Evening star., 1944-06-09

word has come that the regiments
have take nall their detectives and
have moved their artillery COM
mand post further inland.
No Nazi Opposition.
1t might be bad tonight. German
sea and air opposition has been
completely absent. All of us ex-
pected constant air attack from the
moment the immense convoy be-
gan to form early this morning in
the Channel We thought some ven
turesome E-boats might take crack
at us.
Around 7:30. the American Air
Force began streaming over, head
ing east looking for trouble. There
were so many Of them of all kinds
they almost darkened the sky. Most
OF the fighters were P-3Ss, but there
were squadrons of PATS and P-51s.
There were high-fying Fortresses
and Liberator formations and fast
Mltchells and Marauders. Uncle
sam threw everything into the air
today and Jerry didn't come forth
from wherever he has hidden the
Luftwaffe.
Inc ship just shuddered to an
underwater explosion. Probably II
was a depth charge, although we
olont see the waterspout. There are
SO many explosions going on a few
mics away that one more makes
ilttle dlf1erence. The battlewagons
spout forth a ring of orange fame
A squirt of smoke comes forth anG
seemingly minutes later coincidine
with the bust of the shell in France
comes the sound across the water.
Quiet Reigns Over Shin.
But on our ship all is peace and
qulet' A rummy game goes on and
ene men lounge around focusino
glasses on the tremendous show
around us and wishing thew could
get to the beach. '
1t is all very unreal almost ,n
natural. Here we are on the most
eAcltlng day in four years and we sit
ouI IN the middle of French how
wlilie' Warships pound the sbore
men are dying in there and we can,t
see IL through the haze which on.
Velops the shore.
oi 10 port is another huge slice
OF the greatest armada of ships ever
eatnered together in one SPOT. Thev
gaCnereo earlier from every part nj
england and plowed their wav here
IKE great scythe. There is every
type, from battleships down THROUGH
cruisers, destroyers, transports. ones
IKE this for special purpose tr
minute subchasers and even rhinos
the fiat-bottomed scoWs which carr
cargo to shore.
Officer Expects Attack.
LII. G. S. Dillon, gunnery officer or
thlS ship, has just turned in for E
snooze. He will be on the midnight.
to-4-am. watch. I asked him if he
thought we might see something OF
the war tonight. I'll bet you a box
OF cigars, If I can get box, that we
VIII be attacked tonight with every
thing Jerry can spare" he said.
Ihat may mean E-boatS and air
planes. Can't you imagine what zoe
heavy bombers could do don't say
they wild to this feet of ships here
OF course, we will have night
fighter protection, but this is Jerry
land. If Jerry does throw some
stuff at us tonight it will be his
first attempt to stop the invasion BY
sea or air. He did exactly nothing
in D-days daylight hours, although
he fought hard on the beach.
Boom" goes the battleWagor
again. 1t is answered by more
Blooms" from the cruisers, but there
are no shell splashes around any
American ship.
1t must be that Jerry has M
,ong-range batteries up in those
little hills we can see SO plainly
through the glasses. The counter.
attack will come soon, the military
men say. Then we'll see what Jerry
! ian do to protect his West Wall