July 12, 1945
Good Morning Sweetheart,
At present we are circling the field to gain altitude. Betcha You've never been written to from a B29 before. Say, there's a photographer on one of our ships in the formation. He's from Life or Time or some such magazine. If in the near future you see pictures of a 29 formation, look close, I'm in ship number 29. I'd stick my head out the window only there ain't no windows.
You'll have to pardon the pencil on account of a fountain pen goes bezerk at altitude. Aside from the fact that you gave me the pen, and it has sentimental value, It's the best damn pen there is and I don't want it to go bezerk. Also pardon jerky writing, no epochs!
Gotta work!
Ya know I wasn't trying to be conservative on the phone bill last night. I only had so much green stuff and I didn't want to have the phone co calling me nasty names. I sure felt good after talking to you. Wish we could have talked for an hour. You made me forget how tired I was. Instead of going to bed I had two ginger ales and listened to the band at the club. Did you ever hear Caledonia? Wow! If nothing else it was loud.
The so and so's have been flying our pants off for the last week. Every morning up at 0200, briefing at 0300, take off at 0600, and land between 1800 and 2000. We have the same schedule tomorrow also. I look and feel like I had a hang over's hangover. Been so busy I haven't even read a murder mystery in over four days. This is unbearable. Did you know that 8, 208 persons were murdered in 1940. Amazing ain't it? More women murder their husbands than vice versa.
Time out for coffee.
Never have I tasted such greusome coffee. With all of the taxes and war bonds and stuff like that there, the army should be able to buy a reasonably decent grade of coffee. It doesn't involve too much genius to add water and coffee in the proper portions and heat the mixture for an established time. All in all it sounds like a simple operation. Then why the hell do they have to classify some tasteless male skinner as a cook and let him concoct this embalming fluid we're forced to drink. Precicely why, I ask? Could it be a Japanese plot to undermine my morale? The cads!
Was practicing up on my gunnery. Interesting gadgets. They ascare the Bejesus out of me.
We've got a darned good crew now. We get along together fine. The pilot is pretty sharp and he has one quality that goes over big with me. He despises barbers and hasn't had a hair cut in three months. A very sensible fellow.
Six more hours to go !
Saturday we were to fly a twelvefour mission to Oregon and Washington. We got up there O.K. and were on our way home when wde had some trouble. We had to make an emergency landing at March Field, California. It's on the outskirts of Riverside about 60 miles S. E. of L. A. We landed there at 1500 and worked on the ship there until 2000. The weather hasd become to bad so we had to stay there all night. All fields have transient quarters for officers so we stayed there. I had a private room all to myself. It was nice and warm during the afternoon but around 2030 it got cool. The field is pre war and it's a swell place. Grass around all the buildings and palm trees along the street. The whole atmosphere made one feel lonesome in a nice way. It was peaceful and quiet and there was a full moon coming up through the palms.
I sat on the lawn for a few hours and drifted back to Florida. If you had been there it would have been the same. It was nice dreaming.
More work!
Three more hours to go!
The cigarette situation is getting desperate. I've been smoking such things as Murads, Sphinx, Goldur Grain, Bull Durham, and banquets. There are three different solutions to the problem. Pipe, cigars, or chewing tobacco. This is going to take a lot of thinking out.
Well now! I just had a swell super and took two cold showers so I should be able to hold up for a couple hours. If'n I went right to bed now I'd only get six hours of sleep, but what's the use of spending all your life in bed - asleep?
Since we've been flying here, we've had to make three emergency landings. On the report these are called abortions. Just exactly what does this word mean? Have I been wrong all these years?
Wanta lesson in the Bdash two Crash nine? O.K. here goes - I have a compartment all to myself. Dark and lonely! It's about 10 ft long - seven ft long and sveen feet wide. My set is along the port side of the ship and I sit in the aisle working sideways. I've got everything back there I need, including a gentleman lounge. I can't see out of the plane or any others of the crew. I'm about six blocks away from the pilot. Carrying enough gas for a 3000 mile mission we can still hold about seven tons of bombs. Nice load huh?
Fully loaded the ship weighs about 160,000 pounds. A complete crew consists of eleven men. We can cruise at about 250 MPH and get it up to 350 if needs be. Enough of tech stuff.
I leave for Topeka Kansas on the 17th. We should get there the 19th. I'll be there from two to ten days. Unless I leave early, I'll call you up the Sunday after I get there.
I checked with the post office about your letters. They said that the mix up must be in Chicago or along the way. They've got my file straight, that makes me mad. There's no way of checking on it. Blast!
That's about it for now Darling. Better hit the hay. I'll write again as soon as I get a break.
Gee I hope to see you once again before I shove off. Outside of that there isn't much i'd ask for.
Good Night Sweetheart,
All my love
Ray