Document Type
Personal Letter
Transcription
[Translation begins]
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES
Thursday
2100
My Darling,
Gee it was wonderful to talk to you tonight angel. The telephone is a wonderful invention. I’d call you every night if it only didn’t take so much time to get it through. It took me an hour and a half to get that call through tonight. And to think I could fly up there in less than an hour; - again honey, so near and yet- so far.
Well I started aerial gunnery today. I told you the weather has been beautiful the last two days. I haven’t seen a cloud in two days. For the first time in weeks I was above 1000’ and it was beautiful. I could see for miles. I could see half of the Gulf, outlined in a dusty white by sandy branches all along the shore. When you see a large body of water from the air it’s not blue or dark, it’s shimmering gold color and it just disappears into the blue of the sky at the horizon. This is beautiful country to fly in darling, you’d love it. Someday I’ll show you what I mean about flying. As sweetie would say, it’s the second greatest thrill in the world.
I’m disappointed about this weekend hon, but I kind of expected it. That’s one thing this place is very strict about. They used to let students off but when Monday come around they’d be about half of them here. The rest would be stranded somewhere, couldn’t get transportation back. And you can’t. We’re out in the wilds here and we might as well get used to it. There are some G.I.’s who have been here three years. I’d of been in the bug house before the first month was up, - A.W.O.L.
This course is a lot of fun but I get so tired of reading, hearing, and even dreaming about machine guns. I know how to make ‘em, break ‘em, clean ‘em, fix ‘em, store ‘em and whatever else you can do with ‘em. Now if I could only shoot the goddamned things I’d be happy.
This target we’ve got to shoot at is a sleeve 22 inches wide by 15 feet long towed behind a plane going 130 m.p.h. and we’re in another plane doing about 160, and the madmen expect us to hit the hairy thing. 30 hits out of 200 is expert, and for some reason which I will never understand I got 45 today. I know darned well it was luck and I’ll never be able to do it again.
Four ships fire at the same target using bullets coated with different colors that come off on the sleeve when they pierce it, this distinguishing the hits of the different men. Somebody must have been using my color today, or else they guy that scored the target was color blind. Oh well, I’m not complainin’, I’m braggin’.
Gee baby I wish this tine would hurry. It will be swell to come home to you at night in our little one room flat. Honey, it will seem like a castle with you in it. I still can’t believe we’re married, maybe if I could kinda see you once in a while it would help. But honey, you’ve got to learn to cook. How about making a bargain with me. You cook me a meal just to prove to me that you can, and if I don’t like it I’ll tell you, honest, and if I do, well you’re stuck, you won’t be able to talk your way out of it anymore.
I hope I get some mail tomorrow, it’s supposed to come in then.
Well my darling, it’s getting late, just about sack time.
I love you with all my heart and miss you so darned much. Gosh honey, will we ever be able to be together always?
Well until then darling, I send you all my love. I love you-
Your devoted husband
Judd
[Translation ends]
