Date |
Sgt David S. Gray's Notes, September 1942 |
| Sept 1 |
The kids have been picked for commando training only 2 corporals. I went to find why I didn't make it. reason - I am going to be left to crew the plane. not so bad. I can handle it alright. The 96 fellows got tetanus booster shots this morn. We that aren't going have got to turn our guns in. Rick and I fired 42 rounds over on the other side of the hill last nite. getting to be pretty good shot with 45. Good enough to hit a man anyway. I'm Charge of Quarters in barracks today. |
| Sept 2 |
We have "RICK" painted on the tail boom of the plane for Capt. Wells nick name. Some have "Mad Dash" "Tex" "Texas Terror" "Florida Flash" "The Virgin" "8" Ball. others have ace of spades. skull + cross bones painted on them. Saw bunch of commandos come bask this morn from raid. black faces etc. Something is going to break soon. see the RAF bombers practicing towing gliders every day. Saw a B-24 and a Flying Fortress go by. started 100 hr pulled {Cunnos} + oil radiators Planes got back from [cont'd on September 3] |
| Sept 3 |
left Dix 3 mons. ago tonite [cont'd from September 2] first sweep. They stayed all night. worked till 8:30 on the plane. Back on plane 7:30 this morn. put on vapor eliminator bracket that had broken. Took off fairing to check elevator stops. Greased landing gear. Helped Nellie (armorer) put in cleaned guns Stayed on plane till 8:45 Waiting for damn guard to show up. Got dope on how 40 MM. gun in pit near plane works. Rumor that some men may be transferred to 14th Group. They need experienced men badly |
| Sept 4 |
3 months overseas today Rumor that the squad be split to 12 planes and rest put in a reserve pool. The boys for Commando Training have drawn their supplies. 3 of the boys banged up yesterday morn. 2 on - cyle + 1 on bike faces all cut. maybe worse. Went to Ringwood aftersupper. looked at the dance. no good. Frank Golding and I got feeling good went back to dance, had good time. home at 11:30 P.M. Guns were boresighted |
| Sept 5 |
Drew a leather flying jacket this morning. Made Daily + PreFlight. Taxied the ship around a circle this noon. Capt. Wells flew low over us this morn so we could check wheel doors. then he made two {weaving} dives at the fellows with the 40 MM A.A. in the pit behind us. Wells and McCord [probably Lt Robert McCord] always fly together. Stayed with planes till 8:30 P.M. Carton of cigarettes from Ruth. |
| Sept 6 |
Woke up very early this morning. was sick. threw everything up. couldn't eat breakfast. went back to bed for an hour till got kicked out. Threw up cup of coffee had for dinner. Kept down 2 cups of hot tea in the afternoon. Stayed with plane till 8:30 P.M. They are picking 10 fellows and are going to commission them I guess. Settergren is one. Wish they'd open up cadets. |
| Sept 7 |
Labor Day Had little trouble with plane. blew 2 or 3 generator fuses. Took off fairing to look at Reverse Relay found washer grounding on us. "Bucky" Harris [Lt. Francis Harris] became one of the first men to live after bailing out of a "38" He pushed his right engine + burned it out. pulled it up in a stall + slid off wing through booms. Not a thing left of plane. burned on way down. blew up at crash. Labor Day - No different |
| Sept 8 |
Got a lead on Cadets today. Hope it'll work. The first 2 B-17-E were shot down yesterday the timing was wrong and they went over without fighter escort. lot of gunners shot. 100 FW-190's attacked them. Today they went back and made em pay. shot down over 12 FW-190's. 3 German planes in the R.A.F. Circus stopped today. Heinkel 111. Junkers 88 and a Messerschmidts 110. |
| Sept 9 |
Worked on plane today. she didn't go up at all. We found out our squadron was used as a decoy yesterday. Had orders not to pick a fight. They had a couple of FW-190's squadrons following them around at about 30000' at the same time the A-20's were slipping thru very low and having a picnic Fellows were pretty sore when they found out they were decoys. Big package of candy from home + gum. |
| Sept 10 |
C.Q. again today took mail up to orderly room got notices for our site. Wrote letters and slept. Went to the camp show in evening no movie came in so we sang songs. Moon Mullins came in feeling good. was funny as the deuce. German planes left today. flew around a bit not very fast. Put bomb shackels on plane today. Coghlin and Settergren did it. |
| Sept 11 |
C.Q. yesterday Somewhere around 90 men are being transferred to 3rd Air Base. Rich + Bill are going. The worst rumor going around now is that our 38's have been ruled not fit for combat duty That we are going to get Spitfires until our new planes come which should be P-47's I think its a lot of bunk. |
| Sept 12 |
Took the bomb shackels off today Wish they's make up their mind. The trouble is they don't know what they are going to do with the P-38 now its over here. It should be in Australia or Africa or someplace where there are bombers raiding. We could have spent these 3 months fooling around back in the states. At least be prepared when we got over here. Going to town tonight. |
| Sept 13 |
Saw the P-38 give its best performance in a fight with a Mustang and a Hurricane today. The 38 Jake Moutier. [Lt John Moutier] would drop his flaps and cut sharp corners by goosing one engine + throttling the other back. He whipped around surprisingly fast. Went to Ringwood last night and had my bike stolen outside a pub. I was in there about 10 minutes. staying with the plane tonight. |
| Sept 14 |
Went to Bournemouth with Frank Golding from Rochester N.Y. bought some Post Card pictures of the town. Tryed to buy things couldn't buy much - no coupons. Went to the tea dance at Pavillion came back for Guard Mount at 7:30 P.M. Went on guard at 2: AM. - 8 P.M. They still don't know what they are going to do with the planes. rumors we're going to move. Rich + Bill and been transferred to 3rd Service Group. What a kick in the pants. |
| Sept 15 |
Got up about 11:00 AM. fooled around writing letters got my mail. read 3 Boston Globes. Went out to the plane in the afternoon for something to do. Went on guard at 8:00 P.M - 2:00 AM. Rich + Bill and some of the others that were transferred are going to pull all the shit details like guard and K.P. etc. Poor guys will never get a rating now. |
| Sept 16 |
Got up at 11: AM Went to Bournemouth with Landenburger. Bought a good dinner. Walked thru the park and went to the tea dance in the Pavillion Met a nice gal from London got a date with her Fri. We got back at 9:00 PM Went on guard at 2 AM. - 6:30 AM. Got letter from home with picture Russ took of the family. good Picture from Russ Woodward of {Dize Truin} before he was rejected. |
| Sept 17 |
Planes were supposed to convoy bombers this morning. took off but came right back in. Orders changed. Slept in the morning went out this afternoon with Mary in the N.A.A.F1. Went bike riding thru the country. Went on guard at 8: PM - 2 A.M. Watched the searchlites practice with a Boston for about 2 hours. Got my bike back today Ringwood cop found it in a ditch on way to Bournemouth. Condition OK. Taillite burned out. |
| Sept 17 |
Got off guard at 2 A.M. Went to bed till 8 AM Took shower + went to Bournemouth with Goldie to meet Diane {Hartog}. Had dinner with Goldie and his gal. Went to the tea dance in Pavillion Had supper with Landy and another babe in the {Trech} Restaurant in the Pavillion. (chicken etc.) came home for guard at 8 PM - 2: AM. |
| Sept 17 |
Stayed in YMCA last nite + had breakfast. Had a great time last nite. went to the Pavillion a big dance hall. Met lots of U.S. fellows in the R.A.F. They wish they were with us even if just privates. came back to camp at noon. Caught hell because they had a roll call. Planes came in. found mine. Settergren the crew chief stayed at Goxhill till plane left. Put tools + candy in the baggage compartment for me. Wells [Lt Richard Wells?] the pilot. was glad to get here. took little over an hour. wanted me to [cont'd on August 28] |
| Sept 18 |
[cont'd from August 27] go out + get drunk with him. but I had to go on guard that nite 8 PM to 11 P.M. then 2 A.M - 5 A.M. One man on guard for every 2 planes. All the privates are doing K.P. and other shit details so no Corporals pull guard. First package from home today. long awaited for gum. boy was that good. also writing paper that must be a hint. Pulling guard tonite 11 - 2 AM. 5 AM - 8 AM. 2 or 3 raid warnings but no planes. |
| Sept 19 |
Bill's 21st Birthday Went to Bournemouth yesterday with Landy (Landenburger) Met Diane again Went to the tea dance at Pavillion came home from for guard at 8 P.M. was made {supernumeree} so slept in the guard house. Got new squadron letters put on side of planes LM and (?) LMS Still don't know what we'll do with em. Made plug change on right engine. (roughness) |
| Sept 20 |
Sunday Slept in the guard house till 6 AM. came back to barracks + slept till 12 noon. Read some of the "Flying" mag. from home and wrote letters. Been trying like hell to get somewhere on cadets but no hope can't even get transfered out of First Pursuit Group. Guess I'm just stuck. sucker class 1.A. while everyone at home makes commissions + better (M/sgt) |
| Sept 21 |
Goldie and I went to town (Bournemouth) this noon. Went to the tea dance. bought gold chain for dog tags. Bumed in this morning. A.T.S. gal picked us up in a truck. 20 miles here is like 200 at home. Got package of cookies from Ruth +box of stockings from Dad. We went to the evening dance. Got feeling pretty high. Picked up a couple of very pretty gals. Got a taxi. took em to their hotel. Got to the field at about 3:30 A.M. Waiting for Sgt rating now. |
| Sept 22 |
Back on the plane today seemed good Caught both engines at once on the first time after a rainy night which is good going. About 11 A,M Caudill the Line Chief came around and said put bomb shackels on again. He was as disgusted as we were. Then the G.E. man came around looked at the Superchargers and said we'd have to change em. We finished the shackels at about 1:30 P,M, Good going for just Lee and I [cont'd on September 23] |
| Sept 23 |
[cont'd from September 22] Worked until 7:00 P.M. last nite. back at 7:00 A.M. this morning till 7:00 PM tonite. Got the new supercharger put in but not finished. Wish I could talk to Lockheed and G.E. about that installation. Pretty tough to work on. No damn need of removing it anyway. G.E. just drumming up more business. He said the buckets would come out soon. If that the case every ship will have to do the same. Only 120 hrs on the ship. 3 new P-38 G's came in for replacements. no diff. |
| Sept 24 |
Had a date with Mary from the N.A.A.F.I. last nite when she quit at 9:45 P.M. Saw "Fleets In" at the gym the other nite. Made us homesick when Jimmy Dorsey came on with his theme song and "Tangerine". Also saw "He Stayed For Breakfast" the nite fore last. Set with Lt. Rush [probably Lt George Rush] from Tenn. real swell egg. Disgusted as hell with the way things are running. Finished the supercharger today - OK. Going move very soon I'm on the 1st contingent. Rumors cover everywhere [cont'd on September 25] |
| Sept 25 |
[cont'd from September 24] from Lybia + Persia to Australia, Brazil and India. Also Iceland which I hope it'll be. Next step might be the states again. Got up this morn at 4:30 Went out to warm up plane and P.F. for early flight. Capt. Wells was in cockpit ready to go but they called em all back in. fell asleep on the engine until 7:00 for breakfast. Capt. Wells gave new supercharger a test hop this afternoon. I think the Germans have the right idea in building simple planes. The 38 is to good for a fighter. [cont'd on September 26] |
| Sept 26 |
[cont'd from September 25] Its built for pilot comfort and safety for long years in the Air Corps in Peacetime The ME 109's have about 10 instruments Took the morning off and wrote 4 letters back home. stayed with the plane this P.M. Couple of the planes gave the gun crews around the field practice today by diving and zooming at em. Got a letter and a couple of snap shots from Diane today and some swell snaps from home taken on the vacation in N.H. |
| Sept 27 |
Started both engines at once today but its a drain on battery unless using battery cart. also I cranked the left engine on the ground with Settergren then ran into cockpit and caught it before energy exp was spent. Won a pound from that bet. Payday Wed. I'm broke for the first time in the Army I think. I have loaned out 11 lbs. Afraid Bill + Rich won't go with me when I go. Saw "Lets Make Music" = Bob Crosby's {arch.} |
| Sept 28 |
Drew out some new clothing. just extras but boy can sure use em Pulled a Prestone radiator today and put a repaired one in. It was so foggy couldn't see wing tip - wing tip until 10 A.M. Ran it up after prestone put in and temp when sky high. cut it and bled the lines tried again - still high. Oil temp going high so opened oil shutters. and Prestone Temp dropped to normal. everything flew from then on OK couldn't figure it out [cont'd on September 29] |
| Sept 29 |
[cont'd from September 28] Must have been trapped air in side keeping Prestone return line hot. And that air was released when closed the oil cooler shutters. Went out with Mary for awhile last nite. C.Q. today and its pouring rain so I'll write some letters and sleep. Mary goes home today so probably won't see her tonight. |
| Sept 30 |
Saw Mary last night. Worked on plane 2 of 71st planes gave gun crews practice for an hour this afternoon. fun to watch em sneak up on a pit from down behind the trees in a field. Their so fast they are on you + off before the crew can turn their gun. See Mary tonight |
WWII Notebook Journal of Sgt. David S. Gray