Mission 10

December 13, 1942    Tafaroui, Africa    Flew 1,220 miles today just to drop 5,000 lbs. of bombs. Our target was the marshalling yards at Tunis. It is just 10 minutes farther than Bizerte. We went as the last element for the 97th. The rest of our group at Algiers bombed the docks at Tunis yesterday and were very successful.    We didn't have any enemy fighter opposition and a very little flak, so the ride was nothing but tiresome.    The 93rd (B24's) that are stationed here bombed Bizerte today and came back all shot up. Guess they aren't quite so cocky now.    The rest of the group is leaving for our new base tomorrow, we will follow in a few days.

December 14, 1942    Tafaroui, Africa    Oh! Brother, do my legs hurt, is my back sore and are my feet killing me?    Got up this morning and with nothing to do all day, Thomas, Smith, Crowell, Calcote, Webber and I decided to take a hike up into the hills. The hike covered about 15 miles including a climb up a 3,000 foot mountain just to get a look at an old Arab fort. I've been wondering where and how they live and today I found out. They live way up in the hills mostly on top of or right next to cliffs in grass huts. They cultivate the hill sides mostly in grain and use small cows, not oxen, and little mules for working and their implements are old and crude resembling one handle plows.    We took plenty of cigarettes and chewing gum to give to them. We came across one Arab plowing with a cow and a mule, both the same size and gave him some cigarettes and gum. He pulled some sort of bread out of his pocket and offered it to us in return, but hungry as we were we didn't take it.    We saw the results of a recent battle in a ravine on our way down. There were parts of hand grenades, small incendiary bombs, flares and some 37 millimeter slugs and hulls. There was three abandoned German tanks on the sides of the hills.    We got back about 3:30 just in time to hear the order given to load our luggage and be ready to take off in the morning for our new destination.    Celebrated Linglebacks birthday tonight by passing around a bottle of Scotch and wine and help him eat a box that he received today -- somehow. No one else got any mail.    Wrote mother a Christmas letter.

December 15, 1942    Tafaroui, Africa

    Another day in this mud hole. It almost gets dry and rains again. We were all set to leave this morning had our bed rolls loaded and everything and the weather closed in here and at our new destination (Biskra) too. The trip was cancelled at 11 o'clock so we had to bring our bed rolls back, remake them and everything. I t will probably be two or three days before we can get out now because of the mud on the field.