Date |
Sgt David S. Gray's Notes, August 1943 |
| August 1 |
Day off - no roll call. Got first shift guard tonite. |
| August 2 |
Took it easy all day no flying ship in commission. wrote letter slept. made coffee. saw good show. got a July 23 letter from Jini Swell package from Dad + Mom underware, bracelet etc. |
| August 3 |
Nothing doing. rumors are big shots negotiating with Italy. Got a record from Jini but too small groves for these phonographs. |
| August 4 |
Played Jini's record with a sewing needle. No flying. No movie. wrote letters and watched a 109 from the P-40 field. rumors thick + fast about big shot line chiefs etc going home. We are moving South of Tunis the 10th so the bombers can have this field. |
| August 5 |
flat 50 from Ruth. adjusted linkage at super. regulator for throttle coord and more inches of manifold. Rumor has it 5th Bomb Wing going to England. |
| August 6 |
good air raid over Bizerte' and Tunis about 4 AM tonight. We sit in middle. bombers passing over us, watching it. A.A. got some P-40 + beaufighters got some. LMQ Butler's ship blew up rt. eng. after full throttle came in on fire. he made a dive for the field and dropped his wheels came in about 180 M.P.H. tore off his wheels and slid along far + fast. burned up. Pilot OK. |
| August 7 |
Escorted B-26's over to coast of Italy. They missed the 2 bridges they were after. P-38's that were escorting could have done better. Mail coming good |
| August 8 |
No mission for us. was going to dive bomb but beaufighters blew up bridges. we got 7 gals of vin blanc and had quite a party. |
| August 9 |
Mission today. B-26's missed a couple of bridges again. ship came in with nose wheel tire blown. He held nose off and killed engines. didn't sla snap off strut. {5%} deal goes in effect after 18 months. 5th Bomb Wing going to become an Air Force. |
| August 10 |
Saw movie "Suspicion" last nite got rations - box hard candy. soap camels. Bob Hope and Francis Langford put on a show for us. darn good. Francis gave Purple Hearts to 3 P-40 Pilots. and our 38's gave a beautiful buzz of the stage when they returned from the mission. Hope was very funny. |
| August 11 |
Going to move planes - new run way so can hard surface present one. Willey gone to Algiers to see about his 1st LT. commission. |
| August 12 |
Rough mission escorting B-26's. Willey {backing}. first mission for some pilots. they broke formation when attacked by 109's 20 minute dog fight. other squads ran out. left Willey with 8 planes against 10 nazis 2 of our shot up and both pilots bailed out OK. One was Lt. Miller. [probably Lt. Roger Miller] {Santis} [probably Lt Alex Michael Sentes] got 2. Vial [probably Lt. Robert Viall] got 2. Willey = 1 and a damaged or probable. |
| August 13 |
Mission over Rome. bombed airfield. saw 6 fighter in distant. Willey credited with yesterdays victory. returned early today - radio out. |
| August 14 |
Gen. Spaatz - crazy inspections. He only gave DFC + Silver Star to Col. Garman. DFC to Miles [Capt Joe Miles?]{Willecisol} [Lt Otto Wellensiek?] + Willey. Nothing else said - then he left after dinner with the Col. Doolittle + Tedder along also. We stood + watched. (Ship out for radio |
| August 15 |
Ship still out for radio. Ted + I went Tunis about 1:00 this afternoon. saw Eagle Squad. and had some beer back at 10:00 P.M. |
| August 16 |
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| August 17 |
mission with B-26's we have 27 planes. 3 out for engine changes. had to borrow one ship from 94th and both its engines quit. Simpson [Lt Charles Simpson] dished it in the drink took to his dinghy. |
| August 18 |
Ship out for radio. no mission anyway. 200 men killed by bombers at Bizerte' last nite. 1 boat sunk. 2 others damaged. 5 planes shot down we saw one explode in the air when hit. Sicily officially over. |
| August 19 |
Mission today. Everything points to the big surprise right soon. another big raid on last night. Willey didn't fly today. |
| August 20 |
Same story as usual . |
| August 21 |
Willey on mission everything OK. |
| August 22 |
Movie in 1st Service grp. "Blondie goes to College" pretty corny 1943 No mission P-51's escorted B-26's. 17 bombers were lost. Had to move plane to end of field. got a bombing scare must have planes 500' apart. |
| August 23 |
No mission just a practice very early Someone in a 38 kick the stuffing out of a P-40 that has been buzzing the field this evening Very good show - good flying First mail for over a week |
| August 24 |
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| August 25 |
Willey leading - returned early. elec. syst. starter motor stuck solenoids stuck. big raid straffing over Italy. |
| August 26 |
ship returned early. sequence valve. door closed early. |
| August 27 |
On 25th our 200 P. 38's straffed Foggia airport and others. tree level flying over 200 destroyed on ground. 71st missed target got 1 truck. negotiations on with Italians. |
| August 28 |
Willey made last mission 2 {spares} to go. lost Smith [Lt Thee Smith?] a few days ago. {Visal} hit his wing tip on water. cart wheeled. blew up. |
| August 29 |
the new steel casing on 20 mm. expand after heating up + cause stoppages - sent back. yesterdays day before 4 ships haven't shown up. L.3.ZY |
| August 30 |
Willey leading his 49 mission today got jumped by 100 fighters 15 planes of the Grp. are missing. Willey missing |
| August 31 |
No mission - Willey still missing. pay day. guess I'll give some other crew a hand. LMV had 350 hrs 80 missions 2 ships 8 victories 4 probables. |
WWII Notebook Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray 