The Green's House
 

Mission 22 and 23

February 23, 1943    Oh Boy, what a day. With only three hours of sleep last night, we were up at 4:30, briefed at 5 o'clock, took off for Kairouan Airdrome, near Sfax, bombed it and were back on the ground by 9:30. I was first pilot with Thomas as a brand new Captain as co-pilot.    But that wasn't the end of the day. At 2 o'clock, we were given a 30 minute notice to be briefed and off the ground by 3 and be over Kasserine Pass, our target, by 4, where an enemy concentration is located. We were there but it was solid overcast, but that didn't keep them from throwing up plenty of Flak. Every ship in our squadron was hit, our four times -- no one hurt. Bombing altitude 15,000 feet which is strictly for the birds as far as I'm concerned.    I'm so tired I'm cross-eyed. Never again do I want to fly two missions in one day.

February 27, 1943

    Spent the most miserable     night I've spent in a long time. Went to the "Doc" and he had me in the hospital before you could say Jack Robinson. So the record I've held for 27 years was finally broken. My temperature has been ranging from 101 to 103.8 all day but it's down now.    

    The first time I've ever had influenza and my first time in a hospital bed.

February 28, 1943

    Another sleepless night and very unpleasant too, freezing to death one minute and burning up the next. I've drunk enough water to float the biggest ship that the 301st sunk on their raid over Sardinia.    I'm the only officer in the room with 16 enlisted men. About 5 have flu, three or four with gasoline burns and the others are gold bricks taking a rest or beating guard duty.    My temperature reached 104 at three o'clock then started dropping.

March 1, 1943

    And another sleepless night with everything running about the same.

March 2, 1943

    Temperature almost went back to normal then back up again. They brought in an old private from my squadron that must have gotten mixed up with the wrong crowd cause he was sorta messed up.

March 3, 1943

    I must have sweated my temperature away last night because I awoke from the knock-out pill the "Doc" gave me ringing wet with my temperature normal and it stayed there all day.    Still feel lousy as the devil though.

March 4, 1943

    No temperature today, wrote a few letters.

March 5, 1943

    The "Doc" let me get up and walk around a little today but I was too weak to do much walking.

March 6, 1943

    Got out of the hospital this morning and had to stop and rest before I could make it back to camp I was so weak.    Have been up all day and am as tired as if I had worked all day.

March 7, 1943

    Packed some things for our move today.

March 8, 1943

    We were up bright and early this morning running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get everything ready to leave on the specified time.    Departed from Ain M'Lilla at 11 o'clock and arrived at out new base at 11:30. It is only about 40 miles west of our old base.    There is nothing between us and the North Pole but a barbed-wire fence to keep the wind off and the gap is down on it. Oh Boy, it is cold.    We are living in Pyramidal tents and they are pretty nice. My tentmates are Kuncel, R.E. Hart, and Harold Wilson.    We put the tent that we had for a house at Ain M'Lilla down for a rug and it keeps the damp out.

March 9, 1943

    We've been working all day fixing things up and making it more comfortable. The name of our apartment is Maision de la Caak, more of Hart's bright ideas.    We have a victrola and about 100 records, also a kerosene stove and lantern.    There isn't any electric generator close enough yet to have electric lights -- but give us time.    This is a regular Officers Club since we have the only means of entertainment.

    We have some beautiful scenery around us. Mountains to the South and East, farm land and waste land to the North and West.

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