World War I Collection

[Written on letterhead with L.O. BROOKS printed over an image of a propellered bi-plane printed in green with a box border. Below the plane image is printed 83RD AERO SQUADRON. Below that is printed Kelly Field. Below that is printed SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ]

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Oct - 22 - 17

Dear Lydia just a line to let you know I received your letters of Oct 18th & 19th and am answering them at once to keep caught up to you and also have some news for you we moved into the Barricks today and it is just like living at home we have electric lights hot and cold water and good bed to sleep on we do not use cots to sleep on in the Barricks. We also started to school today they sure do give us a lot of questions to study before we get the actual work on them it will be ten days before we get through answering questions I am sure going to study hard as one can never learn too much and I have a fine opportunity to get ahead now and I will work hard for it. I will get you one of those Green Indian blankets the first chance I get as the green ones are a whole lot harder to get than the red ones are.

(over)

[Written on letterhead with L.O. BROOKS printed over an image of a propellered bi-plane printed in green with a box border. 83RD AERO SQUADRON Kelly Field SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ]

- 3 I have got to study up on a few questions that I will have to answer in the morning. I have been awful slow in answering Taid's letters as I have so many other letters to answer now and one of them is Taids letter.

That cutting you sent me out of the Examiner was wrote by Sargent J.W. Kaufman of the 83rd Aero Squadron he is from San Francisco he is a pretty good fellow I like him fine.

I wish you would either send me a nice cake or a Box of those cookies you were telling me abought [about] in your letter as a few sweets would go good down here in Texas. I just went up the road a little way to a farm house a bought a glass of milk and a piece of apple pie and it was fine.

[Written on letterhead with L.O. BROOKS printed over an image of a propellered bi-plane printed in green with a box border. 83RD AERO SQUADRON Kelly Field SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ]

- 4 That is funny they are having so many fires in S.F. now is the strike over yet or not let me know what is going on in S.F. anyway let me know.

I see by the San Mateo News that Geo Energy has to go with the next draft of Boys I guess he does not like it very much I also see that the other Allen boy has got to go along with the rest of the drafted Boys also I gues his wife will not like it very well. Tell Mother I will drop her a line in morning how is Dad.

Well Sis I can not think of anything else to tell you about today so will close. Hoping this letter finds you and folks all well and happy with Love and Best wishes to you and folks.

From your Brother Leslie.

[Written on letterhead with L.O. BROOKS printed over an image of a propellered bi-plane printed in green with a box border. 83RD AERO SQUADRON Kelly Field SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ]

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Oct - 28 - 1917

Dear Mother, just a line to let you know I received your letter of Oct 24th and was glad to hear from you and glad to hear that you and all the folks are well and happy what ever you do don't worry about me as I will make out all right I am studying hard now and have not got much time to write letters now as I want to get ahead as fast as I can I wanted to go and see about a good job yesterday but did not get time so I am going to see about it in the morning if I get time I want to get it if I can as it is a good job all I would have to do is to repair Auto Trucks and that is considered a fine job by the mechanics down here I do not know if they will let me transfer now

[Written on letterhead with L.O. BROOKS printed over an image of a propellered bi-plane printed in green with a box border. 83RD AERO SQUADRON Kelly Field SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ]

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as our squadrom is supposed to leave here soon for Mineola. I do not know just how soon it will be but expect it most any day now as all the old squadrons are leaving here we are about the oldest down here now so do not be surprised to get a letter from me from some other part of the United States if they do ever send us to Mineola I will be able to see some of my Cousins I guess as they say it is not far from West Willington. I do not know if they will send us to that Aviation school or some other one it does not make much difference to me as I want to see some of the world anyhow while I have the chance but do not know how much of it I will see as they send some of the squadrons