North Africa 1942-43

I was hesitant to show this picture that Sgt. Pezzula took of me during a moment when I could do nothing to prevent it, other than yell “Don't you dare!”

But this was a private little “outhouse” (literal translation) just for our aid station personnel. It even had a weather-protected box for very precious toilet tissue. The view overlooking the city of Algiers from this sitting was just wonderful. Occasionally, Arab women on a donkey would come by. We would just look at each other. I had no intentions of moving.

Relative to this “John,” I wish that I could remember the stories that the men wrote home to their families about their experiences sitting on this unit.

As the commander of the detachment I had to censure all outgoing mail. If I knew that I was going to tell you folks about these episodes 60 years later, I would have taken notes.