North Africa 1942-43

I was told that about 160,000 German and Italian soldiers surrendered. The amount of military equipment that was captured (souvenirs) was prodigious. Some of the men were swapping old Italian Berettas and German Lugers that were acquired earlier in the war for fresh, unused pistols that were not scratched and still in factory-embedded cosmoline. Amongst all this loot was a 12-cylinder, long-hooded, open touring car, probably used by the German General Staff.

It had a Nazi insignia painted on its side, which was replaced in about thirty minutes with the Allied star by our motor pool sergeant.

Well, for the next several days this sergeant had a “ball.” He made one of his corporals a driver, and he sat in the back seat like the Prime Minister of California with a big fat cigar in his face. I saw him pass my aid station with a “liberated” French gal sitting in the back seat with him.

Pezzula later told me how he kept it up for several days, driving around the Bizerte countryside enjoying free wine and food from French liberated citizens. At night he would stay at private homes and small hotels and practice his limited high school French.

On the last day he passed close to one of our 90mm gun sites that was being inspected, and was recognized by our colonel. Pezzula described to me what he did when that happened: He stopped the car, stood up at attention, saluted, and professionally informed the colonel that this car tested out well, and will be returned at this time to the motor pool for disposition.

According to Pezzula, “He was only keeping his morale up.” Among other things.