Pvt. G. R. Greer

413 S.S. Flight 87 Bcks 14

Air Corps Technical School

Keesler Field, Mississippi

 

 

Dear Folks,

 

Well here I am in Biloxi. This is certainly a different country than I am used to. You can look for miles and never see a hill or mountain of any kind. The trees here are bull pine but quite tall & slender. We are located just 2/3 of a mile from the Gulf on one side of camp and are only1/4 mile from the Bayou on the other. In other words we are located on a peninsula that runs out into the Gulf. The soil here is a sand clay that stays about half wet even when it does not rain. And boy does it rain! The temperature here stays about 60 to 70 degrees so of course it never snows but when it rains it really comes down by the bucketful.

 

The camp consists of about 40 square blocks. There are 16 barracks in each block. About 60 to 65 men stay in each barracks. In other words there are about 25,000 men in this camp. Each block has its headquarters and recreation building for convenience sakes. All the mess halls are in the center of camp and we walk about eight blocks to chow. This camp was established to train Air mechanics. The school and shops are located just outside the main area. Don’t know how many they can train at a time but I guess the amount is quite enormous. We have a month ofc amp detail, marching etc. then we start to school. Our schooling lasts 19 weeks. At the end of that time if we don’t flunk out we will be Air Mechanics. Air Mechanics is a pretty good rating and you really learn something. Can’t say as to whether or not I’ll get into the Cadets. It’s a toss up whether or not I could get in and I don’t know but what this schooling is just as good.

 

Have been having quite a time here. The buildings of course are all new. However they have been so rushed that all of the fixtures are not in yet. We have no heat or hot water, otherwise are O.K. The water here is alkili and proves to be laxitive in every sense of the word. That is, until you get use to it. The second night here everyone had to get up and go anywhere from 2 to 5times. Guess we used about ten rolls of paper. We have five toilet bowls and you had to be lucky to find one empty. Last night a chum and I went to Biloxi and had a few drinks of whiskey & beer and after that my condition improved. We plan on going in to New Orleans over the week end and so I should have quite an interesting trip.

 

Forgot almost–instead of using gravel for paving their streets here in camp they used oyster shells. Quite unique and very satisfactory.

 

Certainly has been damp here but fortunately I haven’t caught a cold. Most of the boy shave one but the weather is so mild, as compared with what I am used to, I don’t believe it will bother me.

 

Lost all of my old companions but have a new buddy. He is from Spokane but I never met him until we left Salt Lake. He is 23, slight in build, blond and full of life. We have pretty good times together.

 

Well its about time to eat so will close. Would enjoy hearing all the latest scandal.

 

Love,Rex

 

P.S. If you wrote to me per Biloxi, Air Corps unassigned it will reach me but it will probably take a few days longer.

 

Dear Folks,

 

Thanks for the luscious cookies. They are a real treat. Will probably spoil my next couple of meals but I don’t mind that. That padlock is exactly what I wanted but I believe I mentioned something about not buying one especially for me. Thanks alot though. I’ll forgive you this time.

 

Was called before the Cadet board yesterday and they said that I was qualified for Cadet training. I will be shipped out of here probably in the next couple of weeks. Will go to another training center where I will undergo another series of physical & mental exams. If I make the next physical exam, which I understand is really a tough one, I will be classified either as a Flying Cadet, Navigator, Bombardier or Flying Crew. All branches are classified the same as far as rank and pay but the mental ability is higher in some than others. The physical & mental exam here eliminated about eight out of ten so I imagine most of us that do go now will make it O.K. I have no idea asto where I am going and won’t know until I receive orders probably just a few hours before I am shipped. I thought it a good idea to tell you ahead of time so you wouldn’t send me my parcels etc. until I am settled down again. I’m really getting quite a trip out of this venture of mine, aren’t I? Hope to get settled down one of these days. If I make the grade in Cadets I’ll certainly be one happy boy. Have nothing else at the present but will keep you informed as to my whereabouts.

 

Love,

 

Rex

9-20-42  (U.S. Army Air Forces Nashville, Tenn stationary)

 

Dear Dad and Mother,

 

We are fairly well settled down and into the routine now. We rollout at 5:00 A.M. and keep busy until 9:30 P.M. We take drill and calisthenics one/two a day. Go to school the other ½ and study at night. We have an hour of math, and hour of code and an hour of airplane identification to start with in school. Our drilling is by squad or platoon and our exercises are might be either with or without dumbbells and the occasional cross country run.We are here for the 9 weeks and are confined to the post for the period we are lower classmen (4½ weeks). Our upper classmen are our bosses and we do just as they say or take the consequences. Anytime we are spoken to by an upper classmen we have to come to attention.If he says, “Sound off mister,” you say, “Sir, New AV/C Greer, G.R., 19060590, Idaho, Sir.” If you are not properly dressed, shaved or otherwise cared for they gig you and every gig over five equals an hour walking tour for each gig. At the table we have to sit at attention with our heads back which is not easy especially with your eyes on a point as ours are. If we move our eyes, we get gigged. It isn’t so hard after you get used to it, but it still takes the fun out of eating. When we fall out for our formations we have to fall out five minutes before the upper classmen, stand at parade rest with our eyeson a point, guts in and shoulders racked back. We also shine our shoes with polish before each formation and walk the “rat line” (140 steps per minute with arms and legs stiff and eyes on a point) our to where we fall in. When the upper classmen come out they give us a thorough inspection, ask us our general orders, names of our squadron leaders etc.,we are supposed to know 3 aircorp songs and they put us into a “brace,” (an exaggerated form of attention). We have to know all the answers, keep our eyes on a point and be immaculate or we get gigged. It is really good training and quite necessary for the most of the civilians but seems out of place for the enlisted men. However it doesn’t hurt us any and really keeps us on the ball. Wait until the 4 weeks is up and then its our turn. Upper classmen can also get gigged but usually for only pulling something quite out of place. All of this training is to improve the body and mind even if it does sound out of place. I haven’t got gigged yet but I’ll slip occasionally no doubt.Bye for now,

 

Much love,

 

Rex

 

Dear Dad and Mother,

 

Thanks for the birthday gifts.  Very nice indeed.  Recv’d the cookies about three days ago and found them delicious as usual.  They arrived in fine shape.  The boys told me to be sure to and tell my Mom what a good cookie maker she is.  We usually have some sweets of some kind around but cookies seem to hit the spot all the way around. 

 

Have been doing quite a bit of flying lately.  Have 40 hrs up to date.  Had a bit of an experience the other day.  Was coming into land when a gust of wind hit me.  Drug the left wing along the ground a bit before I got it straightened out. The control tower saw what happened and evidently turned in a report on it as nothing was said by the Squadron Leader, Captain Hatcher.  I had to appear before the operations officer and he questioned me about it.  I told him if I had been on the ball it probably wouldn’t have happened.  He then took my part and said a sudden gust is liable to get anyone and only hoped I had gained some experience from it.  My instructor was not too pleased as it was his favorite ship but it was flying again the next day so he shouldn’t mind.  Passed my progress check yesterday and the Captain said I gave him a darn good ride which pleased my instructor.  Have made about 20 cross wind landings and 8 night landings since my little incident and have really been setting her down on three points. We are ready for advanced air work now.  We get 8 hours night flying, about 6 hrs cross country, formation flying which is fun the way they do it here, acrobatics and stuff like that.  We are scheduled to leave here for advanced around the first.  Our training here ends the 30^th.  We finish ground school net week about Wed. then we’ll be out on the line all day.  Only have 30 hrs to go so it should be fairly easy as well as a lot of fun.  Our instructors are much friendlier since we finished our elementary stages and air work.  You asked how we keep track of anything directly under us.  We can’t in straight and level flight but then the only danger is having someone coming up under neath you which isn’t likely as we can see straight up.  Anytime we do a maneuver in which we lose any altitude we do two 45°steep turns to clear ourselves.  In a steep turn the wing points almost directly toward a point on the ground under the ship so we can see everything on one side in a sweeping glance then we roll over on the other wing and take a squint o n that side.  It is as important to watch for other ships as fly our own and the army really makes you keep your head out of the cockpit. We have some 52 controls and instruments and switches and you have to know their exact location and function as in night flying you have no lights on just an illuminated instrument board.  We all had to take a blind fold test before we soloed to make sure we could go thru our procedure without looking in the cockpit.  For example – before take off we check – trim tabs, altimeter, mixture control, pitch (prop), carb heat, oil shutters, fuel, flaps, then check the mags run up the engine and take off – 90°  turn at 50° then 90 degree turns up to 1,000 where you change prop pitch, switch gas tanks and roll-up flaps and all the time doing climbing 90 degree turns so you don’t dare look in the cockpit but watch for other ships.  In formation flying you never even look at anything you might think you ought to as you keep your eyes in one place and that is on the leader who makes all the necessary signals.  From the time you start to taxi out to take off until you park the ship you keep your eyes on the lead man.  Sounds tiresome but it is really fun.  If he bounces twice on landing you are supposed to bounce twice.  I think we are really going to be able to fly when we get thru here.

 

Don’t feel any older than I did 10 years ago.  We keep pretty fit here.  Am a bit bald in one spot though – one of the boys kicked a hunk of scalp out with his toe when we were doing some tumbling exercises.  Nothing serious but have a spot about the size of a nickel without hair on the back of my head just opposite my cowlick.  Am holding my weight at about 155 bare so have gained a few pounds since the cadets and am holding it.

 

Had a nice letter from Whis today.  He is not too pleased with his job but the pay must be O.K.  He was quite anxious to find out about my love affair and I was wondering if he knew of the first let alone the second. 

 

About time to roll in.  We still rise at 5:15 and are now eating supper at 7:00 so put in a day.  Good night.

 

Your loving son,

Rex

 

A/C GR Greer

Class 43E

Craig Field

Selma, Alabama

 

Dear Folks,

 

Recv’d the cake-date loaf, jam and cheese. Looks very appetizing but as yet haven’t had an opportunity to try it.

 

We aren’t eating supper until 8:00 now. Will probably have a snack this evening.

 

You asked about Elgin Field.We are going to be done down there about the 10th of next month and return here for the rest of the course. Elgin Field is near the coast and fairly desolate country. They have to have plenty of room when they start pouring the lead around the country.Elgin is about 40 miles east of Pensacola.

 

We are in a bit of a dither here. There is a group of high ranking officers that have gained the name of the “GESTAPO”. They have been washing out quite a few from both our class and upperclass. They go from squadron to squadron and pick fellows at random. Very few pass the checks and are eliminated. Can’t figure out just what is cooking unless they have all the pilot they need . Haven’t heard anything like it from other schools so don’t know what’s up.

 

Have had a couple of hours of dry runs on both ground and aerial targets. Sure is fun. All we go there is the practice. We fly at 700 ft at 120 miles per hour then turn when at right angles to the ground target. We dive slightly until we hit about 160mi per hr then should be about 300 yards from our target. Anywhere from 400 to 200 yds is firing range.Our target is 6 ft square with a 3o” bull and a hit anywhere on the target counts. We fire about 100 rounds a mission. Make from 15 to 20 passes so only squeeze out from 5-8 shots each round.Really have to be smooth on the controls. 30% qualifies as expert and not too many qualify. Our aerial target is 20 ft long and 4 ft wide. Is towed behind another ship at 120 miles per hour. We meet the towship head on approximately 300 yrds to one side. We roll into a steep turning divethen in a level turn try to get our lead and hold it until we are about 250 yrds or closer.

 

Takes a lot more judgement but is much easier to roll on to. More fun too.

 

Think I’ll sign off a try a piece of date loaf.

 

Don’t worry about my sending too many clothes home. I really have too darn many. When I pack my two barraks bag, I have about all I can carry. If my allowance doesn’t cover my clothes I’ll letyou chip in.No use spending your good money if the government is willing to pay. I’ll come home and eat it up in grub if given the chance so don’t worry.

 

Love,

 

Rex

 

303 Fighter Sqdn

Sarasota Army Air Base

Sarasota, Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will draw two months pay the 1stso will probably send some money then