Smyrna times., 1944-12-14

SOeAA0 WIS PSSsy 6Nf boe SN
like that good old home cooking.
1 didn't get seasick during the trip
over which was indeed very for
tunate. 1 thought several times
that my number was up since we
hit some rather rough seas during
the crossing.
While aboard, I worked at one
of the First Air Stations. That
kept me pretty busy and I did not
have a lot of time to think about
myself. Almost half of the men
who required the services of the
First Air Station were seasick
though. 1 can tell you more
about my trip over after the war.
I've visited Scotland and Eng
land; now I'm in France. Maybe
I will see the inside of Germany
before this war is over. You nev-
er can tell. I have seen some parts
of England that have been sub
jected to heavy bombing and the
destruction there was really great.
Scotland is a very pretty country;
just like our school books describ-
ed it.
Since I've been stationed here in
Frances, I've moved about quite a
bit. The result has been that I've
viewed a good portion of the coun-
tryside. All I want to see any
how. 1t rains about every day
here and the mud is simply awful.
Before coming to our present loca-
tion, in some places the mud was
up to our knees; and I'm not kid
ding.
I'll tell you a little story about
me, and my newly acquired title of
Mud"
I was going to chow one evening,
and everything was going along
fine. I had to cross a field to reach
our eating place. When I reached
the road forgot that the mud
was so deep. 1t had been raining
all day long, and the mud was even
deeper than usual. 1 decided that
l would jump over the worst spots.
Unfortunately, I slipped as I start
ed to make my jump, and down I
went. When 1 struggled to my
fet, 1 was mud from head to toe.
My glasses were all muddy, it was
getting dark, and I had quite a
time finding my way back to quart
ers. You can imagine what 1
said. I had just taken a shower
the day before, but that didn't |
matter under the circumstances. 1t
was a case of doing it all over
again and changing into a COM
olete new outfit of clothes. 1 had |
3 feeling that I would fall into
his French mud sooner or later,
out frankly did not expect it to
happen quite so soon.
Right now, I'm on night duty.
Ny hours are from seven in the
evening to seven in the morning.
like night duty better than work.
ng during the day. Besides, there
sn't any place to go. When I turn
n about eight o'clock in the morn
ng, l seldom wake up until about
i've o'clock in the afternoon.
seems to wake me up be-
Ween times.
Near where we are stationed
here is a town, but it's so dark
It night you can hardly find your
way around unless you have some
Kind of light. I've visited this
own only three times. Here they
lave G. 1. movies, which doesn't
cost us anything to get in. I've
een some of the latest pictures,
Ind they were really good. There
S also a Red Cross Canteen in the
own where a soldier can get cof-
zee and doughnuts if he is hungry.
They also have a writing-room and
/ game-room. Sometimes G. I.
oand plays there for the boys.
This band is from a nearby outfit.
And when they are not playing,
recorded music is used.
They have a radio in all of the
hospital wards. We hear many
from back home. l heard
Bob Hope and several other pro-
grams tonight. What the Boys
ike most is the music broadcast
rom back in the good old United
States.
At first the French money puz-
lied me, but now have learned
he different values and can man
lge quite well. At present we are
paid in French money, but since
here is really nothing around here
% spend it on, or for, I have been
most of mine back home
% my wife.
We get our mail her reather reg
llarly. Sometimes we have a bad
oreak and several days may pass
its getting through. That
S the exception rather than the
'ule. So far I have received one
package from my wife. 1 suppose
here are others on the way, but
hey have plenty of time in which
% arrive.
Recently L had cnance TO go