12/21/39
Randolph Field, Tx.
Hi Honey:
Gee, there’s not much left of this little boy. I don’t know where I left off, so I shall start way back.
When final ratings came out, your one and only found himself with a set of Sergeant’s stripes (cadet). As far as I know, this is the highest rank given to anyone who didn’t have a reserve commission before appointment or a flying cadet. It’s not much, but as good as could be expected. There are about five other Sgts in the company. Gerrity got a Corporal’s stripe out of the deal. Fleet got nix, and I can’t figure it out.
Yesterday noon I went on duty as F.C.O.D.*, which is a damned nasty tour of 24 hours of hell. While there, they shuffled rooms and Tom and Burt are at the other end of the Barracks on another floor. My new room is very conveniently located on the first stoop. I finally got Don Wiedhardt for a room-mate. This is a big help, for although he is more than I can ask for, he is now in the hospital and about to be washed out. Gee, I hope he gets by the board ok. There’s no damn sense in his washing.
We had two exams scheduled for the morning, but they slapped them on us tonight. At the last minute, all with a grade of 90 or above in military law were excused. But I’m afraid my gunnery grade will be pretty cheesy. Exams on top of O.D.** job is no joke.
Saturday is our first day off, so I get assigned F.C. charge of quarters. This is a 24 hr. duty tour that restricts me to battalion area. Damn it all, why did they start all the dirty assignments at the end of the alphabet.
I really should be more cheerful, for apparently everything is going along fine.
MERRY XMAS
Friday noon, taking off by Greyhound for Nogales***.
Lots of love, Darling. Cy
*The only military abbreviation I found for “F.C.O.D.” “Flight Crew Operations Directorate”; but I suspect Cy’s use of the terms probably means some like “Fucking Cadet On Duty” or “Facility Cadet On Duty”?
**The military abbreviation I found for “O.D.” was “Operations Directives” or “On Duty”
***Arizona, where the Fasts had a vacation home.