April 23rd 1943

Letter #26

April 23rd 1943

Mrs. John W. Steele

San Antonio, Texas

Dear "Babe" and Tommy

This place is another example of poorly organized army camps. I have again changed my life to the opposite extreme. This place reminds me of Drew Field - Everyone does what he want if and when he want to. I haven't done anything since I arrived. We are called at 5:20 for breakfast (none of us get up yet) then we sleep or go out and play ball or horse shoes and walk around eat candy etc. until noon and then the same thing until supper then we go to Free movies or pay .15 for a first run movie. You are supposed to be in bed by 10 o'clock.

The meals are absolutely the best I have ever had. We have clean plates with 2 veg, pot, meat salid, bread, butter and milk every meal. They are really knocking themselves out to see that we are in good shape for the Physical thursday.

We went to a lecture this morning. They told us very pleasantly that 1/2 of us would wash out here. They Physical really doesn't sound any different except the eye test. That still has me worried. I have met several fellows that washed because their muscle control was not good enough. That is what the Doctor said about me, remember? The mental and physical test last 8 hrs without a break one of the reasons for this is to see if you will blow-up under continued nervous strain. Then to complete it they give you test with different machines to see if you have steady nerve, proper reflexes, dont blackout too quickly and muscle coordination of eyes and feet. All of this should hake approx 4 days then you wait for the results for another 4 days. Then you (if you arnt washed) sit down on your fanny again and wait. It may be 4 weeks or 4 months. The latest rumor says at least 4 weeks be not more then 8 weeks. You don't have to do anything while you are waiting but I am going to start getting in better shape. One of the things you have to be about to do after 8 weeks is pre-flight is run 7 SEVEN mile. BOY oh boy that nearly bowled me over when I heard that. I havent ever run over a mile. They also (here in classification) have night school I am going to go to that to. I want to learn my radio code. We have to be able to send and receive 15 words a minute sometime or other. I am no sure when. It make you kind of nervous when so many fail. They leave in a couple of days to a regular camp in air corps grand duty. One fellow was washed because he had an auto accident (serious) that was his fault and they found out about it.

I certainly miss Tampa in a way. Everything was run so exact you know what you were doing even if it did deem impossible to get done. I miss the other fellows and girls too. The fellows in this group I did not run around with as much as the ones that are still left back in Tampa. I miss that "Teddy" to she was really full of fun I had a lot more fun with her then with Anne Moore but she wasn't so hot looking. Thats they way it goes lots of times doesn't it?

By the way the pants presser arrived that Ma sent. I enjoyed the gum and read the magazine but the darn presser was broken (the handle). Oh Well! I dont have any pressing to do now anyway. We pay a flat $1.50 (automatic deduction) every week for all the laundry we put in.

We are back on part pay while we are here being classified will you send one of my Bonds or buy one from me or something. I am down to $8 and we dont get paid until the first. Then only $10 at time

Love

Dave