October 5, 1943

Dear Mom,

We flew last night 3 o'clock this morning and I'm just about able to hold my "whittle head up". How they figure out when we can and cannot fly is beyond me. It was so hazy yesterday we couldn't fly. Last night it was just as hazy only it was dark alone with it. You couldn't even see the field after you got it up in the air. We all lost each other as soon as we left the ground. All we did was go round and round.

Three days later:

I'm flying P-40's along with AT-6 and getting in night flying besides. I caught a slight cold and when I peal off from about 12,000 feet it hurts my ears.

Last night we got off the flight line a few minutes early and I laid down for a few minutes before they called mess. I never heard another thing until this morning at 6 o'clock. Anyway I got 13 hours of much needed sleep.

They had a special meeting tonight to take at the exam to determine wether I'm a Flight Officer or Second Lt.  Not much difference, same clothes, same pay, same planes etc. The exam was pretty rough. We won't know until we graduate what we'll be.

These P-40s are really some airplane. It's got over 1300 horsepower, which is just twice the size of the AT-6 engine. They gave us 4 hours dual before we soloed the AT-6 but all they did with the P-49 was sit you in the cockpit and tell you how to start the engine, gave you a pat on the back and say, "Well pal, gave me a good landing". Not much they could do. Only one seat. So with you knees knocking out a tune, you tear down the runway. It certainly is a hot ship.

As Ever,

H.P. Hot Pilot

P.S. 27 more days to go.