No Date · About Nov. 20, 1942
Today I got paid.
And went to town.
North Africa
My Darling Wife
Today I got paid. Before that I went to town. We were quite pleasantly surprised. We had been led to believe the place was filthy, that the people were dirty and foul smelling—and that nothing was any good.
However, we got into some stores and saw some bars that would equal anything we have at home.—and instead of Arabs we ran into the French. The swarthy skinned French girls that work in the better stores are the equal of what we have at home.—Not that I’m looking around, mind you …
… but I never did pass up looking at good looking girls have I.
We had quite a time trying to make purchases. None of us could speak French but most of them could speak Spanish so we were able to make ourselves understood.
My principal purchases were in a single commodity. I bought $5.00 worth of French perfume which I am mailing home for a Xmas present.—I think I got some Coty—and some other stuff the girl said was “lufly”. They were selling terrific quantities of perfume and will probably soon be sold out.
I was able to buy a pencil …
… and some lead for it.—otherwise nothing.
Our dollar is worth 75 francs. You’ll find price tags on the perfume—Most things are cheap—and they seem to have a good selection of linens, etc and the like. I was tempted to buy you some but didn’t because I didn’t know whether it was worth while or not. because I don’t know quality. Before I get through I’ll probably have sent a lot of things home.
The stores close from 12–2:15 for siesta. During the noon hour we stopped at the main hotel. Capt. Beecher—my company commander bought a bottle of champagne.
They iced it and served it in style—& socked him $5.50 for it. Boy! Was he surprised. We have bought the stuff for less than $1.00 but that bar was the only one allowed to be open—& only to American Officers. American Flyers keep it pretty busy
Our enemies that were fighting a week ago—& who shot hundreds of our men, are now our allies and are being armed & set loose to fight the Germans. They surely did a lot of damage along the waterfront that will take sometime to fix up
Our kitchen got in today and we hope to get good food …
… tomorrow. That will be the day to rejoice. Good American food once more.
The news today is encouraging. Alaska highway open—Russians doing well—Japs getting another bad blow at New Guinea & hard losses in Solomons. Rommel getting pressed at Benghazi, I hope the British 1st Army really knocks their airborne troops out of Tunisia in a hurry. Then it will be too bad for old man Rommel.
We really set the Axis back when we took Africa from them. They seem to raise lots of food products here that will be sadly missed.
(Incidentally that champagne was not so hot—not any better than the white wine we have—and I don’t like that)
Honey I’m hoping this perfume gets to you by Xmas.—so I do want to get something home to you—I sure wish I could be with you and Linda on that day, but that doesn’t seem to be ahead for me.
I must close now honey. A crap game on the table is endangering my life so I’ll have to quit. I love you ever so much honey.
All my love
Your John
About this letter
An undated letter from John’s first days off duty after Oran. He goes shopping, sends his wife French perfume for Christmas, and reads the war news.
ABOUT THE DATENo date, but the clues point to about Nov. 20, 1942: the French had stopped fighting “a week ago,” and the news mentions the Alaska Highway opening and Rommel pressed at Benghazi, both Nov. 20. So it comes before the Nov. 22 letter.
PERIOD LANGUAGEHe uses “Japs,” a wartime slur, about the Japanese. His words are transcribed exactly as he wrote them.
READING CLOSELY
“Our enemies that were fighting a week ago—& who shot hundreds of our men, are now our allies and are being armed & set loose to fight the Germans.” The Vichy French forces at Oran fought the landings, then stopped fighting on Nov. 10 and joined the Allies.
The perfume was Coty, “and some other stuff the girl said was ‘lufly’.” On Dec. 23 he asks whether it was any good.
Capt. Beecher, his company commander, was relieved about a week later (Nov. 29 letter).
The Big Picture
Torch lands
On Nov. 8, 1942, Operation Torch landed about 107,000 American and British troops in Morocco and Algeria. These French colonies answered to the Vichy government, which had made peace with Germany. Some French troops fought back hard.
The fighting stopped on Nov. 10 and 11. On Nov. 22 the French commander, Admiral François Darlan, signed a deal with the Americans, and French forces in North Africa joined the Allies.
Next came a race for Tunisia. Germany began flying in troops on Nov. 11. British and American forces raced east to take Tunis first.
Where he was
In camp outside Oran, Algeria. On Nov. 8 his 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry landed east of the city near Arzew. On the night of Nov. 9 it slipped past French troops at Arcole and reached the edge of Oran, which surrendered Nov. 10.
In this letter. “Yesterday’s enemies turned allies”: on Nov. 10 Admiral Darlan ordered French forces in North Africa to stop fighting, and they soon joined the Allies.