Mon., Feb. 15, 1943—Strafed this morning by about 6 ME’s. Two of our planes were ruined on the ground. Five ME’s were shot down by Spitfires. I was caught out in the open again by this strafing attack. Rudy Nerich jumped into the cook’s slop pit—thought the top of the slop was the bottom of a foxhole; had slop up to his armpits. (That’s one time I preferred being on top of the ground.) . . . EVACUATION—Our Sqdn. moved by truck convoy to Youks tonight, supposedly for a “rest.” The truck I was in had an accident, and we had to change to another.
Tues., Feb. 16, 1943—Here we are at Youks for our “rest.” Frieze and I were first bombed here. Junior got a bath this a.m.
Wed., Feb. 17, 1943—Snow today . . . Are we bait to suck Rommel into a trap this side of Thelepte? We’ll see. (Later: We were not!!)
Thurs., Feb. 18, 1943—Jr., Tutt, Frieze, and I worked on our new “home.” It will be a luxurious hole when we finish . . . The Sirocco blew all night, with rain toward morning.
Fri., Feb. 19, 1943—Rain & hail & wind today. We finished our shack (underground, naturally), and a lovely sack it is. Our first night in it tonight.
Sat., Feb. 20, 1943—Jerry gave poor exhibition of bombing us today. Missed us a mile . . . Sudden orders to evacuate to Canrobert (Algeria). Broke camp in rain, fog, and cold. Left about 1:00 a.m. in open trucks after waiting six hours.
Sun., Feb. 21, 1943—Arrived at air base at Canrobert at dawn after riding from 1:00 a.m. in open trucks (freezing cold). Dug in again. Leaving our lovely sack at Youks was hardest blow of the war. Visited Canrobert.
Mon., Feb. 22, 1943—Bathed in Ain Beida this a.m.—my fourth bath in three months. Saw a French girl in silk stockings walking down the street of Canrobert! What a sight for tired eyes!
Tues., Feb. 23, 1943—On guard from 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. My feet are still cold at 9:00 a.m.. British plane crashed and burned on our field early this a.m.. Ammunition went off for a long time. Washed all our dirty clothes (first time in three months).
| (Un-dated, un-placed, un-finished [poem], and better left un-said to begin with) Here in the dark of night, With neither moon- nor star-light To break the gloom, I stand on guard. Not long ago this same dark night Would have found me bathed in light Of some bright party room. Now I’m on guard. A war has caused this change of life With all its stress and strain and strife. In truth, I wish I had a wife Instead of pulling guard. |
Wed., Feb. 24, 1943—Junior bought a goat kid from an Arab. Cute kid! It cried all night. Jr. puked tonight. Something he et.
Thurs., Feb. 25, 1943—Rain today. I puked in my tin hat tonight. Something I et. Junior’s goat (Oshit) ran away today. 200 francs gone with the wind.
Fri., Feb. 26, 1943—Rain and mud. Nasty mud.
Sat., Feb. 27, 1943—Rain & mud & hail. Snow on the hill nearby that Jr. & Dave climbed Wednesday. More rain, more hail, much more mud. We are having a rest here as far as work goes, but this nasty mud is hard to enjoy.
Sun., Feb. 28, 1943—Letter from Mary Alice saying she’s in love with someone else. My only drunk this date.
Mon., Mar. 1, 1943—Went to Ain Beida to look around.
Wed., Mar. 3, 1943—Dug lovely new shack today. Better than the one at Youks (even!).
Thurs., Mar. 4, 1943—Made a few improvements on our home, and now it’s swell.
Fri., Mar. 5, 1943—I’m on guard tonight. Wrote Mary Alice after I came off guard, in answer to her 3 letters today saying she’s in love with me again. I’m through.
Sat., Mar. 6, 1943—Cooked some lovely omelets on the stove Jr. made. Jr. on guard tonight.
Sun., Mar. 7, 1943—Went to Ain Beida for bath.
Mon., Mar. 8, 1943—Rain today. Jr. flew today (dry run).
Tues., Mar. 9, 1943—Sqdn. doing a lot of flying these days preparing to go up to front again.
Wed., Mar. 10, 1943—Adams and Donahoo bailed out today when they thought Lt. Smith (pilot) had passed out. They felt foolish.
Thurs., Mar. 11, 1943—I made Sgt. today effective the 1st of March. Jr. sick tonight from headache he got on flight yesterday.
Fri., Mar. 12, 1943—(Gap in diary.)
Sat., Mar. 13, 1943—Junior taken off combat crew today as result of sinus trouble. I’m glad.
Sun., Mar. 14, 1943—Got paid today (1225 francs).
Mon., Mar. 15, 1943—Mail from home. Yesterday was Dave’s birthday—he told us tonight!
Tues., Mar. 16, 1943—Kendall’s birthday (35). Jr., Mac, & I practiced some of Mac’s songs which Jr. arranged.
Wed., Mar. 17, 1943—The big push started just now when our planes took off. Mission not successful. I worked with Armament Section today loading bombs for a mission. Terrific hail, rain, and thunderstorm this afternoon. Mud!
Thurs., Mar. 18, 1943—Rain again. We were flooded yesterday. Jr. & I on guard tonight. Mud so slippery we could hardly walk.
| (Another [poem] better left to obscurity) I’ve been gloomy, I’ve been blue; Had the sniffles, had the flu. Lice have had a go at me, And fleas are something hard to flee. Food’s monotonous, tastes the same. Lost my dough in a poker game. But as misery givers, they’re all a dud Compared to this damned African mud! I’ve seen it hail, I’ve seen it snow, But this mud beats them from the go. It’s slick and slimy, sticky stuff That makes you want to yell, “Enough!” ‘Twon’t let you run—go snail’s pace in it. I’ve tried to hurry—slid my face in it. But at the end—to summarize: This mud’s the antonym to paradise. |
Fri., Mar. 19, 1943—Jr. had to move to the line with the photo men. Should be able to move back to our shack in a few days.
Sat., Mar. 20, 1943—On gravel-loading detail today besides Operations work.
Sun., Mar. 21, 1943—Loaded bombs today with Armament Section. Bombs I helped load the other day probably killed men today. I didn’t realize this was Sunday until I saw the chaplain holding Mass.
Mon., Mar. 22, 1943—Bomb loading again today. Fred Bevis flew up in a P-38. First time I’d seen him since on the Queen Mary. He’s at Algiers. I gave him our Lakeland Ledgers.
Tues., Mar. 23, 1943—”Hellfire” crashed tonight. Nobody hurt. Gave great blow to the Axis today—60 of us out of the Group were on trash-loading detail for Group Hq.
Wed., Mar. 24, 1943—On guard tonight from 11 to 3 in camp area. Jr. on from 3 to 7—plane guard.
Thurs., Mar. 25, 1943—Took bath tonight in Ain Beida. Mac and I sang belated Xmas carols on truck on the way home.
Fri., Mar. 26, 1943—Gen. Eisenhower landed on our field. He just now went by in a command car guarded by machine guns. Did my washing.
(Gap in diary.)
Sun., Mar. 28, 1943—Went to church service today for first time since Thanksgiving service on board the Derbyshire between England & Africa.
Mon., Mar. 29, 1943—On guard; graveyard shift again. Cold, but yes!
| Canrobert, Algeria March 29th, 1943 Rain on Canvas Outside it’s cold and wet, uncomfortable drizzle Permeating, penetrating through to shrinking skin. Gray overcast with promises of snow and hail with rain. Gloomy, silent hills surrounding, cupping Heaven’s weeping Into streaming rivulets and clinging mud. But that’s outside. In here the nastiness of the rain’s transformed Into something soothing as it beats upon the canvas—outside. The turbulence of my soul grows tranquil with the rain. |
Tues., Mar. 30, 1943—Dental appt. at 2 p.m. One tooth filled . . . Jr. & most of Sq. moved up to Thelepte again. The C.O. wouldn’t let me go . . . Saw “Pride of the Yankees” tonight at hangar.
Wed., Mar. 31, 1943—Two more teeth filled . . . With Jr., Dave, & Tommy gone, I’m left alone. Shirk, Mercer, & Klum moved in with me.
Thurs., Apr. 1, 1943—Pay day.
Fri., Apr. 2, 1943—Nasty weather today. Cold wind, rain, & light snow. Before that, dust was blowing all over . . . 86th lost plane, pilot, and gunners on mission. Shot down by an ME. “Georgia’s” ship was hit by ME cannon but was not knocked down. (All this is rumor from Thelepte.)
Sat., Apr. 3, 1943—Traded Arab for 40 eggs. Fixed stove so we can cook again. Kind of lonesome without Jr., Dave, & Tommy around.
| Saturday Morning, April Third, 1943 SIROCCO Out of the hills, from the Arab haunts, With a rush and a roar through the African grass Comes Sirocco on one of his merciless jaunts Spreading power, bruising power over mountain and pass. The thundering surge of a murderous sea Transformed to invisible, unleashed T.N.T.— A maniacal, goading Sirocco is he As he shrieks at man’s misery in devilish glee. This demonian, dour devil of dire destiny Deals destruction and death despite dervishes’ dancing. Proud people past praying are pale, pleading piteously While pounded to powder by Pan’s playful prancing. – – – – – – – – – (And a little after-bit: You’re walking along with a peaceful mien, No trouble of any description foreseen, When, socko! Sirocco appears on the scene.) |
Sun., Apr. 4, 1943—Heavy frost this a.m. but a lovely day since then.
Mon., Apr. 5, 1943—On M.P. duty in Canrobert last night . . . Richard Wenham killed in strafing at Thelepte today by FW-190. Gallahan seriously wounded; Sturgis, Laborde, & Statts wounded. One 86th boy was killed and two wounded. Colwell had leg blown off. Seven planes ruined by the strafing. A tough day.
Tues., Apr. 6, 1943—Saw “Gentleman Jim” at hangar tonight. Junior came up from Thelepte to spend night. Gave him his half of package from home which came today.
Capt. Charles Sharpless, 3rd from left—Killed in Action.
Major Orville Robinson on right.
Wed., Apr. 7, 1943—Dental appt. 4:00 p.m. Another tooth filled . . . Capt. Sharpless, Breining, and Roarke shot down by ME near Faid Pass. They may have escaped. [Elmer] Garrison and Shepard bailed out of Lt. Smith’s plane when they thought he was crashing while trying to lose a German fighter. Elmer’s chute opened just in time, but Shep’s didn’t. Elmer was injured; Shep was killed.
Thurs., Apr. 8, 1943—Moved Ops. tent from line to Sqdn. area. Jr. went back to Thelepte . . . On yesterday’s mission, Capt. Sharpless, Roarke, & Shepard were killed. Garrison bailed out safely; Breining missing.
| April 8, 1943 Near Canrobert, Algeria Men are dying—men of my outfit whom I know well—and I must stay here “policing” the area to win a blue ribbon. Yesterday on a mission Capt. Sharpless’s ship was shot down by M.E.’s. Capt. Sharpless & Roarke, a new gunner, were killed. Breining’s body was not found in or around the plane; so we have the hope that he bailed out and is either a prisoner or is making his way back somehow. Lt. Artz’s plane was riddled by flak and E.A. Sheppard was hit twice, though not fatally. When starting to land, Lt. Artz couldn’t get his wheels down (the hydraulic was shot out), and he ordered the gunners to hit the silk. Sheppard did and landed O.K. Stankiewicz preferred to chance a crash-landing. As it happened, Lt. Artz finally was able to pump his wheels down by hand and made a beautiful landing. Lt. Smith went into a steep dive (420 mph!) to escape some M.E.’s, and Garrison and Kenneth Shepard thought he was crashing. They called on the inter-phone; but as Lt. Smith was trying to answer that everything was all right, the inter-phone went out. The two boys bailed out, but Shep’s chute didn’t open in time. He was a good kid. Elmer (Garrison) landed O.K., and I’m awfully glad. He’s a swell fellow. That’s what’s going on at Thelepte while we sit here doing nothing for the war effort but picking up paper in the area in response to orders from on high. We may lose the war or at least lose a lot of our friends, but we’ll have the cleanest area! That is extremely important just now, you see. I’m doing Operations paper work here that I could do just as easily up there. Besides that I could load bombs up there if they needed men for that in a hurry (and five armament men have just been knocked off duty by FW-190’s.) Poor Wenham got killed by the bombing. Gallahan was seriously wounded. I hope he makes out O.K. Sturgis was wounded in the leg, Statts on the scalp, and Laborde in the hand or finger. And here I am. (Of course, I can always do my bit to win the blue ribbon here!) Don’t misunderstand. I’m not peeved—I’m just mad as hell!! (Note: Two days after the above out-pouring, I was moved back to Thelepte. But that eleven-day interval from the time most of the Sqdn. had moved back to Thelepte and the time I was allowed to—with all that was happening at Thelepte—was one of the most frustrating periods of the war for me.) |
Fri., Apr. 9, 1943—Been awfully windy and cold for two or three days. I get to go to Thelepte tomorrow; I’m glad of that . . . Mary Alice and I are “that way” again—Bless her.