Left San Francisco at noon on the S.S. President Coolidge. An awful day to be starting to go someplace and not know where. Under the Golden Gate bridge at last; by boat, damn.
Along with Burns, 12 other pilots of the 21st Pursuit Squadron (under command of 1st Lt. Ed Dyess) and 15 pilots of the 34th Pursuit Squadron (under 1st Lt. Sam Marett) were being sent to PLUM, along with the enlisted men of the two squadrons. The remaining officers of the two squadrons of the 35th Pursuit Group were to follow on the next transport. Along with the 28 Pursuiters, there were 85 officers and accompanying enlisted men of the 27th Bomb Group (Light) on board, also assigned to PLUM.