Dear Mom:

We arrived here at 12:30 AM Sunday Morning. From what I have seen of the base it is well and good. It is really nice, I believe I will like it fine, it is going to be tough, but I can take just anything for 2 months more.

I arrived in time to see the graduation class parade and so on. They looked wonderful in their new uniforms. They were so happy they could hardly stand still. They came out of the theatre pinning wings and bars on each other. It was a treat to see.

I can tell you now that I was never so unhappy as I was at Marana, that is an awful place. Hell-hole is the best definition. I was really glad to leave and I hope I never have to go back even for a visit. The reason, one of them anyway, that I did not write anymore than I did, was that I just couldn’t write a decent letter feeling the way I did. We were really busy but that is a part of cadet training.

I believe things will be much better here, the base is much better, that I am sure. Mom, Marana is out in the desert away from everything, you can’t believe that a base could be there until you see it.

There was dust everywhere and all over everything. When the wind blew tha air was dense with it. It never rained hardly, when it did it was only showers and the thirsty ground soaked it up like a sponge.

We had a major over us that went out of his way to make us as miserable as possible. The food, well it was awful, the worst I have ever had. The barracks were full of cracks which let dust flood in by the barrel. We were overcrowded and uncomfortable. We lost our open post about half the time we were there. We flew on lots of Sundays, went to school at night which would have been our free time. We were not allowed to wear our service caps at all. That is the cap with the bill on it.

The aforementioned are a few of the reasons I did not care for Marana at all. Enough of this gripping for this time.

I will be flying a twin engine plane here in preparations for the P 38. We may all end up flying 4 engine bombers, who knows.

I don’t know for sure yet if we will get furloughs, I sure hope so, but if I don’t there won’t be anything to do but accept it as a fact. I had rather be home in the summer anyway. A year is not so very long when you come right down to it. We’ll worry about that later.

I got a letter from Echols and I wrote him back but have not heard back from him yet. I wrote Corley and I haven’t heard form him yet. Our mail is always delayed when we move to a new base.

Well Mom, I guess that is about all for this time. Hope to be seeing you in about two months. If I don’t get a furlough, you can come out I hope! You’ll pin the wings and bars on.

For awhile, good-bye.

Love to All,

Roy

P.S. Did you receive the last ten and the buck I sent. Hope it did not get lost. I sent it about a week or ten days ago.

The Address on the envelope is a little indefinite. Use this one:

A/C Roy L. West

SQUDN. 1 Class 44B

Army Air Forces Pilot Training (advanced)

Douglas Army Air Field

Douglas, Arizona