Author: Margo Palmer

Dear Mother, Dad and Jocie,

Hello darlings-your son is reporting again-

My weekend wasn’t very exciting as you know, but, I saved money so I don’t feel so badly. Happy to hear you like your wings, darling, I was hoping you would.

The weather out here has been bad for flying lately. The air thermals throw you around like a toy rubber ball. Gosh! It’s a funny feeling when the plane bobs up and down like a fishing cork. I hope it clears up because it makes it very hard to land. These ships are so hard to land without bad weather. My new instructor is really swell. He makes you feel so at home up there. We have been shooting 180° approach landings lately. The object is to hit a designated spot on the field after cutting the gun at 1000 feet. It’s quite a job I’ll tell you-the normal approach is comparatively easy when we have to land from twice the usual altitude-that’s where judgment comes in. My instructor said I did a pretty good job so I feel pretty good.

Well, darlings-taps will sound soon so I must cut it short.

Write soon-

Your loving son and brother,

Jim

Dear Mom and Dad,

Your letters were swell darling but, I don’t think even they will help me. I am confined for the weekend-just because I left my locker open. This place is a darn good pilot training center but, as far as the past officers go they can take a running jump into the lake. I have totaled 28 hours and 4 minutes up-to-date. I am behind some of the guys in my hours but, my new instructor said he’d give me enough time to catch up.

Boy, did I have fun today when I was up with my instructor on my dual periods. We were going through our coordination exercises, spins, stalls, etc. Finally he said ”Fasten your safety belt tighter-I’m tired of this boring stuff.” First of all he did a loop-than a snap role finished off with a Immelmann turn out of a slow roll. Gosh! I’ve never had so much fun in all my life. He certainly is a grand guy-I wish I had had him from the start. My other instructor was good but, this man is more thorough. He doesn’t scream when you make a mistake-he simply corrects you and shows you the way he wants it done. It really is fun learning from him. I am beginning to enjoy flying much more now-hope I can make it. It certainly would be fun to have my own plane-take my Dad and Mom and little sister for a ride-

Well, darlings, I must finish-your loving son, and brother,

Jim

Dear Mother and Dad,

Have you received my money order yet? Haven’t had a single letter from anyone for two days-this mail system is lousy. A few days ago I received a folder from St. Thomas and one from Butler’s. It was nice to read the names of my old friends. Gosh! There are a lot of fellows from St. Thomas in the service. I hope when I come back-I will be able to see all my friends once again. We certainly could have fun talking about our experiences, couldn’t we.

We are flying about an average of three periods a day now. Boy-when I hit the bed at night I’m asleep before I pull the covers over me. I certainly could use Mrs. Driscoll here. Every day we house clean our rooms. Dust mustn’t be found anywhere. The inspecting officer knows the places to look for it too. If we aren’t on our toes we will get gigged for almost anything. We are becoming accustomed to this place now-so it isn’t as hard as it used to be. Seven more washed yesterday-darn it-our school classes are getting smaller each day. At the beginning we didn’t have enough seats but, now, there are two full empty rows out of five. Gosh! I certainly hope I can make it. Especially for you-I’m having a little trouble with some new maneuvers but, hope to master them soon.

Wish me luck, darlings and write soon-your letters meant so much to me-that’s why I’m trying so hard to answer them all.

Your loving son,

Jim

Dear Mother,

I am sending this money order-it isn’t very much but, if you only knew what they paid us you think it quite a tidy fortune. You can buy a war bond for me. I will try from now on to buy a war bond every pay day. That isn’t very much but it all adds up.

I had a fairly good day today in the air-I learned something new-they call it the chandelle. First of all you advance the throttle gain about 1900 RPM (revolutions per minute) -then coordinate the stick and rudder pulling the plane into a medium-turn. Seeing that the plane is moving pretty fast you can feel the gravity force your body into the seat. Then you pull back on the stick and as soon as you have completed about a 135° turn you give opposite stick and rudder to pull you out of the turn. After you have completed the maneuver you have completed a 180° turn and you’re heading back from the same direction you started. You have so much speed that a great deal of altitude is gained-gosh! It’s fun!

I wish you could see your little son zooming through the skies. If I don’t make it all the way at least I know I could fly a cub or something small anyway. Then when I get home I will buy my own plane. Wouldn’t it be fun to take mama and papa for a ride. Remember when they put ”air minded” in my St. Thomas yearbook-that was a coincidence (is that spelled right) wasn’t it.

Well, darlings, write soon I love your letters.

Work hard in school Jocie-I wish I had a chance to again – your studious brother.

Your loving son,

Jim

Dear Mother and Dad,

Your letter and joke were swell. Mother-the boys really had a good laugh when I told them the joke.

I have told you about changing to new instructors haven’t I? The system has changed quite a bit now. Each instructor has two upperclassmen and three dodos. They took the two best upper class students from each instructor (I darn near fell over when I was chosen) to make place for the dodos. I don’t care for this new system because we had a lot of fun together discussing our mistakes. Now that the dodos are mixed in we haven’t much to say to each other.

We got paid yesterday. I thought we would get quite a check but, as usual, much more than they give. Our food costs us two dollars a day-it’s a robbery to say the least. Our rooms cost more-cleaning costs more-after buying soap, toothpaste, having her shoes repaired-haircut every week-stationery-Etc.. We have about $40 left. The regular Army gets more than we do. I’m going to send enough money for a war bond home. I wish I could send more but, everything helps. If this war lasts as long as it looks-a bond a month will net a tidy sum.

I am looking forward to a letter from you today-I really enjoy your letters, darlings, they make me a little homesick but that’s good for me I guess.

Please excuse the pencil-I’m writing this on the flight line waiting to go up. We just had a ground loop a minute ago-something exciting every minute that’s what I like about this Air Corps.

Well, darlings, write soon.

Your loving son,

Jim

Dearest Mother,

I am sending you this pair of silver wings-hoping you will wear them, and, think of your boy in the Air Corps. Some say I am too confident but, if I do wash out I’m still in the Air Corps anyway. All I hope is-someday I want the privilege of wearing a little larger pair on my tunic.

When I lived at home you put up with so much. I really didn’t deserve all the kindness I received. Someday I hope to repay you, darling. If I ever meant anything my Mother and Dad shall have the dream home they’ve wanted. I’m talking pretty big now, darling but, those are my honest sincere thoughts.

Here I am, a little boy, acting much older-learning a man’s job. War helped Dad and it will help me-it has already taught me to realize what a splendid home life I enjoyed. Thanks to you Mother, darling.

Your loving son,

Jim

Dear Mother,

We have been working incessantly lately-no leisure time at all-even on the flight line. The only good thing about it is we are upperclassman and command respect from all dodos-(lower-class men). We are living in the upperclassmen barracks now. Two men to a room-it’s pretty soft isn’t it. Quite a few more men have washed in their 20 hour check. Gosh! I’m glad I got by-aren’t you?

These pictures I’m sending were taken by a fellow cadet, consequently, I only have a few. So, I’m sending Thelma two and you two-now, don’t boil Mother-Thelma would kill me if I didn’t send her any and you’d kill me if I forgot you. So I compromised and divided equally. They aren’t very good anyway-as you can plainly see. But at least you can get an idea how your Air Corps cadet looks.

When the new boys came and we had a mixup of instructors-my new instructor is by far the better man. He teaches flying the way it should be taught. He doesn’t scream his head off at every little mistake-he just tells me what I am doing wrong and shows me himself. He’s one of the oldest in experience, men at Rankin. Everyone likes him. I hope he can teach me something.

Well darlings, we have a standby inspection tomorrow-that means windows, shoes, beds, lockers, everything must be spotless.

I must get busy now so-I’ll cut my letter short.

Love Jim

Dear Mother and Dad,

I passed my 20 hour check-and I only had 17 hours and 3 minutes previous to the flight. My instructor just about scared me to death when he told me I was going up for the Army check ride. You see, most of the fellows, unless they’ve had some flying experience before, don’t go out for their check until they have anywhere from 20 hours to 28 hours. All I can say is my instructor must have a lot of confidence in me. I hope I continue my good work. When I’m up there all alone-flying that $18,000 ship-I realize what a responsibility Uncle Sam has given me. I am now beginning to like flying-I can’t really say I was too crazy about it before because I worry so much. I have much more confidence in myself now-my instructor said I was the best student he has had so far. I just about dropped over-don’t think I’m bragging because those wings aren’t on my tunic yet, until they are anything can happen. The Army Lieut. that gave me my check ride is really a swell fellow. I was scared to death naturally but, as soon as he talked to me, I felt at ease. I thought it went lousy but he seemed to think I did alright especially when he found out I had only 17 hours and three minutes (total time) to my credit.

I received a letter from Dad and two from you, Mother, I’m trying so hard to keep up my correspondence but, it’s quite a job with the amount of free time we have. I don’t think Bob would write Auntie all the time he was away if he were in the Air Corps.

Well, darling, I must cut it short now.

Love Jim

Dear Mother, Dad and Jocie

Four of your letters came yesterday-they were wonderful darlings. Say, Mother, don’t think I have washed out, because I haven’t (knock on wood) but, I wanted to impress upon you that washing out is not an uncommon occurrence here. If I ever did wash I could try bombardier. I have written to a friend of mine who selected bombardier instead of pilot. He likes it very much and is very happy he made the choice. I think this Air Corps is alright-you have a pretty good chance of getting your commission-that’s what I want.

Now that football season has come again, we  cadets, are following the games, especially Minnesota. They certainly gave Pittsburgh a licking today. It will be fun to argue with the boys from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. I hope Minnesota goes through undefeated.

So they are going to cut off the fuel oil now, gosh! It’s not so good is it. Also that darn gas rationing. Dad will probably have enough rationed to him so he can carry on with his business.

I’m flying away from the field now-gosh! It seems swell to have the feeling that you and you alone make the plane stay up there. We are flying many more hours now a day. Quite a few haven’t soloed yet-they feel pretty bad about it but, soloing doesn’t mean so much. Some guys in the upper class didn’t solo for 17 hours and made it all the way through. While some solo before eight hours and wash. Flying game isn’t very certain. Well darlings, thank you for your lovely letters-

Love, Jim

Dear mother and dad,

Your letter was swell, darling. Gosh! I wish I were home-we have been working so hard lately I’m utterly exhausted. At least 20% of our group washed already. None of us are safe-I hate to see my good friends leave me. Don’t be too surprised if I go too-I’m trying my best but, so were those guys-if I didn’t worry so much it wouldn’t be so bad-it’s easy to say don’t worry but, you know me. I don’t worry about my own safety so much-it’s washing out-and what you will think if I do.

Your picture was swell mother, darling, I wish I could have one of our talks again-remember? Gee-I miss home-there’s no time for homesickness now. I just want to get over there and help win this war. If I can’t be a pilot-at least I can do my part. I sometimes wonder if they really want pilots the way they’re washing out our class. I guess they know what they are doing or Uncle Sam wouldn’t hire them.

I just received the fudge Auntie sent me-it was really delicious-thank her for me will you darling-I have all I can do to write one letter a day-that’s the truth-you can’t imagine what a rushed life we lead. Tell Auntie she’s still my ”Fair Lady” – you are my darling parents-I am realizing how much you gave up for me now. You are darlings-give little Jocie my love-she’s so cute. Gosh! I have tears in my eyes.

Love Jim