9-11-44
New Guinea
Dearest Mother, Dad, & Velma;
I just received your letter of 3rd, which is one of the quickest letters I have gotten from you. It was your first letter with my new address. I hope I have a lot of mail to catch up with me.
I don’t believe we will be here very long. We are really working hard but it takes time and patience. I have some good boys but they are really green. I hope I can teach them enough to use their heads. They can fly O.K. but they don’t think too well. I guess that comes from experience tho.
I was very glad to hear from Dad. Sure wish he would write more often. Got a big laugh out of him saying he was out of paper and you said he had plenty. I was glad to hear Dad had the shop fixed-up. If I remember correctly, it needed fixing up. I hope you are making plenty money out of the place. Also glad you had the truck painted, but I will be glad when you get a new one. Too bad Mr. Mullins is not doing any good. I hope it isn’t anything very serious.
I should have my promotion pretty soon, if all goes well, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.
I have been cutting down on all my junk I have collected so I can get around better. At first, I looked like an Arkansas Traveler. I am taking my flight to Rabaul tomorrow so they can see what it looks like. It will be their first trip over an enemy base. I didn’t like Dad’s remark about me being a better instructor than a fighter pilot – and by the way – I think I am a pretty good fighter pilot – with 400 combat hours and 145 missions. That ain’t hay – Dad.
I am enclosing some pictures proofs that I had made in Sydney. If you like them you can have them enlarged if you like them. Tell me if you do.
How is Velma? What is she doing? How is she feeling? Give Thelma my love and tell her to write.
‘Bye for now and do write often.
All my love
Son
P.S. Don’t worry too much about Barbara!