Dear Mother,

How do you like this stationery? Pretty classy, I say! Right now I'm waiting for lunch to be called. As yet my bunch hasn't flown, but we expect to either this afternoon or tomorrow morning. The plane pictured at the top of this sheet is the type of plane that we fly, a Fairchild P.T. 19A. They are the fastest and best of Primary trainers.

I've been talking to some of the upperclassmen here and it seems that 40% of our upper class have washed out. This is the highest wash rate that Pine Bluff has had in a long time.

This morning we had an orientation lecture and also received our goggles and flying helmets. The more I see of this place, the more bewildered I become. Truly it is a country club. It even looks like it. There are no big, clumsy looking barracks - just small, two-room cottages equipped with showers and all the rest. These cottages are completely exteriorly and interiorly decorated - look just like small houses. It must have cost a fortune to build this place.

The "mess hall" is a quaint building that appears to be just a large "Indian Hill" home. The air here is not as hot nor as dry as the air in Texas. On the whole, I think it's wonderful. We also take three courses in ground school - Aircraft Identification, Meteorology and Engines. I think they'll prove quite interesting.

We were held up en route by a train wreck in Fort Worth. Maybe you read about it. When we finally got through, we were able to see the wreckage strewn all along the track. There were 32 box cars destroyed. The complete trip took 36 hours and we came by day coaches. Four of us rearranged our seats into a crude bed and slept fairly well.

Well, it's time to eat, so I'll sign off 'till tomorrow.

Lots of love,
Jack

p.s. My new address is as follows: A/C John M. Buxton, 44A, 312th AAFFTD N-2, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

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