TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NEWPORT DAILY INDEPENDENT JULY 5, 1918 P. 1
Dorr Field, Arcadia, Florida.
June 26th, 1918.
My dearest Mother:
The shirt came this morning and it sure is a dandy. Got the papers from Mr.Avera this morning and a letter a few days ago. A few of us spent last week-end at Bartow. I’ve told you what a good time we have up there with the Super-Six. They had a dance for us Saturday night.
I am looking for your letter telling about your trip to the Lakes. I know you must have had a peach of a time. I’m an assistant stage commander in the Instructors’ school now, quite a rise from dual instructor and all our students are officers that are training for instructors and my work is to go with them on figure eights and spirals and grade their landings and do some formation flying.
I only get about two hours a day in the air now but I am going up for stunts in the afternoons, beginning tomorrow, so I will get in more time.
I took up a doctor a few days ago, and sick, Oh! but he was sick. I gave him everything the ship would do: loops, wingovers, stalls, whip stalls and tall spins. He was afraid to go up but the Medical Major ordered him to take the flight and he had to do it. The major told me to give him everything and the poor follow offered me everything but money to take him down after the first wop: he was a Jew, but he didn’t get down until he had everything a ship will do--I felt sorry for him but “orders is orders,” the major said he should have it all.
Raining down here all the time and our roof leaks. Can you beat it?
Write real soon and many thanks for the shirt.
With all my love,
Wiley.
P.S. I think will get our scout work down here before very long and the colonel says we’re going across as soon as we finish it--so things look a little brighter than hey did.
NOTES: This letter was written by Wiley McMinn to his mother.
TRANSCRIBED BY ADIN TYGART
Dorr Field, Arcadia, Florida.
June 26th, 1918.
My dearest Mother:
The shirt came this morning and it sure is a dandy. Got the papers from Mr.Avera this morning and a letter a few days ago. A few of us spent last week-end at Bartow. I’ve told you what a good time we have up there with the Super-Six. They had a dance for us Saturday night.
I am looking for your letter telling about your trip to the Lakes. I know you must have had a peach of a time. I’m an assistant stage commander in the Instructors’ school now, quite a rise from dual instructor and all our students are officers that are training for instructors and my work is to go with them on figure eights and spirals and grade their landings and do some formation flying.
I only get about two hours a day in the air now but I am going up for stunts in the afternoons, beginning tomorrow, so I will get in more time.
I took up a doctor a few days ago, and sick, Oh! but he was sick. I gave him everything the ship would do: loops, wingovers, stalls, whip stalls and tall spins. He was afraid to go up but the Medical Major ordered him to take the flight and he had to do it. The major told me to give him everything and the poor follow offered me everything but money to take him down after the first wop: he was a Jew, but he didn’t get down until he had everything a ship will do--I felt sorry for him but “orders is orders,” the major said he should have it all.
Raining down here all the time and our roof leaks. Can you beat it?
Write real soon and many thanks for the shirt.
With all my love,
Wiley.
P.S. I think will get our scout work down here before very long and the colonel says we’re going across as soon as we finish it--so things look a little brighter than hey did.
NOTES: This letter was written by Wiley McMinn to his mother.
TRANSCRIBED BY ADIN TYGART