Tag: ack-ack

1943 November 29 “How about a date for next Christmas?”

11/29/43 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   B-25's bomb Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and road and rail bridges at Giulianova, Italy. US, South African Air Force (SAAF), and RAF light bombers hit enemy strongpoints at San Vito Chietino and the Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia areas; Allied fighter-bombers bomb enemy forward positions around Fossacesia and Lanciano of Italy.

11/29/43 V-Mail, Italy
Marfy:
What a dull life without you.
We made BBC on one of our recent picnics. Rather easy as Jerry didn’t argue—much. The first two Squadrons (mine was number 1) had a bit of luck and knocked out all of the ack-ack, and the others just plastered hell out of the little cocks.
Hey, Baby, the package from Manoir Nat House* came yesterday. We are eating half of everything that we got and saving the rest for Christmas. Boy, were they good! I also got about a week’s worth of newspapers. I hope your pictures get here soon. My morale needs a nice feminine boost to balance it out.
It’s funny, kitten, I’m not homesick a damn bit. I want you more than anything in the world, but I don’t care where I am when I have you. I guess it is because I have never lived in one place long enough to acquire a sentimental attachment. This trip over here has complicated my planning to no end. Now, in addition to all of the other things we have to do, we have to visit five continents. The only way I can see to do the job right is to get a job which will require it.
Honey, after you get rested from your trip, why don’t you take a couple of courses in school? Don’t load down, but pick out some sociology, elementary psych, and French. I’m very anxious for you to acquire a working knowledge of conversational French.
Merry Christmas, little girl. Sorry I can’t be there to help you trim our tree! How about a date for next Christmas? All my love.
Your brat, Cy.

*I couldn’t find information on this company, but I assume it is a packaged food/mail order operation, perhaps like “Harry & David”.

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1943 December 1 “Knocked out 6 ack-ack guns a few days back”

11/30/43 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   In Italy, A-20's, operating in conjunction with light bombers of the SAAF and RAF attack ground installations and defended areas around Lanciano, Fossacesia, Orsogna, Castelfrentano, and Guardiagrele; fighter-bombers, [US, RAAF, SAAF and RAF] hit pre-arranged targets in the battle area, and by hitting targets of opportunity on roads between Lanciano to Mozzagrogna aid in
defeating a counterattack against the US 34th Infantry Division on Monte Pantano.

12/1/43 Mission:

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force):
   B-25's bomb gun positions in the Sant' Ambrogio area; fighter-bombers,
including some Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft, hit trucks, gun positions, and other military targets E of Casoli, at Lanciano, near Guardiagrele, W of Mignano, W of Minturno, and near Chieti. Several of these missions are in support of the US Fifth and British Eighth Armies.
   During the month of Dec 43, HQ XII Bomber Command transfers from Tunis,
Tunisia to Bari, Italy.

12/1/43 Italy
My Marfy:
One year, no see. Too long. Let’s not ever do it again. It’s damn near impossible for me to see any hope of an early return. I have 33 sorties now, and am showing no signs of either flying fatigue, war nerves, or anything else bad. If I was as weak-willed as some, of course, I could get the jitters easily. Damn it, I just like to fly. Knocked out 6 ack-ack guns a few days back & got real satisfaction out of it.
Your letters of Nov. 8 and the 3 pics are most welcome. Your hair is longer, as shown by comparing last year’s and the recent pictures. I hope you’re right when you say you think it is growing again. That is a good indication of general condition. Am I “gonna” have fun.
Nope, we don’t like the coat any better, but the hat is a big improvement.
I see you’ve still the type of figure I chased for 7 years. Whooosh!

Charles Sharrard and his mother Nena

Where did we get all the nephew! Holy smoke, he’s big.
Still waiting for the photos.
I was issued a G.I. Eiderdown sleeping bag today, so you needed worry about my keeping warm this winter.
Jackson made Major on Nov. 23, and is taking it nicely.
I’m a genius. I was able to explain the cartoons in Collier’s to the Vulcanos. I never worked so hard in my life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gotta quit and put these pictures away. They’re driving me nuts. The coat with the tie around the neck quite snappy looking.
Hey, before I forget it, before you forget it, have the blue & beige goods from Malta washed before it is made into anything as it shrinks a good deal. Whatcha gonna make out of it? When they come, I want a snap of you in a sweater the Irish tartan (with insignia) and the Scotch plaid skirt.
My Eyetie friends never seem to get over the beauty of your hands. The funny part, never having held them, they don’t know how beautiful they really are.
We had hail today. It won’t be long now. The natives, who have no sense of values, say “Neve per certo a la quindici di Dicembre—uno metro!”* I’ll believe it when I see it. The book I read on climatology of Europe is already 2 months off!
Honey, kitten, just keep yourself pretty for me, and I’ll bring me back just like I was when I left. I refuse to let this war change me a bit. Be mine. Cy.

*Rough translation—“One meter of snow for sure by December 15!”

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