April 7, 1944
Dear Mom-
I'm going, tonight or tomorrow, to Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin, for radio-mechanic
and pre-radar school. This course lasts twenty weeks, but with my luck it will probably
take me
a year.
I was very surprised to discover that I was going to radio since I didn't qualify
for it in
my classification exams. But that's the Army.
I hear Madison is a very nice town. Do you know anyone there? It isn't very far
from
Chicago, but probably far enough to keep me away. I'm glad to get away from this
place, which
has been one big sand and dust storm for the past couple of weeks. But I have managed
to make
quite a few good friends here and I'm sorry to leave them.
Apparently my transfer to medics was turned down. I'm not sorry now that I'm going
to
radio, since it is just about the most interesting enlisted man's job in the air corps.
I'll go on and
take gunnery afterwards unless I disqualify physically.
I'm mailing you the long overdue mints, the stationary, and a couple of books I got
from
the Classics Club (I'm surprised it isn't called Klassies Klub).
All my love to you and the family,
Linus
