A Swell Guy

A WWII field surgeon speaks from the dusty pages of the journal he was forbidden from keeping: Battles, beaches, bars and boredom in North Africa and beyond: 1943-1944 In 2019 I found two leather bound journals in my mother's basement. The volumes contained the daily musings of my grandfather as he marched across North Africa and then Italy as a surgeon in the Army's 1st Armored Division. He was present as US soldiers first engaged with German forces. He wrote of strafings, bombings, treating the wounded, marching past battlefields strewn with the corpses of machines and men. But mostly he wrote about swimming, sunbathing, his wife, jealousy, his family, local expats, fellow communists, daily sick call, gambling, drinking, dining, pickup sports, and nightly film screenings. Over his 88 years he was known by a lot of names: Jack, Jacob, Dad, Dr. Levine, Scrunchy, Poppy. But for two life-altering years he was: Captain Jack Levine MD 1st Armored Division 47th Surgical Regiment And I can attest. He was a swell guy.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 19

Reg to N of Teb

Our greetings were really touching at regt. Everyone thought we were all missing and our pitiful handful was considered so much gravy. The men all looked worn, weary, and numb with grief.

Pulled out about dark and moved far north of T____ . It was another lousy march altho the weather was better. Slept normally from 11 o’clock on.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 18

2nd Bn To Reg

We received orders to pull out at night. It was a hell of a march- Cold, rainy, poor roads- we sat in one spot for 2 hrs- We finally found regt in the div assembly area north of T____.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 17

47th 2nd Bn.

When they did shoot on our flanks we took off in search of the 47th- Found them about 0400m hrs beyond Kaserine two hours later we all pulled still further west. Stayed there for breakfast and lunch. Had delicious bread for first time in about a month- never knew before how good it could taste.

Then pulled out again for Thala- on way we found our 2nd Bn trains and joined up with them. Slept like a boy for the first time in 3 nights. Got my bedding.

Bought 300 eggs for the company from an Arab- Payed 1200 fr. for them but cared not.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 16

1yr vet

Ccc-cca

We were bombed a few times yesterday and once again today. Returned under regt’s wing- Moved to olive grove with them and stayed there only few hrs when the Col told us to hurry out. So we started back a few miles with Stine- He left us sitting off the road and to wait for him unless the shooting appeared on our flanks.

We were able to watch the most horrible fire works I have ever seen. Traces, star shells, flares, shell burst, explosions, burning vehicles it was a bit of Hell erupted there to the earth’s surface.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 15 (Battle day)

I was given a letter dictated by David just a few hrs before we went into the attack. It was still too dark to read- His childish patter was delightful- but altogether incongruous in that situation-

About noon I waved for the last time to all the line officers of the 2nd Bn- They never came back- except Winkler who was badly burned. It was odd that the last day of my first yr of service should be the last date of my life with so many of these friends. They are gone. Alger, Emory, [Manchus], Peyton, Hooker, Laughlin, Cochrell, Flanders, Herr, Holder, Flanagan, Leger, and others. It was horrible to watch all their tanks burn. We never had a chance to go forward- took each of a few casualties that were brought back- Met Fred that nite and learned that McKee and 11 men were missing since the day before- Gabbard was killed. It is all stunning, incomprehensible.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 14

We had breakfast at 0500 hrs and did not move ‘til 1630 hours- Saw Karl and the Col at our new area. Things look bad- We are in for a tough fight with the odds all against us- Poor Alger seems heart broken- the Col looks 10 yrs older- This will be no fun.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 13

Weather unchanged-

Most of the officers were paid today and we had a crap game at nite. I won $60 after being about $200 ahead-Lou and Blachise [leger?] $10 of it. During game we were told to be ready to move by daylight.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 12

After a very sleepless nite I wrote Esther a long letter- I hope I don’t hurt her too much but I felt justified in warning her that she was endangering something of great value to us- I love her too much not to do all I can to safeguard our love just as it is. Felt better after having taken this step. It is still cold- still windy.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 11

Woke up in a swirling snow storm damn near froze getting dressed but it warmed a little by noon. Received a package of food from Esther and a batch of letters- one told of a gay eveneng with Bob- it set me thinking and I eventually became quite disturbed over it- there is danger in too much proximity of people who are mutually attractive- I kept thinking of the story Harry F told me- also of others- could not decide on question of writing to Esther or Bob or not at all—

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 10

Visited nearby French medical post where we were treated cordially by the French officer- a regular from Poitier near Bordeaux- He spoke English quite well- served us coffee in the Arab hut he took over- edged away from political discussion- I’m curious and poorly informed about the politics of French North Africa.

That nite took off with Jimmy Cockwell and his platoon to fire in direct line of enemy position. Pulled back after marching for 1 hr by order of Gen. Ted Roosevelt who suffered a change of mind that was most aggravating.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 9

A quiet cold day. Nothing exciting or even interesting.

[“Lt-raver”]Herr told me story of the poor boy in his platoon whose wife wrote him she now loves someone else- The poor kid is heartbroken- and on the verge of combat too. He won’t die happily.

This story evoked quite a bull session amongst us. It proves how differently people can believe in one situation.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 8

A very interesting day- Bob and I travelled about 100 miles over next to impassable roads, paths, fields and forests. I’ll swear no motor vehicle ever passed thru there before- It was fun. We picked up a hitch hiker who wanted a ride back too. Got lost once and my limited French and map knowledge saved day- We were worried when an Arab guided us towards the German lines but his path soon arrived in the correct direction- I began to finger my Tommy Gun anxiously at the time-Saw many burnt and shot up vehicles- also two recently killed French soldiers but did not ascertain the cause of death. Saw lots of ack ack over P___ but we weren’t bothered. Received bunch of mail on return.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 7

A quiet, uneventful day- It rained a little- the damn wind just blows and blows. I’m bored asked the old man for permission to go on a reconnaissance trip and will do so in AM with Sweeney.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 6

I’ve got some protection- a tommy gun I acquired from Bullet Joe Kerns- Eisler gave me some instruction in the parts-

I’ve fired them before. If those bastards attack me I’ll fire back. I’d give a month’s pay to bring down a plane.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 5

Ace Parker returned from reconnaissance today asking for permission to bring in a Ity 47 mm gun he saw in no man’s land. The old man naturally refused despite Ace’s eloquence.

It looked like rain so we spread our jeep tent over George’s and my sleeping bag. It made a rare sort of cabana-

That afternoon I heard J Benny on the radio and was amused. He was followed by a German English language news bulletin- This was even funnier.

“If British had known they would lose 2 large battleships they would never have used them to defend Singapore”. Brilliant, isn’t it? One program for Americans says the British are overambitious and one for the British slams the Yanks - They are clever but don’t fool our boys.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 4

We are well camouflaged and well dug in our new area- they came over but didn’t spot us.

George and I are a little worried about our men. They become panic stricken when a plane comes over. We have difficulty controlling them when the order to take cover is given. They insist on running to their slit trenches instead of staying under the nearest tree. It exasperates me.

I sent a postcard of Salisbury home when I learned mail was going out. I followed this with a later letter.

It’s very cold up here the wind blows continually.

[cptnjackmd]

FEBRUARY 3

Got our first taste of it today: about 3 miles from our bivouac between M___ and P____ we were straffed- must have been amateurs as put only 1 hole in radiator of chow truck an hurt nobody- we got into bivouac and I let men dig in first- Before I could get started they came over and dropped a few chgs I was scared because I had no hole- I dug one in a hurry after that and felt nice and cozy when they returned twice more that day.

We decided they knew too much about us and changed bivouacs that nite- just a few miles away.