April 6, 1943

Dear Mom and Pop,

We're finished with out academics now. My marks! Well here they are:

Physics - 92 Naval Forces - 99 Maps and Charts - 90 Code - Passed with ten words a minute

We has a school on the Thompson sub-machine gun and they brought us out on the range Sunday. I deadeye Pete has a perfect score. We still have classes on chemical warfare and the pistol.

I don't believe I told you but at least 60% of us wash out in Primary. I know it seems kind of foolish to go through all this and then strike out in the ninth inning with bases loaded.

One of my classmates for a letter from his sister today. She lives next to the Parks air school which is a Primary school in St. Louis. She says 1/2 of the boys are asking for ground duty only and 60 out of ever one hundred that's left, washout after that.

So my friends, it isn't going to be any picnic all the way through. I'll probably be cooling my heels as an aviation mechanic. All the boys seem discouraged when they hear these reports coming though all the time. I can't say I didn't try anyway.

I have been made First Sergeant. You know, one of these tough Top Kicks. I honestly don't know how I got the job. It's the best one on the Hill. I'm supposed to see that my Squadron hits all the formations on time. There's about 250 to 300 men in my Squadron. Being First Sgt. I don't have to do close order drill. I miss most of my Physical Training (exercises). That hurts me deeply.  Parades, well if I feel like it. We has a huge parade today for the Under-Secretary of War, a four star general and supposedly Madame Chaing Kai-shek. They made me Group Adjustment for the parade. I had to be out in front of those 500 men.  As 1st Sgt., I can sleep in the morning if I don't feel like getting up. They are jealous of my soft job. Lights out blew a half hour ago but now that I have a private room, we can keep the lights on. I say "we" because we have two tables, a rubber tile floor and painted walls with a white ceiling.

I went to San Antonio yesterday on "open post period".

With all my love, As ever

"Old Sarge"