Mon, November 1, 1943
Got up this morning at 7:30 and after breakfast we played three games of volley ball. The Col here came down & joined us for the last two games. Went to town after I got my $90.00 I was short and cabled home $34.00. It should be there in 5 days. We had sort of a rebellion today. The boys were all pissed off on the way Capt Culver is treating them. We discussed it with Lt. McGovern & things came out I didn’t even know happened. We are supposed to have a meeting with the Capt tomorrow. I wont be here for I was notified I am to work with Lt. Col Kugley for 4 weeks to a couple of months by order of Com General. I am going to try while I am working to get to go back to the states with him. I pray it works.
Tue, November 2, 1943
Capt Culver tried to get me to stay with the unit. He did not want them to take me & fought it. But the order was signed by Gen Eaker so he had to let me go. He was rugged about it tho & had me up all night getting equipment & the boys ready to go on a mission. I suppose I’ll leave tomorrow. He’ll hold me as long as he can tho. They’re going out again in the morning so I have to help get them ready. Going to bed early.
Wed, November 3, 1943
One of the boys turned up sick this morning and I had to take his place. We TO at 8:00 & went to Bremen, Germany. We saw at least a hundred fighters & our ship was busy in & out of the bomb run shooting its share of ammo. I relieved the waist gunner for a while & had my share. The target was obscured & so photo was out. I got several nice scenes of fighters & then we were hit by flack & boy was we hit. We fell back out of formation & here came the Jerry again. The pilot called the fighters to protect us & about 10 came to our rescue. We could not get our landing gear down & was getting low on gas so at orders from the pilot the turret, tail, ball, & waist & myself bailed out over a field in England & then the pilot & the rest crash landed at another field. Lucky no one was hurt but I really had a thrill believe me. My first jump. I said the Angelica Salutation before I pulled my cord & boy when it caught me up was I glad. I continued saying them all the way down. Bailed out at 18,000. What an experience. I’ll never forget one bit ever.
The target jumped & when the chute opened he kept going. He slipped his harness. I saw another Fort blow up in mid air & two more go down. I got plenty of my bullets into the FW that I shot at but then several of us were shooting but none of us got credit for sending him down. Boy I’m so excited I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again.
Thu, November 4, 1943
Slept until 2:00 this afternoon. I was so tired I could not even make it for dinner & breakfast either. What a flight. I hope I never have to go on another like it. I think the Lord let me back here to show me I have no place in a show like this. Left Bury this morning right in the middle of an air raid. It was 9:30 when we pulled out & just before that the Jerry came over & lit one end of our field with chandler flares & one plane was shot down. We had to drive all the way to London in the fog & got in at 3:00 Fri morning. What a trip. The Red Cross were all closed & we had to sleep on the floor in HQ. Capt Culver came in with us but he got a hotel room To hell with us.
Fri, November 5, 1943
Went out to the studios at Pinewood & Denham & picked out our equipment. We spent all day but we had very good luck & got everything we needed. The girl that drove us knew of a nice place to eat & drink & Ernie Simpson & I really was about ½ high we returned to London. The Col was well pleased with our trip & now we have to stick around until the pic is to go.
Sat, November 6, 1943
London standing by.
Sun, November 7, 1943
Left this morning for High Wycombe to see the unit that came over from Culver City. Fred West, my friend, came with them. We had a great time all day talking over old times & I had dinner with them at their mess. After lunch we went into town & spent the eve pub crawling & at 10:00 I had to catch the train back to London, They had to pour me on the train but I had a good time.
Mon, November 8, 1943
London standing by.
Tue, November 9, 1943
London standing by.
Wed, November 10, 1943
London standing by.
Thu, November 11, 1943
London standing by.
Fri, November 12, 1943
Left London at 1:00 for the studio to pick up my equipment. Had it all loaded & on the road to Molesworth at 4:00. We did not arrive here until 9:00 & after taken to our quarters was taken to the mess. While I was eating I asked if a cook by the name of Ferlemann worked there & they said yes do you know him. I said know him he’s my brother-in-law. They went out to look him up but he walked in in about 10 min & we had a happy reunion. We talked until about 1:00 in the morning.
Sat, November 13, 1943
Didn’t do much today until afternoon. We scouted around looking for a spot to place our equipment & found it about 2:00. We put it in the hanger & had four truck loads. We had to do most of the work ourselves. Byron helped us. It was his day off. We quit at 4:30 & after supper Byron & I went to NAAFI & drank beer until 10:00. We sure did get tight & was throwing glasses at a mirror when it closed. Byron took us over to the mess & cooked up some pork chops & about 18 eggs. He came back to our barracks with us & stayed all night. What a time we had.
Sun, November 14, 1943
Slept until 9:00 today. Have a very bad cold & after I finished a couple of hours work came back & went to bed. Was in bed all afternoon & Byron sent me some soup & coffee for supper. Bobbie drove up with the mail & is staying here tonite. Heard today my friend Slate went down over Bremen, Germany. The ship broke into three pieces & so I guess he’s done for. If I do not feel better I’m going on sick call in the morning. Haven’t heard from home since 1st Oct & I’m beginning to lose faith in them there. I think their love is beginning to wane a little.
Mon, November 15, 1943
I stayed in bed until noon today, Could not stay still any longer. Fixed up a dark room this afternoon & helped move the camera equipment down. Bed early tonite.
Tue, November 16, 1943
Feel a little better today. Got some machine work done & some painting done & scouted the field here so I can tell where to go for stuff. I wrote a few letters tonite. Went to the NAAFI to drink beer & was in bed early.
Wed, November 17, 1943
Made a sound test with the equipment today & that about covered the day. Byron & I & Jean went to the NAAFI and drank beer. We left when a good fight started. Good thing we got out when we did the MP’s came in right after. Byron stayed in our barracks tonite.
Thu, November 18, 1943
Got it fixed up today to get Byron in our unit. Got the paper from our outfit and it has to go to his CO. It shouldn’t take long going thru. Jean & Byron & I went into Hunnington & had us a few scoth & beers. We drove over in Jean’s truck & was back at 11:00 Had a very good time.
Fri, November 19, 1943
We spent most of the day getting things ironed out here on the field & at 2:30 we set up for our first shot. It was Gen Travis in a B-17 leaving for a mission. We finished early & I spent the evening writing letters. I wrote 6 letters home.
Sat, November 20, 1943
Got a little late start today. Our first shot was in the map room & then we moved into the Navigator’s room & shot their briefing. After lunch we shot the 52 officers in Intelligence room & then one shot in Base Ops HQ. We finished about 5:30 & had a meeting of all the heads & officers & got a lot of things straightened out that was causing us a lot of trouble: transportation, eats, clothes, etc. I visited with Byron most of the evening at his barracks.
Sun, November 21, 1943
Started shooting at 9:00 this morning in Crew Gunner’s room. From there to a short shot in the map room & then before dinner set up in the crew dressing room. After lunch shot that & moved over to the Combat Wing HQ & shot a take with Gen. Travis, Col Dancy, Maj Southworth & Maj Thompson. We finished there at 5:30 and went to chow. I moved my clothes & bed over to our barracks & am now settled. We are just getting started good now & Byron is doing OK so far.
Mon, November 22, 1943
We did not get off for the studio at Pinewood & Denham until 10:00. We moved along and got there at 1:00. We stopped once for a shot & had dinner at the Three Foxes. We had tea at Denham at 8:00. Byron got us lost by 7 miles but we made good time. Drove about 2 hours in Black Dist. Byron found out he was transferred to the 3rd Complement here & he sure is mad. He is supposed to move out in the morning.
Tue, November 23, 1943
We were up at 6:45 and was supposed to start shooting at 7:30. We stood by until 9:30 then moved into the the Briefing Room. We got all set up by noon & was supposed to start at 2:00. By 2:30 they had a briefing on & we had to wait. About 4:00 36 B-26’s from my old outfit had to land here for their field was fogged in. One of the pilots I flew with several times went down on the raid., Maj Roseabach. We did not get to do anymore & this eve we saw the film we shot so far. It was all OK. I’m going to write letters tonite. Got a letter today from Irv Silbert in New Caledonia.
Wed, November 24, 1943
Was up and on the set at 8:00 this morning. We got all set up and took one shot before dinner. We had this afternoon off and right in the middle of my bath they called me out. We got all set up for a shot & then was to come back at 6:00. We worked until 8:00 tonite. We might have to get up early in the morning as there might be a mission out & we have to photograph it. We got Byron in the outfit tonite. I’m sure glad of that. I’ve been sweating him out now for a week.
Thu, November 25, 1943
Was up this morning at 8:00 and set up in the Briefing Room. Had one shot before dinner. Today was Thanksgiving. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, dressing, gravy, peas & carrots, apple pie, candy & coffee. It was done to a twin A Master Sgt . A crew chief was working on a plane & the plane started to roll ahead. The Sgt. ran into get the putt putt out of the way & the prop got him & spread him all over the field. After lunch we took some take offs outside & one plane when landing lost its tire. At supper our lights were off & did not come on until 1:00 this morn. Went to bed at 8:30.
Fri, November 26, 1943
Was awakened at 4:00 this morning, There was a mission to Bremen, Germany. We photographed the briefing & then about 7:30 finished & ate . The rest of the morn was taken over by resting and at 10:30 we set up in the interrogation room. We waited until 2:15 for the planes to come back. It was a hot one but they left lots of damage behind. After the interrogation was over we struck our equip & moved to the mess hall to set up. At 7:30 tonite we’ll get all ready for tomorrow. I saw the Col Stone Ground Officer about Byron. Looks like he perhaps will get on our unit yet.
Sat, November 27, 1943
We were on the set at 8:00 after eating & was finished by 10:30 in the mess. We then went back to the briefing room & shot our first shot at 4:30. After having trouble getting the officers, one Col here had to chew someone out to get them down here. It seems like we are having a lot of trouble getting cooperation here. We finished at 5:30 & I wrote letters after & Byron & I had a few beers & then Byron took me over & fed me a big thick steak fried in butter.
Sun, November 28, 1943
Got up at 7:30 & was on the set at 8:30. We took 2 shots before dinner & one after dinner. That finished us up and it was 2:30. We then loaded our trucks ready to leave Tues at 9:00. We all got Mon off. I drove over to Bury St. Edmund’s with Frank Z. to visit, get my mail and clothes. It was great seeing the boys again. Bobbie is in charge off supply now. He gave me a dozen rolls of 120 film. I got a letter from Mary & Silbert & Margaret Robinson & a pkg from the MWA. We talked & act up until after midnite before sleep.
Mon, November 29, 1943
We got up at 8:00 this morn & ate, gassed up & left Bury. Drove over to Cambridge to pickup celotex & no go. The papers had not been turned in so they wouldn’t let me have it. Arrived in London at 3:00, parked the truck in a garage & went to the Columbia Club. S S S and then went to the Corner House for dinner. After we took in a show & then went back had a snack & wrote two letters & then hit the hay. Have to get up early in the morn.
Tue, November 30, 1943
Well we got back from London at 8:30 after getting up there at 3:45. We packed our barrack’s bags & gear & left Molesworth at 11:30 & arrived here at Grafton Underwood at 12:30. We got settled in our barracks and then in the afternoon unloaded our trucks and got ready to go to work. After supper we got the briefing room all ready to shoot in the morning. We finished at 9:00. I wrote 3 letters & then turned in. I was sure tired. Byron did not get to come with us. There still working on him.