Mission 35

April 13, 1943

    There isn't much to say about this one except that it was long and tiresome. Our target was an airdrome at Sicily. There was from 70 to 100 planes on it and I'd be that there isn't over 25 of them intact right now. It was well covered. We lost a plane, it was hit in the left wing by flak and caused it to catch fire. Four chutes were seen to open. I saw it roll over on its back, go straight down and after three spins it broke up into a million pieces. "Duke" Cummings the co-pilot was my classmate and Capt. Jerry Thomas, the pilot was G. R. It was tough watching them go down but we have to do it. That's the second one I've seen explode in mid-air.    I had to feather #2 engine on my plane because of a hit behind the super-charger

.April 14, 1943

    Put a floor in our tent and did a away with the rugs. We used frag boxes for lumber.    I am leaving for rest camp tomorrow and it doesn't look like I'm gonna get to look for Marvin  because you have to have a special order from the Commanding Officer to ride transports now, and Col Gormly refused Alex. 

[Ed. Note - Marvin J. Arnett, by grandfather, was in the Seabees and somewhere in North Africa at this time]

April 15, 1942

    Eked up courage enough to ask for a special order and actually got it. He even gave me transportation to Telegrma to catch a transport. Caught one to Algiers and another to Oran where I am now. The weather closed in so I couldn't get out to Casablanca.    Swenson and I went to the flickers to pass away the time.

April 16, 1943

    I caught the 8:30 plane to Casablanca and arrived there at 12:00, just in time for lunch. I walked into the officers mess and lo and behold there was chicken-fried steak by the platter fulls. Boy, did I eat!    Well, I got on the phone and called the Seabee's personnel office and M. J. wasn't listed and he told me that the only place he could be was at Oran so I caught the same plane back to Oran. I didn't get here until late so I'll try again in the morning.

April 17, 1943

    To make a long story short, I found out that there was a battalion of Seabees at Arzew about 20 miles up the coast from Oran, so I got a jeep and drove up there. It was up there alright but Marvin wasn't in the bunch. Disgusted as hell I went back to Oran and inquired at the Navy fleet post office and asked if 8280 was listed or in the vicinity of Oran and it wasn't.    That was my last bet. Somebody has lost his marbles and I don't think it's me.    Being really disgusted, I gave up and caught the 3:15 plane for Algiers, where I am now to spend a couple of days before going back to camp.

April 18, 1943

    Walked all over Algiers just looking the city over and didn't accomplish a darn thing but tired feet and a hungry stomach.    My first night in town and it had an air raid. I never saw an air raid with so much anti-aircraft in my life. It had just gotten dark when hell broke loose. I couldn't help but go right down on the water front and watch the show and I'll never forget it. Anybody would have to be either drunk or crazy to try and fly the barrage of flak that is put up over the harbor of Algiers.    One plane tried it, but didn't get to first base. He must have been tired of living or something.

April 19, 1943

    I got up this morning, had breakfast and took a stroll down the docks to see if any damage was done by the raiders last night.

    Doc Speaker, Maj Coverly and I saw the fire works from a ringside seat again -- like d-- fools.