Editor’s note: In 1938, the Douglas Airplane Company began production of the A-20 “Havoc” light bomber, which became the most produced bomber aircraft by the U.S. in WWII. The initial production was sold to France and Great Britain, where they were called “Boston” bombers. This would be the primary plane that Cy would later pilot in the war. See: http://www.boeing.com/history/products/db-7-a-20-boston-havoc.page
3/2/38
Dear Marty:
Don’t laugh, but I’m in the Army now! Well, not quite. I have passed the exam for air corps training, and I am sitting around waiting for orders to scram down to San Antonio.
I shall be a second looey when I graduate and shall then have to serve as such for two years in the regulars. PU is damn good for all three years of service. I am supposed to receive orders to leave before the end of the week. If I don’t, it is certainly going to be embarrassing, as I haven’t gone to classes all week.
Decision may seem rather sudden, but I’ve been thinking about it for 10 years or more. The doc who examined me said I was about due for a physical breakdown if I kept up the pace much longer, so I decided I might as well get the air corps training now and finish college in style when I get ready. I shall be able to save enough to be a blarsted plutocrat when I go back to college. The courses this semester have been much harder, and that has been the reason for my losing 10 pounds in the last three weeks (no bunk).
Right now, I am about to go nuts—waiting for the orders to come. They should be here today, but I am not supposed to get worried until Friday. But since the class starts in San Antonio on March 1, every day I spend here will be one more day to make up there. Also, with the exception of this and one or two other letters, I am not using my eyes at all. So if they should suddenly decide not to send me until July 1, I shall have a hell of a lot of school work to make up here also.
M.G. and I have decided to wait. The folks are already beginning to treat her more nicely since they know that I am going away. I had a big powwow with them and found out that Mama is all in favor of our going together as much as possible, and poppa doesn’t want me to ever see her again. Frankly, I think he is jealous of some of my abilities. Well, if and when I finish my first years training, I shall be on a salary of 245 bucks per month, and that should be enough to take care of two slap-happy kids, if you get what I’m aiming at.
I saw the folks* Monday. I was on the go for 41 hours and only had two hours sleep during that time. I’m still recovering. I shall be a first lt. in the air corps if I work hard enough, but probably only 2nd. I’ll let you know what happens when I myself find out.
73, Cy
*The folks were Laura Montgomery Stafford and Cyrus B. Stafford:
