Edward Ellsberg
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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.
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
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