March 30, 1947 - Dear Dad

Sunday afternoon
30 March 1947

Dear Dad,
Today the earth itself is a great open Bible to me – an eminent proof of God’s love for man to give him such a glorious place to live in. Of course it is raining outside and I’m sitting within watching the rain come tumbling down and I can talk. But, oh! How much grumbling I do when things don’t go my way and the Lord has such a hard time teaching me all the important lessons.

I surely got a big surprise today – has to do with my old weakness – chow! But when I was over to the chapel at the Hospital today, I decided everything would click better if I had dinner over there cause NATTC’s chow halls don’t open until later – Right in the middle of Radio Church Hour. I’d never eaten over there before and didn’t know the score. I walked in a well decorated chow hall, air conditioning and all! There were real slick tables, linoleum decks, and instead of mess cook swabies there were negro servers. Honestly I thought I had gotten into Officer’s Mess! Instead of heaping it all in the middle of the tray we had white plates and muffins (unheard of in NATTC.) All the food you could eat and not be a hog and side serving tables. I just marveled – stupefied and all, which is a condition not hard for me to get in! It is aggravating though even though I do thank the Lord for that which I get how even if a Hospital section is known to be about the most efficient operating Naval unit why in an ordinary Chow Hall instead of treating the men like one herd of beasts and tossing the chow at them it can’t be done as it was there. In other words a meal is enjoyed somewhat more if the surroundings are feasible.

Say, you sure would like the phase of school that I’m in now, knowing you. We are having Link Trainers and if you aren’t careful when you are under the hood with your eyes glued on about a dozen instruments and forget to look at one of them often enough – ZING! You are in a Spin! They are really some kind of airplane! And I really like flying them. The rest of school has eased into less work but I’m going to be plenty busy to battle my way through the finals especially the CAA (Civil Aeronautics Administration) tests for qualifications for my Tower Controller’s Certificate.

Speaking of chow, it’s about time or they will close on me - - tonight’s salad and cheese night – I think that cheese is a 100 years old but I sure do like it. Onions too!

Incidentally Dad, DID YOU EVER GET YOUR PEN FIXED? (HINT, HINT!)
Anyhow, write soon? If you find a chance I’d sure appreciate a little farm news.
May our mighty Lord keep you always safe and guide you each day.

Love in Christ,
Your son Stephen