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The unpredictable, once bearded Frank has given up smoking and drinking - no one can find out why.  Frank, the irrepressible, looks at us and says, "What do you fellows get out of drinking and smoking?" - great disdain in his voice.  Frank made another prize crack when he referred to the GE733 44 ton double reduction locomotor as a "high speed wart stuck on a gear box."

Erie, Pa.,
Wednesday, Sept. 11, 1940.
Today was all tank and Watertown Arsenal locomotive bid.  I finished my draft of the tank specification and at 3:00PM we met in Cash's office with John Aydelott, Frank Pritchard, Mark Hanna and Gouldthorpe and mulled it over thoroughly.  We changed a lot of words, struck out a few passages but in general it remained unchanged in form and content.  It was my first real session of that kind with Gouldy and I decided he is pretty keen - a clear and thorough thinker.  I always enjoying working with John Aydelott too although some don't.  John and I have always got along very well.  Tomorrow the job is to go out and I can see where it will be a hectic day with an awful lot of loose ends to catch up.  In another week or so at most, we should have an order for a sample equipment if our job is selected for a pilot tank.  I can see that if it is, there will be plenty of headaches ahead.  Gouldy was down at Paterson yesterday going over engine-generator details with Wright Aeronautical and he brought back some rather disturbing stories of how they put tanks and tractors through the inquisition at Ft. Benning.  Samples:  Anchoring a tank in sand and letting it run at full throttle all day. - Butting a tractor up against a stone