Dear Mother,

I'm feeling rather sleepy right now - but very well satisfied. Just finished an enormous turkey supper and am doing my best to digest it! Today's Thanksgiving, but was practically the same as any other day except for our supper. We had to go to ground school all morning and fly all afternoon. However, the fellows were allowed to have their wives on the post this evening - that certainly helped me a lot, didn't it?

This afternoon I had to ride with a Captain Kimbrell, who is an A.A.F. air inspector. Every so often these air inspectors visit the fields and more or less check on the training of the student pilots stationed there. For some unknown reason I was picked to "represent Squadron C" - that's my squadron. I just took him up, demonstrated some air work, (stalls, single engine drill, slow flying, etc.), and shot a few landings at the Houston Municipal Airport. He seemed to be satisfied - didn't say very much. More or less reminded me of somebody who is thoroughly disgusted with all other mortals, so just doesn't talk! Well, just one month and twelve days to go. Guess it won't take too long for that time to pass.

I'm glad to see the end of the month coming, cause that means pay day is drawing near. After Kansas City, my old pay check was rather low, so I've just been operating on a shoestring lately. Thanks lots for the candy and nuts. You know, I really appreciate you sending them. Guess I could say that "we" appreciate the candy, since the entire barracks had some.

I found out today that I'll be flying B-34's very soon, most probably within the next few weeks. The B-34 is a twin engine bomber, which is out-of-date for active combat, but is used for training advanced navigators. Us boys will act as co-pilots for the lieutenants who normally ride the navigators. The idea is for us to get some time in a combat ship before graduation.

Well, I'm going to have to close for tonight. I have a big navigation test to study for. Yes, that's right. I said study. If nothing else, the Army has taught me how to study. Can't get away with stuff like I could back in college, so - I must study. And, besides that, this stuff is really very important for pilots. We can learn as much about flying on the ground as we can in the air - and learning about certain flight phenomena on the ground insures safe flying when the time comes when the knowledge is required for use. (Tell me if that last paragraph makes any sense to you.)

Lots of love,
Jack

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