Seven Weeks in Camp

Another letter from Herb to his mother. The U.S.A.A.C is the precursor to the Air Force - the acronym stands for the USA Air Corps. Mineola is an air field on Long Island. According to Wikipedia Mineola is now called Roosevelt Field:

Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was used as a training field (Hazelhurst Field) for the Air Service, United States Army during World War I.

In 1919, it was renamed in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt's son, Quentin, who was killed in air combat during World War I.

Roosevelt Field was the takeoff point for many historic flights in the early history of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh's 1927 solo transatlantic flight. It was also used by other pioneering aviators, including Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post.

I still have no idea who Karolyn is and what happened to her. Olive is Herb's younger sister; I have written a bit about her already.

Sunday, August 12, 1917
Dear Mother,

Sunday again – another week gone. Last Thursday finished my seventh week in camp.

I had a letter from Kelly Zillessen (?) yesterday. He was called out a week ago yesterday by telegram and sent to an aviation organization camp at San Antonio, Texas. He expects to be there only a few weeks and then to be sent to the aviation school either in Illinois or at Mineola.

This afternoon at 4 o’clock Section 80 mounts guard for twenty-four hours. At four o’clock Monday afternoon we are relieved and are then off duty til 5:30 Wednesday morning. I plan to leave Monday at 6:07 pm and go over and visit Chas. I shall return late Tuesday night. He is very anxious to have me come and this looks like a good opportunity. There are a lot of things about what I am to do after the war that we want to talk over together. I shall tell him then about what Harry is going to do. I know he will be pleased and will be anxious to help out a bit if it proves necessary.

I can’t understand why it is that you have no word from the firm. I have made no later arrangement with them – could not have, in fact, since no one but Mr. Friedman was in the office when last I was there. At any rate, I would not have changed the arrangement without first consulting you since I had already given the money to Harry. However I will drop in to see them all Tuesday and will probably hear about it then.

Karolyn is going in to a hospital in Bridgeport, just as soon as arrangements are completed and she can get together her uniforms and aprons or whatever it is a nurse in training needs. Since she is to be in Bridgeport I hope to be able to go over to see her some Sunday soon.

I hear no more about when are to go abroad.

The food lately has been a great improvement. They are giving a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit – oranges, bananas, sweet corn, tomatoes, green peas, etc. It’s a great relief after canned stuff.

I had intended to write Olive but you said she was coming home so I did not.

I hear from Karolyn that friend Mac Dowell has been telling around town that he expects to go to France with the U.S.A.A.C.

Love to all,
Herb