Chameleon
| Lots of fun watching these camouflagers on the squadron basha walls while waiting for the truck to take us to the flight line. |  |
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1 May 45 - Cut off the British shorts to a good American indecent length. 2/3 May 45 - No. 26- � to Kunming-11:05-Pilot John Dallen, Copilot Steel, Engineer Richard Finnstrom 4 May 45 - Say, Mom, here's the pay-off. Bearer Sarkar lost that photo of you, Grandma and myself; the Indian police raided his house while he was here at work and took the picture with other things of his own. ( People here have no defense against such goings-on. They are helpless.) Anyway, I offered him the one of Gret, Katie and myself. He said he didn't want that, but to write to you and get another of the old one. So for my humble bearer, I hope you will grant his request. I finally saw Cooley in China. I had to wake him at six in the morning. I can get you a back patch with Chinese and American flags and Chinese printing. Traded Elgin watch for a Waltham. Just found out I am number one on the hit parade, so if this isn't longer, you'll know why. At present I have something like 250 hours in. There are chameleons here so if I'm quick enough I'm going to have me a decent pet. Have a cigar lit up tonight. Every once in a while I get in the mood for one, not often. I'm saving up my whiskey ration till I have a pint and then keep it in my foot locker for use when I can't fall asleep in the daytime. Two ounces really knocks the pins from under me. Well, I can hear some thunder so I better put the tent flaps down. It's going to be tough sledding tonight. No snow . 5/6 May 45 - No. 27- � to Luliang-11:30-Pilot Gilmore, Copilot F/O Moore 8 May 45 - Every time you don't hear from me is a good sign. It usually means I am piling up some hours so that I can make it home by next January or February. I think the German war is supposed to be declared over this afternoon, but I don't see any of the guys going nuts. Of course, we are glad but it is just another workday here. The pipeline to China is complete. With that, the Stilwell Road and the Hump flying, we should be able to get some stuff to the Chinese army. A Chinese officer gave me a quarter rupee Japanese invasion note. He got it in Ledo, Burma. Had bayonet scars all over his body. I'm putting in a request for a purple heart. We hit an air pocket or cloud the other day and I landed up on the roof against tuning units head first. Wounds received were one large goose egg on the back of my noggin, one small hen's egg on the temple and a cut on the forehead. Of course, I am claiming it was caused by a Jap sniper's bullet at Shangri-La. Please send me some flower seeds. Mazda means light in one part of India. Preface: The following letter was written in blank spaces on "A Service of Worship for Use By the Churches At the End of the War" V-E Day - May 8th. '45 - 11:15 P.M. - Living Room My dear old Pal:- What a glorious day this has been! Mother, Dad & I listened to Pres, Truman's speech & Proclamation at nine this A.M. and shed a few tears. It is so wonderful that at least half the awful struggle is over! If only Japan could be conquered in a short period of time, with few lives lost, but I'm afraid it can't be done. They are so ruthless! Dad brought our Nana out here before lunch & her dad & mom did not get here until nearly six. She was an awfully good baby & I simply dote on having her! We had a mighty good meal tonight then Dad held this special service at 8 o'clock. I was the only one from our family except Ray & Peg. There were 64 there and it surely was a fine service. The church was open for prayer all day yesterday, too, & Gret & Cath were up there last night, so they went skating at East Liberty tonight instead. Grace bathed Nana & put her to bed here, so they stayed until ten, then Dad took them home. Nana & I packed your box this P.M. & she & Katie took it down & mailed it - so surely hope you get it O.K. Know you'll enjoy the cookies, especially. Cath went over with Gret to sleep - Dad has gone to bed, & Mother is out eating a "snack" before she crawls in so I'll read my bible & follow suit. I'm pretty tired tonight. Don't fail to send a "request" in all your letters so I'll be sure to have plenty of them. Keep the faith & may we soon celebrate total victory, & have you home with us once again. Write more, soon. Your devoted, Mom 9/10 May 45 - No. 28- � to Luliang-9:40-Pilot Jung
From
The Hump Express, May 10, 1945:
11 May 45 - Mom, as far as I'm concerned you can
toss those toy soldiers and every other thing military in the house
right into the Monongahela River. If I ever marry and have a boy, he'll
start off with his right foot and never see a toy soldier. I've been
working steadily lately. It seems they want to spite me as they grab me
about six or nine in the evening and make me miss a whole night's
sleep. I'll tell you it soon gets old. My algebra course is getting
sort of covered with cobwebs. [ Here is first indication that Joe, my
tentmate, has been killed---in a midair collision at night over Kunming
area,] 11/12/13/14 May 45 - Things are dead lately. All that livens things are the daily rumors and inside dope. Some of the wild tales you hear! I played some tennis after lunch a while ago. A little practice is essential to that game. Gigstead made some lemonade (from K-rations) to quench our thirst. Not bad. We moved yesterday (13th.) and it really was work in this intense heat. 17 May 45 - A couple nights ago I was helping MP's catch stray Indians on the base and today I am helping the mailman. The reason I am doing such odd jobs is that I'm on DNIF, duties not involving flying. I had a sick stomach and headache the other night and I was due to go out so I got off flight. (Not quite the whole truth as the pilot I was scheduled to fly with was not the type I could or would trust and got sicker to good advantage.) This afternoon I intend to go over and get put back in the harness. We don't fly as a permanent crew, always mixed up. So far I've only had three or four valley runs. (Flights not over the Hump are called milk runs.) 19 Mat 45 - Two of the boys (Gig and Tale) are down at a jungle rest camp (GeorgeGeorge on Bengal Bay) and Berky was flying last night, so since I had seen the movie, I stayed in our humble abode and wrote letters. 20 May 45 - No. 29- � to Chengkung-9:20-Piot Shaffer, Copilot Cornwall 21 May 45 - [Continuance of previous lett interrupted by Trip 29] All right, all right. Business before pleasure. Had a pretty nice trip. This flying sure does make you hungry. Also sleepy. 21 May 45 - No. 30- � to Barrackpore-1:10-Pilot Weisbruch, Copilot Robson-brought down on T.D. 22 May 45 - [Continuance of previous letter interrupted by Trip 30] So help me, they called me out on a valley hop while I was on the previous paragraph. 23 May 45 - No. 31- � to Luliang-10:00-Pilot Weisbruch, Copilot Burton 24 May 45 - Yours truly was occupied yesterday in an airplane hence no letter. Arising at 7:00 this morning, one hour ago, I elected to partake of breakfast. It consisted of corn fritters, Mother's oats, applesauce, tomato juice, bacon, coffee and condensed milk. I don't know whether my initiative is taking a beating or not. Berky and I talk about our futures. He says an engineering course at Carnegie Tech would be good. Another thing is the lying done by the hometown newspapers. Don't believe everything you read. I have 300 hours in now. 26 May 45 - No. 32- � Turned back at Tamu, Burma--5:25-Pilot Weisbruch- pilot sick 28 May 4 - Received an invitation to visit Mom's cousin, a missionary in Kharagpur. This blamed heat here is at times so hot you don't feel like moving a muscle. In case you know how the point system works, I have a grand total of 42. That means I get out when I get my discharge. We moved again yesterday but had a bunch of Indians do the work. Their pay was a couple cigarettes. This British tent is a little cooler than the American. Dad, if you see any more articles in the paper about the ATC send them on. I'm sure the boys over here would get a big laugh out of them. |
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