Back In The States

   When I arrived home it was a grand event. For the first time in my life Dad not only shake my hand but also hugged me. I noticed Mom had tears in her eyes, one of the few times I ever saw Mom and Dad so emotional. One of Mom's first comments was, "you are so skinny, and you have lost a lot of weight." Actually I had. When I went into the hospital, with Malaria, I weighed about 160. When I got out of the hospital I was down to 135. This being Xmas Eve, we were all going to attend midnight Mass. At Mass I could feel all eyes on me. Not too many service people had been overseas and returned. They made me feel like some kind of a hero. Being born and raised in this parish, everyone knew me. After Mass people were waiting to talk, asking all kinds of questions. I couldn't blame them as most everyone had relatives in the service. Some had lost loved ones. The next couple of weeks were spent doing nothing more than visiting old friends, having a few drinks at local bars etc.

   Finally the time came to bid everyone good-bye and head for Miami redistribution. After a two hour train trip I arrived, caught a bus to Miami Beach, and reported into HQ. The 1st Sergeant told me to lie around on the beach and take it easy for a few days; they would call me when they needed me. After a few days of "country club" living I was notified to report for tests and interviews. The first day was spent taking a physical exam and several written tests. The next day I was told to check with the supply sergeant for a complete new issue of clothing. Keep in mind this is the first time I had received any new clothing since leaving the states back in mid-43. My clothing was looking pretty shabby. Next came the interview. One of their first questions was, “Would I be interested in an instructor’s job, in gunnery school or armorer training school?" Neither one interested me and I said so. After much conversation they told me they would find somewhere to place me and i would receive orders later.

   A few days went by and I received orders to pack up and report to Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado. I had been there before and knew this was an armorer training school. After a five-day uneventful train trip I arrived in Denver. Being winter time it was quite a change from Florida and India, the snow was deep. When I reported into HQ, as usual, they gave me a barracks number and told me to wait instructions. I was called into HQ and told there had been a mistake in sending me to Denver, I should have been sent to Tyndal Field in Panama City, Florida.

   After another five-day trip, back across country, I arrived in Panama City. After I reported to HQ they assigned me to a barracks showed me where the Mess Hall was and told me to report for a meeting, the next morning, at the Base Theater. In the barracks were about 50 other guys. All of us had returned from overseas. Some had been wounded; others had had various other ailments. No one seemed to know what was in store for us. At the meeting we found out. Someone had decided we needed rest, relaxation, good food and an exercise program. On the beach no less. We were all given a good physical and were monitored each week. In a few weeks I had gained some weight, but not back to 160. After a month or so, orders came through for me to report to Syrma, Tenn. for assignment. By this time the war in Europe was over and all emphasis was being put on the war in the Pacific. Syrma was a training base for returnee Pilots, teaching them how to become instructors. I was assigned to a plane as a flight engineer, even though I had never been to engineering school. I tried to tell the operations officer this, but he insisted I could do it anyway. After all hadn't I spent all this time flying B-24s? While in Syrma, at a special formation, I was awarded another Distinguished Flying Cross and another Air Medal. A couple of months passed and we were informed the "A BOMB" had been dropped, it wouldn't be long now.

   In early November, I was ordered to California for discharge, oh happy day. I was discharged from service in San Bernardino, California.

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Men of the 7th Bomb Group