw "Life Boat" at the show. He lives in Walla-Walla, Washington (only 19 the 22nd of Feb.) We haven't gotten our Class-Books from Lancaster yet. We took 4 sulpher-diozene tablets for colds last nite. I need to write several letters today. So the Bombers practice far around Sunk Lake do they! Boy I'll be glad to get home again. Here's hoping everything works out for the best. Love to all Austin

Thursday nite Feby 24th Dear Sister, How's everyone around the place? I'm doing O.K. We had just a little sprinkle of rain here today. The first I've seen in quite a while. Well, I'm kinda getting used to these planes now & like them O.K. They are really keeping us busy here. We have to buy our own clothing from now on. We are having some tough physical training here too. We run every day until we can hardly stand up. Then today we practiced tumbling. Boy, thanks for that map you drew of the farm. That is really nice & you drew it so well. I guess the cattle look pretty slick. I guess Mother has a big relief off herhands now since Auntie is gone. They never have sent our class books from Lancaster. It was to be the best we had had too. Some how written about them but haven't received an answer yet. I had my picture made last nite for the Class Book here. I have another dental appointment tomorrow nite. Probably get about 4 teeth filled again (haha) They aren't bothering me any but we had a thorough physical exam. When we first got here & the dentist said I needed a little work done. We had blood tests, eye tests, x-rays, ears examined, nose examined, and blood pressure etc. What about my graduation! Has mother said anything about wanting to come out here? The way transportation is now it would be almost impossible unless she came by car. We will get a leave to come home immediately after the graduation. Tell her to write what ever she has in mind. We are scheduled to graduate April 13th. Where there are several boys going to the same town they are figuring on just buying a car to drive home. Don't guess I will do that though. We just get 10 days off I have to travel out of that one way. Hope you haven't been worried by me not writing more often. Well Alden Winn just came back from the dentist tonite. He said he got 2 filled in 10 minutes. Didn't hurt a bit. He said they were fixing little places that could go another 6 months yet but they fixed them now while we were easy to get at. (ha ha) While at the dentist he also found out that besides Lt. Col. Wynne our director of training, we also have a Major Winn. The dentist thought he was his son until he had finished. (ha ha) I must close for tonite sis. Take good care of yourself. I'm going to be just as proud to be an uncle as you & John are the parents I bet. Give my love to mother & keep plenty for yourself too. Bye, Austin xoxo

Sunday afternoon Feby. 27, 1944 Dear Mother & Sister, Well I'm getting to be an old man now— I wish you could paddle me though today. I got a letter from you & sister this morning—and I am having quiye a happy birthday too. I went to church this morning and have been writing letters and working my navigation problems this afternoon. Am intending to see "Jane Eyre" at the show tonight if I can get in. I bet everyone will try to go though. I'll miss that banana pudding. I wrote Jack & Clifford a V-mail letter. We actually got a rain here last nite. I hope John didn't lose any of the hogs in the back waters. He stays pretty busy I know. There is nothing new that I can think of here. This letter runs too short but it's time for supper and we gotta hurry if I'm going to a show. Bye, now. Lots of love to you both— Your Buddie, Austin P.S. Sunday nite Just came back from the show it was quiet different. Did you read the book "Jane Eyre"? Nity nite a coupla Valentine's I received