DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-May 1942

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Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-May 1942

1942-01-11: Back

had taught me. It seems he has flown nothing but land planes and Thatcher had
been showing me how to land on aircraft carriers. I begin to get onto what he
wants after three or four times, and in fact the second hour I had with him
I did real well. It is nearing the end of the hour and still I haven't had
any emergency landings which I told him before hand was one thing Thatcher had
not yet given me. Whoops, there he has cut the gun right west of the bomber plat
where in the devil can I set her down. I head around into the wind and spot
a nice open space and begin to settle in. He says ok but make all turns as high
as you can when the motor is dead, you need to keep all the altitude you can for
as long as you can.  He gives me several more and 1 get foxed completely on one
and he says, where the hell are you going into tthe cornfield? Land down wind
if you have to if there is a better field! We have a few more and I don't too
well and I geegin to find out wnat the boys mean when they say Bergen is a rough
talker. Now the hour is over and Bergen walks away in ahurry. I don't know
whether he is disgusted or just trying to get into where it is warm as quickly
as possible. I follow him to aks a few questions. He answers them with no
complaint and ashe walks away says that I did alright. I feel better. It is
now a bit after nine oclock. I give my gear to a second hour student and look
for my mail. It comes in at 9:30 AM and I may or may not have any. Anyway
my paper came. I read it and write a few letters and at 11:15 attend section
leader's meeting with Col. Peters in charge. Bob is on BP duty so I wait for
him before going down to eat. He doesn't get off until 12 noon. Ken comes
down from an hour of solo in time to eat with us. We stand in line for what
seems an awfully long time but which in reality is only a few minutes and
then alternately eat and talk. From 12:30 to loclock we lounge around
or read the mail that may have come in on the 12:30 delivery. At 1 we muster
for ground school classes. First off we have drill with rifles.  Boy how
heavy they can get by the end of the hour. Sgt. C aldwell gives us a little
O'Grady says" drill which breaks the  monotony. That is, he gave
us the manual of arms and we were to obey only if the command was prececed
by O'grady says. If we reacted to the ordinary command we had to fall out
and let the rest of the men continue unitl there was only one standing. it
was some satisfaction to find myself the winner---that is where the leader
should come out--on top. We have a trig test the next hour. It is relatively easy giving me a false feeling of being pretty sharp in math. Daggone
glad that I studied up on that college algebra this summer, however, it already
has helped quite a bit. The next hour we have a test in radio code. On a
seven word test I get 6.8 . Not bad but rather disappointing. I had thought
I could take it solid.  A lecute on Navy personnel complets the ground school
for the day. It was presented by an enlisted man who surely was sold on the
Navy. It developed into a pep talk of the best sort. It is a joy to hear a
man talk who loves his country and his service. He told us what responsibilities an officer has, and how necessary it is to get the respect and affection
of your men. All very good and very true. Now it is four oclock and we are
secure. First of all I take me laundry to ships stores to have it sent out--
or at least that is what most of the boys do and what I should do. If it is
the right wing's night out Bob, Ken, and I will probably drive to town
get a good meal and go to a show. If it isn't our night out we will probably
write letters or study. At ten oclock we are all in our bunks and the student
OD flicks off the lights. For a few minutes there is profane argument as to
how many and how wide open the windows should be; a few ribald remarks pass
and then sleep over takes all. Another day is done and if a man doesn't sleep
fast he won't be rested by the time he is called the next morning.
This has been hastily written but I thought you might like to
get a clearer picture of the daily routine. Enclosed are the two articles
you wanted returned father and another I cut out of the register which you
may be interested in reading.
I am due to check and solo on Monday. So by the time you get this
I shall be a flyer of a sort. Have a date tonight with a gal who was a Pi
Phi at Iowa a year ago so must ring now. Much love to all.
Yours,
nile

Saving...

had taught me. It seems he has flown nothing but land planes and Thatcher had been showing me how to land on aircraft carriers. I begin to get onto what he wants after three or four times, and in fact the second hour I had with him I did real well. It is nearing the end of the hour and still I haven't had any emergency landings which I told him before hand was one thing Thatcher had not yet given me. Whoops, there he has cut the gun right west of the bomber plat where in the devil can I set her down. I head around into the wind and spot a nice open space and begin to settle in. He says ok but make all turns as high as you can when the motor is dead, you need to keep all the altitude you can for as long as you can. He gives me several more and 1 get foxed completely on one and he says, where the hell are you going into tthe cornfield? Land down wind if you have to if there is a better field! We have a few more and I don't too well and I geegin to find out wnat the boys mean when they say Bergen is a rough talker. Now the hour is over and Bergen walks away in ahurry. I don't know whether he is disgusted or just trying to get into where it is warm as quickly as possible. I follow him to aks a few questions. He answers them with no complaint and ashe walks away says that I did alright. I feel better. It is now a bit after nine oclock. I give my gear to a second hour student and look for my mail. It comes in at 9:30 AM and I may or may not have any. Anyway my paper came. I read it and write a few letters and at 11:15 attend section leader's meeting with Col. Peters in charge. Bob is on BP duty so I wait for him before going down to eat. He doesn't get off until 12 noon. Ken comes down from an hour of solo in time to eat with us. We stand in line for what seems an awfully long time but which in reality is only a few minutes and then alternately eat and talk. From 12:30 to loclock we lounge around or read the mail that may have come in on the 12:30 delivery. At 1 we muster for ground school classes. First off we have drill with rifles. Boy how heavy they can get by the end of the hour. Sgt. C aldwell gives us a little O'Grady says" drill which breaks the monotony. That is, he gave us the manual of arms and we were to obey only if the command was prececed by O'grady says. If we reacted to the ordinary command we had to fall out and let the rest of the men continue unitl there was only one standing. it was some satisfaction to find myself the winner---that is where the leader should come out--on top. We have a trig test the next hour. It is relatively easy giving me a false feeling of being pretty sharp in math. Daggone glad that I studied up on that college algebra this summer, however, it already has helped quite a bit. The next hour we have a test in radio code. On a seven word test I get 6.8 . Not bad but rather disappointing. I had thought I could take it solid. A lecute on Navy personnel complets the ground school for the day. It was presented by an enlisted man who surely was sold on the Navy. It developed into a pep talk of the best sort. It is a joy to hear a man talk who loves his country and his service. He told us what responsibilities an officer has, and how necessary it is to get the respect and affection of your men. All very good and very true. Now it is four oclock and we are secure. First of all I take me laundry to ships stores to have it sent out-- or at least that is what most of the boys do and what I should do. If it is the right wing's night out Bob, Ken, and I will probably drive to town get a good meal and go to a show. If it isn't our night out we will probably write letters or study. At ten oclock we are all in our bunks and the student OD flicks off the lights. For a few minutes there is profane argument as to how many and how wide open the windows should be; a few ribald remarks pass and then sleep over takes all. Another day is done and if a man doesn't sleep fast he won't be rested by the time he is called the next morning. This has been hastily written but I thought you might like to get a clearer picture of the daily routine. Enclosed are the two articles you wanted returned father and another I cut out of the register which you may be interested in reading. I am due to check and solo on Monday. So by the time you get this I shall be a flyer of a sort. Have a date tonight with a gal who was a Pi Phi at Iowa a year ago so must ring now. Much love to all. Yours, nile