Year: 1944

1944 January 29 “I could send myself home if I had no sense of duty”

1/28/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, B-25's attack the Orte marshalling yard; B-26's hit bridges at Orvieto and Montalto di Castro; A-20's bomb Cisterna di Latina with good results; P-40's and P-47's bomb the Popoli road junction, and A-36's hit railroad, road, and gun positions in the Cassino-Vicenza-Velletri areas, the Colleferro marshalling yard, and Atina town area; P-40's hit Terelle, Belmonte in Sabina, and Cisterna; Allied fighters over the Anzio area claim 21 aircraft shot down.

1/29/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, B-25's bomb San Benedetto de Marsi marshalling yard; B-26's hit bridges N of Rome; P-47's bomb a munitions factory at Bussi sul Tirino; P-40's and A-36's, in support of US Fifth Army forces, bomb positions in the Anzio beachhead area and hit enemy forward road and rail communications; fighters on patrol over Anzio meet little air opposition.

1/29/44  New A.P.O. is #650, NY, NY

Italy

Hi Toots:

Well, I sent George Boggs home today.  He was the bombardier who flew with me in Africa, Malta, Sicily, and finally in Italia, and I shall always think highly of him.  George flew for me for 40 missions after he had broken, and we only goofed off once badly and another time slightly.  He knew that I knew what was happening, but through his loyalty, he kept right on until I decided he was through, never once asking for a rest.

Sgt. Dempsey also left.  Dempsey is a country boy from Alabama.  A week after I took the squadron, he wanted to quit.  He was upset to the point of crying during briefings.  I gave him a rest and talked him into trying again.  Later, he broke again.  He went to Jackson and said he would only come back if he could fly with me.  That is where he finished off, taking over Stedman’s job.  He was genuinely frightened, but told me this morning he wanted his job back when he got back in the scrap after a rest.  He said, “Major, I do believe when you fly your hundredth mission, you’ll still be forgetting what time you landed and took-off, bitch about the landing being two shades less than perfect, and sing “Old King Cole” all the way to and from the target.”  I hate to see these people leave, for you make lasting friends up there.

I heard a broadcast today over BBC by an American Fighter Pilot, “Col. Dave Schilling.”*  Dave slept next to me at Brooks Field.  I wish I he could escort me on my raids.  He is a fine pilot, a gentleman and a swell egg.

Dinner tonight with the O.M.  I slept an hour, just finished a whore bath, and called ops and told them not to count on me for flying tomorrow.  I shall probably have a large head.

Well, Gremlin, stick with me up there.  Thus far, I’m having fun flying with you.  I feel like hell when I realize I could send myself home if I had no sense of duty, and have to watch my kids leaving regularly.

Your very own Sweetheart, Cy.

*For more information on Col. Schilling see: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/39465

 

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1944 January 31 Spent an evening with Ernie Pyle

 

1/30/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, B-25's hit road junctions at Valmontone and Genzano di Roma, and bomb the town of Monte Compatri; weather cancels all B-26 operations and several B-25 missions. A-20's hit the town of and road junction near Cori, and XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers hit Sora; US and RAF fighters hit barges and fishing boats off Zara and Trojica, Yugoslavia; fighters on patrol over Anzio meet no air opposition.

1/31/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, A-20's bomb Artena and road junction N of town; P-40's and A-36's, operating E of the Anzio battle area, hit a road junction at Sezze, the town of Fondi, and junction and town area at Priverno; P-47's bomb San Benedetto de Marsi; the XII Air Support Command flies 250+ sorties over the Anzio beachhead; air opposition is absent.

1/31/44:

1/31/44 Italy

Snooks:

You’re in luck today.  This is my second letter to you.  Of course, I hit the jack pot myself, having just gotten two more of your letters.

You kids sound like you’re having a hell of a good time.  I’m all in favor of it.  OK, take the dough for the rent and forget it.  But it isn’t a birthday present.  The coral necklace is the present.  I hope you like it.  Sorry I can’t be there to present it in person.

Sure am glad you liked the skirt.  One of my gunners showed up for a mission one morning with a pair of genuine scotch plaid pants on, and I naturally couldn’t let him wear them around the place.  So I had the first Sgt get him back in a more respectable outfit.  The more I thought, the more I realized how nice your little–oh, oh—scuse please—how nice you would look in a skirt or battle jacket made of the material.  So I had one of the soldiers buy them from him, so he wouldn’t know I was going to get them (otherwise he might have felt forced to sell them) and got the skirt made up.  The tam, frankly fell off a soldier’s head and lit in the road.  Burt and I knew someone had lost a hat because we could see them looking for it when we drove away.  I was really Burt’s gift, so I shall tell him you like it.  That, young lady, is even more Irish than that little nose of yours.  I shall await the pictures, hoping that the yellow sweater is as tight as the one you once wore to Pudooo U–.  I was kinda confused on the shape of the skirt too, until I asked and found that they generally open in the back over here.  That is the closest I’ve come to a skirt opening, thank you—just ask the tailor’s wife.

Thomas is the blonde armament officer who was a classmate of Ed Main’s.  Yep, Ed mentions the family often, and has a picture of them, both being rather cute.  Ernie Pyle* took quite a liking to Ed, and I rather expected the article.  I shall enjoy reading it.  Rumor has it that I’m due for similar treatment, but time only will tell.  Apparently I’m the only man this side of hell who ever got Ernie Pyle to talk, for he generally just keeps everybody else pouring out their souls.  I reversed the procedure after everyone had left the tent, and had a wonderful time listening to him, his experiences here, and analysis of what it all means.

So you like to hear the wing-dinghies** go by.  Honey, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.  You’re worse than I am.  Guess I’ll have to marry you all over again and get in the Air Corps.  It’s been so long since we did that, that when I think of it, it leaves me rather weak all over.

George writes from B’ham that he is now 1A, which is a lot of stuff.  The kids and Evelyn have the flu, but are ok now.  Pappy Randall also writes.  They surely have been nice about writing me.  Mother also produced two letters which arrived today.

That’s about all.  I write on the typewriter—it’s easier to write a lot, but this is still equivalent to about 5 in hand.

Snooky, there just isn’t any way of telling you how Martha-sick I am.  But it just can’t be permitted to get me down, for I have a job to do here.  It is alright for younger pilots who have no knowledge but flying to come in and go out almost overnight, but someone has to stay to hold things together and keep up the old bomb delivery service.  The squadron commanders do that.  A squadron CO over here is a much more important cog than back there in the states.  He is the highest commander who regularly and frequently actually leads the men.  So, when this job is done, you’d better start sleeping on the left side of the bed again.

Cy

P.S. I love you.

*See: http://www.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/reporters/pyle/

**My research indicates that “wing-dinghies” are small boats, attached to the underside of the wing on a sea-plane, used to get to shore after the plane lands.

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1944 February 4 Spent the day with Burt Fleet

2/1/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, B-25s bomb the Albano Laziale road junction; P-40s bomb Cori,
while A-36s hit Poggio Mieteto and P-47s attack the station at San Valentino; fighters cover the Anzio battle area.

2/2/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   Major General Gordon P Saville becomes Commanding General, XII Air Support Command.
   In Italy, B-25s attack the Marino road junction and A-20s bomb Norma; A-36s and P-40s bomb villages, road junctions, trucks, trains, parked aircraft, supply dump, and the Viterbo road during several fighter-bomber missions; P-40s on patrol over the battle areas attack Cisterna di Latina and Formia.

2/3/44 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   Medium bomber missions are all aborted. In Italy, A-36s hit roads and other targets S of Rome, destroying or damaging numerous trucks and bombing the towns of Sezze and Fondi as US ground forces meet strong resistance in their drive toward Cassino; P-47s hit Manopello and railroad facilities at Sulmona; and fighters patrol the Anzio area.

2/4/44 Italy

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, weather prevents all medium, light and fighter-bomber missions; P-40s and Spitfires maintain patrols over the Anzio area, where a strong German counter-offensive had been launched during the night of 3/4 Feb.

2/4/44 Italy

Hi Gremlin:

What’s cooking—and I wish I was there to help eat it.

The food situation is pretty good here.  The army supplied us with some sausage today which was somewhat like salami, which was quite good.  And the thing which really helps is that I am able to eat with the Vulcanos every once in a while.  I am acquiring quite a taste for Italian food, and have even learned how to handle the long spaghetti with no trouble or embarrassment.

You will never guess what happened to me yesterday.  That stupid idiot, Burt Fleet, dropped in on me in a DC-3.  Boy, was I happy.  We got to spend the whole afternoon together, and it was just like old times.  He is a group CO and one jump ahead of me on the rank.  That is one boy I like to see have it.  Outside of being about as fat as I was when I left the States, he hasn’t changed a bit. Please write Marion and tell her that I spent the afternoon with him, and he is well, happy, and doing a hell of a good job—and not too dangerous.  Also, write those Gerrity lugs and tell them to get on the ball.  Burt didn’t even know whether he had a niece or another nephew!  That’s a fine thing.  The least Mag could do is let the various uncles in on the situation.  After all, we did kiss the bride and feel a little responsible for these things.

We ate lunch here and chewed the fat for a while, grabbed a jeep and drove out to look at some old beat-down ruins, and then drove back.  He says the new hair-do does it.  Honey, I’m going to go quietly nuts until I get time to mess up that one up (or down).  Boy it gets under my skin in a most pleasant sort of way.  You don’t know how pleasant it is to be able to drag out almost any old picture of my wife and say, “There it is,” and not have to add “she has a nice personality.”  I’ve never yet had to make an excuse for your natural beauty.  Among other things, anyone who knows people can look at your snaps and see the personality, brains, and beauty, without having to have them pointed out.  How in hell did we get off on that subject?  Well, I felt damn near like bawling when I saw the old lug taxi out and whee down the runway.  Looks like I shant be able to see him again for some time.  As the latest expression goes, “C’est la god damn guerre.”

Harsh was over to make a special visit a couple of days ago.  I spent all afternoon with him.  Both he and Burt have been pleased with your letters.  I am damn proud that my wife knows my friends well enough to do that, for I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Vance’s long awaited opportunity looks like it is here.  Due to his fine work, and maybe a couple of letters I wrote and conferences I had with the OM, it looks like he is going up on the group staff into a major’s vacancy.  That means he should have it in a couple or three months.  I am having insignia embroidered on a couple of shirts and caps.  It looks swell, doesn’t have to be polished, and I probably shall not have to change it any time soon.  I’ve about decided to become the oldest, most experienced major in the Air Corps.  That will at least be some consolation.  I also have the satisfaction of knowing that my immediate CO recommended me for the boost many months ago, and that the tie-up is that the HQ have promoted so many office boys that there isn’t any room for the poor working man.

I told Chocolate in a letter to give you the hug and kiss I won’t be able to give you myself.  I wouldn’t give many people that opportunity, but just remember how much I want to do it myself.

Be a good child and don’t worry, don’t let yourself get too lonesome, and keep on getting prettier every day like you always have.

I love you.  Good night.  Cy.

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