12/10/39
Randolph Field, Texas.
Martha Darling:
Thanks for your nice long letter. It really helped a great deal. Air mail helps, but special doesn’t do any good to speak of.
I haven’t heard anything from J.H. on the young lady for some time, so I guess he can’t be taking things too seriously.
Present appearances indicate that if I can take the radio exam, I shall pass it with ease. But it also looks like I shall have to instruct an elementary code class if I do! So I’m just not going to say anything more about it. As it now stands, I don’t attend the regular class, but go down to another room and do pretty much as I please.
It would be fine if you could come down for the graduation, but that is counting on luck a little too much. Let’s wait until we know I’m going to graduate before we get too enthusiastic.
Marje may come down in January, but I’m not at all in favor of that. The emotional strain is frankly terrific and any upset in it would probably be disastrous. Honey, don’t feel that I don’t want to have you here, but having to see you go home would be a little more than I could take.
Tom and I took a couple of pictures yesterday. I’ll try to get some to you in a week or so if they turn out.
Hey, Toots, how about that Christmas cost estimate? Perhaps you had better not send Jack anything until you meet her. Sure, I want a frame for your picture!
Thanks for the humor you enclosed. The poem attached* came from Sam Marks in Lafayette, and the telegram**, for Willy’s benefit, is an approximate duplicate of one found on our bulletin board over at the hangar.
Tell Gordon–your one and only wrinkled a wing tip on a BT-9 on Friday. I had it down to correct for a cross-wind, and when I tried to lift it, the wing stalled and smacked the ground. It was pretty hot for a while, but full right rudder picked it up before became a major accident. No damage done (except a new wing tip), and no one but spectators scared. Routine hospital check, a 40 minute dual check by my instructor, and then a solo hop shows how simple it was. Incidentally, tell him to steer clear of low-wing taper-wing monoplanes.
That is about all for now, darling. Everything is all Christmas down here, but I can’t seem to get into the spirit of it. We have temperatures of 80 degrees, and my face is getting sun burned!
Grades in military law have all been above 90, so I must be doing fairly well.
Angel, I still remember that perfectly gorgeous mental picture I took away with me, and I’m going to have you some day.
Your husband, Cy
P.S. You’re still mine and I love you.
*Poem:
Here’s to America, the land of the push,
Where a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,
Where wise men know, and women understand,
That a push in the bush is worth two in the hand!
**Telegram: Washington, D.C. International Intelligence Division—Confidential reports indicate that the Germans have taken Saultz on the Dutch border, but military experts doubt their ability to hold it. Consistent pressure from the rear may break their resistance, and the Dutch fear for the dykes if such occurs. The Nazi high command insists that the German troops will never stoop, but the indications of an impending inside job may make the continuance of their present stand highly uncomfortable and improbable. The Dutch troops have for their motto, “Saultz will out!” [Editors note: I really had trouble getting the punch-line of this little story, which I assume is supposed to be humorous collection of little sexual innuendos. I could not find any actual town named “Saultz” so I have to assume it’s a made-up name to sound like “salts”. I could find no expression such as “Saultz will out!” but I did find the expression “Blood will out,” which means that a person’s background or education will eventually show. If anyone has insight here I’d love to hear your thoughts!]