Thursday, April 27 [1944]
Friday, April 28
Saturday, April 29
Sunday, April 30
Monday, May 1
Tuesday, May 2
Wednesday, May 3
Thursday, May 4
Friday, May 5
Saturday, May 6
Sunday, May 7
Monday, May 8
Tuesday, May 9
Wednesday, May 10
Thursday, May 11
Friday, May 12
Saturday, May 13
Sunday, May 14
Monday, May 15
Tuesday, May 16
Wednesday, May 17
Thursday, May 18
Friday, May 19
Saturday, May 20
Sunday, May 21
Monday, May 22
Tuesday, May 23
Wednesday, May 24
Thursday, May 25
Friday, May 26
Saturday, May 27
Sunday, May 28 Got up this morning at 0700. First time I've eaten breakfast since we've been here. Then got ready to leave. Finally took off at 1030. Took 2 hours to where we landed. Hung around the field til 1830 then got in a chicken dinner. Came to our field, took about 45 minutes from Norwich. Rode around quite awhile, finally settled down. Quite a place, really pretty, lots of tall trees. These oak trees must be centuries old, smells nice around here. Small pond, pretty moon, reminds me...oh well. Got in, went to the club, had a scotch and coke. Then went and had a cup of coffee and chips. Then went to the show, "Bridge at San Lois Ray." Back to the sack around midnight.
Monday, May 29
Tuesday, May 30
Wednesday, May 31
Thursday, June 1
Friday, June 2
Saturday, June 3 Got up at 0900. Took a shower and shave, read til dinner. After dinner read and wrote letters. After supper played a little poker and lost a little bit, then went to the show, a neat western.
Sunday, June 4
Monday, June 5
Tuesday, June 6
Wednesday, June 7
Thursday, June 8
Friday, June 9
Saturday, June 10
Sunday, June 11
Monday, June 12
Tuesday, June 13
Wednesday, June 14
Thursday, June 15
Friday, June 16
Left Topeka for Grenier. Very nice trip cross country via Chicage, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo, landing at Grenier field at Manchester, New Hampshire, trip took about 8 hours.
Plenty of sack time today, just restin' up for the trip to Goose Bay in the morning.
Left Grenier for Goose Bay Labrador at 2140. Still pretty light at this time. All across numerous frozen lakes and plenty of white waste. Sure wouldn't want to get forced down around here. Trip taking 5 hours and 50 minutes. Really not bad at Goose, lots of snow on the ground and fir and spruce trees all around. Cigarettes and candy very cheap at the PX, cigarettes only 5 cents a pack. Met a few fellows I knew from way back at Nashville.
More sack time, sleeping for ten hours. On GMT here (Greenwich Mean Time).
Left Goose Bay at 2400 and still light. But what a night, ceiling about 7000 ft thick. Little worried about ice. ETA over an hour off -- sweat that out! Flew mostly over stratus clouds, broke up when we got to Meeks Field, Iceland. Golly it's cold! Played cards at the club, warmest place on the post. Got to bed around 1100 and slept til 1630, at which time we briefed then ate. Went back to the sack at 2400. Colder than Hell too! Slept under 4 blankets and a comforter.
No take off this morning. Chance to look around. No barracks here, just huts rounded on top to keep from blowing away. Getting up at 1130, and very windy. Ate pretty good here. Then to the club again and played cards to pass the time. Have to get up at 0130 in the morning, so to the sack, still looks like daytime at 2000, sun just above the horizon.
Got us up at 0230 to eat. Lots warmer today. Hot cakes for breakfast, very good too. All meals here cost 25 cents. Left Meeks, finally, at 0600 for Nutts Corner, Ireland. Trip took 5 hours. Got processed and lost our ship (and that's not all!) Went to bed, after taking a shower, at 1900 and got 18 hours sleep.
Got up around noon and ate. Then played cards awhile at the club. Left Nutts around 1800, by train and got a trip through some very beautiful country side, that took us to Larne, on the Irish Sea coast. There we had to hike cross country for about a mile. This turned out to be quite a place. Lots of blankets, but good and dirty! Got into bed for about 15 minutes but had to stay up all night to stay warm and clean.
This morning we left Larne by boat (at 0900) and rode across the Irish Sea, the water sure was a pretty green. Found out a little about Nutts, and it wasn't good! They went through all our baggage and took quite a bit of anything they could lay their hands on (boxes of candy, liquor, cigarettes, soap, toothpaste -- thats all we know now). Got into Stranraer around 1130. Walked another mile to someplace where they fed us. Wasn't good believe me. So here we are on the train again at 1900 bound for Stone, England.
Arrived at Stone at 0500. Ate eggs. Had a short talk, and after a miserable, cold train ride went to bed til 1700 at which time we went and had dinner. Found out about a dance, so went and had a few scotch and coke and listened to some pretty good music til 0030.
Got up at 0800 and had breakfast. There's been two 47s buzzin' the place off and on all day. Pretty hot too. Read in the afternoon then cleaned up for dinner. Wrote letters then played cards with Willie, Doc, Clancy, and Hub. Then to bed at 2400. Also saw "Mr. Lucky" again.
Funny we have to get up for breakfast around here. Censored mail and really got a buzz job today. So low even took the top of a flag pole off! Got our passes today. Riding through the country sure is beautiful and picturesque. Went to Handly by train, not a bad town. Stopped at a few pubs and looked the town over. They even have F.W. Woolworth stores over here. Missed the last train so caught a taxi back.
Slept most of the day. Read and wrote a letter. Went back to Handly again. Never again. I never walked so far in my life, little of that goes a long way. Came back by taxi.
Slept all morning again. Read, caught up on this and wrote letters til dinner. Al and I decided to go to Ecchelshall to see what it was like. Got a ride part way there. To me it was a typical English village. Had a few "bitters" and came back by bus (4d). The flowers around here have such vivid colors. Got back early so we read awhile.
Leaving here today. Got up for breakfast. Packed again and cleared. Cost 1[pound] for mess which wasn't bad. Reading til leaving time, which is 1700. Left Stone at 1730, walked about 1 1/2 miles to the station, whence we traveled back to Stranrear, arriving there at 0300.
Walked back to the hole we had been at before and went to sleep on what they called beds (bailing wire stretched across boards!) til 1130. Left there at 1430 and walked back to the dock. Boat left at 1620 and got into Larne around 1830. Then we caught a train and ride from then til 0130 and rode a G.I. Truck for over an hour, arriving at Warren Point at 0300. Got processed and ate, then went to bed at 0500.
Slept on cots til 1530. Had a fairly good meal of hot dogs. Bib and I took a walk along the coast. Sure was pretty. Steep cliffs and lots of rocks. Walked til about 2100. We heard about a movie, went, couldn't hear, so we left. Played cards til 2400 then to bed at 0100.
We are at a town called KilKeel. Small, but not such a bad place. Got up at 1130, ate a pretty good chicken dinner then took a walk down to the "beach" again. Came back after a while. Then Chuck, Willie, and I went into Kilkeel. Not such a bad town. Lots of G.I.s. Everything was closed so we only stayed a little while. Saw about 10 cows being driven down the main street, looked funny. Came back and played Rummey with Chuck. Read awhile then to bed at 0100.
Got up at 12 and ate a good dinner then went to the PX. We're leaving here today at 1715 (I hope). No leave yet, have to spend another night at this place! Read most of the evening. To bed at 0100.
Got up at noon, ate (as usual) and found out we are leaving tonight. Kinda windy and cold today. Left Kilkeel, Ireland by plane and arrived at Chuntoe, Ireland at 1915. Went to the club and had toasted cheese sandwiches and coffee. Sat around and read til 2300, went back to the hut. No stove and 3 blankets, kinda cold. Had an alert of some kind, didn+t get stuck in it thank goodness!
Got up at noon and ate. Then listened to a talk and took some kind of a test. Moved again! Read and then ate dinner. Around 2130 Russ, Carl, and I had eggs! So we went to the mess hall and fried them, boy were they good!
Started school today. Very interesting. Started at 0830, have 3 classes. Then in the afternoon got paid, ate, and finally got a haircut (first since Topeka). Went to school from 1330 to 1730, ate supper then read awhile. Then...Hub opened one of his bottles and then proceeded to get stinko. He was a comic. He then finally passed out. Had a couple. Later the boys started a little game so played awhile. Then read til 12.
School again, all day. After chow, played cards and read til 9. Then Hub and I got a wonderful shower. Boy sure felt good! Read awhile, then to the sack.
School and that's all! Saturday night so we sit around and read, write letters, and played cards, some stuff!!!
Tests today. Made out OK. Had a good chicken dinner then read til it was time to eat eggs at 2000. Read til 0100.
School, that's about all. Stayed up til 0130 playing cards.
Had a couple of tests today. Made out OK. Read and had eggs.
Had an hour of link. Then around 12 o'clock Russ and I decided to go to Belfast. Jim went with us. Got a bus at 1330 and got into town at 1500. Went to eat and had "chops". These turned out to be goat chops! Walked around awhile then went to see "This is the Army." Darn good show! Came out and went to a hotel. They had dinner, I had a ham and cheese sandwich. Then went and listened to some music at a pub (Embassy Club). Missed a bus and waited for a taxi til 0230, got back at 0500.
Got up at 0830, for a little while, went back to the sack til noon. Ate and finally got a lot of mail! After dinner censored mail, then came back and read and wrote letters.
No school. Rained most of the day. Slept til noon, played cards and read.
Slept til noon then took a shower and shaved. Played cards the packed. Supposed to leave tonight. Had dinner, then we didn't leave. Had a beer party so Al and I went for awhile. In bed by midnight, won 10[pounds].
Got up at 1100. Then got signed in on the post. Finally got settled at the 446th Bomb Group, Squadron 706. Had a little talk. Got a bed in our permanent barracks, then played snooker for awhile. Then to bed at 2045!
Up at 700. Ate breakfast, got down to the line at 0745. Went out to a plane and had emergency procedures. I forgot to mention the fact that we have to carry a gun at all times now. This afternoon got parachutes fitted, then had a talk on ditching. After supper went to the show, "Hitler's Children."
Breakfast, then to the line. Had a practice flight, laster 1:30. Dinner, then back again for awhile. Didn't do anything in the afternoon, so shaved and ate supper. Got our P.W. (Prisoner of War) pictures taken, then went to the show and saw, "Mark Twain." It was very good. Deep feeling.
Up at 0900 and went to briefing. Supposed to fly. Ship was pulled so didn't go. The weather held us back, low ceiling. Turned in laundry, and went to the PX. Read and wrote letters in the afternoon til chow. Went to a very lousy show tonight, Mae West, "The Heat's On."
Alert crew this morning. Got up for briefing. See that the crews get to the planes OK. Censor mail. Off til 1400, then get trucks over to the planes. Read til dinner, then play two games of snooker with Jim. Came back and had 4 letters!
Didn't have to get up this morning, slept til 1100! Went up and ate. Practice mission this afternoon--well, I got back--that's not saying how! That's the closest I ever came. Guess the pilot got anoxia cause he surely did some dumb tricks! Pretty near ran into two ships, etc. Whew! This evening went to the show, "His Butler's Sister"--Denna Derbin.
Got up at 1030. Fooled around til dinner. Rest of the crew had another practice. Wrote letters and read. Just found out that I was "watch officer." Sit around and answer the phone and read. Big doings tonight! This is it!! 1st briefing at 2230, next at 0300. At 0800 they told me I was to fly!
D Day!! Went to bed at 0830 and got up for briefing at 0900. Some stuff! Well take off was scheduled at 1100. Took off at 1125. Went through quite a bit of ice, found the formation OK. Bombed a town in France (Caen). Over enemy territory about one and a half hour. Didn't see any fighters or flak, which pleased me. Sure was pretty to see the vapor trails. Saw a little of the landing, very cloudy though. Up for about 5 hours. Well, got #1 over with anyway! Got back and had 25 letters waiting for me. Quite a "Big" day. Think I'll go to the show now. Good show, "I Married a Witch." V. Lake, F. March. Bed at 2230.
Slept til 1000 then went and got paid. After dinner answered some letters and had an hour of link. Went to the show, but walked out on it, lousy. Had a little excitement around 2400, had a red alert, enemy strafing field near us. All clear around 0030.
Got up at 0210 for briefing, nice and clear. Rushed through breakfast, supposed to take off at 0600. Soup up to 18,000!! Boy that didn't take long to close in! Finally got off at 0800. Believe me this was it!! After bombs away (at a small town in France, Granville) we were attacked by about 10 or 12 enemy ME 109's. There was only 7 ships in our squadron, they got "tail end charlie." Fellows say it just blew up. I happened to see only one fighter, maybe I didn't sweat that out! There was also flak to contend with. Finally they left and we got in the clouds and beat it, came back home at about 1500 ft. Over enemy terr. For over an hour and a half. Got home at 1300. Interrogated, ate and went back to a critique at 1600 and got told about how lousy the formation was. Came back and ate and then talked it all over with the rest of the crew, about our loss. Fellows say about 8 fellows parachuted out. When the enemy hit, I heard over the VHF, "bandits," that's all brother. Went to the show at night and saw "Edge of Darkness" again, Errol Flynn.
Supposed to fly this morning but mission was scrubbed. Slept til 0900 and had a training film. Got a haircut, ate and had a meeting at 1300. Read and played cards til supper then got my laundry and sheets. Then wrote letters til bed time. Another mission tomorrow.
Briefing at 0210. Up at 0100, breakfast, briefing, take off at 0525. Never saw such an overcast! Clouds over the whole course. Was a noball (just on the coast). Saw flak in distance. Landed at 0850. Interrigated then Al and I played a game of snooker. Took a shower and shaved. Ate then went to bed at 1300 and slept til 1830. Ate, went to the show and saw Ted Lewis, "Is Everbody Happy." [Bed at] 2320.
Well what a nights sleep I had. Got us up at 0015! No sleep at all! Breakfast and briefing at 0115. Take off at 0425. Still dark, another cloudy day. No excitement at all. Over enemy terr. About 40 minutes, landed at 1030. Ate a little dinner then to bed at 1200. Slept til 1700 and had chicken for supper. Read awhile. Went to the show and saw "Song of Bernedette." It was truly a wonderful show! Enjoyed it very much.
Up for breakfast at 0030! Briefing at 0200. Took off at 0550 and over France for about an hour and a half. Lots of flak today. Some of it red, black, and brown (colored flak). Got back at 1110 and had something to eat then went to bed at 1300 and slept til 2400!
Got up (the first time) at 0015 and went to eat and the mission was scrubbed. Came back and slept for an hour and got up again and ate some more. Briefing at 0300. Took off at 0550. When we got to 7000 ft. The mission was recalled. Had more breakfast. Came back and wrote letters. Then went to bed for about 2 hours. Ate dinner then played cards (won 10 [pounds]). Supper, then to the club awhile. Came back and had a bull session, now sack 2200.
Up at 1200 [2400?]. Briefing at 0100. Take off at 0400. Went to Orleans, France. Flak was pretty accurate today. Had about 8 holes in the ship! Got back at 1100. Ate and went to bed at 1300. Slept til 2030, then went to the show, "The Lodger," O'brien & Creger. Had trouble with the projector and show didn't end til 2400.
Didn't even get to bed! Briefing at 0100. Took off at 0435 and bombed a bridge at Tours, France. Flak today but it was a lot better! Very inaccurate! Landed at 1030. Had chow then to the sack at 1200. Got us awake at 1400 to be briefed again but that was a stand down (thank goodness). Slept til 1800. Ate, then took a shower and shaved. Clean clothes for a change! Went to the show, Kay Kayser, "Spring Fever."
Slept most of the day. Friday night had a little party with Russ, Jim, and Carl. They were leaving to go to the 93rd. So they broke out a quart of "Three Feathers." Supposed to get a pass tomorrow. Got into bed around 2300.
Saturday, June 17
Got up at 0600. Going to London. Pretty near got messed up here before we finally caught the bus. Got a train from Beccles at 0830 and got into Liverpool station around 1200. Got something to eat and found a place to stay Mapleton Hotel). Then went to the PX. Bought some stuff and walked around awhile, then went and ate again. Saw the show, "Follow the Boys" in the evening. They had an alert on most of the time. Had quite a few of these flying bombs. They tried shooting them down. Looked nice to see tracers at night and to hear the Ach Ach going (shooting) off the on the roofs of the building as you'd walk under them. One of these bombs landed quite near and sprinkled glass all around. Finally got to sleep around 230.
Sunday, June 18
Al and Hub woke me around 11, so we all went to eat. Had breakfast then went downstairs in the same building and had dinner. Went back to the room and slept awhile then went sight seeing -- Parliament buildings, Big Ben, Westminister bridge, and the Abby, Buckingham Palace, #10 Downing St., and many other places. Then saw "Up In Arms" with Danny Kaye, very funny. After that we ate. Before that saw where one of the bombs had hit the night before. What a mess! Guess they mean business. We saw quite a few of these things -- putin' along in the sky with the light (exhaust) in back -- then the light goes out -- look out! Well the rest of the jokers decided to take the early train back. Well didn't get much sleep.
Monday, June 19
They got me up at 245 to catch a train at 425! Caught a bus to the station, found the train, got a seat, and tried to sleep. Changed trains at Ipswich and got into Beccles at 0900 and had to wait til 1130 before we got back!! (The bus waited for the later train -- the one we should have taken!!) Ate, then went to bed for an hour. Got us up for a ditching lecture!! Shaved and showered then ate and came back and went to bed (after writing a letter) at 2030. Slept til 2345 when we got up for briefing. We were an alert crew. So Hub and Al went down to the line and Bib and I went back to bed at 0100.
Tuesday, June 20
Got up at 0930, censored mail, came back and ate. Went back to get trucks out to the line. Stopped in the club awhile, then wrote a few letters. Briefed at 1500 and had a noball. It was a skee site (where they launch the pilotless bombs). Came back at 2200 and the base of the clouds was 250 feet! Made it OK. Got something to eat and got into bed at 2400. Supposed to fly first mission but got scrubbed! Thank goodness.
Wednesday, June 21
Got up at 1100, briefing at 1130. Got something to eat first. Got down there at 1200. Take off finally at 1500. Same target as yesterday, hope we got it today. Still low clouds, base today at 1000 feet. Got back at 2000. Ate, cleaned up a bit, went to the club and saw some short features. Walked out on the main show, got into bed around 2400.
Thursday, June 22
Got up at 945. Messed around til chow. Then briefing at 1300. Took off at 1600 and took a "trip" to Paris! Had fighters and flak both! Flew most of the mission today. Not to bad. Got back at 2130 and got something to eat. Got back to the barrachs and played cards awhile. Into bed at 0130.
Friday, June 23
Had a nice sleep. Got up at 1100 and went to chow. Came back and played cards and wrote letters all afternoon. After supper went to the show for awhile. Got into bed at 2300.
Saturday, June 24
Up for briefing at 0030. Briefing at 0130. Takeoff at 435. Got back around 1100. Got interrogated, ate. Saw one B-24 (from 93rd) blown to bits. It got hit, seemed like an engine, then a few seconds later it just blew up. Rough war! Got in the sack at 1230 and slept til 2030. Went to the club for a sandwich. Saw part of the show, went to bed at 2300.
Sunday, June 25
Up for briefing at 0500. Had a short mission but there sure was plenty of accurate flak! Over Calais, France. Take off at 0925. Land 1340. Ate dinner then wrote some letters. Had a catch (lost the ball!) Then was informed I was supposed to be watch officer. We had a party (100 mission). So then I showered and shaved, ate supper (it was OK if I went to the part, it says here!) Well I went to the party, but only for a little while. Seems like everybody there got tight. Got back to watch officer job around 2200. Read awhile then hit the sack. Bombed at 25,400 ft. today!
Monday, June 26
Got up for breakfast for a change, no fly, at 0730. Hot cakes. Censored mail and read til chow. Read awhile then fell asleep til supper. After supper wrote letters and shot the stuff til bed.
Tuesday, June 27
Got up at 1100. Went and ate. came back and read and wrote letters then supper. Nice day just doin' nothin'! Went to the show awhile then bed 2300.
Wednesday, June 28
Didn't get very much sleep. Got us up at 0010 for briefing at 0130. Had something to eat. Take off at 0435. Went to a town (Saarbrucken) in Southern Germany. Flew over a lot of countries today. England, Holland, Belgium, Luxumburgh, France, and Germany! Landed around 11. Interrogated then had something to eat then...sack. Went to sleep at 1330 and didn't wake up til they woke us for briefing at 0220 this morning! Came in with a feathered engine (mechanical).
Thursday, June 29
Up at 0220, briefing at 0245. Had something to eat first, takeoff at 0600. Had quite a bit of accurate flak. Got a few holes. Over enemy territory for 3:10. Went to Bernburg, Germany. Got back at 1230. Got something to eat. Might write a letter. Went to bed for a couple of hours then got up and ate and went to the show. "Power of the Press." Not too bad. Got into bed at 2300.
Friday, June 30
Slept til 1000. Got up showered and shaved and had dinner. Messed around, got paid, went to the Post Office and wrote letters. Then at 1700 decided to go to Norwich. Left at 1800 arrived there at 1845 and then proceeded to walk! Looked around. Lots of bomb damage.These English towns sure are something! Nice (not too bad). Stopped in at the Officers Club and met a few fellows I knew in Tucson. Bus left at 2300. Got into bed at 2400.
Saturday, July 1
Sleep is wonderful. Got up at 1000. Ate then played Snooker awhile. Stopped down to the line and found out we were flying. Went to the PX and back to the line. We were scratched off the mission. So came back and wrote letters awhile. Went to the show but walked out on it.
Sunday, July 2
Got up for briefing at 0600 and went to briefing. Got scratched again! Came back wrote a letter and had to fly somebody to Norwich. Was up for 0125 minutes flying low over England. Got back at 1400. Had dinner and wrote another letter. Showered and shaved. Had a chicken dinner. Read awhile then went to the show, "You Can't Ration Love." Pretty good, in bed by 2300.
Monday, July 3
No fly. Slept til 1000. Down and took some kind of test. Then had dinner. Stopped at the club awhile. Wrote some letters. Rained most of the day. After dinner played cards awhile.
Tuesday, July 4
Supposed to "slow fly" 137. Then supposed to go on a practice mission. Didn't have to go, thank goodness. Came back and read awhile. Oh, had fresh eggs for breakfast. Then after dinner went down and watched a baseball game. Had ice cream too (first since we've been in the ETO) was good. Had hot dogs too but these weren't too good. Came back and played some ball. Then had a little wrestling bout. Took a cold shower and shave. Then to bed about 2330.
Wednesday, July 5
Got us up for briefing at 0330 -- and briefing was AT 0330! Some stuff. Took off at 0510. As soon as we got to altitude my stomach developed cramps. Well we flew for 4 hours and then aborted because of supercharger failure (our first one). Landed at 0910. Came back to the club. Ate dinner and came back to bed. Decided I'd take a sun bath. So slept til 1645 and woke up with a nice "red" back. Feels OK though. After chow went to the show and saw "Buffalo Bill." Not too bad. Came back and wrote letters for awhile, then sack.
Thursday, July 6
Got up at 1030 and went to eat. After which we had briefing, which was all messed up! Didn't even know where we were going! Took off at 1630 and spent 1:52 over France. Quite a bit of flak. Didn't get back til 2000. Ate, then went to bed at 2330.
Friday, July 7
Got up at 1030, showered and shaved first thing, then had dinner (which wasn't very good). Went to the PX for rations. Came back and wrote letters. Raining a bit this afternoon. Went to Norwich at 1800 and went to the officers club for dinner and for desert had two dishes of strawberries! Boy were they good. Met a few fellows I knew. Came back at 2330 and was on the alert crew. Got back at 430.
Saturday, July 8
Got up at 1300 and ate dinner. Came back and lay in the sun til 1700. I sure got a sunburn too! Went up and had supper (with fresh tomatoes). Came back and wrote letters. Expect to go to the show later. Pretty good show, "Her Primative Man."
Sunday, July 9
Got up at 1100 and had dinner. Then we briefed for a practice mission. Only up for 1:35, came down because of bad weather. Had supper then went to the club. Had a few Coke highs, then saw the show, "Three Hearts For Julia." Pretty good, after came back and wrote one letter.
Monday, July 10
Got up for dinner at 1100. Came back and played cards awhile (won 10 lbs.). Had briefing, but before we got to the ships the mission was scrubbed. Went to the club awhile then went to chow. Had quite a bit of rain all day. Came back and read and wrote letters. Then played cards awhile.
Tuesday, July 11
Up at 0400, Breakfast, Briefing at 0500. Takeoff at 0830, for Munich, Germany. What a day. Never saw so much flak in all my life! Terrific! The "trip" took 08:00 hours and we were over enemy territory for 5 hours! We finally landed at 1635. Got interrogated. Even had a shot of Bourbon on the Gov. Then had dinner (supper) and for desert had rasberries and ice cream. Went to the show and saw something (I forget). Got into bed around 2300.
Wednesday, July 12
Up at 0500 for briefing at 0600. Ate, and guess what...Munich again!! Little better today. Same deal all the way. After chow went to the club and shaved then went to bed at 2130!
Thursday, July 13
Up at 0200. Briefing at 0230. Takeoff at 0530 for Saarbrucken, Germany. Made out pretty good today. Lots of flak in front of us, lots of flak in back, so we fly in between! Good deal! Got back at 1210. Had dinner and went to bed at 1400. Got up at 1845 and had supper. Stopped at the club. Came back and read my mail. Went back to the club but walked out on the show. Wrote a letter then to bed at 2300.
Friday, July 14
Got up shaved and showered and got pants pressed. Then saw about our pass. Got pass early. Ate then Al and I went to Norwich and caught a train for London at 7:12. Boy what a ride, it took 6 hours!! Got into London around 01:00. Then Al and I got separated and didn't find each other til morning. We had left our stuff at the Piccadilly Hotel.
Saturday, July 15
First thing went to the PX and got some stuff. Came back to the hotel and got 2 rooms. Al met Hub at the PX. Al met W.I. Smith and the son of a gun woke me up! Good to see him and Simpson again, they're doin' OK! We sat around in the afternoon. In the evening W.I. and I started out together but he left with a WAC. I ran into a paratrooper (seems like they all have purple hearts!!), we went to the Embassy Club, he was a member. Shot the stuff and listened to continuous music most all night. Real good kid by the name of Jack Horner. He left then I went to the sack.
Sunday, July 16
Got up kinda late. Shaved and showered. At 3:00 pm got a bus to visit cousin Emily and family. Met Sally, Lillie & Will. Stayed to dinner. Left around 7:00. Met the boys and did a little sight seeing. Got to bed kinda early.
Monday, July 17
What a day! Got up at 6:30 to catch a train at 8:12. Went to the Red Cross and had breakfast. Then tried to get a taxi. Couldn't get one til around 8:00. Then he had to detour because a buzz bomb had hit on the way (they weren't too bad this time). Missed the train by 3 minutes!! Sat around awhile, had a cup of coffee(?) Then decided to go sight seeing. Went to the museum of "Madam Tussauds", very interesting. Lots of wax figures. Stayed about an hour then we got back to the station. What a line. Had to wait an hour for the train, and was it crowded! Whew! Managed to get a seat. Rode about 3 1/2 hours and were supposed to change trains. Had to wait an hour (supposedly). But we caught a GI truck to Bungay. Got a taxi from there to Flixton. Arriving here about 6:15. Went and ate then came back, read awhile, then to bed at 2300.
Tuesday, July 18
Got up at 300 for briefing. Took off at 530 for a nice easy "noball." Then had to abort (feathered #1 engine). Came back wrote letters til dinner. Then went to bed at 1400.
Wednesday, July 19
Didn't get up til briefing at 330!! That's 13 1/2 hours of sleep. Did I like that! Ate then briefing. Take off at 525 for Strasbourg, Germany. Pretty nice mission. Dinner then slept awhile. Had dinner, stopped at the club awhile, went to bed at 1030.
Thursday, July 20
Up at 500. Breakfast. Take off at 720. Good mission again today, not much flak. Got back at 1:30 from Eisenach, Germany. Had something to eat. Came back and the sun was out so lay out in the sun til about 5:30. Had a shower and shave, then supper. Went to the club and saw "Ladies Couragious" with Loretta Young, not too bad. Bed at 2300.
Friday, July 21
Up at 300, eat, briefing, takeoff at 610. Whow, what a day. Supposed to go to Munich. Got just about there then the weather closed in -- up to 26,500 ft! Turned back and bombed a bridge. Coming out some dope took us over some very accurate flak. He paid, his ship went down. That stuff really followed us around too! Finally landed after 540 minutes of one of the roughest missions!! Got interrogated. Had a piece of pie for dinner. Came back wrote a letter, read etc til supper. After that came back and went to bed at 1900.
Saturday, July 22
Got up at 09:00 -- thats 14 hours sleep. Went to the club for breakfast, played some snooker, came back and wrote a few letters, then ate dinner. Then had a meeting, stopped at the "Combat Crew Room" and finished a story in the Post. Came back and played some baseball. Had supper and went to the club. Read and went to the show, "Roger Toughy" pretty good, bed around 11.
Sunday, July 23
Got up kinda late, so messed around til dinner, then came back wrote letters. Played cards and then played ball. Took a shower and shave and got ready for the party. Had supper and went over to the club -- and we were alerted! Had a few scotchand coke and chewed the fat with the fellows. Then the target came in! That kinda cooled the party off for most fellows -- but not Hub or Al. Hub was really blitzed, but good, and Al just about. They came back around 1030. And then we had to get up around 1230. Boy Hub was really tight! Finally managed to get him to the mess hall OK though.