Feb 20/44.

My Dear Mimi:

It was sure swell hearing from you again and I’m glad your feeling O.K. You sure sound excited in your letter and I sure don’t blame you. It looks like your going to beat me on the home front now. Anyway I still have that bet to win from “Flapper Franie” eh Frankie? Don’t think I’m not going to win either, because I am. Well Sis. I guess your busy saving and making up your trousseau by now eh, or at least thinking about it anyway. I sure wish I could be there for the wedding, boy we could put on a real show with my 500 bucks, some people have all the luck. I suppose your still busy at the hospital eh? Are there any present war casualties there now? I guess there are.

Well Mimi I’m still knocking about the dreary English country side waiting to pick up another crew, as you know, my last outfit went “for burten,” which means in air force slang – were killed. Yes I have finished my course, which was rather interesting. If I don’t get a crew soon I’m going to apply again for a Middle East posting, as I am fed up hanging around, and besides I have far too many head colds in this climate, which hampers your high altitude flying ability, due to plugging your ears and even causing ear drums breakages. So say a prayer that I get my wish. Incidentally I’m in pretty good health and spirits and I haven’t got ulcers; boy that’s a load off my mind. I just have heartburn, like I used to and that means an over acid stomach; so all’s well so far. There hasn’t been much excitement around here; as you know, London has been bombed a couple of times lately, but we are quite a ways from there and only read about it in the papers; just as you do. I’ve seen plenty of damage in the big towns, such as Sheffield, which I went to see on a 48. It sure took a pounding in the blitz. We were flying at 20,000 feet t’other day and went all over England, (6 hour trip – navigation practise) and when we flew along the southern English coast we could see nearly all of the bottom of England and lots of France, we could even see the smoke on the French coast coming up while our fast little bombers were attacking. It sure was nice up, that day and I enjoyed it, even tho it was 50 below zero.

Boy you sure would enjoy a ride in these big engined babies and so would Mom. How about you Dad, safe as a church – touch wood hard.

Well honey I’ll bet you are really looking forward to getting your ring eh? You’ll really enjoy being at Banff for your honeymoon. You know the place already, so you should have a swell time. Yes I heard from Johnny the other day he is just finishing his last course and is doing fine. I’ll bet you were all pleased to see [?]ony again. How does she like being married, or is she married yet? Last time I heard from her, she was just about that. I agree with you about keeping quiet to the relatives about your future plans. It just stirs up a lot of muck and people start nosing around. I myself have just woke up to the fact that most relatives don’t care a darn about anyone else but themselves and cause plenty of trouble whenever the chance comes. If they were all like Tom and Jean, then our troubles would be very few. Well toodle-oo honey and lots of luck for the future. God bless you honey. Loads of love,

Your brother
Pete   X

[Editor’s note: The phrase “for burten,” above in paragraph two, is more commonly spelled as “for Burton” (a reference to the British beer Burton Ale).]