George's Service Diary: Sun. Jan. 10

Sun. Jan. 10 – Our flight is on 15 min. reserve this morning, so we sit around at the officers’ mess. A most uneventful day, with only the usual patrol missions scheduled. Went down to the line after lunch to put an hour of slow-time on 57, but it wasn’t ready to go. We had a very poor supper; if it weren’t for bread and jam we would go mighty hungry sometimes. After supper some mail came in, principally packages, and surprise! I got a package from Stan and Jo. And what a package! A Dr. Grabow pipe, a pound tin of Kentucky Club, a box of La Frederick cigars, and a carton of Luckies. Really a swell surprise. Every one in the mess, at the sight of the cigars, immediately assumed I had become a father; most embarrassing! Numerous offers were received for my pipe, too, but no sale!

Ernie Harris

Ernie Harris was a pilot in the 8th Fighter Squadron in the 49th Fighter Group. He became the first ace who recorded 10 victories on the P-40 in the Pacific [source]. Here is an artist rendering of his plane.

George's Service Diary: Sat. Jan. 9

Sat. Jan. 9. – Supposed to have the morning off, but Ben Duke asked me to take his place at Fighter Sector while he attended the funeral of a friend of his who was killed in the recent crash of a B-17. So I went back to that old grind. Ben’s assistant was late to work, so I was on my own for the first hour, but no difficulty was encountered. Our boys, together with the 7th and some P-38’s went to Lae on the previously scheduled dive-bombing mission, and while I was on control, I could hear them checking their radios and chattering in a rather subdued manner. Eventually they all arrived back safely, reporting no enemy interference, but they rather failed in their object, which was to sink shipping in the bay. Most of them missed the boats, but Ernie Harris dumped his bombs amongst about 10 Zeros on the drome at Lae. Ben Duke came in to take over at about

9:30, so I took off. I wrote to Betty while on control, letting the trainee, Ball of the 9th, take over. On the way back to camp, I stopped at 7-mile drome to look at a B-24, the first one I’ve had a chance to look at closely. It certainly is a mammoth, compared to our little “bugs”. The “office” alone is nearly as big as the whole fuselage of our ships, and the bomb-bay could hold an entire P-40, disassembled. Then there is the rear compartment where the waist gunners sit, and lots of room to spare. And the tail turret is easily accessible. Nothing seems cramped, everything is on a grand scale, and it mounts 10 50-calibers as armament. Back to camp, where our flight was relieved for the afternoon, and I slow-timed 57 for one hour, buzzing four ack-ack pits while I was up.

George's Service Diary: Fri. Jan. 8

On duty to take the place of the boys who were in it yesterday. Scheduled to fly at 10:00, but weather cancelled it. Afternoon off, but a dive-bombing mission to Lae came up. Weather also cancelled it. Porter, having had some dive-bombing experience, joined the other shift for the mission. Funny how tense every one becomes when such a mission comes up. They know they’ll go through with it, no one will back out, but most of them would be thankful for a legitimate excuse not to go. Probably they remember Dickey and others who have gone down. The old boys in the 8^th, that is, the boys from Darwin, have a most discouraging way of talking which undoubtedly makes a poor impression on someone who doesn’t know them. And I know that some of our new additions from Hawaii think me a chicken hearted. But all they need is to see us 

take off on a scramble once. In a pinch, we’re always on hand. It’s just that we don’t like some one who puts on a big bold front, pretending he’s so damned eager, when we know very well he’s just as scared as ony one. And every one is scared, make no mistake about that. Take “Porky” Morse, for example. He has 2 Zeros and a bomber to his credit, but every time an actual combat or strike mission is planned, his stomach gives him trouble. No reflection on his character, just that his nerves get the best of him. It’s something no one can help, and no one can ignore it, either. That is the reason that a fellow with a nervous temperament is not suited for combat flying. 


I wanna go home!

George's Service Diary: Thur., Jan. 7

Thur. Jan. 7 On duty in the morning, tired as a dog; but up at 5:30, daylight about 6:30. Off at 6:40 to patrol Buna. Went over through a lot of weather but found Buna area so closed in with rain and low clouds we came back. My radio was out, so my ship was taken off when I got back. They found that loose spark-plug leads had been making the engine noise. Loafed around the shack till 10:40; off on another mission, completed. Flew no. 60, Capt. Johnson’s old ship, radio also out. Afternoon off. The other flights were suddenly given a mission to strafe a convoy in Lae harbor. On the way over, Capt. Wright’s ship went out, so he landed. The rest of the Group continued under Ernie Harris’ leadership. As they approached Lae above a layer of low strato-cumulus, they sighted Zeros above them, and in the ensuing mix-up, our boys

shot down 13 certainties, 1 probable and 2 damaged. Harris, E. got 3, Johns 1, White 2, Littleton 1, Jordan 1, Blakely 1, Kirsch 1, Day 2, Howard 1. Pretty good! The major was pretty happy about the whole thing, and gave the boys the next morning off. Dickey is missing, having bailed out near Salamaua. Howard landed at 30 mi. and Lynd at Kalamazoo.

[see also Salamaua-Lae Campaign]

George's Service Diary: Wed. Jan. 6

Had the morning off again, slept until 10:00. It rained during the night and early in the morning. One mission took off just before dinner. So we ate lunch and went down to wait for them to return. After setting up in our ships, we lay on our backs till 3:30, took off, climbed over an over an overcast to patrol Buna for 1 ¼ hrs. Landed at 5:50. After supper and a shower, settled down to a very quiet evening. It is rumored there is a lot of mail at Group, but none for me as yet. Will write to Betty again tomorrow.

George's Service Diary: Tues., Jan. 5

Up at 5:15 after a restless night, with a heavy schedule ahead of us. Early escort mission to Wau was cancelled at the very last moment, to the vast disgust of the boys who got up to take it. Wrote to Betty last night, enclosing money orders for £80. Also received two telegrams from her last night, acknowledging receipt of the money and also of my wire re the consular matter. She says all is running smoothly, praise be. My ship "Betty", no. 45, now has a record log of over 265 engine hours, a record for combat, and we are sweating out 300 hours for it. She's a good old ship, and with a new engine would compete with the best of them. One mission, took off at 10:45, patrolled Buna, and landed at 1:10. Much activity over the area, B-26’s bombing, A-20’s and B-25’s, P-38’s, P-39’s, and our own P-40’s. No enemy resistance. Afternoon off, loafed about doing nothing. No mail! Why?