| NO. |
Date Written |
LOCATION |
CONTENT |
| 92 |
11/25/42 |
In the air - from Asmara; spends night in Khartoum |
Wanted to see his projects in Massawa completed; assigned to Army; wants to be on the active front |
| 93 |
11/26/42 |
In the air - Thanksgiving |
Thankful; is well; felt he accomplished his mission in Massawa; looks forward to action |
| 94 |
11/27/42 |
West coast of Africa - Accra |
Going to Oran under command of Eisenhower; mail |
| 95 |
11/28/42 |
In the air |
Time magazine article about Col. Chickering; how EE survived Massawa; mail; reputation in Army |
| 96 |
12/2/42 |
At new station |
It's cold; APO 512; band music |
| 97/8 |
12/5/42 |
New station |
#97 skipped; had inspected new area to be his hdq.; plenty of wrecks; to lift dry dock; wants to get home; APO 302; thoughts of Lucy |
| 99 |
12/12/42 |
APO 302 |
Saved a British destroyer; dirty; lack of soap; Grand Hotel Doran |
| 100 |
12/13/42 |
APO 302 |
Lowering of flags; all nationalities present; received mail; becomes Chief Salvage Officer; letter of commendation for destoyer; longing for Lucy |
| 101 |
12/15/42 |
APO 302 |
Was at Allied Hdq. for a few days; love via cable; plenty of action |
| 102 |
12/16/42 |
APO 302 |
Trouble getting things done due to lack of knowledge of French; wants dictionaries; life in the hotel; destroyer in drydock |
| 103 |
12/22/42 |
APO 302 |
Mail; men arrive; tried to save burning troop ship - guns firing! to fly to Allied Hdq. next day re: forces under his command |
| 104 |
12/25/42 |
In the air - going west |
Forlorn Christmas thoughts; Darlan assassinated; rain & mud; Margaret Bourke White; mail & cables; Oil War Rationing Board; Wendell Willkie & promotion to rear admiral |
| 105 |
12/27/42 |
Somewhere in N. Africa |
Lack of equipment; British ship rams & sinks German sub; reputation too good in British Navy - miracles expected |
| 106 |
12/28/42 |
As ususal now |
Got woolen underwear; Army clothes & Navy cap and shoulder marks; going west tomorrow; French newspaper |
| 107 |
12/30/42 |
Casablanca |
Surveying the situation; cold |
| 108 |
12/31/42 |
Casablanca |
Reflects on 1942 - soul satisfying, but lonely; sees end of war; going back to his hdq. tomorrow; 1st New Year's Eve with Lucy; longing for victory and being with Lucy |
| 109 |
1/1/43 |
Oran |
Bomber raids in Casablanca; thoughts of Pearl Harbor; war movie idea |
| 110 |
1/3/43 |
Oran |
Rescued a ship; thoughts of Lucy |
| 111a |
1/4/43 |
Oran |
No mail; Reader's Digest Radio Quiz |
| 111b |
1/6/43 |
Oran |
Patton's letter re: bombing in Casablanca; trouble with mail & packages; makes 1st dive on large drydock; frustrated working with French; taxes & income; loss of pay for going to N. Africa; family budget; Navy insurance |
| 112 |
1/7/43 |
Oran |
Ship raised; ship evaporated |
| 113 |
1/8/43 |
Oran |
Mail arrives; now APO 700; his "modesty;" thoughts on those planning for a better world after the war; inlaw dilemma; taxes |
| 114 |
1/10/43 |
Oran |
Working on drydock, his biggest salvage attempt; bought James Thomson's "The Seasons" - quoted by John Paul Jones; poetry & war; love of man & woman and longing for Lucy |
| 115 |
1/13/43 |
Oran |
Gran drydock is raised - EE's biggest salvage job; had been discouraged and ready to give up; "doesn't pay to quit until you're dead;" major benefit to the war |
| 116 |
1/15/43 |
Oran |
Willkie & promotion; mail; going east tomorrow (APO 512) to see C-in-C & more wrecks |
| 117 |
1/17/43 |
Algiers |
at Allied hdq.;C-in-C all bubbly re: dock; called magician; trying to set up organization and inspect jobs to the east; air raid; on hotel roof to watch; met Ray Kellogg (Ed: later famous in Hollywood) |
| 118 |
1/19/43 |
Algiers |
Going east for inspection tour; probably moving his hdq. to Algiers (APO 512) |
| 119 |
1/23/43 |
Algiers |
Back from 1000 mile jeep trip; don't contact Willkie re: promotion; description of trip; is Principal Salvage Officer; dreams; Tripoli falls |
| 120 |
1/25/43 |
Algiers |
Sees Adm King and other top brass at dinner party; back to Oran tomorrow; main base to be Algiers; taxes |
| 121 |
1/26/43 |
Oran |
Lots of mail; shaky hands; no cable; cigarettes - 6 cents; dreams; love for Lucy |
| 122 |
1/27/43 |
Oran |
Tax return calculations in great detail; how to fund taxes |
| 123 |
1/28/43 |
In the air to Algiers |
Moving hdq to Algiers; repeat of tax info; estimated income for 1943; advises that Mary set up a trust; next day: Algiers got bombed 1/27 |
| 124 |
1/29/43 |
Algiers |
Air raid; not much damage; A.A. guns really helping; has air superiority; trouble with boxes; no censoring; separation from Lucy insufferable |
| 125 |
2/2/43 |
Algiers |
Details of exciting salvage of a torpedoed ship; disgusted with crews that abandon ships; George Ankers; makeshift salvage crew; his salvage ships coming |
| 126 |
2/7/43 |
Algiers |
Watching ships steam by; received packages, but no mail recently |
| 127 |
2/8/43 |
Algiers |
Many packages arrive; orders detaching him back to the states; much excitement! |
| 128 |
2/11/43 |
Oran |
Taking off for home in a few minutes. The End |
