Mon., June 12, 1944—Flew up to Galeria (Rome) with Capt. Block in #41. Bad weather caused us nearly to crack up when we landed.
Tues., June 13, 1944—Fixed up our tent again with floors & sides (at Galeria). Started night flying tonight. Collins, Young, & I had to stay up till 02:30 hrs. getting flights off & back . . . Frankhouser is prisoner of war.
Wed., June 14, 1944—Built up Ops. building again. (I’m getting tired of doing it, too.) Gordon Grant, a war correspondent from the Tampa Tribune, stopped by to see Junior & then me today. He wanted a “story” but got none. (Jr. got here this morning from Vesuvius.)
| Gordon Grant did in fact write a story about the encounter with the Tolle brothers. It appeared two weeks later on page 3 of the Tampa Tribune, Wednesday, June 28, 1944. One excerpt about Donald Tolle: Looks Belie Him He didn’t look much like a school teacher today in his sweaty coveralls and battered fatigue cap. It wasn’t until he started talking in his well-modulated voice that you realized there was something about him a little different from most soldiers. —DMT |
Thurs., June 15, 1944—On night duty all night sending off night flights. Got in bed about 0515 in the morning.
Fri., June 16, 1944—Collins, Young, Lt. Underwood, & I went into Rome this afternoon & looked the town over.
Sat., June 17, 1944—Worked all day on back paper work.
Sun., June 18, 1944—Terrific rain & lightning storm last night. Rained most of the day today.
Mon., June 19, 1944—Rain again. Mail at last.
Tues., June 20, 1944—Signs went up around Officers’ area today: “Officers’ Area Only; Off Limits to E. M.”
Wed., June 21, 1944—On night duty tonight till 0400 a.m. sending off night training flights.
Thurs., June 22, 1944—Jr. came over this evening. Col. Akers flew him over our proposed new field today to photograph it (Grosseto). At the present time it’s about 15 miles from the front.
Fri., June 23, 1944—Junior flew in a “cub” to see Tom Hendrix yesterday up about halfway between here & Grosseto. Tom is in Gen. Clark’s Hdqs. now in charge of the “cubs.”
Sat., June 24, 1944—Flew to Foggia this afternoon to see Fred [Bevis], but he was on Sardinia. Rode back in nose. That was about the roughest plane ride I ever had, I believe . . . Advance echelon moved up to new field today (Grosseto).
Sun., June 25, 1944—On night duty tonight till 0345.
Mon., June 26, 1944—Worked hard all day on paper work, then we tore down the Ops. shack & loaded it on a truck. We’re going up to Grosseto in the morning. Junior’s birthday today. Three pilots & six gunners left for the States today.
Tues., June 27, 1944—Moved up by truck to new field at Ombrone (Grosseto). We’re living in nice pine woods, but the bugs are terrible. Set up our living tent.
Wed., June 28, 1944—Put up Ops. shack this a.m. I hope it won’t stand another move.
Thurs., June 29, 1944—On night duty in Opns. tonight till 0300 a.m.
Fri., June 30, 1944—(No diary entry.)
Sat., July 1, 1944—(No diary entry.)
Sun., July 2, 1944—We’re supposed to go to Corsica beginning on the 9th. Worked all night in Opns. tonight.
Mon., July 3, 1944—Note: This area we’re living in is mined. Three Group officers were seriously injured when their jeep ran over a mine just before the main part of the Group moved up here.
Tues., July 4, 1944—I’m getting highly “browned off” with the situation here because we can hardly keep enough transportation available to take care of our business. Officers are continually making off with the jeeps.
Wed., July 5, 1944—On duty all night . . . Last night one of our planes didn’t come back from the mission—reason unknown. Crew was Lt. Graves (pilot); Adams & Eden (gunners); Dunn (bomb.); and Dr. Browder J. Thompson (observer), an expert consultant from the War Dept. He is also supposed to be an Under-Secretary of War, travelling about with Secy. of War Stimson who is in Naples now, I believe. Quite an investigation is being made, but there is no clue as to why the plane didn’t return. It probably got in bad weather and ran into a mountain.
Thurs., July 6, 1944—On duty till midnight because C.B. Young didn’t get back from 2-day pass to Rome. I’m leaving in the morning on advance echelon to Corsica.