(4) Hugh E. Boyle to principal of Bloomsburg State Normal School (Dr. D. J. Waller), August 28, 1918, Letter.

Transcript: Rich Field, Waco, Texas. August 28, 1918. My dear Dr. Waller: I suppose you think I have left for “over there.” Such is not the case as I have been sent back here to Texas. I have been down here about four weeks. We finished the course at Columbia and then sent here to Waco. We are here to finish our flying training. I wanted to tell you of my first trip- thus the wait. Yesterday I had my first trip. It was wonderful. I never enjoyed anything so well. After leaving the ground the instructor threw up both hands which meant I was to take control. I did. I wondered what was going to happen next. By the slightest movement of the controlling stick the “ship” would move the way I wanted it to. It was a great sensation to see it move the moment I pushed the stick. As to the ground, It seemed as if the “ship” was suspended in mid-air and the Earth moving around underneath us. But by putting my hand out I knew we were moving and moving very swiftly. I was up about 2200 feet. It didn’t seem so, but the instrument showed how high we were. Today I was up above the clouds. It was like being out on the ocean. Nothing but clouds around. Here and there we could see the Earth through the spaces in the clouds. Getting off and landing on the ground is the hardest things to learn and I expect to do these soon. But taken as a whole, it was great.While at Columbia and during the summer session I met a number of B.S.N.S. graduates. Among them were Marion Phillips '18, Nellie Ent '16 and a few other I don’t remember the names of. I didn’t meet Miss Mitchell but tried to find her but couldn’t. I am always glad to meet any from Normal. Waco is a very nice place. I haven’t been here long enough to get acquainted with it but it seems to be a very nice place. Did you ever hear Waco pronounced by a Texan? We in the North pronounced it Waco. Here it is pronounced Waco. Waco is getting to be sort of a slang word among the fellows. I guess this is all the news this time and hoping to hear from you soon. I remain, Respectfully yours, Hugh E. Boyle. ’17. Best regards to all my friends around Normal. Address: Cadet Hugh E. Boyle, Rich Field, Waco, Texas. Cadet H. E. Boyle. Rich Field, Waco, Tex. Dr. D. J. Waller, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Wrote 9/7-