Sunday

. . . . Boy, I sure would like to be there for harvest.  I could really enjoy that now.  Finished my nite jump Friday and one more Saturday, so we start tomorrow with our jumps 1 a day til Friday � 5 jumps.

Monday �

Well, I�ve got some good news.  Got up at regular time 5:45 & fell out at 7 & marched down to the hangers & waited & waited.  The more we waited the more nervous I got & you know me when I get nervous.  I�m just getting back to normal now & it�s 11.  We waited til 10 then climbed into the plane & took off.  By the time we got up to 1200� I was so nervous & scared I was shaking all over.  Well the jump master says �get ready�, that means get static line hook in your hand, the �stand up�, �hook up� means hook your fastener to the cable running thru the plane & the next command is �check equipment� the next is �sound off for equipment check� the next is �close up to door�; the next is �are you ready� & then he pats the first man on the leg & he jumps, then the next man shuffles up in the door & he pats him.  Our first to jumps are that way, Individual, but the last three are mass jumps where the jump master says go & you get out of the plane s fast as you can.  Well, I jumped & didn�t have my head bent quite far enough & I thot sure that chute would never open.  I fell approx. 80 to 100 feet & boy my head popped back & the snot just flew.  Pardon my language.  Boy, what a thrill coming down, tho.  

      Boy, Mom & Dad, you can say I jumped once even if I don�t jump 4 more times, but I�m going to.  I�ve got some wonderful strawberries on my shoulders.  You have to have you harness on tight enough that it makes you so you can�t even straighten up & I was that way but I still got those harness burns.  They say one jump is equivalent to 8 hrs work & I honestly believe it.  Boy, o Boy, what a thrill. . . . .I bet right now you are wondering if I froze up there or something, but I was even too scared to freeze.  I don�t care how big & how strong a man is when he gets up to that door & has his arms & elbows & hands & biggest part of his body hanging out there waiting for that pat on the leg & looks down at the ground & feels that wind pressure hitting him it takes all his guts, will power & mind to make his muscles spring on out.  Well, anyway, I�ve made No. I ok & am wanting to get the other 4 over & I know you are wishing me luck & love so I can�t miss.  . . . . Tell Dale & Anna hello . . . .

Tuesday �

Well as you see I�m still able to write & still kicking after my jump today.  I got out ok & no shock so on the way down I did about 3 body turns & really looked the country over & then landed with a thump Ha, ha.  I believe I cane make the other 3 now.  After these jumps I�ll have 4 more weeks at Rigger school, then I�ll probably be shipped out.  Dad, I bet you could jump if you had the training.  I know you�ve got the guts.  When the chute opens it just feels like you are on the end of a 50� rope & somebody whips it and makes the end pop with you on the end.  . . . . That�s right, we don�t have k.p. or guard in the PTs unless you wash out or something like that. . .  The class has thinned down a lot.  No, Mom, give my address to whoever wants it cause I�m glad to receive letters. . .

July 1, 1943

Dear Mom & Dad �

Well, here I am still alive & kicking with my nerve about all gone.  I finally remember to count this time I jumped.  Had wind & mist and we fairly lit hard.  Several more broken legs. Everytime we�ve jumped I�ve lit within 150 yards of the meat wagon so if I did get hurt it wouldn�t take them long to get to me.   I�m still lucky.  One of the risers caught me under the arm & when the opening shock came I thot sure I had lost it.  That will really learn me to keep my elbows in close to my body.  This week is by far the hardest one.  It�s really running me down, but Mom & Dad, I�ll make the one tomorrow & I�ll be a qualified PT.  Won�t that be something.  I get to thinking sometimes, what in the devil am I doing in the PTs & am surprised that I�ve made it; but I had my mind too set on it to lose.  We�ve only had about 15 refusals up in the plane to jump.  Yesterday when we got the order to stand up my legs refused to act & when I did get up they just melted so I grabbed the hand grip on the side of the plane for a minute & was alrite.  You can just imagine what that does to your mind & nervous system for a whole week.  But O Boy tomorrow is the last one to qualify.  I guess we get our wings Sat. 

Keep your fingers crossed til tomorrow nite then you can uncross them. Ha=Ha.  Mom & Dad, that candy is just delicious.  I sure do thank you . . . . Keep your fingers crossed. . .

Saturday �

Well, I�m a paratrooper now.  I have to stop & think to realize it.  Will get my wings at noon.  Made it alrite on the jump yesterday.  One boy lit in a tree, big pine & hung there 3 hours before they could get him down.  Have to polish my boots (2 hr. job) & get cleaned up & ready for my wings today.  Boy is my chest out.  Hope you are as happy as I am.  Will call tonight maybe. 

Lots of Love �

Dear Mom & Dad �

Oh, my, am I disgusted.  After all I went thru to be a fighting paratrooper then they have to stick me over here.  Am just going to school now.  I�m sure disappointed but I�ll live over it.  Anyway, I�m a paratrooper. . . .Since harvest is over is Melvin going to join the Army? . . . Wish you could see my boots & wings, they are really a�shining.    We go up Saturday & drop some supply chutes.  We fly at about 75 to 100 feet & drop them.  Did you know we�ve got chutes to drop 10 ton tanks, trucks, & jeeps? 

July 11, Sunday

Took an airplane ride Sat. morning.  The first time I landed in a plane here & the second time in my life.  We dropped several containers of stuff.  You lay on the floor & stick your head out & when you think it�s time you shove the stuff out.  You have to be careful not to get tangled up and go out with it.  Boy, these pilots here handle these C-47 planes like pursuit jobs.

Tuesday

I�m sending a few things from the Atlanta Journal.  This clipping of General Giraud is specially interesting because I was within 15 feet of him.   Boy, he was surrounded by guards.  Our class gave him a demonstration of parachute packing.  I bet you knew all about him in the last war.  He spoke in French.  Sure gave me a funny feeling to be that close to such a great man.

Thursday

What do you think of all the good the PTs did at Sicily.  Pretty good outfit to be in I believe if I could get out of this part I�m in.  . . . . Am still learning about parachutes.  Learned how to pack them outside without any equipment today & tomorrow nite we try to pack some in the dark.  Boy, I�m sure getting soft.  If they do send me to an Infantry outfit it�s going to be tough on me for a while.  The training is unimaginable.  It�s all physical such as running & carrying so much wt. so far & stuff like that.  I sure would be out of shape to do that.  You ask what I was studying.  Well it�s just packing of different kinds of chutes and maintenance of them; but as I said before, it don�t necessarily mean I�ll leave here as a rigger & I sure hope not. . . .I�m sending you this picture to show you what we really look like when we leave the plane.  . . .

Dear Mom & Dad �

We have a 5th week here in rigger school, which is machine maintenance.  In D stage, the one I�m in now, the six best men are picked to go to E stage.  Just six out of each class, I�m one of the six so it looks like I stay here another week.  You are picked on your grades and ability.  I guess I shouldn�t have worked so hard, but this taking machines apart & putting them back together (maybe) is & always has been awfully interesting.  Who would have thought I�d end up in the PTs a sewing machine mechanic.  I�m terribly disappointed, but I�ll only be that while I�m still stationed in the U.S.  When I leave the US  I�ll be toting a gun then.  Chances are I might not be a rigger anyway, if they don�t need them that bad.  But, heck, I�ll just do what they want me to and do it to the best of my ability because I�m here to do a job no matter how disagreeable it is. 

      Say, I was offered an instructor�s job here & would get an acting sargent�s rating, but I couldn�t see myself stuck here for the duration.  I just told him that I just didn�t want it.  In about 3 to 5 months I�d be a real sergeant, but I just couldn�t see it.  They asked 3 boys out of our class #49.  The reason they want more instructors is because they are enlarging all classes here.  I�d be right here for the duration.  Phooey.  I can�t see any country that way.

      Well, Pop, hope you have a happy birthday.  But I wish you would write & tell me how old you are.  I can�t decide whether it�s 43 or 44.  Mom, you�d better take Pop out for his birthday now.  Lots of love to you both.

Tuesday

      Say, Pop, I only wish I could be back there working for you.  I�ve had all I�ve wanted of Army life & I�ll be ready to go back to civilian life whenever possible.  It don�t take long to get tired of it.  I still have approx. 4 or 5 years to go yet so I�m beginning to be patient.  Say, I found out how I can get a furlough.  I�m just about positive about going to McCall, N.C. from here and if you put in for overseas you get a furlough right away.  I�ll have to think a little about that.  You�d come back off your furlough & leave for overseas.    If I go to McCall, I�ll be shipped overseas more than likely in Oct. & I might get a furlough, so keep your fingers crossed.  Just think, in the Army 6 months and not even a glimpse of a sea or ocean yet. Ha.Ha.  This is my last week for sure here so I�ll be moving again next week.   I�d better close for now. . .

August 4, 1943.

Well, this is the day, isn�t it?  Happy birthday, Dad.

Boy � o � boy this machine maintenance is really the stuff.  There is 400 parts to a machine and I know most of them.   Since Monday I�ve stripped them down & rebuilt them a hundred times I bet. I put them together & adjust them all over then & get them to running and sewing perfectly then the instructor does something to them & we have to find out the trouble.  Guess I�m just an old Singer man going from door to door repairing machines.  Now ain�t that something?

You ask how you get straightened out when you are falling head first.  Well you don�t have to worry about that at all.  When your chute opens is when you stop & get the opening shock & don�t worry none about straightening out any when that happens.  Your main 28� chutes is on your back and the reserve 22� is on your stomach.  I can�t take any pictures because there�s not supposed to be any cameras in Ft. B.  If I�d bring mine out they�d take it away from me.