Date |
Sgt David S. Gray's Notes, December 1942 |
| Dec 1 |
[Cont'd from November 30] like cough syrup. a case of beer costs $1.30 champagne costs $1.40 per qt. wine cost $.25 cents per qt. Pay day today. $27,000 for the Squd. exclusive of allotments. Heard it cost $15,000,000 to swing Oran + the French Officials to us. Wonder what it will cost to swing Italy for us. Heard the chaplin was holding our packages until Christmas I think its a lot of bunk. |
| Dec 2 |
Made Sgt. yesterday. took a shower up at the base on the hill to celebrate. 94th Got 15 planes. to their credit. One man got 2 today making him an ace with 5 to his credit. They drew fighter patrol + we drew escort duty for B-17 and C-47 for chutes. They'll have to change because our guys are getting pissed off not even being able to break to straff the German field. |
| Dec 3 |
Another raid this morning by B-17's and 27th broke formation and lost 4 or 5 ships and got 3 109's 71st kept formation. 94th has 16 + victories. Lt. Moorhouse [Lt William Morhous?] crash landing. Myers engine conked on takeoff and came in. Crew chiefs left for Algiers by truck. We've lost 4 ships in Africa and none thru combat. |
| Dec 4 |
Had 7 pks. of butts and toothpaste, soap. pk of gum given to us today by our slush fund. Planes are on a raid with B-17's again today. Takes about 6-8 hours. 3 more of 27th lost today. They got two. Got a little radio going and we picked up Bob Hope on a re broadcast from England. Sure sounded good. 94th has 22 victories + 2 lost we still have none still doing escort duty 27th has 5 victories and have lost 6 ships |
| Dec 5 |
Lost our ship yesterday somewhere near Algiers LMS-588. got a canon shell thru cockpit canopy and dashboard. broke main hydraulic line and Lt. Russell brought her in on belly. 27 victories to the Group now. Col. Stone has left to go with Gen Doolittles staff and Maj. Garman take over as Lt. Col. Things may be quite diff. now may get chance for flight training. |
| Dec 6 |
Nothing much doing today. 36 men armorers and crew chiefs picked to go by air to Algiers where our planes are. We've got one victory for Capt Eiland Transports didn't come in so guys had to pitch tents and stay here another nite. Had Lt. Moutier pass a letter home for me. Listen to Command Broadcast from America and the news. |
| Dec 7 |
Up at 6:00 every morning. 11 of the C-47's came in and took some equipment and the boys to Algiers May see real action up there. The rest of us will probably go in a day or so. Heard there is a convoy in with out mail. Hope so. Havn't heard since Oct. from home. |
| Dec 8 |
Hung around as usual. Don't draw so many details now. After dinner Bob Krammer, Goldie Johns and I dug out our O.D. pants + shirts and took off across the field. bummed into {Paragu} about 20 miles. I can talk and understand the French pretty good. much better than I thought. I remember the vocabulary but not the tenses or conjugations. They get a big kick out of [Cont'd on December 9] |
| Dec 9 |
[Cont'd from December 8] me. We each bought a pipe = 40 {cts} drank wine. muscatel and Tangerine and Bannana Specials. Got a big party date for next Sun. with 5 of them. Boys and girls. Bummed back about 9:00 P.M. Rain + mud made mess of our clothes. Got box of rations from kitchen and had eats. Poured all nite. Rained hard all day - slept and read. Nothing doing. |
| Dec 10 |
Fairly clear today Terribly muddy. Said 10% of us could have passes and 9 guys in the orderly room took the first ones + 10 other guys in line got it 24 hr pass. So 4 or 5 of us took off into {Paragou} again. Saw the same gang. brought some Moscatel back with us for the guys. Had good time. Got back around 8 P.M. Passes cancelled |
| Dec 11 |
FRI Clear today but sun not very bright. Wish could get some mail havn't heard from home since we were in England really. Havn't shaved mustache since England Got to do big washing soon no clean clothes left. Rations today cigarettes, etc. |
| Dec 12 |
Got some mail. I didn't get a thing. |
| Dec 13 |
Sunday Big batch of mail Got carton of gum from Uncle Harold and another package that hit the spot. |
| Dec 14 |
Got letter from Home written NOV 13 and one from Ruth written Thanksgiving Nov 27 |
| Dec 15 |
75 of us picked to fly to Algiers. Got all packed and ready to go by 7:30 A.M. waited all day - no planes. Opened up tents again and ready to leave next morning Woke us up at 10 P.M. to leave by train - all of us. loaded supply all night long onto trucks then onto train. Left about 9 AM just as the Cargos came in to get us. rode all day and night. one piece of spam for our 3 meals. Bought some oranges [Cont'd on December 16] |
| Dec 16 |
Maison Blanche (Algiers) [Cont'd from December 15] at one stop. woke up in Maison Blanche 9 miles out of Algiers Got cup of coffee + one piece of spam. The train had been split in the nite and 40 of the guys were in center of Algiers - all got drunk on champagne. Had to ride damn train in rain on top of equipment on flat cars. so no sleep for second night. |
| Dec 17 |
Unloaded the train all day. getting pretty tired. by supper time we had finished and Lt. Hood bought us a big jug of wine we all got feeling pretty good. Had good supper + went to bed slept sound on cement floor. Lt. Shroi [probably Lt Anthony Sgroi] got cornered by some 109 + 110's and pulled up and Immlemanned away from them. If they havn't got 3 or 4 times the number of 38's they run like hell. ] |
| Dec 18 |
FRI 42 cleaned up the winery where we sleep. good job done makes nice place to live. afternoon off. The 38's are doing damn good. Lt. Smith got a JU-88 yesterday and Maj. Rudell got a JU-88 this morning. They are carrying one tank and a 1000 lb bomb. dropping in low on enemy ships then straffing the boats. pretty dangerous. but some 38's fly umbrella above. |
| Dec 19 |
(2,000,000 gals of wine [Cont'd on December 20] 42 Yesterday 12 Sgts were picked and we moved the kitchen from one end of winery to other. Mess table built and I'll be damned if Capt Moore didn't take a Pvt. as waiter and have a special table for officers and have food put on it. now even the pilots resent him. Saw old 588 today. Pretty badly damaged. Lt. Russell lucky to get back in with it. Being used for parts. Waited in the office of the French factory to get permission from Lt. Cal. to take [Cont'd on December 20] |
| Dec 20 |
[Cont'd from December 19] compose our {fort} pads.) [Cont'd from December 19] out one of the selfsealing gas tanks from (588-LMS) Very pretty French girls working in the office. Its awful when ya can't talk with em. poured almost all day. got tank into Mouse's ship which Lt. Moutier brought in all full of holes. Got a 27th plane to take off a few days now. Makes me feel better now. I want to go to town but I'm broke. Algiers is pretty nice so the boys say. Like to buy another pipe. and some Post Cards and maybe a present for home. |
| Dec 21 |
MON. Mail call last nite. DEC 2 from Shirley. DEC 3 + 4 from Ruth + box gum = folks. 100 men to go to next base by air at 8:30 AM I had my own ship + another 27th to Preflight + Daily. Only 60 men went. So I got pass + went to Algiers this P.M. 2 things that struck me. The girls pretty eyes- all of em and Bon Marche' stores. bought some post cards. pipe. pipe for Dad brooch for Mum Good supper - broke- saw "Affairs of Annabelle" a movie and bummed home. Got in about 12:00 Could hear planes [Cont'd on December 22] |
| Dec 22 |
[Cont'd from December 21] 42 bombing the dock and an English convoy coming in. As I came into the winery I heard a Beaufighter crash on landing. Slept this forenoon. Ran ship up this afternoon. chewed the rag with A-20-B Pilots - men from the states one month. Heard awful rumor we may move tonight. Well damn it we did. got us out at 10 P.M. loaded supply on train until 2 AM then other guys took over slept after eating from 4 AM to 4:45 A.M. Up again [Cont'd on December 23] |
| Dec 23 |
[Cont'd from December 22] All piled up in a 40 + 8 car about 30 of us on barracks bags damn rough riding boxcar No food all day so at one stop we got a box of English rations. climbed outside to bumper connection between box cars and took a crap in moon lite. crashing and banging along at 30 M.P.H. Sleeping on top barracks bags. bed rolls. and other guys. |
| Dec 24 |
We stop at every dinky little station on the line. pinched 2 big 50 gal kegs of wine that were on the platform when train started to move threw them in the car and left. Everyone half drunk for rest of trip. 2 of the guys took their motorcycles out of the open flat car and took off for the field today. May get in trouble. Some of the guys taking pop shots at trees and rocks + signs with their tommy guns. |
| Dec 25 |
Had our White Christmas after all today. Saw snow on the mountain tops. Most beautiful country I've seen for along time. like New Mex. Nothing green {than}. all dried brown. |
| Dec 26 |
Biskra. 42 Unloaded supply. finished by dark No supper when we reached the field. Got a shave in town for 3 francs. Can't use lights so {Landenburger} and I slept in the open. B-17's practiced bombing today within sight of us. We are right on the edge of the Sahara desert as near as I can figure. The 94th is here with us They have an ace in their squad. has 6 to his credit. Got 2 over Tunis yesterday Reconn. ship over every clear day. very hi. vapor trails. runs before 38's get him. |
| Dec 27 |
Put up my tent with Ed Henninger and Morrison making a double tent. cleaned my rifle really field stripped it looked the field over abit. Told em to go to hell when they came after me to go on a detail moving supply again. Tommorrow 4 of us take care of the 27th ships till their men come in. Settergren got a new "G" so we've got a ship again. Bomber or Reconn came over 2 or 3 times last nite no bombs. 17 fortresses. and 10 or so 38's on a raid. all back |
| Dec 28 |
Worked like a son of a gun today. pulled 25 hrs on 4 of the 27th's new ships. Didn't even one run one up till it almost jumps the chocks + takes off. Maybe I am throttle happy but I'm not scared of the ship the way lot of em are. A.A. came in and got a chance this noon when a JU-88 went directly over at about 6000' A.A. hit one engine and gave Lt. Shroi time to catch him + they crash landed after he shot em up abit. 3 men climbed out Got 18 letters today wow Ruth. Mum + Dad + Mary H. |
| Dec 29 |
Christmas greetings from Gas Co. Said Dad was thinking of going to Panama. Ruth's folks thinking of separation. The latest letter was Dec 11 Damn good service now Well nothing much diff. today. Worked on our own new ship this morn + washed clothes this P.M A Jerry came over above the clouds. a couple of alert ships went up but no luck. he had time to take a picture or two. Listened to a news broadcast from the short wave in Boston hooked up with WTIC in Hartford also good music French got a qt. of Gin from his pilot + the 4 of us killed it. |
| Dec 30 |
[1942?] Our new ship is LMV 42-21717 old one was 588 Another mail call today. Was on the line and didn't get the letters but got a package from Ma Gray. Hit the spot good - stocking. gum. pencil and writing paper just as I was out of paper + cigarettes when I had only 3 pks left. Was sent Oct 27 Got the ship ready to fly this morn wt went on a mission for 3 1/2 - 4 hrs accompanied B-26's right on the ground on the docks at Sfax - no fighter opposition. fighters only at Bzerta. The first bomb from B-25's + B-26's just as the last hit from B-17's up high. |
| Dec 31 |
Well its the end of an eventful year for me. certainly not a very pleasant New Year's Eve. Here's hoping its a fair beginning (cause things aren't going to bad) and a good ending. Bet they put all the guys on an all night alert back home without an enemy for 100's of miles and us sleeping peacefully with enemy "recons" flying over like last nite they came directly over very low and I was to sleepy to get out of bed. Today Motor, (Lt. Moutier) took off on the "mission" at noon [Cont'd in Memoranda] |
| Memoranda |
Cont'd from December 31, 1942] [Page 1] but had to return after 1 hrs flying. Escorting B-17's over Sfax. He came back because the rt. main tank was syphoning and reverse relay was screwy giving him no volts. This new P-38G-ILO has no Generator 70 Amp. fuse so we were buffaloed for a while. The bombers have been given orders to quit on Bzerta + Tunis the docks + instalations have been totally put out of commission. So they're bombing Sfax That information was obtained by the F-4 [Page 2] boys under Col. Eliot R. He just received the D.F.C. and he's never been over the areas. I saw him on the street in Algiers. Received a letter from Jini S. and some Xmas cards and old letters from home that must have gone thru England all written in Early Oct. Lt. Motor said he would be able to give us a bottle of J Gin and some mixture as soon as Capt. Moore pulls in with the orderly room That'll be our New Years Eve I guess. |
WWII Notebook Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray