On May 2, 1945, my father wrote home: "We were all elated for we got promoted to Staff Sergeants today which puts us in the higher price bracket and entitles us to privileges of the 1st 3 grades of enlisted men. We'll have to be on the ball to keep it. Pay, base is 96 and then flying pay boosts it to a total of 144 and then 20% of that for being overseas amounts up to 160 something which is not to be sneezed at. Engineer and R.O. on B-17s are supposed to make another rocker but under the circumstances I would say we are mighty lucky to get what we did." ~ S/Sgt. Frank G. Thompson, 336th Sqn., 95th BG, 8th Air Force