Cy exiting meeting at HQ in Italy, 1944
11/12/44 V-Mail
Italy
HI TOOTS:
THIS WON’T BE MUCH OF A LETTER FOR I’M BUSY AS HELL AND HAVE JUST SORT OF SNUCK OVER HERE WHILE THE WAC IS OUT LOOKING UP A RADIOGRAM.
DON SMITH, WHO HAD THE 84TH BEFORE I DID, WAS IN LAST NIGHT ON HIS WAY HOME. HONEY, I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, BUT SOME OF THE LADS ARE REALLY ORGANIZERS. IT MAY SEEM HARD TO BELIEVE WHEN I SEE ALL OF THESE KIDS RUNNING AROUND WITH LOTS OF RANK, BUT I SINCERELY THINK THAT WE ARE SITTING PRETTIER THAN THEY. AFTER THIS WAR THERE IS GOING TO BE A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW TRAINING AND ENGINEERING AND ADMINISTRATION AND A HELL OF SURPLUS OF HOT PILOTS. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THE PAST [Typing changes to handwriting here] two weeks, and it is a pleasant feeling. It is encouraging to find I shall know how.
It is almost like old times. I have Thomas (armament officer in Sgt. Main’s class) is in town with another HQ and is in and out a lot and Tutti McCain (Pilot in Dusty’s squadron) is also around. V.R.s* have names like Bob Carson, Willy Garner, etc. on them.
I hope I am not being a perpetual optimist, but apparently things are looking up for a change.
I love you honey. Your Brat.
*My research indicates that the American Army Air Corps used “VR” to refer to air transport squadrons. The RAF, with which Cy worked very closely throughout the war, used “VR” to refer to Volunteer Reserve pilots. I’m not sure which Cy was referring to in this letter.