Tag: John Huntoon

1943 October 14 “Black Sheep of the Air Corps”

10/12/43 Mission:

XII Bomber Command operations are canceled by weather. In Italy, the XII Air Support Command and other Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) elements (NATBF and RAF DAF) operate on a reduced scale, hitting road junctions at Vasto and Fossacesia, Aquino Airfield, motor transport on the Itri-Pico road and on a road N of Rome in the Bolsena and Capranica areas, roads near Tarquinia, rail facilities at Cisterna di Latina, trains between Pescara and Benedello, and guns and troops near Cercemaggiore.

10/13/43 Mission:

Italy declares war on Germany. In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-25's and B-26's bomb the town of Alife, a road junction at Sessa Aurunca, and airfield at Tirana; XII Air Support Command, supplemented by RAF DAF fighters, supports the US Fifth Army, which begins an assault crossing of the Volturno River on a 40-mile (64 km) front during the night of 12/13 Oct. Fighters and fighter-bombers hit troop and tank concentrations, trains, trucks, and communications the lines in the forward areas, especially around Ortona, Giulianova, and Campobasso. NATBF light
bombers join in the attacks, hitting road junctions in the Vairano, Carinola, Dragoni, Vasto, Terracina, and Minturno areas.

10/14/43 Mission:

Weather hinders tactical aircraft operations, but the XII Air Support Command and RAF DAF hit trains and vehicles and fly patrols from N of the Volturno River to Formia and N of Pescara.

10/14/43 V-MAIL

Italy

Marfy:

I got home last night, with a pleasant glow from Spumante and found 6 letters and 6 newspapers!  I’ll sketchily answer same.

So it is a bedspread instead of a shawl!  It’s purty isn’t it?  I wish my Malta stuff would get there (10/15/43) for it is by far the nicest stuff I’ve been able to get.

Gym class sounds good.  Get yourself in condition for the winter of 44-45.  Don’t let the cold worry you.  Two things we are never without—cold & dysentery.

On languages, why don’t you take a crack at your French, and I’ll handle the Spanish and Eyetie?  Having had it before it should be good.  Between the two we can get along anyplace in Europe.

Hey!  How about Doc Sheaff?  I’m afraid the infection may get worse and do irreparable damage!  Darn it, I told you that a year ago.  Quit stalling.

D.P. is a good guy, but scarcely smart enough for a Grp. CO.  Well, I’m a fine one to talk, being, apparently, the black sheep of the Air Corps.  So what!

J.H.* writes regularly.  I think he would like for me to be there to hold his hand.  Old friends are always the best ones.  Mom & Pop also write regularly.

That about covers the correspondence.  Gee, it looks like we’ll be able to go on our first picnic in a month tomorrow.**  More fun.

Vance is quite a help.

Hey!  Thanks for the Christmas present.  You don’t know it, but you bought me a beautiful pair of 7×50 Naval binoculars yesterday.  Don’t get anything else, for these are swell.  I’m sorry I couldn’t have properly timed the stuff for you, but you’ll just have to consider your next packages as Christmas presents.  I love you Toots.

Cy.

*Johny Huntoon

**This comment suggests Cy hasn’t flown a mission in at least a month.

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1944 May 8 “When I have 20 months, I’m starting a campaign to come home”

5/8/44 Italy

Martha:

I hope you can stand the tooth-paste ad enclosed.  I guess the censor can’t kick.  There are roughly five million abutments like the one in the background, the soil is not peculiar to any location, and the insignia on the jacket is of the old 17th bomb sq, not extinct lo these many years.  The shoes are g.i., and I hope the dear censor can’t make anything out of it, for, frankly, I can’t remember just where the damn thing was taken either.  The om snapped same and gave it to me for you.  As you can plainly see, I no longer have the barracks bags under the peepers, but am beginning to show that close to 30 barracks bag around the waist.  Thus far, the two satchels behind have not started to expand.  When they do, I shall stop eating, as well as take violent exercise.  I have no desire to ever look like I did the year before I left the states.

Damn it, when I sat down I had a bunch of stuff to write.  But I’ve been talking to the clerks trying to get them to find a manual they misplaced, and I can’t remember what I was going to say.

Again no mail.  You have gone on a binge, strike, or the p.o. screwed up again.  That latter is generally the case.  Well, I’m getting no place just sitting here, so I shall close, and go back to my desk.  Maybe I can think of it before closing time.

Aw nuts.  Maybe I’ll think of it tomorrow.

Love, Cy.

5/8/44 Italy V-Mail

DEAR MARTHA:

OUR POOR LITTLE WAC.  THESE CRAZY G.I.’S DO EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD TO MAKE LIFE MISERABLE FOR HER.  SHE’S IN BAD SHAPE AS A LITTLE SISTER WITH FIFTY BIG BROTHERS.  RIGHT NOW, THE ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE HER THAT SHE IS GETTING YELLOW AND ABOUT TO HAVE JAUNDICE.

OBIE WRITES THAT DON AND ANNE ARE DIVORCED.  SHE DOOD IT.

NATCHELLY, I’M WAITING FOR THE PICTURES WITH MY MOUTH OPEN IN ANXIOUS EXPECTATION.  I’M GLAD TO HEAR YOU’VE READ MARSHALL’S REPORT, AND ARE WORKING ON MISSION TO MOSCOW.  THEY ARE BOTH EXCELLENT.  ONE THING I WANT TO DO WHEN THIS GOD DAMN MESS IS OVER IS BUY MORE GOOD BOOKS AND READ THEM WITH YOU.  ALTHOUGH I SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO READ FICTION WITH YOU, WE CAN READ A LOT OF TRAVEL AND GOOD BIOGRAPHY TOGETHER.  I AM WRITING A LETTER TO JOHN [HUNTOON].  PLEASE FORWARD IT.

I ATE SOMETHING LAST NIGHT WHICH DIDN’T AGREE WITH ME, AND WHEN I WOKE UP THIS A.M., I THOUGHT I WAS PREGNANT.  AFTER THE FIRST THREE UPCHUCKS I GAVE UP AND CALLED THE OFFICE THAT I WAS STAYING IN BED. MY RIGHT HAND MAN, LT. HARRISON, CALLED BACK AT 11 AND ASKED IF I WANTED LUNCH SENT OVER.  THAT CERTAINLY IS A CHANGE FROM THE DAMNED 47TH.  THESE PEOPLE ARE HUMAN. I ENJOY BEING WITH THEM.  I HAVE SEEN HALF A DOZEN OF THE OLD GANG AND EVERYONE HAS REMARKED HOW MUCH BETTER I LOOK.  MY TUMMY HAS SETTLED DOWN NOW AND I’M SURE I’M OK.

WHEN I HAVE 20 MONTHS, I’M STARING A CAMPAIGN TO GET HOME.

I LOVE YOU.  CY.

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