Dear Mother & Dad,
Just finished dinner. What a meal. This gal can really cook. And not only that, the food is good.
received your letter today Louis, and yours Mamma, a few days ago. They were both swell.
I feel good tonight. Thinking of where I will be in five days does this to me.
I am a little bit puzzled over what to do regarding my future. I have registered for an advertising course. It takes about two years to complete, and the nice thing about it is that there are no lectures to attend. It is an extension course. I will be able to spend more time to study that way. We will discuss it when I get home. I want to tell you what have been doing.
At the plant one out of about twenty is chosen to work on the wing flap section. I got chosen. It's harder work but interesting. Gives you a chance to use your noodle. Will tell you about that too, when I get home.
I have all the comforts one could expect, now away from home. I have got to write Sizzy so I will close. Will be home Saturday Morning. Am healthy and happy. Love, Tom
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Letter 13, August 19, 1941
My New Shelter. Ain't she a beaut? My room is in the second story right front.Dear Mother & Dad,
Well we did it. We three---us old maids moved again. We live in a mansion or that is it was a mansion in it's day. It's still a "Lu-Lu" though, in my opinion. I would have mailed the other letter Friday, but I thought it might get awfully complicated if I didn't wait so I waited. My new address is: 404 S. Mariposa Avenue. Sorry you haven't heard from me though.
Say I am getting so brown you won't recognize me. Moench and I go to the beach just about every day. We go out about noon, work out on some tricky bars---they have hand standing bars, throw or rather play catch with medicine balls and well I could fill two pages just telling of the equipment they have for exercising. You can get extremely healthy ore extremely dissipated in California. I prefer my health. Let these Californians know they come big and husky from Utah!
About six other fellows working in the air-craft factories are living in this house. They are swell fellows. I don't think I would have mentioned the last bit of news, but one of them is in the shower singing like a--well--just singing.
Will write and let know what else is happening around here tomorrow. For now, I have got to write Vandy and go to work. Write soon you two and tell me what you are up to. Love, Tom
Letter 12, August 18, 1941
Dear Mother & Dad,
Sorry I haven't written to you these past few days. Have been very busy. We moved Sunday. We found a much more masculine apartment in a Spanish designed apartment house. The rent is the same and the local is a little closer to work. Very little though--just two or three blocks.
I talked to my Foreman about the possibilities of my ambition in advertising and selling. He said that you can get anything you want at Lockheed if you prepare for it. Now to prepare. I asked him if I could get a day off over Labor Day. He gave me Tuesday. That means I'll be seeing you. I'll only get two days at home but then I can see you---which is more than worth the trip---and we can get me some definite plan for learning advertising. When I look over ads here, I hardly know where to begin. I do a great deal of letter writing but that sums up my preparation thus far, in preparing. (ghastly construction-aye Louis)
I am beginning to like this country a little more now. I guess it's all in getting used to it. The climate is wonderful anyway. A lot depends on getting settled though. I think I have a happy medium for living too. I have got a place I can call home, and still it is inexpensive. I'll never find a place, though, that will equal my first home.
I have been ranting around today and I am awfully sleepy right now, so I'll close and write you tomorrow. Let me know what you two are up to. Thank You again and I'll be seeing you soon.
El Vigo---my new home
Love, Tom Goodnite
Sorry I haven't written to you these past few days. Have been very busy. We moved Sunday. We found a much more masculine apartment in a Spanish designed apartment house. The rent is the same and the local is a little closer to work. Very little though--just two or three blocks.
I talked to my Foreman about the possibilities of my ambition in advertising and selling. He said that you can get anything you want at Lockheed if you prepare for it. Now to prepare. I asked him if I could get a day off over Labor Day. He gave me Tuesday. That means I'll be seeing you. I'll only get two days at home but then I can see you---which is more than worth the trip---and we can get me some definite plan for learning advertising. When I look over ads here, I hardly know where to begin. I do a great deal of letter writing but that sums up my preparation thus far, in preparing. (ghastly construction-aye Louis)
I am beginning to like this country a little more now. I guess it's all in getting used to it. The climate is wonderful anyway. A lot depends on getting settled though. I think I have a happy medium for living too. I have got a place I can call home, and still it is inexpensive. I'll never find a place, though, that will equal my first home.
I have been ranting around today and I am awfully sleepy right now, so I'll close and write you tomorrow. Let me know what you two are up to. Thank You again and I'll be seeing you soon.
El Vigo---my new home
Love, Tom Goodnite
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Letter 11, August 13, 1941
Dear Mother & Dad,
My first check came last night. It was short, but will help. At last I am finally started. The check was for one night--$4.52. I can manage perfectly from here on. Thanks to you, I've got this far. Don't know how I would have done it otherwise.
I may see you over Labor day. Bird is going to come home, and I am going to come with him if I get an extra two days off, which I am going to request first thing in the morning. If I don't get it, I can dream anyway.
How was your trip to Idaho? Did you have fun and raise hell with the old gang?
I guess you have thought over my future in the advertising department here. What do you think by now? I am still hopped up over it. Write and tell me what I ought to do and we will discuss it when I get home.
When I said that I was started, I meant that also, in reference to my living budget. I have got it worked out so I sleep eight or ten hours a day, eat regularly and keep all of my linens clean at a very moderate price--never more than a dollar a week. Average is about sixty or seventy cents for linens. Lost about twelve or fifteen a week to--leaves about twelve or fifteen a week to live. The rest is gravy.
I got a letter from Louise, and she says I should buy government bonds. After thinking over what you have said about them, and what she said in her letter, I think I will invest in one about every month.
Will write tomorrow at present, have got to write Louise and Vandy. Love, Tom
My first check came last night. It was short, but will help. At last I am finally started. The check was for one night--$4.52. I can manage perfectly from here on. Thanks to you, I've got this far. Don't know how I would have done it otherwise.
I may see you over Labor day. Bird is going to come home, and I am going to come with him if I get an extra two days off, which I am going to request first thing in the morning. If I don't get it, I can dream anyway.
How was your trip to Idaho? Did you have fun and raise hell with the old gang?
I guess you have thought over my future in the advertising department here. What do you think by now? I am still hopped up over it. Write and tell me what I ought to do and we will discuss it when I get home.
When I said that I was started, I meant that also, in reference to my living budget. I have got it worked out so I sleep eight or ten hours a day, eat regularly and keep all of my linens clean at a very moderate price--never more than a dollar a week. Average is about sixty or seventy cents for linens. Lost about twelve or fifteen a week to--leaves about twelve or fifteen a week to live. The rest is gravy.
I got a letter from Louise, and she says I should buy government bonds. After thinking over what you have said about them, and what she said in her letter, I think I will invest in one about every month.
Will write tomorrow at present, have got to write Louise and Vandy. Love, Tom
Letter 10, August 9, 1941
Dear Mother & Dad,
Thank you for the second ten dollars, and the birth certificate. You won't have to send me any more money now. I will get five from the factory Friday and from every Friday there after thirty, so I guess at last I am finally started. Thank you again for all that you have done for me. This might turn out to be very profitable and possibly a lifetime job. Lockheed has-- or that is will have-- one of the largest advertising accounts in America after the war. If they don't' sell and advertise--they say--they will loose thousands and possibly millions because of the unused assets the war preparedness program will leave when it's over. They are concentrating on the future for more sales but as yet they don't know how they will make them. In an article I read it said it's the selling and advertising departments job. I would like to prepare my self for such an opening with Lockheed now--and then get into that field when all of this is over. I am going out to the main office in a few days and find out all of the possibilities of this scheme. I will write and tell you what I find out and in the meantime let's devise a system for me to study. Write and tell me what you think would be the best way, until then and always I will study advertisements. Looks like I might find a real opening. Let's keep our fingers crossed until then.
Love, Tom
P. S.
Am out of paper but want you to know that I will always appreciate what you have done.
I don't like that word---but its
fitting---I think.
Thank you for the second ten dollars, and the birth certificate. You won't have to send me any more money now. I will get five from the factory Friday and from every Friday there after thirty, so I guess at last I am finally started. Thank you again for all that you have done for me. This might turn out to be very profitable and possibly a lifetime job. Lockheed has-- or that is will have-- one of the largest advertising accounts in America after the war. If they don't' sell and advertise--they say--they will loose thousands and possibly millions because of the unused assets the war preparedness program will leave when it's over. They are concentrating on the future for more sales but as yet they don't know how they will make them. In an article I read it said it's the selling and advertising departments job. I would like to prepare my self for such an opening with Lockheed now--and then get into that field when all of this is over. I am going out to the main office in a few days and find out all of the possibilities of this scheme. I will write and tell you what I find out and in the meantime let's devise a system for me to study. Write and tell me what you think would be the best way, until then and always I will study advertisements. Looks like I might find a real opening. Let's keep our fingers crossed until then.
Love, Tom
P. S.
Am out of paper but want you to know that I will always appreciate what you have done.
I don't like that word---but its
fitting---I think.
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