![]() He fell on my right foot, but was stone-dead. He was within 20 feet of me, coming straight on when I hit him. The only consolation is that at 200 miles an hour it would not have hurt much or long. Actually, the tip of our right wing made the trees wave. Coming back we got caught in a storm and just missed a mountain. I found out that they do it from time to time to see that all guns function. I got pretty sleepy and had just dozed off when all the machine guns in the plane let go at once. We flew for several hours over the true desert -just a sea of dusty brown sand - not any vegetation at all. 21, 1943 I had five days with the British 8th Army and learned a lot, both of what to do and what to avoid. Everywhere there are violent contrasts, even in the cloud effects. You meet camels, burros, horses, and Arabs on the same road with tanks and selfpropelled artillery. This is great country for photography as everything is queer. I saw Johnny Waters, who has done the outstanding job of any young officer, but I fear lie is in a position where his career is not apt to continue. Last week I went up to the Tunisian Front for a day’s shooting or being shot at. ![]() However, the boy piloting the plane made a perfect landing in mud up to the hubs of the wheels. After flying around for about an hour and a half, shooting off flares, we finally saw the airport through a hole in the clouds and practically dived into it. We got caught in a very violent storm, could not find the ground, and the radio went out, and we could not locate a place to land. ![]() In fact the night before last I nearly ended my career in one. ![]() We did have some very nice fighting while it lasted, although personally I was much safer during the fighting than I am in an airplane. 16, 1942 After the gloomy letter I wrote you upon leaving, this is somewhat of a comedown that is, nothing very violent happened. “Death is as light as a feather reputation for valor is as heavy as a mountain.” Very affectionately, G. Thanks to you and Bea, I have had an exceptionally happy life. All my life I have wanted to lead a lot of men in a desperate battle I am going to do it and at fifty-six one can go with equanimity - there is nothing much one has not done. This all sounds very gloomy, but is not really so bad. Letters even to me will probably be censored, so avoid political and financial statements you don’t want others to read. I am enclosing a sealed letter to Bea which you are only to give her when and if I am definitely reported dead. So far as Bea and the children are concerned, I know that under your supervision they could not be better off. I should like to have a crack at the latter part. And further, when we get back we will have a hell of a job on our hands. Those of us who come back will have had some interesting experiences. However, in any event we will eventually have to fight and fight hard and probably for years. Personally I would rather have to fight - it would be good practice. Of course there is the offchance that political interests may help and we shall have, at least initially, a pushover. If I don’t I shall not survive a second Donqurque (if that is how you spell it). However, I have a convinced belief that I will succeed. So my proverbial luck will have to be working all out. We will have to meet and defeat superior numbers on a coast where one can only land 60 per cent of the time. The job I am going on is about as desperate a venture as has ever been undertaken by any force in the world’s history. You also have my devoted love as have all your family. My admiration for you as a man is without limit. I do appreciate all you have been and done to and for me. ![]() In spite of my faults you have always treated me as a real brother and I have felt that way towards you. Probably by the time you get it you will have read in the papers where I am and if I still AM. 20, 1942 For reasons of official secrecy, this will not be mailed for some time. ![]()
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