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December 1
Got up early and went to Dunhill a Famous Store to buy a pipe (l 4.5).
Really a sweetheart. Then to several stores for gloves, ties, and etc. A trip through the Great Westminster Abbey
where I saw everything from the graves of the Norman Monks (1098) graves to the latest.
Rode on the upper deck of a bus over to St Paul's where I saw all the great military graves. I climbed 600 steps to
the top of the dome (345') which is the highest point in London.
Returned to the field in the
early evening. A very memorable day in all.
December 2
Well, the plane was
ready in the late afternoon but we couldn't take off because of poor visibility. So I spent some time at the officer's
Club, which really was a honey. Then I went into town for tea. Then to a British Show for 60 cents (best seats
in bal.) which lasted for 3 hours and really was very amusing.
Being that there wasn't much to
do around town in the evening, I returned about eleven. Read awhile and then to bed.
We
stayed in very nice quarters. Private rooms with orderlies to shine shoes etc.
December 3 Log:30
Didn't return to Hardwick until almost noon. I flew back.
We had a big pow-wow in the afternoon
as to our leaving tomorrow. We are going to the South West tip of England and from there to North Africa (I am really
glad I got to see London). Gen Doolittle needs us down there in Africa.
Spent my few spare
hours packing the stuff in the plane! Even had to do it by flashlight tonight. Plenty tired now.
Beautiful night for a "Jerry".
December 4
Up early in the morning and packed some
more stuff. Worked as the officer of the Intelligence guard for four hours.
Had another
big pow-pow about our trip to Oran in North Africa. All matter of secret, of course.
It
rained so we couldn't take off as planned.
I really wish tat we would get to our base so as I
would get some mail. I really would like to know what is going on at home.
The food is plenty
lousy here since the B-24 group has taken this base over. They can have it, and the mud.
December 5 Log:
2:30
It rained all morning then it cleared up about noon and then we left for Portreath [DIFFICULT
TO READ] which will be our last stop in England. It was a trip of plus 400 miles. We flew formation all the way
which made it rather tiresome.
The country passed over was beautiful with all its castles and
small field. The different crops makes the countryside look like a huge bed spread.
The
W.A.A.F.'s do most of the work here. Not a bad idea as the men can carry on the hard work of war. We are the 11th plane
so the formation will go on without us.
December 6
The weather was rotten all day.
Two planes crashed on take off (A Lockheed and a Beaufighter). Due to the fact that all the crew was killed, the airfield
was closed for the day.
Spent the day in the Officer's Club by the fireside. I had tea during
the tea hour and everything.
A funny thing to have a full lar gr [DIFFICULT TO READ] loaf of bread
placed on the table --------- cut it yourself. Sonie [DIFFICULT TO READ] work with that thick crust it had.
I had a date with a N.A.A.F.I. gal in the evening. Wonderful steak.
Combat service begins
December 7 Log 8+30
Planes changed. One of the
other ships had to stay behind because of a faulty gas tank. Katz stayed as navigator on that ship. We took on
Capt. Peel - 310th Hq. Operations. What a trip. Ate rations on the way. Flew floating formation all the
way.
When we got to Oran (270 miles from g. Rock) we hat to eat more rations over fire built of
gasoline.
No barracks here so we had to sleep under the wings of our plane.
This was a French Naval Air Port before the U.S. Forces took over.
December 8
What
a night! It rained and each one of us got plenty wet. Then the gas crew came 'round at 3 A.M. and we had to get
up and gas the plane. What a mess!
Eggs cost 25 cents each. And we can buy organs
but they cost good money. These Arabs are really something to trade with. They speak French and Spanish.
We use invasion money here --- good old American money only with the orange seal instead of the
blue one used back in the States. Blue sealed money isn't worth anything around here......
December 9
Slept in the plane as it isn't any fun to sleep in the rain. The temperatures here are swell; cool in the evening and
warm in the day.
It rained all day. Of course, it is expected to rain because it
is the raining session.
We traded some old dirty underclothes for some eggs, oranges.
The veens (wine) is very good but cost plenty.
We really have a grand time cooking with gasoline.
The only trouble is it is so dirty!
Plenty of planes fly in and out of here.
December
10
Another restless night of sleep in the plane. I have to wake up every time I change position.
I am getting so I can sleep in the same position all the time.
Food is lousy. All one has
to do is to survive the war is to live out the rotten living conditions.
We had to put the blankets
on the wings in order to dry them out, as they were wet.
We have to wait here for Col. Hunter
before we can go on the Algeria.
Everyone is feeling grand.
December 11
Today is our Arial engineer's birthday. He is 20. We bought some wine in order to celebrate the event.
Schrupp is 27 today. He is one of our five that traveled from Roswell to Columbia. The others are Sazygirl [DIFFICULT
TO READ], Jackson, Hertley and myself.
I have been taking some snaps around here. They should
be able to amuse someone when I get home. And, boy, will I be able to get home --- I wonder.
I can't find any paper to write any letters.
December 12
Well, it is Saturday and
still the C.O. hasn't come to Africa. The same old usual day here. With the usual trading with those thieves known as
the Arabs.
A couple of planes tried to taxi through the mud. Now a B-24 and an A-20 are
sitting with their noses in the mud because their lead wheel stuck in a mud hole.
Bought five
quarts of veeno so as to have a party tonight. Have to find something to do to keep from going crazy.
We are just about out of K rations. We have eaten our artic box.
December 13
19 - B'24's took off on a bombing mission this morning. Some axis city will catch hell today.
What a night. We drank those five bottles plus two more. The whole crew got feeling rather good.
14 - 17's took off. All B-24's and 17's returned safely from their missions. There were over 1,000 planes over
the target at the same time. Only two tail gunners were hurt. The officers and crews really looked a thought they
aged plenty on that trip.
The B-17's are under the command of General Roosevelt.
December
14
Got up early in the morning in order to hitch hike into Oran (18 miles) as there isn't any
"G.I." transportation.
Oran was really something to see. Food was hard to get and we ate
two dinners. We went to an officer's Club that really was unusual.
In the early evening
we came back to the field as we are expected to travel on to the front tomorrow.
We rode back
to the field with some nurses. They really had been on a bender. Everyone drinks over here. The gov't rations
cigarettes, candy, whiskey, razor blades, and etc. to us, now.
December 15
Got up
in the dark (0600) and was set to take off when it started to rain. Flight was cancelled.
[BLANKED] around in the mud all day. Some of us had to sleep on the ground under the plane in order to keep the baggage
dry. What a mess.
We are hoping to get off tomorrow if nothing goes wrong again.
I wrote five letters today but it was hard to do because one can't write letters easily unless he is receiving some.
Our mail is somewhere in England, or Africa I guess.
December 16 Log 1:45
What
a day! We got off from Oran Okay with Capt. Peel as pilot and then he messed up on his formation work so [BLANK] flew.
I was flying the formation (tt6) when the left motor cut out. It acted up so much that we landed at Algeriers only 5
minutes away. Of course, we were ready to bail out.
Spent the evening shooting the bull
with some of the boys that went on that raid with Doolittle.
Food is lousy here so we pooled all
our food and really ate for 1 1/2 hours. Best I've had in months.
December 17
We didn't get off as we planned. The damaged cowl was not repaired until late afternoon. It was really in a bad
shape.
Talked to some of the boys that are flying spitfires over here. Really interesting stories.
Got in a Hinkel (German plane) that was captured here. It really was something and not a bad plane at all. We
certainly can't underestimate those Germans.
Of course, we had our alert in the evening.
This field was a very important French factory before the U.S. captured it. British are also here.
December
18 Log 2:30
Not a bad trip. We had plenty of work to do when we got here. The
plane was completely stripped to be the lightest as possible. Even took the radio equipment out.
A couple of B-26's got shot down today. All our 25's returned okay. Our plane had the left rudder shot off.
Some fun.
Living conditions here aren't bad. We sleep on the floor and still eat out of
mess kits but it has to be done, so why kick. I wish that we would have had some mail here.
[ASSUME THIS WAS RELOCATION
TO TELERGMA]
December 19 Log 0:45
What a day! We worked at the plane all day
in order to be ready to go on the next raid. We would have gone today, unprepared as we were, but it rained. (The God's
are with us).
I guess I won't go on the first raid with Eddy as they are giving him a co-pilot
that has been in action being Eddy is a flight leader. I don't like the idea.
We are still
living on canned food.
I shot 70 rounds on my 45 today so as to get the range of it.
Boy am I only tired. Guess I'll go to bed.
December 20
Sunday. A nice
peaceful day without any air alerts or raids being carried on by the field.
The raid was called
off this morning because of rain. All the gang is looking forward the first raid.
We spent
the afternoon carrying bricks and boards to make something that looks like a bed. We used straw between two blankets
for the padding effect.
Shot up another 80 rounds on my 45 today. Can handle it quite satisfactorily
now.
The Arabs are starting to cause us some trouble as they are shooting our men when they can.
December
21
Monday. Well, the gang did not get off again because of the weather.
The ground troops arrived late last night by train. They were 600 strong and more came in by motor convoy this afternoon.
The other 2/3 were still on their way. We have only 22 of our transportation here. Consisting of 16 jeeps. They
brought a few American rations with them. I ate five meals today. Some fun.
The gang
is going on a raid tomorrow. I still stay home.
We really are getting organized here.
December
22
Tuesday. Another day of "Snafu" because of rain again. I am beginning to wonder
what the sun looks like. The fighter squadron (B-25 escort of P-38'w) had to remain here because of the lousy weather.
Met some more boys that I haven't seen since the good old primary school days at Visalia.
Took
a nice hot shower today. It has been so long that I considered it a real event. Water is something to get around
here.
No mail today but I wrote home anyhow.
December 23
Wednesday. I seems as thought it is going to rain forever and ever. The raid for today was called off as to be
expected.
Walked down to the village today (500 yards from my barracks). What a place.
They sell every part of the sheep, even the guts.
Even saw a French W.H. today. What a miserable
sight.
I guess I will never get use to those French W. C.
The Officer's
Club opened today. Only one drink per day.
December 24
Thursday. Another
day of rain, and more rain. A bunch of B-26's came in today. This field is really getting to have plenty of planes
from B-17's down to P-40's.
Meet an old classmate from Visalia here. He is flying P-40's.
Odd how 42-G is spread around. Most of [BLANK] pilots on bombers. But that is only due to the shortage of planes.
All of us are rated 1st pilots.
Went to Constantine in the squadron "meat wagon." Really
had a grand time there. Got some more pipes.
I hope that I'll be in the States next year.
December
25
Friday. Not bad weather but still not good enough for a raid. Plenty of activity
here as lots of transport planes are going up to the front with much needed equipment.
The Xmas
dinner was swell. Really a good meal. We had bread, coffee, white meat of turkey, spuds, candied spuds, crackers,
gravy, peas, and jelly.
I would give a hundred dollars to be home today.
The Captain and two others have been sick for the last couple days. Better now.
A P-40 was
shot down today here by a B-26 it was escorting.
December 26
Saturday.
Mission called off because of the wet runway. The weather was wonderful.
The rest of the
group is reputed to be in Africa now. I hope so, so as we can get to rolling. I want to get some raids under my
belt.
Washed some clothes today. What a job. I hope that I will be able to get it
done by someone else in the future.
I can't even "work up" myself to write a decent letter home.
Or to anyone. This mail system is a laugh, as they tell everyone in the States that we are getting mail.
December
27
Sunday. A P-40 killed 2 mules and an Arab on the runway today. Rather messy.
A Spitfire didn't get airborne and was mess at the end of the runway.
Most of the gang went to
town (Constantine) this morning. I stayed in camp.
Got two letters today. They are
the first that I have received in Africa. One was from Jack McMuchen and the other from a friend in St. Louis.
The mission was called off because of same reason as yesterday.
I wish I had heard from home.
December
28
Monday. Gen. Doolittle was here today. Really raised "hell" as to the lousy way
the Col. is running this place. The mission was called off because of his visit.
The big event of the day
was the mail that came into today. We still need to get some X'mas packages.
It was really
fun to spend the evening writing letters.
I went to village out side camp and bought 100 eggs
at 2 francs (2.6 cents) each. We boiled 35 of them this evening.
December 29
Tuesday. Another day of bad weather. We had a lecture in the afternoon on "Flake." It was very good.
The Col. and all the Sqd. C.O.'s came in today by a weapon's carrier from Oran. The Col. is sleeping in our "meat wagon"
due to the lack of quarters. They are not flying down here because there are too many planes here already.
Today the village was made "out of bounds." We can't trade with the Arabs any more. Due to the free way that Americans
spend money, the French officers have a hard time buying food.
December 30
Wednesday.
The gang finally got off. The raid was on Sfax. Our plane was ruined due to the birds that were hit on the return
trip. (Lt. Alexander: pilot) The object of the raid was a railroad yard.
It really was a
job waiting for the gang to come back. Some sweating!
Plenty of mail came in today
from Sept (1942).
I can't understand why I don't hear from a certain gal back in the States.
Two B-26's crashed when they returned from their raid. First time I have seen a belly landing. Not too much fun.
[Suspect
Lt. Alexander was flying plane named "Cobra" when hit the birds. Plane never flew again according to Saga of '54 page
54.]
December 31
Thursday. Last day in the year of 1942. Had one
drink to celebrate.
Only B-26's went on the raids today. Their raid yesterday was a failure
whereas ours wasn't. We had a day of rest.
Only one B-26 was shot down today over the target.
We are getting ready to move tomorrow. Our "new" field is 6 miles East of here. Only the 310th B.G. will be there.
We should go on a big mission today - 500# jobs. Six of them - 3000 lbs.
Oh well - happy
New Year (and a Victorious one).
[SUSPECT MOVE WAS FROM TELERGMA TO BERTEAUX. SOURCE: THE SAGA OF '54]
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