Letter 9, July 31, 1941

Dear Mother & Dad,

Am working at last. Took my last test today--the physical. This morning I went in to the personnel office at eight O'clock. Filled out an application to work, and signed my name at least fifty times. The efficiency of Lockheed is absolutely flawless. You sign a paper in one building and fifteen minutes later in another, among thousands of others. They never loose or misplace a single item. One piece of paper, your admittance slip which you never see, travels the entire area of the personnel offices about fifteen minutes ahead of you. Everyone you see knows all about you. For a while I thought the place was infested with fortune tellers and physics. Well, anyway at four I left thought the door I entered at eight, with a job, an insurance policy for one thousand dollars, tool checks, a badge, had my finger prints taken, had my physical, had personnel interviews, at least a dozen, went on a tour through the plant and the result was well worth it, had a job and a head ache. Well worth it.

I have seen the plant from the outside once or twice but never realized what was going on inside. There are thousands of planes on the assembly line. You can't imagine what an immense thing it is. From the inside of the plant, the planes are packed as close as possible--the complete or rather the tips of the wings are left off until final assembly in order to make more room for the fuselage construction.

I am not at the plant I saw today. I am at plant two, station eleven--one of the subsidiaries. It's the old Ford plant. I haven't seen it yet but they tell me it's about as large as the one I saw today--about four blocks in diameter. I am working on the fastest plane in the world. The Lockheed Interceptor (P-38) Each one costs about $100.000.00. My instructor recommended two of the students from 232, my class number, to that plant. I was one of the two. It's amazing. Most of the fellows they take there have worked at Lockheed plant number one for at least three months. That's what Mac, my instructor tells me, anyway. He says the advancements are faster there too. Especially at the present because they are going to put a couple of thousand men on there in a month. By that time, he said, I might even be over some of them, a lead man, a higher position and more pay. That is, he says, if I keep working. He's really a great guy--has given me a lot of tips. They all help. He skies too. Could be--could be---if you know what I mean. Don't' want to give myself away, thought. Well, I don't know to much about it yet except that it's immense, amazing, interesting, and good pay. Note how I added that I will make about $28.00 for the first four weeks then, God only knows what happens---I might even make $40.00 if everything works out. Am going to try hard anyway. Mac says if I don't climb to fast thought, not to get discouraged because they can't hold a good man down. Gad, listen to me blow. I must be elated, have never talked like this before. Will tell you more when I know more and always let you know how I am getting along.

I counted 34 faces I knew, when in Salt Lake, at the plant today. They hold all types of positions. Everything from broom jockeys---janitors, to office executives. Don Williams and the boys came up to the apartment tonight. Is there anyone left in Salt lake? I almost forgot, am working the grave yard shift--12:30 AM to 7:00 AM, get paid more and will be able to save more.

I am enclosing two papers, one is the data concerning my insurance. You can keep it. I have got another copy, and the other concerns my birth certificate. The Church certificate was a very good recommendation but have got to have a more complete record. You can get the real McCoy at the police station, or the Capitol, for $1.00. Would appreciate it if you would send it. I need to within the next seven days. Will write more about what I am doing after I work a night. I Start tomorrow night--12 AM. Write Soon! Love, Tom