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Going Home
June
10, 1943 Algiers
Boy,
I'm tired, been on the go all day getting
things fixed up. It seems that I am responsible
for the whole bunch. First I reported to
A-1 to get our orders cut. Had to have them
before we could get a priority rating and
transport tickets. The orders were ready
at 3 o'clock and by four we had our rating,
but then came the stump. At
the air transport office they told me
that we would have to wait until the
12th because all planes were full for
Casablanca tomorrow. But that didn't
work. Our rating is #2 and to keep from
having to cancel some #3, they had to
give us a special plane. So that was
that.
June
11, 1943 Casablanca
Left
Algiers this morning at 8:30 and arrived
here at 1:20 and right off the bat without
eating, I got transportation to town to see
about that 4600 mile ride. I reported to
Maj. Foster at the transportation building
and in five minutes, we were booked for passage
home on the West Point. So
for the first time in three days, I don't
have anything to worry about. We
went to a show (Mrs. Miniver) in
town tonight and it was really good.
June
12, 1943 Casablanca
Bridges
and I spent the day in town with Alex and
Wagg. They left four days before we did and
are waiting on the same boat we are. I
think I've finally located M. J. I saw a
fellow in the C. B.'s today on the street
and asked him what outfit he was in and it's
the same one M. J. is in and they are going
home on the same boat. Boy, that will be
wonderful! I'll
know in the morning because he
is supposed to call me.
June
13, 1943 Casablanca
Marvin
called me this morning at
10 o'clock, so I went out and spent
the day with him. Had lunch
and dinner with him, the first two
good meals I've had in ages.
June
14, 1943 Aboard
the West Point
Came
aboard ship this afternoon at 3:30 and have
spent the rest of the time looking it over
and trying to find my way around and have
been lost ever since. I located M. J. right
off the bat and we've been together all afternoon. It's
just like a big hotel
only a little more complicated.
June
15, 1943 Aboard
the West Point
Marvin
and I have spent the whole day just killing
time and at 9 P.M. we shoved off. Right
now we are about 100 miles out and I'm sitting
in my stateroom holding on with both hands,
well one anyway, trying to hold the ship
steady. Flying a plane
and riding a boat is altogether a different
sensation. I'm
expecting to get
seasick any minute.
June
16, 1943 Aboard
the West Point
Nothing
but water and it's already getting boring
and yet we've just started. Marvin
and I are together
all the time
when he isn't
working. The
rest of the time,
I read or walk
the deck.
June
17, 1943 Aboard
the West Point
I saw
my first flying fish today. They look a lot
like a spitfire with their elliptical wings.
They are small and can only stay over the
water a few seconds. We
are still climbing that hill. Seem to be
in the same place very morning when we wake
up. The
ship blacks
out every
night at
nine o'clock
and there
isn't a thing
to do but
hit the sack
and try to
stay in it.
No smoking
is allowed
any place
after blackout
is sounded.
June
18, 1943 Aboard
the West
Point
Another
long day and don't seem to be getting any
place. There
is about
8,000
people
on board
with
only
two women
and 3,800
of them
are Italian
and German
prisoners.
The Italians
are more
or less
free
to do
as they
please,
but the
Germans
aren't
given
any freedom
at all
and are
watched
like
hawks.
June
19,
1943 Aboard the West
Point
Still
trying
to
get over
that
hill
June 21, 1943
Nothing
but flying
fish and
white caps.
Saw a
life boat
adrift today.
June 22, 1943
Still
sailing. The
water has
been exceptionally
calm all
day.
June 23, 1943
Found
out today
that we
went almost
to South
America to
avoid a
submarine scare.
June
24, 1943 New
York City
Landed
in Boston
at 11
o'clock and
were on
the train
and on
our way
here by
12 o'clock
and were
in the
Astor Hotel
by 6
o'clock. There
isn't enough
words to
express how
glad I
am to
be here.
June
25, 1943 New
York City
I've
been buying
clothes all
day and
sure am
tired but
I have
a date
with a
model tonight
that's gotta
be taken
care of.
June
26, 1943 New
York City
My
date last
night was
beautiful
and
a lot
of fun.
We took
in several
night clubs
and finished
the evening
at Cafe
Society --
morning rather.
June
27, 1943
Wagg invited
Alex and I to his home in Lambertville, N.
Y. for the day and we really had a wonderful
time. Came
back
to
N.
Y.
City
tonight.
June 28, 1943
We
reported
to
Mitchell
Field
today
and
had
a
30-day
leave
within
three
hours
but
we had
a
hell
of a
lot
of
walking
to
do and
boy
was
it hot.
June 29, 1943
Bridges
and I are together. we left New York at 1:25.
We couldn't get a Pullman so had to take
what we could get. The train is really crowded
and it's gonna be tough trying to sleep.
This
brings
to
a
close
my
combat
experience
as
a
B-17
pilot.
The
past
eleven
months
were
exciting
and
full
of
experiences
that
I
will
always
remember.
Some
of
these
experiences
I
would
like
to
forget
--
those
that
brought
heartaches
to
others.
The
End
Ed.
Note: My uncle was lucky that he was not assigned
to the 8th Air Force later in the war, which took the brunt
of the losses in the European Theater. If I
remember correctly we lost more men
in the skys over Europe, in just three years,
1943 - 1945, than we did Marines in the Pacific war. He also missed out on the famous
Romanian missions against the Polesti oil refineries (and those were B-24s anyway - different planes, but the same bravery);
they were so bad that the Medal of Honor was
awarded to one of the pilots. These events
happened later in the war.
However
I know with pride that had he been over Germany,
had he been over Romania, he would have served
there just as he served over France and Italy
- with honor and distinction, flying bravely
into the maelstrom of air combat. He might
never have returned, but
he would have gone in.
Men
and women go into combat thinking they will
get through it alive and victorious. However,
there occasionally comes a time in battle
when you realize that you won't make it,
that you cannot possibly win. How you act in
this instance is the razor's edge dividing
line between a great nation and a wanna-be-great
nation. It only really shows up when the
odds are impossible. These days America is
the only Superpower left, and many people forget
what we can do when we are impossibly down.
It is worth remembering; there are many images
that evoke what the American fighting spirit
is about.
Think:
John Paul Jones continuing the fight
against superior odds. Think: 182 men
at the Alamo holding off 5000 enemy soldiers
until the last defender was gone. Think:
15,000 men of General Picket's division
charging up Seminary Ridge into annihilation. Think:
Flying old and slow torpedo planes into
the cream of the Japanese navy during
the battle of Midway. Think: the
single word "Nuts" in
response to a surrender demand in the Battle
of the bulge. Think: tiny destroyers
and destroyer escorts engaging the entire
Japanese battleship fleet during the
Battle of Leyte Gulf. Think:
thousands of young lives given in B17's,
B24's, and B25's over the European Continent.
Think:
Will Seaton Arnett, 1St Lt.,
US Army Air Force.
These
men did an amazing thing; to fly day after
day into utter terror, droning on and on through
flak and fighters, unable to move to defend
themselves until the bombs were dropped and
the job was done. That is a special courage;
that is the legacy of this country and it's
fighting spirit.
Special
footnote to any future oppressors: Whether
it be in Southwest Asia, Europe, or anywhere
on this globe, don't underestimate what a free
American people can and will do to preserve
their freedoms and way of life. You won't live to regret
the mistake.
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