WWII Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray, 1st Fighter Group, diary of an P-38 mechanic May 1943

DavidGray WWII Notebook Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray

Sgt. Dave Gray #11037757, 71 Fighter Squad., First Fighter Group, A.P.O. 525, c/o Postmaster New York, N.Y., Outre Mer (overseas)

Links to monthly entries in Sgt David S. Gray's WW2 Diary
1942	1943	1944
INTRO	January	January
May-June	February	Feb-Mar
July-August	March	Apr-May-Jun
September	April	July-Aug & memoranda
October	May
November	June
December	July
	August
	September
	October
	November
	December

"My experiences with the first fighter group as a mechanic on the line. In this diary I have mentioned some of the little experiences I myself and some close buddies have had at the fields and in towns from the time we left Fort Dix N.J. up to the present. It isn't by any means a full diary. Just some of the high points and crazy rumors that all squadrons have. Also are some of the trivial little things that got us highly "browned off" as the English say. If any thing should happen to me, I'd like this diary above everything else to reach my folks

- Dave Gray"

Date	Sgt David S. Gray's Notes, May 1943
May 1	Nothing doing. very hazy played volley ball. plane OK. I was alone all day Lee still on camp detail. and Coghlin also for missing roll call. I missed it but didn't get caught. wrote letters Where we going? Cairo? china? Turkey? England? States?
May 2	Nothing doing today Doolittle + Spaatz dropped in rumors thick + fast wrote letters.
May 3	Hung around all day 7 hrs at 3:30 PM. that God damn crazy hi command orders a mission with B-17's over Bizerte The ceiling down to 500' They started + called em back half came back the rest found a hole over Bizerte. LMX not back yet or some B-17's. No more mail I guess
May 4	Planes didn't fly Coghlin, Harper + I went into villa ate supper eggs + wine. drank more vin rouge went to the show + saw "Pierre of Plains" pretty corny.
May 5	Capt. Eiland flew ship lead Grp. escorting B-17's They sank a very large boat off Sicily explosion went up to 20000' Lt. Newman [probably Lt. William Newman] + Muldune [probably Lt. Bernard Muldoon] used to be with us buzzed our field below oper. tent leading the 14th they are C.O.'s now. 14th is at {Jalergma}
May 6	On guard again last nite 6 - 10 only drove the weapons carrier on a roving patrol. Its one other change by Capt. Eiland. Only 2 guys on guard now so I won't be catching it as often. Jake got a 109 while escorting B-17's over Sicily Sandy's gone to hospital with fever.
May 7	slept thru till dinner this noon. 27th has paint removed from one plane its all silver + hard to see. Jake
May 8	Some mail came in + a flying mag. bout time a letter from Dad, Shirley, + Mum drove jeep in pitch black on roving patrol last nite 2 - 6 AM.
May 9	Last nite Eddie Rickenbacker told us about conditions in Pacific area. that we were going on to something bigger. finish the war in 1944 late + Japs in 1945 told about "G.D. politicians + chiseling racketeers" at home. would rather be with us. Mothers Day. Jake gave us our campaign ribbon for Africa 130 B-17's 9 sqds of 38's and all available B-25 + 26's leveled Palermo today. going to make Italy quit. No opposition
May 10	campain ribbon. green for fields of Europe. brown for the desert, + colors of Italy + Germany. I figure after hanging around Bizerte for awhile we'll go to England. Blew up a big airfield near Palermo today with 100 B-17's + 50 P-38's. Jake went. Sammy Sears made Capt. and left for home also Sauer the same. Jake be next.
May 11	Some new ships came in with 310 gal belly tanks. giving P-38 900+ gals of gas. also have automatic oil + prestone flaps. put in new fuel pump early this morn when I finished guard. Rivers flew it. Neither Jake nor Big John would lead. 5 hrs flying too much for them. Wiseman lead. 100 bombers. 90 fighters.
May 12	checked valves on both engines. went town for shower + show good show sword swallower from R Bros B + Bailey Circus. drafted. wonder where we're going this campaign is done 8th Army riding by all day Sure think a lot of our ships. Have a 50-50 chance of going States.
May 13	Gun inspection again. One very week. Capt Eiland to see Col. Garman about cadets for us. A Col in a staff car with a Maj. and 4 nurses was speeding and hit some kids in a 2 1/2 ton Col killed others hurt. Mathis [probably Lt. Peyton Mathis] + Jake made Capt. today.
May 14	New pilot took ship on 1st mission came back + said engine overheating didn't have flaps open. Capt Mathis led dive bombing and strafing mission. good job on city on island Sardinia
May 15	No mission saw movie remarkable Andrew and A big orchestras in a short one Capt. Eiland made Maj. today. Have come to the obvious Conclusion that us men aren't about to see the States till this mess over.
May 16	Jake runaway prop this morn. Lee left the plug off the prop {rotary} [relay?] box. came in OK. went to Tunis + Bizerte.
May 17	This is 3rd day off for Pilots We keep on the same only 27th let their men off. I don't begrudge the Pilots anything but 10 hrs on the line 7 days a week is rough on any man. I'm taking a day off.
May 18	Went to Constantine and ate at Red Cross. went to their movie. drank beer with Scotchman from {HD} of 8th Army. Kramer + Harper avec moi. Came home with Maj. Eiland.
May 19	Got a pep talk from Col Garman. Have done a wonderful job etc, a good snow job. have got to wear full OD's with tie even in the next village if only to take a bath. Hot weather for OD's. Gen Atkinson's orders. bombed and strafed Sardinia today Lt {Balton} [probably Lt. Willard Bolton] flew ship.
May 20	Wish we would move and get away from here the damn MP's Proust Marshall. Officers clubs etc have caught up with us now. full OD uniform - hell.
May 21	1943 If 5% of men go home Col Garman try to get me in it for flight training. Lt Beason [probably Lt. Henry Beeson] took ship on mission 400 airplanes over Sicily. Prestone radiator leaking. got new one from Supply at 5 PM worked till 8:30 P.M. Had it all together and hose connection split.
May 22	Went up to ship at 5:30 AM and finished radiator. new bulb for temperature + she's OK. Got a letter from Paulene.
May 23	"Saw One Nite in Lisbon" very good. Ship OK except changed intake plugs. Pilots day off. no flying
May 24	Ran ship up early put on two tanks Mission sometime.
May 25	Planes on mission over Sicily got jumped on by twice number Frankie got 2 + probable. Fisher went into drink out of gas may be lost. 27th pilot from Arlington Mass bailed out + shot in his chute. German was cut in half by 2 P-38's. Saw "The Male Animal" very good.
May 26	Plane on practice mission Lt. Bolton. Nothing else doing. Fisher is back he made an emergency field. got a 109.
May 27	Had day off. slept and read. strong rumors of moving to Bizerte in a week. 3rd Service at Jalergma.
May 28	Jake took plane to {Souse} for papers from Gen. back at noon. at 3:30 planes went dive bombing over Sicily caught lot planes on ground visited 27th tonite.
May 29	I am getting awfully restless not much work - hanging around rumors thick and fast. Put in new I.F.F. system in plane today it will be used on a certain day the day of a new invasion probably no mail for 2 weeks.
May 30	Memorial Day Nothing doing all morning 12 ships from each squad went after shipping with 500 pounders Gregg [probably Lt. Lee Gregg] got a 109 + a probable burned out 2 of his guns. Wiley [Lt. John Willey] got a probable.
May 31	Got paid. plane went on 3 dive bombing practice missions. found a oil leak where a hi-pressure oil line was rubbing. it should have been taped. Capt. Moutier took a lot of snaps of plane + us + him he + Maj. Eiland go home tomorrow We have 50 planes to our credit. 27th has 65 but lost 5 planes and 4 pilots getting 10 nazis the other day.