Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1944-02-17
Mediterranean Area

american Legion Auxiliary.
Mediterranean Area
Dear Dribbles:
After reading your column in
several late issues of the good old
Smyrna Times, to-day I definitely
made up my mind to write you that
long promised letter. Please don't
put me on the carpet, for 1 have
no excuse.
I might make mention here that
the reason why I received several
copies of The Smyrna Times in a
very short period was due to the
fact that my location had been
changed. Naturally, it took lit
tie time for the weekly issues to
catch up with me. While stationed
in Africa, 1 received the paper reg
ularly, and now that I'm settled
once again, no doubt 1 will con-
tinue to do so. 1 certainly get a
great deal of pleasure from reading
your great little column and the
news of Smyrna and its vicinity
whether it is old or new.
I'm afraid my letter will sound
a littlel dull after reading all the
interesting ones from the men and
women on your Service Honor Roll.
But I can try, can't I?
To start with, I have two disad-
vantages chalked up against me.
One is the strict censorship en-
forced, and the other is 1 am a pill
roller (Medic.) We do however,
have a great many experiences and
see great many sights. Some of
these are beautiful, and others the
sights that go with war. Where 1
am now located, not very far from
the scenes of ombat action, we
hear great many stories told by
our front line fighters. Combining
these stories with what 1 have ac-
tually seen in this war, 1 feel quite
sure that 1 could write a very in
teresting book.
After spending two years in the
States, at Fort Dix, New Jersey,
Camp Lee, Virginia, Walter Reed
General Hospital, Washington, DC.
and at another Camp in New Jer-
sey, was sent to Africa. 1 stayed
in that country nine months work.
ing in a General Hospital. I found
Africa to be fairly modernized
country, with moderate climate,
when the rainy season wasn't pres
ent. This season usually lasts
about nine weeks, raining almost
every day. During my stay in
Africa, travelled over most of the
northern portion, seeing many
strange and beautiful sights. Some
of these were the natives, which
are Arabs, with their peculiar
dress, way of living, homes and
language. The men and women
dress almost alike, except the wo-
men wear wells over their faces.
Almost every North African city
has a Medina. This is that part of
the city in which the native popula
ton lives. Usually the entire city
is surrounded by high wall. Large
birds called storks (you know the
kind of bird that carries babies)
use the walls of these cities on
which to build their nests, and you
can always see them perched there.
AT certain times of the year these
birds completely evacuate their
homes in North Africa for defin-
lite period. The walls around the
cities that have referred to were
built several hundred years ago,
but are still standing and in fairly
good condition.
In the city in which was locat-
ed there were several parks which
were very beautiful with tropical
trees, shrubbery and flowers. Out
in the country the scenes were en-
tirely different. For miles around
you could not see signs of life. In
some places it was almost bare of
Vegetation, almost barren. Perhaps
now and then you would see an
Arab hut or village, and occasion
ally you would pass through a cork
forrest. This was all you would
see until you began to approach
another city.
I am now stationed across from
North Africa. The voyage across
the Mediterranean and Tyrrheaian
Seas was very smooth. On the way
over saw two outstanding scenes
lat this point the censorship Of