Richard G. Miller

Aug. 25.

Met Kevin Lynch in Tel Aviv - learned that Muriel was getting married. And so I take the second blow of my career; guess I banked too much on one person again, but some day I'll learn. Yet even still I'd be tempted to trust that little girl. Well, easy come, easy go - just spent 4 years or so going with her. Then to complete the day, our crew got another pilot. Sibert let me way down and didn't push my chances at all. Well so it goes with the eager boys; all they can hope or push for is themselves. But still 300 hours as a co-pilot flying with an instructor pilot should be enough to be checked off in. Still griping won't get the job done, and we did get a regular Joe for a first pilot. Our new regime of Col. Mickey et al in charge, are living up to expectations - they keep us on the alert all the time and never go on missions - that is, we waste two to three days to go out once. 'Twouldn't be such a crime except the outfit truly clicked before.-~- Heard some beautiful stories on the Brass hats. Gen'l Brady in India has adjoining rooms with hip mistress, wife of a British officer who is at the front someplace. And what is more remarkable than all, is the fact that the U.S. Army is paying for the redecoration of the whole hotel because she didn't like the drapes - all this was told by two Majors. Then we progress to our Gen'l Brereton and Gen'l Maxwell. Gen. B. ranks Gen. M., but M. has pull with Marshall so he is in charge, but he doesn't know much about air tactics for he is an Ord. Gen. Anyway, the last argument from Cairo was between the two Staffs as to who would get license plate No. 1 _ so they have two No. 1so Also Gen. Bo bought himself a Packard Clipper for $12,000, so he'd make the biggest splash. Why the million of staff cars the Army regularly furnishes isn't adequate, I'll never know. Also, we have Gen. M. taking over a palace there and the main duties of some three captains of the Engineers has been to decide what rugs to put down and what drapes to hang so as to please Gen. M. The palace is a huge affair - most elaborate already. But 'then they even took our quarters' allowance and subsistence away from us, so guess the money question will work out, but that takes in no consideration of who has to fight this damn war, so we Are still thoroughly and definitely disgusted with our rank. With all due consideration for the Generals and their tribulations, I still think they are an utter disgrace to the States. If only enough people could get back to the States with the same story, then maybe some one would wake up and do something and put Sincere, hard working men in command instead of the publicity-seeking incompetent, soft, spoiled bastards we have now.