11/11/42

Dear Mother:
Since you didn't answer my last letter so I figured you didn't get it. We have been flying here everyday since Friday and I am getting pretty good at bombing even if I don't hit the target. A couple of the fellows are getting pretty sick and I think that one of them is going to get washed out. I have felt pretty lousy the last couple of flights but I haven't got sick as yet. It is sure a great thrill to watch your bombs drop away and follow it all the way down. When it gets near the ground it seems to flatten out and race along level with the ground while you sit up in the bomb hatch trying to make it hit the target by praying or something. Most of us figured we would hit the little shack near the target but so far we haven't even come close to it. We fired a machine gun the other day and I took some pictures of a few of the fellows and I will send you a copy if they turn out any good. We had to fill our own ammunition belts outside and our hands sure got cold. I sure wouldn't want to be in front of one of those guns when it cut loose because they can sure throw the lead plenty fast. We had a minor accident here last night a Bolingbrooke had to land with its wheels up it didn't hurt it much but it sure scared the pants of the air gunner in the turret. I bet he had to change his undies last night.

I received the funnies yesterday and I wish you would send a couple of magazines with them as it is about all we have to do at night besides play poker and now we are even to broke to play that. Did you get the slippers yet or do you want me to send you some more money on pay day. I am going to start a post-office bank account this payday and save a little money for Christmas and leave. I haven't received an answer from my letter to Melville how long does it take anyhow, I am anxious to hear from him. Well I hope this letter gets there because I haven't got a letter for about four days and I would like to hear some outside news.

Orval