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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c h a p t e r n i n e ........................................................... gunnery camp After Lee’s return from the mainland, I was walking on air. Lee left her job at Liberty House so she could concentrate on getting ready for the new life that faced her. We selected ‘‘Franksgiving Day’’—the 21st of November —as our wedding day. For those of you who might not remember, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in order to make the Christmas shopping season longer and boost the economy, had declared that Thanksgiving Day would be celebrated on the third Thursday of November rather than the fourth, and it became known as Franksgiving Day. In the meantime, I had put in for a 30-day leave for our honeymoon. My leave was approved, but my squadron, the 31st, was scheduled for a week at gunnery camp. This was not a big deal. The squadron going to gunnery camp moved, with all its airplanes, across the island to Bellows Field. Bellows wasn’t far away, only a 45-minute drive to Honolulu. We slept in tents and ate in a field mess hall and flew a full schedule, towing targets and qualifying all our gunners in aerial gunnery. Most pilots also took their turn and qualified as aerial gunners. Friday, our last day at Bellows , was also my last day of duty prior to going on leave. The squadron had a big party and barbecue around a bonfire that last night. I drove into Honolulu to get Lee that night to share the party with us. Most of the squadron wives and girlfriends were there. It was a beautiful, balmy night. We had a great little Hawaiian band to play for us, and everybody danced in the sand in their bare feet. Hilo Hattie was there to put on her show for us, and the squadron gave us a big silver pitcher engraved from the officers and non-coms, 31st bomb squadron. We called it our Martini Jug, and over the next 58 years, it had many a martini stirred in it. It was quite a night. It was my last night on duty before I took a long leave and a big step into a new life. Lee enjoyed it, too. Before the evening was over, I had danced with Hilo Hattie, and Lee had danced with just about every member of the 31st Bomb Squadron. Letter to Mom and Dad, June 4, 1940 Lee and I are going to be married some time this fall, probably around October. It’s sure the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. I’ve done quite a bit of shopping around in my time and have had a lot of silly ideas, but I always had sense enough to keep out from under, but this is so absolutely different than anything else has been that there is no comparison. She is just absolutely perfect. You’ll just have to take my word for it until you meet her, but you can’t help but think so, too. This is all very strange to me as I had no intention in the world of getting married before, but I’m absolutely sure that what I’m doing is the smartest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve never known anyone I’ve enjoyed being with so much. We have many of the same interests and look at things in the same way. She is clever and pretty and sweet, and I’ll be proud to take her anyplace with me. Letter to Mom and Dad, October 31, 1940 Sure have been busy these days. I’ve gotten just about all the clothes I need—a light brown gabardine suit, shirts, shoes, ties, and all the rest to go with it. I’ve ordered calling cards for us. The ‘‘Lt. and Mrs.’’ kind so we can make our calls when we come back to work without too much bother. I’ve been making arrangements with Mrs. White concerning the actual ceremony and am now awaiting an appointment to go up and have a talk with the minister. I’m going to have the car completely worked over so it will have a fresh start, too. Completely straightened out, tightened, painted, washed, and polished. I’m still working on finding a house. I’m living about three weeks in the future—so much of what goes on about me goes way over my head. Letter...

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