This collection consists of 37 letters written by Ellsberg to his wife, Lucy, from November 25, 1942-February 11, 1943. Ellsberg's numbering system was off, so #92 here follows #84 in the Massawa Letters List.
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NO.
92 93 94 95 96 97/8 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111a 111b 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 |
Date Written
11/25/1942 11/26/1942 11/27/1942 11/28/1942 12/2/1942 12/5/1942 12/12/1942 12/13/1942 12/15/1942 12/16/1942 12/22/42 12/25/1942 12/27/1942 12/28/1942 12/30/42 12/31/1942 1/1/1943 1/3/1943 1/4/1943 1/6/1943 1/7/1943 1/8/1943 1/10/1943 1/13/1943 1/15/1943 1/17/1943 1/19/1943 1/23/1943 1/25/1943 1/26/1943 1/27/1943 1/28/1943 1/29/1943 2/2/1943 2/7/1943 2/8/1943 2/11/1943 |
LOCATION
In the air - from Asmara; night in Khartoum In the air - Thanksgiving West coast of Africa - Accra In the air At new station New station APO 302 APO 302 APO 302 APO 302 APO 302 In the air - going west Somewhere in N. Africa As usual now Casablanca Casablanca Oran Oran Oran Oran Oran Oran Oran Oran Oran Algiers Algiers Algiers Algiers Oran Oran In the air to Algiers Algiers Algiers Algiers Algiers Oran |
CONTENT
Wanted to see his projects in Massawa completed; assigned to Army; wants to be on the active front Thankful; is well; felt he accomplished his mission in Massawa; looks forward to action Going to Oran under command of Eisenhower; mail Time magazine art.about Col. Chickering; how EE survived Massawa; mail; reputation in Army It's cold; APO 512; band music #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 Saved a British destroyer; dirty; lack of soap; Grand Hotel Doran Lowering of flags; all nationalities present; received mail; becomes Chief Salvage Officer; letter of commendation for destoyer; longing for Lucy Was at Allied Hdq. for a few days; love via cable; plenty of action Trouble getting things done due to lack of knowledge of French; wants dictionaries; life in the hotel; destroyer in drydock Mail; men arrive; tried to save burning troop ship - guns firing! to fly to Allied Hdq. next day re: forces under his command Forlorn Christmas thoughts; Darlan assassinated; rain & mud; Margaret Bourke White; mail & cables; Oil War Rationing Board; Wendell Willkie & promotion to rear admiral Lack of equipment; British ship rams & sinks German sub; reputation too good in British Navy - miracles expected Got woolen underwear; Army clothes & Navy cap and shoulder marks; going west tomorrow; French newspaper Surveying the situation; cold 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 Bomber raids in Casablanca; thoughts of Pearl Harbor; war movie idea Rescued a ship; thoughts of Lucy No mail; Reader's Digest Radio Quiz 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 Ship raised; ship evaporated Mail arrives; now APO 700; his "modesty;" thoughts on those planning for a better world after the war; inlaw dilemma; taxes 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 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 Willkie & promotion; mail; going east tomorrow (APO 512) to see C-in-C & more wrecks 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) Going east for inspection tour; probably moving his hdq. to Algiers (APO 512) Back from 1000 mile jeep trip; don't contact Willkie re: promotion; description of trip; is Principal Salvage Officer; dreams; Tripoli falls Sees Adm King and other top brass at dinner party; back to Oran tomorrow; main base to be Algiers; taxes Lots of mail; shaky hands; no cable; cigarettes - 6 cents; dreams; love for Lucy Tax return calculations in great detail; how to fund taxes 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 Air raid; not much damage; A.A. guns really helping; has air superiority; trouble with boxes; no censoring; separation from Lucy insufferable Details of exciting salvage of a torpedoed ship; disgusted with crews that abandon ships; George Ankers; makeshift salvage crew; his salvage ships coming Watching ships steam by; received packages, but no mail recently Many packages arrive; orders detaching him back to the states; much excitement! Taking off for home in a few minutes. The End |