Aviation Cadet
Henry J. Barone

Tuesday 12/1/42

Dear Mrs. DAngola:

Having received a card from you first certainly makes Hank Barone feel like a heel! Ive been going to write you and The Chief ever since Ive been in the Army Air Corps but I never got to it before today. Offering excuses for not writing would adhere to all non-civilian excuses of being bust that Ill just go on and try to make up by giving you and overview of what my life has been for the past four months.

On Aug. 19th I entrained at Newark and left for Nashville, Tennessee, which is an Air Corp Classification Centre. I spent two weeks there taking various and sundry tests for placement in the Air Crew and while waiting for my status to be clarified, I had the extreme pleasure of wallowing thru the Tenn. Mud which was very plentiful and most of the time knee high. I also had my share of mess management and guard duty during this wait and I was really joyful when I found out that they finally found something for me. I qualified for all three branches of the Air Crew  pilot, navigator, and bombardier. At the time, orders were being filled for bombardiers in Santa Ana, so here I am.

The trip out here was interesting due to the fact that I had never been this far west and after absorbing the beauty of the golden west, there isnt any doubt in my mind as to where Ill go for a real vacation if I don a civilian uniform again.

Ive been here 3 months now and have completed my pre-flight education/ Right now Im waiting to be transferred to advanced training and after the culmination of 12 weeks if everything goes well, I will receive a second lieutenants commission. The nine weeks Ive just gone thru were plenty rough and now Im really glad that I played basketball at ole N.S.T.C because it gave me a good start in the physical training we go through 1 1/2 hours each day. The course of instruction could have covered 4 full years of college but we came through it in the nine weeks. The saying out here in pre-flight school is, If you drop a pencil you miss two months work.

I havent any kicks about the Air Corp yet and I doubt Ill ever have any. Its the best training in the world and you have to be on the ball all the time. We draw details that we grip all day about but despite the fact that we have blisters on top of our blisters, I dont think there are many who would change.

That newspaper for men in the service is really a fine thing, it enabled me to find out where some of my friends were. Im going to look forward to more of them. From the looks of things, the college must be short of men to look after the fairer sex down thar; and the fellows that are left, I am told are getting the works, physically from the Chief so that they havent any time for the women. Now the boys from 37-41 would certainly be able to handle both assignments very capably, me thinks!

Gosh, there goes the call for assembly and I have an hours drill coming up so Ill have to close. My best regards to Mr. DAngola, Mr. Zweidinger(sp?), and to the girls in your counseling group. I will try to keep you posted from time to time on my training.

Sincerely yours,

Hank Barone

PS. Mrs DAngola, I have a favor to ask and nearly overlooked it. I need a transcript of my college record to take to advanced with me. Could you see to it that one is sent to me as soon as possible. I would certainly appreciate it.