Monday, August 24, 2015

Parks Air College Aug. 24, 1942

Dear Mother,

     Well here it is about 11:45 P.M. I am out at school
and nothing to do for a few minutes. It has really turned
cool here since Sat. Saturday it rained here and then cooled
off We have to have a sheet and blanket over us.
     Yesterday Red Davis and I went around together in
the afternoon and then at night most of our class
went on the Admiral. This is a big pleasure boat.
It has five decks and is only three years old. It is
streamlined and three of the decks are enclosed in class [glass]
It has air conditioning in it. Really is a nice boat. It
was a swell night to. The moon was really clear over
the Mississippi.
     We met a couple of girls in the afternoon and they
went on the boat with us. It made the trip more
entertaining and pleasanter just to have some one to talk
to. They were really nice girls, they live in one of
the best parts of town. One of the girls was from
Nashville Tenn. They were aunt & niece. About the
same age. Nothing serious will turn up between
us two tho so you won't need to worry about me
falling in love out here. There is only one for me
and you know who that is.
     I saw the captain today. I can get a pass from
after school Sat. and don't have to be back until
4:00 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. If we have school
Sat. afternoon instead of evening I think I will be able
to make the 9:30 train. This will arrive in Toledo
about 11:30 Sunday morning. I hope my plans this
way wont be spoiled. Don't know for sure if they are going
to have school in the afternoon yet or not. I'll let you know
more about it later.
     We have been so busy studying lately I haven't
had much time to write many letters. I know I owe almost
everybody a letter but my lessons come first. For the
two weeks on hydromatic props I got a grade of 87. The
class average is about 82. I was one of the seven
high in our class. There were 2 that had a 91.
     I suppose you have been awlful busy canning.
Well all I hope is to have a swell dinner when I
get home. I have been invited over to this girls house
next Sunday for dinner. If I want to accept I don't know
if I will go or not. I try to be true to the one back
home, but a person gets tried of just seeing and talking to
soldiers all of the time.
     Well class is over and we are back at the barracks.
I will finish writing this before I call it a day. We
have started studying the Curtis [Curtiss] electric controllable prop.
I think this will be the hardest of all of them.
I will bring home some of my books so you can
see what we have been going through.
     As usual news is scarce only military
work and work. So I don't have much to say anymore.
I am sending some pictures we took in Kentucky
and around here by the barracks. So long for now.
I must sign off. Hope to see you soon. Goodnight.

                                              Love. Ralph.


Background Information:

  • This letter was written on a piece of notebook paper. Previous letters were on his own stationery or U.S.O. stationery.
  • If you google "hydromatic propellers on world war 2 planes", many images will be provided and other sites will be listed. You can also find information on the Curtiss propeller.
  • For more information about the boat, here is a website. I don't usually use Wikipedia, but it had the most details.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Admiral

The next letter will be posted on August 26th.


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