21. My “Itinerary” after landing in Africa

  • Landed at Oran, Algeria, Monday, December 7, 1942.
  • Caught train to Casablanca, Morocco, on Friday, Dec. 11, 1942.
  • Arrived Casablanca, Sunday night, Dec. 13, 1942.
  • Left Mediouna Air Base (Casablanca) on C-47, Thursday, Dec. 24, 1942. Spent Xmas Eve in hangar at Blida, Algeria. Landed at Youks Les Bain, Algeria, Friday, Dec. 25, 1942. (First bombing raid at Youks, Saturday, Dec. 26, 1942.)
  • Moved by truck to Thelepte, Tunisia, Monday, Dec. 28, 1942.
  • Moved by truck to Youks, Monday, February 15, 1943.
  • Moved by truck to Canrobert, Algeria, Saturday, Feb. 20, 1943.
  • Moved back to Thelepte, Saturday, April 10, 1943. (Most moved back, Mar.30,1943.)
  • Moved to Souk el Arba, Tunisia, by British lorry (truck), Fri., Apr. 16, 1943. North African campaign ended Thursday, May 13, 1943. Went into Tunis, Friday, May 14, 1943.
  • Moved to Grombalia (Soliman) in olive grove 20 – 25 miles from Tunis, Tuesday, June 1, 1943. Sicilian invasion started Saturday, July 10, 1943.
  • Flew to Malta in C-47 on Thursday, July 22, 1943.
  • Flew by C-47 to Comunali (Gela), Sicily, Thurs., Aug. 12, 1943.
  • Moved by truck to Gerbini #10 (near Catania), Thurs., Aug. 19, 1943. Italian invasion started on Friday, Sept. 3, 1943. Italy surrendered on Wed., Sept. 8, 1943.
  • Moved by truck & landing craft across Straits of Messina to Italy on Monday, Sept. 19, 1943.
  • Got to new (temporary) base five miles from Taranto (Grottaglie), Friday, Sept. 24, 1943.
  • Moved to Foggia (Vicenzo) on Sunday, October 17, 1943.
  • Moved by truck to Vesuvius, Thursday, January 13, 1944.
  • The Group moved to Capodichino Airdrome (near Naples) while I was in hospital during the time that Vesuvius erupted, Mar. 22 – 25, 1944.
  • The Group moved back to Vesuvius on April 25, 1944.
  • Invasion of France, Tuesday, June 6, 1944.
  • Flew to new base at Galeria (Rome), Monday, June 12, 1944.
  • Moved by truck to Grosseto (Ombrone), Tues., June 27, 1944.
  • Moved by truck to board LST for Corsica, Friday, July 7, 1944.
  • Arrived at Corsica by LST on July 10, 1944, and reached base at Poretta, July 11, 1944.
  • Invasion of Southern France, Aug. 15, 1944 (?).
  • Flew to France, Thursday, Sept. 7, 1944.
  • Flew back to Italy (Fallonica), Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1944.
  • Moved by truck to Rosignano (Vada), Sunday, October 8, 1944.
  • Moved to Grosseto, Wed., Dec. 6, 1944.
  • Moved by truck to Pisa, Fri., Mar. 30, 1945.
  • War ended in Europe, Wednesday, May 9, 1945–V-E Day.
  • Moved to staging area near Pisa on Sunday, June 17, 1945.
  • Boarded Liberty Ship “S.S. William Cushing” in Leghorn (Livorno) harbor, on Monday, June 25, 1945.
  • Sailed for home on Tuesday, June 26, 1945.
  • Landed in New York harbor on Thursday, July 12, 1945.