James Virgil Thomas letter to Mother, September 19, 1919
Transcript
THE CONCORDIA HOTEL GEO HASTENPLUG MGR RED BLUFF CAL EST 1879 BY J HASTENPLUG RED BLUFF. CAL Sept. 19, 1919. Dear Mother – I got yours and Ernesto letters this morning – We are stationed here at Red Bluff now. Suppose we will be here the rest of the season. This tour is dead as a door nail. The only excitement they have is when the ships leave and come in each day. I have been out on patrol the last 4 days straight and averaged 4 ½ hrs. each day. I flew right over the top of mount [Lassen] today and took a look at the
Transcript
crater. It was smoking just a little. It was rather disappointing however as it was not at all big or deep. We flew over at 15,000 ft. and cleared it about 200 ft. Flew over Mt. Shasta too but had to go to 16000 to get over it. The Lieut let me fly over Shasta. I climbed to 16000 ft. and then nosed down and flew over it and just did clear the highest peak. It was certainly cold up there. I like to froze. The Lieut is going to give me some landings in a P.H. tomorrow. He let me fly a [illegible] down from Redding to here by myself. He is going to teach me to fly the DH’s now.
Transcript
I have been flying them every day for the last week on patrol but I have not made any landings so tomorrow I get that part of it. I haven’t got any money yet and the lord only knows when I will get it. I hope it is soon for I need it badly. Send any mail to this place now. Your Son, Virgil
Details
| Title | James Virgil Thomas letter to Mother, September 19, 1919 |
| Creator | Thomas, James Virgil |
| Source | unknown |
| Description | <p>In this letter to his mother Virgil explains the different types of aircraft he has been training with and sights he has seen along the American west coast from the air. </p> |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918--Avaition |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Contributing Institution | Paul Jones Family |
| Copy Request | For more information on using this image, contact the Springfield-Greene County Library District at 4653 S. Campbell Ave. 417-882-0714 |
| Rights | Publication, commercial use, or reproduction of this image or the accompanying data requires prior written permission from the Springfield-Greene County Library District, 4653 S. Campbell Ave. 417-882-0714 |
| Date Original | September 19, 1919 |
| Language | English |