Military History 6: Hondo

 

My schedule for most days: up at 6:00 AM for reveille, 6:15 chow, 7:20 to 11:30 class, chow at noon, 12:20 to 5:30 class, supper 6:40, class night study 7:30 to 10:30. The first exam I scored 92%. The class average was 79%. I finished high man in basic navigation. 13 of the 43 men washed out in basic. Celestial navigation was next and the first thing we had to do was learn 75 stars to navigate by.

I probably should mention that after sharing the berth on the train, Wanda was quite happily pregnant. So I carried home raisins, apples, and oranges each weekend from the mess hall for her. Food rationing was a minor problem. But Wanda worked around that problem.

I violated some rule while at Hondo and was punished by walking 2 1/2 hours on the parade ground wearing a parachute. 

We had to learn how to navigate by the stars. It was usually a 2 hour leg beginning from a known spot with all the windows blacked out. My graduation date was scheduled for May 13, 1943. Wanda was scheduled to have our baby the first of June. We finally decided she would wait until after graduation and fly home to have the baby. We spent some scary moments in San Antonio trying to get her a high priority flight. Here I had been an officer and gentleman for 2 or 3 days and was pulling rank to get special privileges. One general had to wait for the next flight because she outranked him.

 

 

Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator 

Lee and Paul Patterson take flight

 

 

The Hagner Planetarium used to teach celestial navigation at Hondo.

The planetarium is a
n armillary sphere. It is a model of the the sky that shows the positions of celestial objects. It's made up of rings that represent lines of latitude and longitude, and other astronomical features Among other things, it can be used to determine celestial coordinates. The model is based on the ancient theory that celestial bodies rotate around the Earth.

 

 

Hondo, Texas

Dear Folks,

I now have a few minutes to spare so I'll say a few words to let you know I'm still alive in fact very much alive. I thought we were busy the last 9 weeks but it was nothing. Celestial navigation is supposed to be hard and they threw it all right into our laps the first day. To start it off we have to learn 75 stars. It isn't enough to know the big dipper and Jacob’s Ladder but we have to know the name of each star in then. The names are easy to remember and very easy to pronounce for instance NIAPLACADIES, KAUSAUSTRALIS, ALPHERATZ, RASALAQUE, and 71 other which believe it or not I could name and which would do neither of us any good. Just take it from me it isn't like parking a good ford with the best girl friend, and looking at them. It isn't nearly as romantic but it is interesting. By the time I get through here I should be able to take an airplane round the world and back with no trouble at all. And I am going to get through here if nothing serious happens.

Maybe I told you that I finished high man in class. Well one boy tied with me for top place. Over two thirds of the class are college boys. 13 out of 44 have already washed out and everybody says celestial gets more than the first 9 weeks. Its now time for lights out. I'll have to finish later, Good nite.

Back again and its Sunday afternoon and I'm back in my little old room thinking about what a good time I had over the week-end and how I'd like to see the folks some week-end. Gosh its been a long time hasn't it. I figure a visit would do ma alot more than a parade every Sunday afternoon. By the way our group has won the "E" pennant, E stands for eager or something. Anyway we got it 3 out of 5 times and that makes us tops. We usually get off at 1:30 Sat. afternoon instead of 3:00 when we win the pennant. All our flights are to be 400 miles or more then land and return. We're scheduled to go to New Orleans this week some time and come back after dark. I hope everything is OK in Indiana. Well good by and be good.

Your son,

Lee

February 5, 1943

Hondo, Texas

 Dear Folks;

Gosh! I am not getting better. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself. It seems I have been writing rather regular here lately. Now I am a navigator! For a while at least. I have flown over a 1000 miles already more than enough to get me home and have been up only 3 times. So far. We are scheduled to fly again tomorrow if the weather permits. And it doesn't look very favorable right now. Yes I can actually say I have navigated an airplane from one town to another and without even looking out of the window hit the town right on the nose so to speak. Let me tell you I could hardly believe it my self. It was one of the greatest thrills in my career as a flier. When you are thinking how easy it is don't forget the wind blows an airplane just like it does a kite. Of course, not quite as much. It also holds the plane back a lot more than it does a car or helps it as the case may be. I estimated my time of arrival and only missed it 2 ½ minutes. And that isn't so bad considering the trip took almost an hour. I was real proud of myself but the flight tomorrow will probably take some of the wind out of my sails. I am lot surer of myself than I ever was in piloting and having a lot more enjoyment. Naturally I have to work a lot harder but I never did mind work.

 A lot of the boys have been pitching their cookies but so far I haven't even felt like it. Thank goodness. By the time a body would start on a long mission he'd need about 3 Buck privates to carry all the instruments, maps, books and stuff. We have a brief case which is about 18 in high 2 ft. long and we fill it now when we start out. Looks like we are going on a months furlough! Don't say furlough!

February 15, 1943

Hondo, Texas

 

Dear Folks;

 

I am in a very mellow mood. Just have returned from a visit with the better half. She is fine and dandy and just to prove it I'll send you this picture which was taken last week. Personally I think it is very good. It is out front of the tourist courts where she lives and where I wish I could live too.

 Several interesting things have happened since I wrote. No 1, I guess was on one flight the other day I made three perfect missions which same made me feel mighty good. Then I was high man on a big meteorology exam with a grade of 98, and came up 3rd on a big navigation exam with 95' (the class ave was 79) and on the last mission I got sicker than a horse and heaved everything I had saved for this food rationing. Whew! but it was rough. It happened only yesterday. We had what we all a 'dog leg mission by 'D.R.'  D.R. means you are only allowed to use instruments. We can't look out to see where we are at all. We have to estimate the time we get to the turning point and make sure we are over the turning point and not 3 or 4 miles to one side. Then all we have to do is to estimate what time we get to destination and make sure we get to it and not to some town 30 miles away. I wouldn't think of bragging but I came in right over destination but I was 2 minutes later than I had estimated. I figured that was good enough seeing as how I was so sick. I ate a big hunk of mutton just before I went up and am blaming it all on that.

Your son and family,

Lee