Richard G. Miller Mission September 1, 1942

Sept 1.

Another raid. Nine ships over Crete and we blew hell out of some 3 or 4 ships - the largest being demolished. Truly was a very successful mission. The war in the Desert has started in full force again. Damnit!! The British promised us if nothing happened until Aug. 27 that we’d take the initiative and the 8th Army would do the unprecedented attack instead of retreat. Here the Allies have had a full month to prepare and then Hitler hits first; we’ve had convoy after convoy come in, while we destroyed nearly everything we went after in Axis shipping lanes, and yet the paper says we "held in the center". I believe this Middle East is the latrine of the Army, and all the high ranking excrement of both forces that have to have something to do, come out here to prove, beyond doubt, their inability to cope with anything in a military mean. The British Middle East Command has changed hands three times in three months; we've had 2 Major Generals and their cars and palaces, and per diem; we've blasted repeatedly all shipping; have had air superiority in this Desert, and still haven't dislodged Jerry from one foot of ground; pretty poor, I'd say. Rumor has started that part of the outfit might be sent back to the States in the next 10 days - can only hope and hope I can get into one of the crews going back.