September 10, 1944
September 10, 1944
Somewhere in The Mojave 1944
Dearest Shirl,
If you will be my "Gravel Gertie" I will be your "Brow".
Say, that last letter was a super duper. How about more of that size - more often?
Our schedule has been changed a little. We used to get up at four and finish at eight. Now we get up at three thirty and finish at eight thirty. We get in seven hours of flying before noon. Also in two weeks we were supposed to get Sundays off. We get only every other Sunday off.
Those whiskey sours taste good, don't they? Golly, they even sound good. I'm going to need a couple of good stimulants. I'm beginning to get nervous. One of our gang was washed out for nerves last week. I must be calm - I must be calm - I must be calm - I must be calm , etc., etc., etc., etc. If I can only get through this course the rest should be simple.
I haven't any snapshots of myself. I'll try and get one if possible. In the meantime here's an "Atlas" shot of me when I was superman at Maxwell Field. That conspicuous bulge is my shirt tucked in the front of my shorts (at least some of it is). Aren't I the killer?
What's wrong with Frank Sinatra? I think he's O.K. Did you see "Step Lively"? When he said he was from Osweego, New York I almost burst a gut. Hey, how about getting three records I'd get if I had the chance. "Bidin my Time" by Judy Garland, "Lady Could You Use Me" by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney and "Consequences " by Rochester. Victor Herbert sounds good too. If I get a chance I'll pick you up some Mexican records from Los Angeles. Did you get the record changer fixed yet? Well???
I haven't the descriptiveness of an artist, but if I did I could certainly spout off about flying over the Rockies at sunrise. Watching it makes me tingle. You make me tingle too. Are you a mountain or the sunrise? I certainly have developed a terrific loving of life lately. It's filled with so many wonderful things I didn't know that existed. If I get myself shot I'm going to be pretty damned mad.
Hey what doya mean, "Am I still interested" in your picture. You goon, certainly I want it. When I get the picture I'll start working on the cake angle again.
Wow am I the hot bombardier. Out of seven bombs I hit three prospectors shacks, two coyotes, a polar bear and the target area.
From 11000 ft. up it ain't easy to hit a 100ft. circle. Especially if the plane is bouncing around. Someday I'm going to put a saddle on a bomb and ride it down. I'm going to find out just what goes on.
It's now 8:10 and way past my bedtime. I must have my six hours so I'll sign off for now.
Say hello to your mom for me and give her a kiss. Tell her to give you a kiss for me. I'll go out and kiss the mess Sergeant.
All my love,
Ray
X.N. Betcha wondering how the polar bear got there. You'd never guess.