11/24/43 Mission:
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, NATBF bombers, along with RAF DAF fighter-bombers, in close support of the British Eighth Army, hit gun positions and defended points in the Fossacesia area; XII Air Support Command A-36's, in support of the US Fifth Army, hit roads NW of battleline, and bomb the harbor at Civitavecchia.
11/25/43 Mission:
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, light and medium bombers of the XII Air Support Command, along with Allied airplanes, bomb gun positions and defended points in the Lanciano-Fossacesia area; medium bombers also hit Sarajevo and Travnik, Yugoslavia and Ancona, Italy; US and RAF fighters attack vehicles, gun positions, and strongpoints in the Casoli- Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia area.
11/26/43 Mission:
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25's and A-20's along with RAF light bombers, attack the marshalling yard and harbor at Ancona, defended positions near Fossacesia, Lanciano, and Castelfrentano; US and RAF fighter-bombers hit these same positions and also attack troop concentration near Palombaro and N of Casoli.
11/27/43 Mission:
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the day and night, Twelfth Air Force fighters, light and medium bombers and aircraft of the associated RAF units of the NATAF attack enemy positions, gun emplacements, roads, vehicles, railroad facilities, and targets of opportunity in the Lanciano-Fossacesia-Castelfrentano-Casoli area. B-25's also bomb Porto Civitanova, Italy and Sibenik, Yugoslavia.
11/28/43 Mission:
MTO: The Tehran Conference begins and lasts until 30 Nov. President Franklin D Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston S Churchill, and Marshall Josef V Stalin discuss further action against Germany. Operations OVERLORD (the overall plan for the invasion of W Europe) and ANVIL (the plan for the invasion of S France) are given priority over all other operations. Stalin agrees to commit Soviet forces against Japan after Germany's defeat. TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Yugoslavia, B-25's bomb warehouses, docks, marshalling yards, barracks, shipping, and other targets at Sibenik, Zara, and Dubrovnik; RAF DAF fighters strafe trains between Dubrovnik and Metkovic. In Italy, Twelfth Air Force fighters hit vehicles and troops in the battle area; Allied fighter-bombers bomb and strafe buildings, trucks, and roads in the Lanciano-Fossacesia-Caoli areas.
11/28/43 Italy
Hi Toots:
I received your letter of Oct. 29 today and it was most interesting. I sure am glad to get the dope on the money orders. That cleans up everything but the money I sent though finance and I’m sure that will be ok.
Wish I could see the blue P.J.’s—and that ain’t all.
Yes, I believe Jack was one of the lads who went home. He pooped out royally. I’m afraid he’s lost some of his old friends, or at least they’ve cooled off a bit. This old business of “you go on and fight, I’m not psychologically suited for it” is a bunch of cock. None of us are suited for it—we’ve just made up our feeble minds that the job has to be done and we’re doing it.
Honey, forget the cheese and everything else that requires ration coupons. When I asked for it I was in Africa. Over here the natives cooperate (for a price) and fresh foods are more readily available. V-Mail blanks are always needed.
So you’re proud to be Mrs. C.B.S! Well, you’d better be—it took me long enough to catch you.
Your week-end with Nancy sounds interesting. It’s funny, but the things we want the most now are a white seat and a bathtub. Of course it wouldn’t hurt to have some linen, silver, and china once in a while.
My Italian has suffered a relapse. I’ve spent the last week writing in the pages of standard conjugations, declensions, etc. Now I shall have to learn same. It is going to be hell, but I’m going to accomplish something worthwhile in this damn war.
I designed an antenna [for radio] which would be directional towards New York and also Cincinnati. Since London is just off the great circle course to NY, I catch it as well. We put it up yesterday and although it is a big improvement, it may need further adjustment. Although designed for short wave, it helps a lot on standard broadcast. It doesn’t seem possible, but it’s less than 1000 miles away.
Don’t faint, but guess what I’m writing now? Believe it or no, an autobiography. I haven’t the slightest idea what it will be good for, but I have lived a more than normally interesting life, and it might be fun for the grandchildren to read.
This has been a rough week. Burt has had some minor administrative arguments with Group, in which Group has been dead right. But Burt is nevertheless on edge. It is hard working with people with such a wide span of years and backgrounds. It is particularly difficult having no one around with a background like mine. I was practically laughed out of camp when I designed the antenna, and now that it works they don’t know what to think. A lot of our combat problems are solvable by mathematical analysis, but no one will believe me when I show them in black & white. They think it is black magic, I guess.
I’m glad you like the idea of Willie and I getting together. It has its points.
I got in some new wing-men a while back and the kids are ok. Trouble is there aren’t enough of them.
These stupid fools over here have started the old rumor of ‘out of the trenches by Christmas’. The only thing they don’t know—which Christmas. If such were definitely known, it would not be the thing to tell the troops, as it would only end in bitter disappointment if it fell through, and in damn poor fighting between now and then. Personally as Lovilla would say, I’d rather park and neck. I’m not putting any money, or even thought, on a subject about which I know so little.
That’s about all for now, Marfy. I do so damn little that is interesting, and can’t write about most of that, that my letters are probably dull and uninteresting. But I just keep on existing for that day when we’ll be together again.
All my love, Me.
