August 8, 1943

Dear Mom,

I'll answer that question about furloughs. We the gadgets, don't get such things. One of the boys in the barracks for a telegram that his father was dying and they made him wait two days until they verified it through the Red Cross before they would give him a furlough. His family should have had the Red Cross sent the telegraph in the first place. If and when I get through this course, it might be possible to get a few days off but I doubt it.

We have about three more weeks here at Basic. Then another nine weeks at Advance before we can get these so called "wings". After that they sent you to Transitional Training.