Aviation Cadet J. Russel Herbert
United States Army Air Forces

January 30, 1944

Dear Dr. Downs

First I want to thank you for the card and then apologize for not writing as I promised. I thought of writing many times, but I guess writing to a teacher still scares me.

Since you last saw me, Ive been in Greensboro North Carolina where I had some basic training. From there I went to Transylvania College at Lexington, Kentucky. Here I had a few academic subjects that were even easy for me. After completing the courses there I went to San Antonio Classification Center and was classified as a pilot. I am now in and have just completed pre-flight school. In about a week I will be in primary school and get my first real taste of flying.

The training I had at Transylvania was mostly math, and physics. I really remembered quite a bit from your classes eventhough I wasnt very attentive. Most of my careless habits still continued.

When I got to pre-flight things had to change a little. The Army proved to be very particular about answers, in math and physics, being very accurate. I haf to give up my approximating and guessing in order to pass. As I told you before I passed everything and am now waiting to go to primary.

It seemed funny when I first started in the army schools not to have someone trying to make me do homework and study. Good old George McCarthy used to do that for me at Newark. He is getting ready to leave Maxwell Field, Ala for primary too. He still gives me pep talks when he writes, he knows that I was always a little lazy.

Im glad you liked the Chrismas card, the picture was taken while I was getting flying instructions in Kentucky. Dont get the wrong impression by that smile, Im not happy in the service. The rules and regulations bother me to much.

Sincerely

Russell

P.S. I wish I would have taken some of your suggestions and paid more attention in class.