[April 3, 1918]

Pensacola Fla.

Sunday.

Dear mother:

Still enjoying the rest down here and gaining flash. Think that pretty soon will be back up to normal again. Got my first flying last week and it is fine. Understand from the new regulations published last week that we are to do most of our flying as pilots of these wonderful flying boats that I wrote about last week and that it will consist almost entirely of submarine patrol. Surely hope so as these machines are marvelous. Two English officers came down last week and the boat was put thru its stunts for them and understood that they said it was far superior to anything across the pond and the Liberty Motor was a wonder. Everybody down here is tickled to death [about] it. It looks like a whale with wings and it did 105 miles an hour at some times on Tuesday. It makes these little Curtiss planes that we are learning on seem and sound like a Ford by a Pierce-Arrow.

Please tell sis to my remembrance of the wheels was they were to be returned and $18.75 credit allowed on them.

Please try to send me some chocolate fudge in quantity once a week and a chocolate cake occasionally as have before remarked the food is rotten. Eat dinner and support the YWCA cafeteria but have to go to breakfast at the mess hall. Also don’t forget to send me a “State” sometimes as they can’t be bought down here.

Love to all, John

I’m enclosing a little service pin that that you might like. Also please tell Bill that she can send me any more of Horace’s plain white shirts that he doesn’t need.