3/11/40
Brooks Field, Tx.
Dear Angel:
Our first year of married life may be a hectic one, but you will be my wife and it won’t take long to get squared away on a real married life.
Precious, here’s the set-up. It’s gradually crystalizing into something tangible. After graduation, we will have another 3 months of specialized flight training, possibly here in San Antonio. There we will learn to be not only pilots, but pilots in pursuit of whatever branch of each of us is placed in. We are “strongly” advised “not to marry until the end of this period (August 9). If we wait until then, it will spoil our chances of a permanent commission. The obvious answer then is to be married between June 15 and June 30. By that time I should have a little cash. So, Angel, that’s the date as far as I know.
By June 1, I shall have received a fair paycheck (half cadet/half officer). Although there is a faint possibility of our not being able to live together until Aug. 9, we can put you up somewhere near and have evenings and week-ends together. In all probability, there will be no quarters on the post for married 2nd Lts., so we can possibly draw a quarters allowance and live off of the post. My paycheck will be $205 per month if I live in government quarters or $245 if I live in private quarters. Insurance is $8 per month and uniforms will cut possibly $25 per month or a little more.
Time for noon mess. More later.
It’s 4 o’clock, and I’m in study hall. Of course, there’s nothing to study, but that has nothing to do with the situation.
About ½ of my class are so damned mad about this new development of 3 months additional training and further stumbling blocks to getting married that they’re about ready to resign. Honey, I can’t see that there’s any good reason to wait, for if we do, it will be a couple of years. I’ve always been independent in the past and it has paid good dividends. If I’m good enough to get a permanent commission, I’m afraid being married won’t be an objection. As I now see it, this last notice is just to scare out those who are just on the line.
I’m awfully pleased that you and Mother can talk things over. She’s a grand girl, Honey, and anything that I am can be traced back to the training she has given me. I received a letter from her this morning and she seemed rather happy that we have something definitely established.
Angel, I haven’t forgotten the engagement ring situation, but we may not get it until we’ve been married for a while.
That’s about all for now, darling. Mickey and Martha remarked yesterday that they certainly wished we lived in S.A. so the four of us could be together. I think they’re rather sold on the idea of MMW becoming MWS.
Lots of love, Cy.
P.S. “Special” gets here half a day later than regular Air Mail, so save your dimes.