November 1943

Norfolk and Newport News

November 3, 1943
We spent the day at anchor, watching the gulls and numerous craft assembling. Two meals a day are served on board ship. We left harbor late tonight.

On board troop ship, SS John Stevens

November 4, 1943
At sea. Nope I don't like it!

November 5, 1943
I had to force both meals down today.

November 6, 1943
Same as yesterday. I am still seasick! Today I was on KP duty.

November 7, 1943
We had Catholic services today, but no Protestant service. I was in the mood for supper and actually liked it.

November 8, 1943
I tried some tactics on breakfast, but had to force it down. I didn't go to supper at all. The sea is very rough.

November 9, 1943
The same sea today. I took a capsule last night and slept pretty well. It was hard to stay in my bunk. There is lots of vomit all around, I ate two slices of white bread for dinner and begged one from a pal for supper. It is very rough tonight.

November 10, 1943
I dreamed I was in Uncle Daves (Patchin) eating a stack of wheat cakes with honey and butter and a soft fried egg. Later I was at home, eating a steak sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, with salad dressing. This was a very vivid picture! I tried to carry over my enthusiasm for food until breakfast, but got only to the steps and "cashed in my cookies" in my canteen cup. The breakfast menu was coffee, dry cream of wheat, two slices of white bread, butter, jam and dehydrated eggs. Few went and fewer ate. I stayed topside until about 10:00 when a corporal grabbed me and others for officer's latrine detail. I worked about five minutes and then went to the doctor. He gave me two capsules for motion sickness to be taken morning and night. I made for my bunk, but vomited some greenish fluid in my cup before I got there. After taking one of the capsules, I slept. I didn't go for supper, but got a slice of bread from the fellow in the bunk below me and forced a square of tropical chocolate and water down.We were called out for boat drill just before dark. I got two K-rations while up there. It is rough when the ship goes down in a trough, You can't even see the other ships in the convoy. It is raining tonight.

November 11, 1943
Well, this is more like it. The sea is quite calm today. At times I can see other ships in the distance. It's getting rough again tonight. I ate most of a K-ration this morning and a whole C-ration tonight. I feel much better. Several cases of rations are taken from the storeroom every night. It is very common to see eight or ten men standing around in a group and when the case is opened, they pounce on it like hungry wolves. They emerge with two or three or an armful of cans. At length one or two stragglers find their footing, stand up, and stagger away, beaten but wiser. Their tactics on the next box bring amazing results. It is said that even the officers play the same game. I'm not worrying about the chow line anymore. What I eat usually comes back up. I am in need of a shave and a bath, as are the others. The hold is unbelievably dirty and foul smelling. I'm only the fourth bunk from an air vent, so that helps.

November 12, 1943
The sea got rough again. I ate four "biscuits" from C-rations. I was topside for about fifteen minutes. Sea is very choppy and windy. I don't feel too well!

November 13, 1943
Still choppy and rough. I ate breakfast and dinner and some K-rations. Feel better tonight. We got instructions to keep a full canteen of water at all times. Had boat drill.

November 14, 1943
Sunday, shaved a week old beard today. It is quite windy again. I got partial payment of $10. Card and crap games were interrupted long enough to hold a simple mass for the Catholics, but no service for Protestants. Ate K-rations for breakfast and C-rations for supper.

Most everyone has his normal stomach back again. The sea is quite smooth. Along with pay, we received a carton of cigarettes and a Baby Ruth candy bar from the Red Cross. I sold the cigarettes for thirty cents and was offered twenty-five cents for the candy bar. It's 1:00 AM and few have gone to bed.

November 15, 1943
It is quite nice today. They chased us out on deck at 8:30 AM so that filthy place could be cleaned up some. It is filthy. The center of the hold is covered with heavy canvas, which is slippery with grease and grime. This area is often filled with crapshooters and really presents a problem to go below. Ate C and K-rations and went through the chow line tonight. I had ½ a yellow pill, two slices of "pilot bread," stale butter, jam spaghetti and hot cocoa. I didn't even drink all the cocoa; K-rations are better. I still crave fresh fruit of any kind, or lettuce or tomato. The crew gets fresh fruit, but not us. I feel pretty good, even on the equivalent of two meals a day. The sea is smoother now.

November 16, 1943
Ate K and C-rations. Don't go through the chow line, which is inferior to rations. I was "acting Corporal of the Guard" at 4:00 to 6:00, 10:00 to 12:00 and 4:00 to 6:00. They fired the 20-mm guns today for practice. I got one empty case. The sea is smooth and it is really a beautiful night, moon, etc. It is also very good for subs too. The convoy zigzags quite a bit to avoid being a good target.

November 17, 1943
Still no sign of land. Ate up the K and C-rations and now must try to replenish them. It is darker than the inside of a black cow out tonight. I saw several phosphorescent areas of plankton or something in the water along side the ship.

November 18, 1943
We were aroused at the usual 8:00 AM and chased out on deck so that the stinking hold could be cleaned. Body odors are strong after about three weeks without a bath. Had boat drill today. It is real dark tonight. I ate rations again today.

November 19, 1943
The sea was really rough again today. The ship rolled over on its side farther at times than ever before. Tin cans were falling, guys were hollering and sliding around, canteen cups, forks, spoons and helmet liners were falling and at times you had to hang on to keep from falling out of your bunk. I did my usual reading out of the New Testament. Still no land in sight. I removed my shoes to sleep last night.

November 20, 1943
I think we encountered an enemy sub at about 5:30 PM. I was forward and saw a destroyer on the left front drop a depth charge about three-quarters of a mile from us. It sent a blinker signal and circled the spot for some time. Nothing was officially confirmed.

I think we passed the Rock of Gibraltar at 8:30 to 9:00 PM. There were a couple of lights visible to the North at this time. Ate rations and was down in the hold looking for K-rations. The sea is very still. I got my hair all clipped off tonight. I ate part of an onion, which I got from Pvt. Verville. It was sure good.

Land!

November 21, 1943
Land! Africa! I saw it at 6:00 AM, but the sun wasn't up and there was room for debate as to whether it was mountains or clouds. It is 12:00 now and you can see it both on port and starboard sides. We are apparently nearing the "Rock", although I can't see it. I must have been wrong about last night. After twenty days of water, all one can do is gaze out over the tree covered bluffs and say, "It's beautiful." Yeah, we passed the "Rock" tonight. I saw a whole school of porpoises. Ate rations again today and read daily gospel as usual.

November 22, 1943
Anchored in harbor tonight. Supposed to get off tomorrow. Very interesting, they even have electric lights. What will tomorrow bring?

November 23, 1943
We moved in and tied up. Most interesting to a kid from the Midwest of the USA. I now realize how fortunate we were to reach port without misfortune. Evidence of the conflict in which we are engaged is visible on many ships here. Gaping holes where torpedoes have hit, a half a ship and a partially burned tanker.

Had cornflakes for breakfast, went through chow line. C-rations again for supper. I wish I had some fishing equipment. An old guy sat out here in a rowboat on our starboard, catching little chubs all forenoon. The sailors got shore leave this AM. I was among the many that swiped onions and potatoes last night. I stored a couple in my barracks bag along with other rations.

Oran, Algeria

November 24, 1943
It was sure impressive coming into harbor. We raided rations and got off the SS John Stevens. By the time we got on trucks, it was dark. Everything I could see was very interesting.

November 25, 1943
We slept in squad tents at the foot of Lion Mountains. Our bunks are of rope slung between 2 x 4's. Woke up with rope marks all over my body. It's OK. I'm just glad to be on solid ground. It's sure a swell view of the mountain. We had the most beautiful dinner: turkey, dressing, boiled hearts, sweet potatoes, a salad of cheese and pineapple, pickles, peas, cranberry sauce, bread, pumpkin pie, nuts, candy and coffee. I went to a free show Bataan on the side of a hill. They have only one projector, so it takes quite sometime. I took an "open air shower" and nearly froze. We are sleeping on straw filled mattress covers.

November 26, 1943
Saw some natives wearing a draw string barracks bag with two holes cut in the bottom for feet to go through. Can get a pass to town. It is quite interesting to see the veiled women and "wrap around dresses." You can buy local produce right on the street. Lots of carts pulled by donkeys and kids begging for chewing gum. Sanitation is a problem in town. Open gutters are sometimes seen with all manner of crap and garbage.

November 27, 1943
We got our "B" bags and turned in some clothing. I saw a white woman. She must have been from the Red Cross. I went to the show Thank Your Lucky Stars.

November 28, 1943
Attended Protestant services at 9:15 and answered the "invitation hymn". We got gold seal currency for the money we turned in on the ship. The Red Cross sold 3/4 of a canteen cup of ice cream for two francs, which was delicious. Went to the show Stormy Weather. Heard jackals yipping again tonight. I did my washing in my helmet. They started processing; I am a messenger. Went to a show again tonight; Crazy Horse. We have swell meals.

November 30, 1943
It was just a year ago when I enlisted at Madison, Wisconsin. Got tickets for PX rations. Went to the show White Savage. Stopped at the Red Cross building, but it was packed with a show going on.

     

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