Dear Mom:

I will tell the bad and good news as I come to it. As I told you in the wire I am on orders to go to Roswell, N. Mex. for B-29 training and the orders read first pilot transition. But, as I hinted in my letter of yesterday, I had a leave all approved to start Monday morning and the most wonderful part of it was, the leave was for 23 days too boot.

I’ll tell you all the dope on my leave, now that it has been can-called. I had planned to just walk in and surprise you about next Tues. cause I was pretty sure I could come in and it was approved in those depts. (has to go to five in all to be approved) and then it went to the adjutant and he wrote on the papers, “Have officer see Adj.” So I reported to him and he asked me if I had that much leave accrued; and I told him I did, so he said, okay and that my leave orders would be published Sat. morning, but today, Friday, the list to go to Roswell was published and it takes priority over my leave. If I do make first pilot, then I won’t feel so bad about the leave, because it’s a good deal going to 29’s I believe. Maybe now, I will get on towards overseas duty and have flown a ship as big as the twenty-nine will be good for fast was aviation as some of the airlines are going to use a commercial version of the 29 for transport planes. I did want to walk in on you though, and 23 day would have been a wonderful leave. Maybe I’ll get one later, we’ll see!

Now that I am going into the big one I will be in a more favorable position as far as promotions are concerned I think. I sure am tired of being a 2^nd Lt. just like all these boys just out of flying school. I am getting to be an old army you know. Wouldn’t mind staying in the army after the war, there is surely no other profession that will retire you after 30 years. And if I did stay in I could retire at 49, wouldn’t that be something?

Joe Duren is going on this deal with me, so we will drive down in his car. He made first looie last week and he’s been hard to live with since. Have to tone him down with a tongue lashing now and then.

Mom, if I am 1^st pilot on the big birds I am going to bring one in Atlanta just as soon as I can and show you a plane that is about the biggest thing you ever saw. You and Pop just won’t believe it will fly I’ll bet. It makes a B-n look really little beside it.

I still would rather be flying fighters, but there is a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing you can make 50,000 pounds of airplane do as you want it too. I’ve found myself really looking forward to going on to B-29’s surprisingly enough.

We will go thru Albuquerque on our way to Roswell so I will probably get to see lots of people o know there. Be sort of like going home again in a way.

Better close for now. And don’t feel badly about the leave, I sure came close anyway didn’t I. You know I had one in January before I was shipped to Williams Field and it too was cancelled. My day will come though.

Love to all,

Roy