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September 1944

OFFICERS' CLUB ARMY AIR BASE ALAMOGORDO. NEW MEXICO Sept 1st 1944 Hello Mother & all, Well I'm still here and we didn't get a delay as you noticed. But I see by your letter that you weren't expecting me too much so that's good. I've got just a little time before leaving for town so can't write much. I almost got a plane ride to Oklahoma City but there were some other guys that had waited longer than I for the same ride. I'll probably go by troop train now. All of our enlisted men on my crew got promoted to corporal so they are happy now. There are 5 them 4 gunners & 1 Radio man. We'll get the balance of the crew at the next field. Write to me at: 19th Bomb Group Army Air Field Great Bend, Kansas If the pictures come, open them and look at them. There should be two each. If you want to keep any one of them well OK. Then send me the rest as soon as possible. I guess I better eat a bite before leaving. Got paid today. You should get another bond soon. How many did you say I had now? Tell Sis & John Hi. Also the baby. Think I'll get home again anyway before going over so mabybe I'll need a leave more than than now. (HA) Love to all Austin

STAMEY HOTEL Hutchinson, Kan. 5PM Sunday Sept. 3 Dear Folks, How is everyone today? I came in here yesterday about 9:30 P.M. I don't have to report until Monday so am staying 2 nites in Hutchinson at the Stamey Hotel. I had a nice trip up here. I was supposed to come by civilian train so bought my ticket at Alamogordo Friday nite. When the train came it was so crowded I'd have had to stand up, so didn't get on board. I knew the troop train was leaving later that same nite so thought I'd take a chance getting on it. So cashed my ticket in and waited till about 12 P.M. that nite. When it came I just boarded it with the rest of the troops & got a free ride all the way to Hutchinson. Also had a berth and slept well instead of standing in the aisle.(HA) Had to pay the conductor $2,80 for the berth & that was all so I am pretty lucky. there were no other officers on board except the train Commanders & medical officers so I stayed in the best car right with them.(HA) When I get out here to the base now the Army will pay me about $30.00 for making this trip. Have just been to a coupla movies. Sent you a telegram today. There was 1 other pilot that came along with me on this trip. Most all of the Airplane Commanders came by car with one of their buddies. The guy I flew with at Roswell. "Winzer" was sent to Pratt, Kansas about 50 miles from here. I dropped my watch on the floor the other day & it is not running right. It'll stop some times for an hour & then take off again. The town of Hutchinson is about 30,000. It's a Navy town, a big Naval Air Base here - lots of WAVES and sailors here. Met a coupla WAVES last nite. Don't know if we'll be getting back up here on week ends or not. I think it's about 70 miles from Great Bend. Great Bend has a population of 3,000 I hear. It can't be any smaller than Alamogordo though. Sure was nice & cool there last nite but seems rather hot today. Well, I guess this is about all for now. Am taking a bus to the field in the morning. Tell all hello. What about cotton pickin? Is it really going to be open this month? Put my serial no on my address you know. Love, Austin

Sept 4, 1944 Great Bend Hello Folks, Well I'm on the base now & have everything done for today. We begin flying tomorrow so they did start us off quick. I'm in temporary barracks right now but will be assigned to my permanent one soon. There seems to be no stationery here at this club and this is all that I have at present. The club is pretty nice & I think I'll like the field OK. I know I like the State Better than New Mexico provided it doesn't get too cold here now (HA). I had a swell time in Hutchinson. Came in on the bus this morning. The town of Great Bend isn't bad either from what I saw of it. Has been raining a lot around here it seems. I don't know exactly what my address will be just yet. I'm assigned to the 19th Bomb Group & 93rd Squadron. Ill get my mail if you just address 19th Bomb group. Did I tell you, I got a box of cookies, a box of choc. fudge and also a nice necktie from Dottie just before I left Alamogordo. I'm wearing the tie now/(HA) How is everything on the farm? Will you have room for all the corn? The P.X. here is pretty nice. How's John Wim doing now? Well, I'll close for this time. Hope to hear from you soon. Love, Austin

ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Tuesday Sept 5 Hello Mother & all, Didn't get to fly today but will begin in the morning at 4 AM. Still cloudy & cool here. Will be rather busy this afternoon. I haven't received any mail yet! Should get some tomorrow if they send any up from Alamogordo. Just wanted to say hello. I'll have to be going now. Want to get moved to my permanent barracks as soon as possible. Also get my baggage that I slipped up here by express. Here's my new address: 19th Bomb Group 93rd Squadron Army Air Field Great Bend, Kansas Love to all, Austin

ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Sept 7 Wednesday nite Dear Folks, How's everyone today? I flew this morning and it's sure chilly here before day-light. I'll gett me a field jacket tomorrow. We went on a little cross country flight about 700 miles. Minneapolis, Hutchinson, Wichita, Pratt, Salinas etc. I'm processing here tomorrow morning and flying again in the afternoon. They are having a dance at the officers club tonight. I went into town to a show and just came back. Still I've received no mail since I've been here. Have the pictures come yet? I haven't been able to get any (?) film yet. It looks like I'm going to have to send this watch back to Mednikows to get it fixed. Is there a watch of any kind that no one is using I could use until I get this one fixed. If so send it to me. Have it insured and wrap well. I'll send it back when I get mine back. Am getting sleepy now as its 11 o'clock, I got up at 4 this morning. Love to all, Austin

ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Friday Dear Mother & All, Just got out of bed a few minutes ago. Am waiting for a buddy to finish shaving. Sure is cool up here in the mornings. I have a sweat shirt on now. I sent my laundry out last nite. Maybe it'll get back before I leave here. HA! Well we got 2 more members on our crew. Lt. Hicks from Kentucky is other bombardier. He sure seems to be a nice guy too. Is only about 5'6" tall I think. Then we always have a T/Sgt for an engineer but I haven't met him yet. Still no navigator. All the officers in the 93rd Squadron have to donate $25 for the Club when we get overseas. They are buying refrigerators & washing machines etc. Will still be quite some time before we go though so don't worry any. My Airplane Commander was made Flight Commander of A Flight - So we will be in a lead position in the formations. We also have to instruct the other crews are in our flight. These other crews are just beginning training in B-29s so we have the jump on them. Must go eat Breakfast. Love to all, Austin P.S. Ran out of ink (HA) I still have not gotten a single letter. This is getting BAD. (HAHA) I got a telegram from Evelyn though.

The Alamo Hotel Conway Bros., Sightseeing Service Colorado Springs, Colorado Sept. 9 Sat. nite Hello all, Just a line to let you know where I am. I flew the 19th Group Commanding Officer over here to Hdquarters this afternoon. He's a Colonel. Came in a B-17. Am staying over nite and flying back tomorrow afternoon. Got my first letter & the pictures from you today. Love to all, Austin

The Alamo Hotel Conway Bros., Sightseeing Service Colorado Springs, Colorado Sunday morning 10 AM Dear folks, Well I had a swell time in Colorado Springs last nite. Now I'm ready to go out to Patterson Field and make our air craft clearance. The weather looks pretty bad it drizzling rain & is real cloudy. We may have to fly instruments on the way back. Picked up a few cards of some of the sights around here. How's John Winn today? I couldn't find a roll of film at all in this city. Would sure like to have seen Waits, tell him hello. I know he has grown lots. Did I tell you we have already started a fund for a club overseas? They are buying refrigerators & washing machines! Each office paid $25. Yes, I hope you've sent the check for the income tax. Was that for the balance of the year or just the 3rd quarter. We have been promised a leave for some before leaving for overseas. I cannot write much about our training here away more as the intelligence warned us to write nothing about the B-29s. Don't worry about a thing though. Guess I better get on out now and have everything ready when the Colonel comes out. We brought 2 Colonels, 2 Capt's, 1st Lt. & 3 2nd Lts. on this trip. None of my crew came along except me. They are probably flying today in 29s. So long for now Love to All, Austin

ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Monday nite Dear Mother and all, How's things around home now? I had a nice trip back from Colorado Springs. he weather got better and everything was OK. When I got back about 4:30 Sun. afternoon I was scheduled to fly 6 hours Sun Nite but the ground crew didn't get the plane fixed up and ready to fly in time to take off. So we didn't fly. I'm flying in the morning at 4AM—I got a nice letter from you & sister also one from Oletta & several notes from Ruth, Mary, Kathryn & Louise today. I moved to my permanent barracks today I'm in a room with Capt. Cook. The rooms are pretty small but are OK. Is there an 'extra' little radio there, or did you say the big radio wasn't playing! As we will be here quite a while I may try to buy a small radio if you don't have one you can send. About you coming up to see me, I'd sure like it if its possible. The field is several miles from town though & if you didn't have a car it would be quiet a problem to see each other as we would get off only a few hours at a time. We are flying Sundays too. Was glad to hear of the word Jack. Hope Waits is enjoying himself while home. Tell him to write a little oftener when he goes back. The trip I made to Colorado Springs was a business trip for my Commanding Officer. That's 2nd Air Force Hq's. I was pretty lucky to get to fly him over. He called up the 93rd Squadron Sat morning & wanted a pilot to fly a B-17 so I was available and got the job. Most of these other pilots have been flying B-24s before coming into B-29s. We landed & he just told me when to meet him the next day & so I stayed in town. Had a pretty good time. It's a pretty city & a Lt. in the Medical Corps was with me. Our Flight Engineer got to go home to Denver, Col. He was home about 9 hours. I better get to bed now as we have to sign a statement that we've had a certain amount of sleep before flying them morning. Tell all hello. Love Austin

U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES Thursday Nite Sept. 14, 1944 Dear Mother & Sister, I received your letters today and also got the watch. Thanks a lot, that will help me a lot until I can get this one fixed. I'm going to send it back to the jeweler in Memphis. How is everyone around home? I guess I've missed writing you so much since I've been here. Finally, I've gotten settled in my permanent barracks and things will be back to normal. We had a nice time flying yesterday and last nite. We fly a minimum of 6 hours each time we go up. I'm flying again in the morning at 4th A.M. We just went down to the P.X. and got this stationery. It's kinda unhandy not to have officers club paper handy just any time I'd like to drop a line for someone. That's one reason for so few letters, I guess. Yes the B-17s do seem small after flying the 29s. That a B-24 (arrow pointing to small picture) Hope sister's hay fever is OK by now. I guess John Winn is quite a kid now. How are all the Peytons? Guess every one is busy with cotton pickin'! Did Oletta really go to New Orleans? I guess she is really proud of Waits. Has she changed very much? I know Miss Josie Belle is glad to be hearing from Jack again. Kinda blue being Waits home though and Jack still across isn't she! You said John Turner is home didn't you! He was in a bomber like the one in the lower corner of this stationery. Did he get to stay home long and where are they sending him to now? That is if you've heard. Yes all be going on Cross Countries in B-29s too. We had ground school all day today also P.T. It was very interesting though. I got 4 letters, so I'm getting back on schedule again. Has anyone heard from John Bishop since his baby arrived? I took a subscription for "Yank, The Army Weekly" and am having it mailed home. You can get a lot of funny reading and also news of the War from that & I wish you'd just file them away & keep for me to look over some day. I have one here I'd like to send Mr. Alex, it tells all about the fighting on Saipan and the Island where Jack is now. We see them every week here anyway so don't send any of them on to me. Yes the pen looks like it writes ok now. I don't know need it yet though so just keep it and use it all you like. Looks like I'm sending for something every time I write home now. I need a bath robe up here this winter. Taking a shower & then running back to the room will get kinda chilly. Though maybe you had one around the house you'd like to send me. (HA-HA) Don't buy one cause I can do that. I haven't flown down your way any yet. I expect to some day though, but will probably be so high you can't see me. I'll write you about it if I'm ever over home. Where is John ginning cotton this year? When did you say the Sides would be moving? Cherry is going to be a kinda dull place to be isn't it! Have you heard any word about Neal? Estelle said they were expecting him home some time in September. Well guess this'll have to do for tonite. Tell all hello and give John Winn a hug. I left part of my address off to make it shorter. This will be O.K. if you want to address your letters this way. Love to All, Austin

U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES Monday morning Sept. 18 Dear Mother & All, Am on the flight line this morning. Came over at 4 A.M. this morning but Capt. Cook sprained his ankle yesterday playing Basketball & we aren't flying this morning. Instead I'm taking the crew over for gunnery practice this morning at 8. Thought I'd bring my stationery order here to the flight line so I could write while standing-by some of these periods. The weather here is real nice about now. Not too cold yet, but just cool enough to wear a light jacket at nite. I got the Lauderdale County Paper yesterday and also 2 letters you wrote me at Alamogordo. They sure were slow about sending any mail up from down there. I read in the papers about Hughes party etc. I also see John Edd Craig has been home. How is Cotton Pickin' coming along? We have our Navigator now so our complete crew is formed now. His name is Sissman. I think he's from the East, New York or there abouts. He's a pretty good guy though I think. I'll sure be glad when we finish all this instruction training and can fly with our own crew. We fly both B-17s & 29s. Just which ever one we're assigned each day. I think we'll stay in 29s though when we go over. I got a letter from A.V. Winn yesterday - I guess Withee is ready to go across now. A.V said he'd be here another month. They are in B-24s. Well I better get the crew together for the gunnery practice. Love to all Austin

U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES Thursday Morn 6 AM Dear Folks, How everything today? I'm on the flight line this morning. Our plane is out of commission at present but we expect to take it up for 7 hours as soon as they get it fixed. Meanwhile I'm taking the crew over for 2 hours synthetic gunnery practice. We take all lunch along on these flights. It's a B-17 we're flying today. Did I ask you to send that blouse to mine to me? I'll forgetten. I want it so I can send it outseas in my foot locker. I'll keep the one I have here to wear until I leave. I'll need it this month. I got your letter yesterday. Hope Grandpa is better of this stiffness. Also got a letter from Wilbur yesterday. Well I don't have time for a longer letter this morning. Hope the weather's been good for cotton pickin lately. Tell all hello and best wishes. Love & Kisses Austin

U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES Saturday September 23rd Dear Mother & all, Toda's ground school day & boy did it turn cold last nite. We had a rain storm during the nite & everyone in wearing their wool clothes & jackets this morning. And we are scheduled for ditching practice this afternoon at 5 P.M. We will jump off a platform into the water with all our cloths & equipment on & swim out. But manbe as it's so cold they will wait for a warmer day. I got the box yesterday & the cookies are grand. It got there just in time too. Tomorrow Sunday we fly at 4AM. I got the Lauderdale Co. Pope today. Oh yes, if you haven't already sent the blouse I have a pair of wool olive drab trousers there I could use also. I hope all this isn't causing you too much trouble. I don't need the blouse till the 15th of Oct. instead Oct. 1st as I wrote before. I wrote Oletta yesterday and told her to tell you Hi. I guess I better get over to the barracks & put my tie on before going back to school. I just ate lunch. Had Boiled ham and Watermelon. Cantelope for Breakfast so we are getting farm food too (HA) I see where Jack Peyton killed a squirrel with a hickory nut (HA). And also where John Crook flew over Ripley. Am enclosing a picture which I don't think you've seen. I think it looks pretty good. Send it back sometime when you're writing. Well Solong All Love too, Austin