Bombardier 10/10/42
On October 5, 1942, Mike wrote Andy on stationery with the following Letterhead:
He tells Andy, "Look! I'm graduating one week early. I need dough because I may get to come home for about 2 days." If he does get to come home, he will fly home. None of this was certain except his graduating the coming Saturday. So Mike asks if Andy could get together with father and send him $100, he would return it when he received his first officer's pay.
Mike says he wouldn't ask for the money, but he is short on dough because he had to spend $150. on Officer's Clothing.
The coming Saturday Mike will graduate as a 2nd. Lieutenant, and the best news of all is that the upper 50 men of his graduating class are going on to school for another four months to study Navigation. Mike is included in that group and will probably go on to Hondo, Texas. He may get to come home for a very short time, and to save time, he'd like to fly. Mike asks that Andy not tell father or mother because the army changes plans so quickly, and Mike does not want them to be disappointed. Mike asks Andy to try to get the money to him by Saturday. He tells him to wire it or something. Mike tells him further that if he can not do it, to just forget it. And then "Well so-long now. Your brother Mike. P. S. I could borrow money here, but the interest is too high. Some of the guys are doing this."
On October 13, 1942, Mike writes Mary and Mickey and tells them he is on the way to Randolph Field [San Antonio, Texas] for a few days, and then it is on to Navigation School as a 2nd Lieutenant. "This will include flying pay," Mike says, "which is nothing to sneeze at."Mike thought that after he graduated, they would let him come home, but they are sending him right on.
Mike tells them that the weather back in Texas now is sure a contrast to New Mexico. Texas is so much closer to sea level and is hot and damp, while back in Albuquerque, they were a mile above sea level. Mike asks how Jerome is doing and bets that he is still as happy as ever. Mike says, "You tell him that I said, 'hello'."
He then goes on to tell them that it feels good to be an officer because he knows how the privates and enlisted men look up to an officer. Mike knows this because he was once a private. "My right arm was sort of sore from returning salutes." Mike jokes.
He doesn't have a permanent address just yet, but knows he will be at Randolph Field for just a few days before moving on. He intends to let them know his new address and more later. Signed: "Your brother Michael". Followed by this P. S. : "My class graduated with the highest class average in grades that ever went though Albuquerque. They picked the top 50 to go to Navigation School."