[Lemerman]
[Headquarters Training Department]
[Army Air Forces Technical Training Command]
[DELGADO TRADES SCHOOL]
[615 CITY PARK AVE.]
[New Orleans, La.]

11/15/42


Dear Mrs. DAngola and girls,

[excessive indentation] Glad to hear from you and that you are trying to contact us boys in the service. Before I go any further, I must tell you that my name is Michael or Mike according to my birth certificate, by which I am registered in the Army. Somehow or another when I was a youngster, someone called me Milt and it stuck. So from here on in, its Michael. I think you will agree with me that it is a nicer name. Or did Shakespeare have something to say about it?
I have been very fortunate in being attached to the Air Force, which is a much better branch of the Army, than any other. I am on detached service attending this Airplane Mechanic school. I missed by one day being sent to Casey Jones school back home, back I guess thats too much to ask for.
Its very nice down here, weather is still warm. I couldnt ask for a better spot as to accomodations and conviences. The only thing that we do complain of are the long hours that we put in to our job. We have reveille at 8AM. then ride to school. Our meals are served to us at the school and they are not the Army mess either. Have a 1 = hour study period, calisthenics and obstacle course for 1 = hours. Our classes start at 2 PM. and with our hour break for supper, we finish up at 11PM. By the time we get back to our barracks which is in the Munisipal Auditorium, in the heart of the town, it is 11:30 and we must be in bed by 12:15AM. This goes on for 6 days, and Sunday is our day of rest (?). But that is about the only time we get to catch up on our mail and stuff. So we actually dont get around the town much at all.
The famous French Quarter you hear so much about, I wouldnt give [end page] you a quarter (25") for it. It is only the dirtiest section of New Orleans, but it attracts the tourists, which I doubt are around here now.
Please dont mention the condition of my handwriting, Miss Flaacke wouldnt like it at all. In fact, I couldnt pass her course back at school, so I dont see how I could have improved since then.
Jean, I wouldnt worry about writing a letter in Mrs. Plentys class. Just tell her for me, that you are writing to me- shell let you finish it. Please extend my regards to Mrs. Plenty, and ask her how her boys are.
Thanks for writing to me, and my kindest regards to you all and the Chief.

Sincerely,
Mike Lemerman
[Christina Leedy]