World War II Chronicle: January 22, 1943
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Lt. Col. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller is quoted today on the front page saying that there are only about 4,000 Japanese troops left on Guadalcanal, down from some 15,000 when he landed. The casualty rate for Puller’s 1st Battalion, 7th Marines was 50 percent for the officers and 30 percent for the enlisted Marines. But that does not include tropical disease. Most everyone on Guadalcanal was ravaged by malaria and other illnesses. Puller was reportedly wounded seven times in one engagement but refused to leave his men… Eddie Rickenbacker’s copilot continues his story on page four… George Fielding Eliot column on page 12.
Roving Reporter by Ernie Pyle
A FORWARD AIRDROME IN FRENCH NORTH AFRICA, (By Wireless) — Our airmen over here have been dishing it out to the Germans. On the other hand they have been taking it, too.
Our ratio of losses is vastly lower than that of the Germans. Yet our boys have had to fly consistently against terrible opposition. It has made quick veterans out of them. They have gone through more here in Africa than they ever did on missions to Europe from English bases.
It is generally agreed among airmen that the bombing run-up over Bizerte is one of the hottest spots in the world to fly through. It lasts less than a minute, but you have to fly straight and steady through an absolute cloudburst of noise and black smoke puffs — little black puffs of death everywhere you look — and after a few of those something begins to jump inside you.
There is no lack of bravery among our bomber and fighter pilots. But also they are human beings, and I doubt if there’s one among them who wouldn’t like to be sent home.
The English have long had a system of resting aircrewmen after a certain number of missions over enemy territory. This consists of transferring such men to non-combatant flying for several months, after which they go back for another tour of combat duty. Rumors are rampant among our fliers that we will soon have such a system.
Many of our pilots have executed as many as 25 missions and are certainly due for a rest of some kind soon. They rest all their hope in a belief that they will be transferred back to America. Wishfulness becomes almost fact, and you hear pilots gunners say, “I’ve got half enough trips now to go home,” or “I’ve got two-thirds enough.”
The fact is that no permanent system of posting the men for leave or transfer has been worked out yet. But some crews are going home very soon. In fact they may be there by the time you read this. They are going back for a much deserved respite from combat, and to train and organize new crews. After several months they will probably return to this front and start a second tour of combat missions. Many British pilots are now on their third tour of combat duty.
It is unlikely that our air crews will ever have a system whereby a certain number of missions will earn a one-way ticket home. It would be wonderful for them to know they could quit the front forever after 30 missions and spend the rest of the war working at home. But airmen will be needed too badly ever to permit that.
It is more likely that some crews will be sent home just for a while and that others will take rest periods over here.
There are discussions of rest camps in the mountains, and recreation centers staffed in such a way as to give the men some American female companionship — that being one of the most important lacks for soldiers on foreign soil.
But whatever the system, and whatever the number of missions before posting, there’ll be a wild rush for the planes when that magic last mission comes up.
If we are working our men hard, we can take comfort from the fact that the Germans are working theirs hard too.
New bombers and fighters arrive at this field several times a week, in little groups. We hear reports that absolute floods of planes are on the way, that planes are backed up all along the route clear to Miami. I talked to one crew that was ready to go into action here only six days after leaving Connecticut.
Also, specialists from Washington pop in on quick flying trips, stay a few days, and head back across the ocean to give first-hand information on war needs at the front.
I am sure that what they see must make their eyes pop out of their heads. Things are being done over here that just aren’t possible on paper.
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 22 January 1943. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1943-01-22/ed-1/
