March 10, 1944

My flying was complete, all except or one hour of night flying. I didn't get this because the weather was bad the last few days. They let us fly in the rain during the day but not at night. I finally ended up with over a hundred out in the P-47. It sure is a big ship but it's just as sweet as it is big.

The only bad feature was in night flying. On the take off you wouldn't see where you were going with that huge nose out front until you get the tail off the ground.

Our class broke the safety record in our squadron. We went more hours without an accident than any other class. We certainly had a grand time in the ships especially the last forty hours in them. We use to go up and rat race all over the sky. It's sort of follow the leader. He tries loose you. I got so that I could stay about twenty feet behind doing rolls, loops, immelmanns etc.

We also took low altitude cross countries. When I say low, I mean low, where you have to lift up one wing to get it over a tree going 250 to 300 miles per hour. It sure gives one a thrill. You should see us chasing cows, come down and almost take their horns off. It was funny, some of them were so used to us that all they would do would be to stand right still and keep on chewing away and watch you breeze by. They had all the confidence that we wouldn't kill them.

I was on a list with Johnson, Jackson, Cormier, Tony and a number of other to get shipped within the next week, but they took me off because of that one hour of night flying is one of the requirements. Ot wasn't my fault I didn't get it, so maybe I can get back on. Here's hoping because I sure would like to do with the boys I came in with.

The letter, well, Mary wanted to go see me in Fort Meyers, so I told George to call her and tell her I was home on leave. That's why she wrote home. God knows where she got the address. From George I suppose.

Love & Kisses As Ever

Al

P.S. Pa you take care of yourself.