9/4/44: The Allies liberate Brussels and Antwerp.
9/4/44 Corsica
Angel:
What a sour life. Actually all any of us are doing is waiting for the end. An Air Force is predominately a planning and policy directing agency, and our future is yet too hazy to start any sensible planning. Knowing me as you do, you can realize that I am not happy sitting here drawing my pay and trying to amuse myself by study and a few trips now and then. It is not a case of laying down on the job. There is little work to do, but I know if I do it, it will merely lay in the files until no longer pertinent.
We are certainly far removed from the war in this section. Things which used to be very important look small to people up here. Personally I feel it is much more important to get sun goggles for gunners than for WAC secretaries, civilian friends, and headquarters clerks. But who am I to question the needs of the mighty. In this theater, or this AF actually, there are entirely too many cases of people who do nothing getting gravy, and those who fight not even having anything to put the gravy on. I am trying not to become bitter, but it is hard. Even in combat units, a brown nose is worth five well executed missions.
I miss you no end. I guess I’m pretty well settled as an old married man. The French liaison officers had a tea for several of us. During the afternoon, a damn cute blonde (18 years old) informed me out of a clear blue sky that she loved me. I looked a little amazed, so she tried it in 2 other languages. What to do. So ye old wolfe spends the next half hour giving her a fatherly bawling out for running around sticking her neck out that way. It was really quite funny. You can imagine what a “thrill” it is to be continually tossed at by 18-14 year old brats because I look so young.
One of the French officers, although only 22, is quite a character. He escaped to England in 41 and returned in 42 with a portable radio (all by parachute) and spent 1 ½ years reporting Jerry movements. He then came out again and has been working this end of it. He has received no medals or promotion for such splendid and dangerous work.
Write.
Love, Kitten, Cy