Letter 8: May 14, 1941

Letter 8:  May 14, 1941   from Portage La Prairie, MB

 

 



E.F.T.S.

Elementry Flying Training School

Lac Piper F.J R85176

#14 E.F.T.S. RCAF

Portage La Prairie, Man 

Dear Ellen

            I received your letter the other day readdressed from Regina and the pictures and thanks very much. The pictures are sure good of everyone aren’t they and clear. I suppose you read my letter to Archie & Muriel and got most of the dope about this station. I haven’t flown for the last two days as today flying was washed out on account of the weather & yesterday was my instructors day off. I’ve go six hours flying time in now. I’ve been practicing landings & take-offs and the other day I had to put the plane into two different spins & pull out of them. Those spins are quite the thing, the plane is nose down & spinning around. In the loops when the plane is right at the top of the loop it stays there momentarily & one is standing on his head with only two straps over the shoulders holding him from hurling to the earth, quite a sensation eh what. I haven’t got sick as yet but I’m still touching wood. Landing a plane is one of the hardest things for every beginner. The first few times & quite a while afterwards we bounce the planes several times before settling it to the ground.

            Our wireless instructor gave us a test and then divided the class up into groups, the different groups at different parts of the room & I was one of the top five. I still can’t figure it out unless the rest of them are dumber than hell.

            I’ve only been to Portage twice since I’ve been here, I went in last Sat. to a dance but had to be in by 12:30 so I didn’t have the time to make any connections. We are about 5 miles from town & the road is the proper s—s.

            I had a letter from Dad Yesterday & he was telling me that your holiday are from June 30 to July the 14^th & it might happen that we will be through this course by about that time (if everything goes well & I pass) & we might get a few days leave; some of the classes got from seven to eleven days because another school wasn’t open for them, so you see if there isn’t a school quite ready for us we will get leave for sure. Dad is thinking of motoring down here some weekend & Jim Machon is coming with him as this is Jim’s old stomping grounds. Sunday is visitors day so I think he will be able to look the place over if he comes.

            Thanks for the rhymes there were sure good.

Did you ever hear this one.  Three little pigs ere up in courts & the judge asked the first pig what he was arrested for, the pig answered “ for making bubbles in the sand” The second little pig gave the same answer, then when the Judge asked the third one what it was arrested for and it answered “ I’m Bubbles”

            Phylis  Astleford is in Regina, she was on the train going back to work the same Sunday tht I was coming beck from seeing you & Archie & Muriel.

            Pay day was today & it was quite a bit larger then usual as you know that we get a raise now. I’m sending money home for Dad to put away for me for when I get leave except for the odd beer now & then because flying & liquor don’t mix, I’ll be able to save a little money on my drinking account now & spend a little more on my laundry & shoe polish account

My account as before

                                    1                      2

1.    Washing      50%                  20%

2.    Shoe polish 15%                 0%

3.    Liquor          15%                   60%

4.    Smokes        10%                  10%

5.    Recreation  10%                  10%

Total            100%                 100% 

 

No1 is my version

No 2 is the Arkansas Travelers version, alias Garvin Myhand from Dumas; but mine is correct by analysis

 

Well Ellen I guess there isn’t more to say for now so I will close for now hoping this find you in the pink of health.

Hope to hear from you soon

Your loving brother

Fred               

 

NOTE

 Garvin Myhand or as Fred called him “ARK” was born October 16, 1917 in Monticello, Arkansas to Joseph Keener Myhand and Jessie L. McGhee.  He came to Canada and enlisted as the US was not yet at war. Him and Uncle Fred became good friends and Ark became a friend of Fred’s family. After receiving his wings in Yorkton, Sk in September of 1941 Ark returned to the US and on the 15 October 1941 in Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, enlisted in the Air Corps. After the war he married and lived in Arkansas, he died July 28, 1993 in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.

Fred and Ellen