Dear Mother,

I've already packed my good stationery - happened to have this stuff lying around. We're leaving for Lincoln, Nebraska at 7:30 tonight - the trip should take about 24 hours. We're going to travel in style this time - not chair cars, not Pullmans, but COMPARTMENTS! I happen to know so much because I'm the officer in charge of car #2 on the train. That's a laugh, because I won't be able to do a darned thing with these crazy fliers!

A little note to Dad - Pop, you'd have really loved Colorado if you had been on our little trip up to San Isabel. Here's the way the deal came off. Last Monday night the Browns, Carol and I, took a ride up to San Isabel. We liked it so much that we planned this little trip for our time off. We finished our work at the base on Wednesday and left for the mountains the next afternoon. We lived in three cabins, the Browns in one, the gals in the second, and Alex and I in the last. We did lots of fishing, boating, hiking and plain old loafing. Us three boys tried to go swimming in the lake, but that mountain water was just too cold. Earl caught three rainbow trout - that is six we all caught. The best I could do was get a beautiful sun tan.

As for leaves, the situation looks rather sad. The best we could do here was a three day pass, which restricted us to a 150 mile radius. That's the reason we planned the mountain trip. All of the wives have left for home - Mrs. Brown to Florida, Mrs. Butler to San Francisco, Mrs. Hinckley for Salt Lake City, and Mrs. Burkhead to Illinois. It's a good thing that all of the fellows are by themselves now, because it's essential that they have their minds on nothing but their work from now on.

I'm still hoping to get furloughs for at least the enlisted men who haven't been home in over six months. But the Second Air Force is trying to be rough - they don't want us to come home for some vague reason. This will be the first time for quite a while that I haven't traveled by car with Bill and Alex. However, both of them are in my train car, so we'll have our usual good time.

Carol's full name is as follows, if you care to drop her a line. Please don't say anything to hurt her feelings - she's a good kid. Carol Holmgren, 501 East Evans Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado

Will write en route.

Lots of love,
Jack

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