June and July 1943
6-27/7-3	"Q-Strip, Tunisia. Lt Bond carries a crew back to Oujda to retrieve a ship that was left behind for major maintenance. "Ripcord", our squadron parachute rigger goes along for the ride. In Oujda, he decides to "pay his way" by inspecting the chutes on the other aircraft, since they hadn't been inspected for several months. We always carried 35 or 40 chutes, and he had his hands full. Moments later, he called out for Lt. Bond to "take a look at this!" What Ripcord had discovered was a pressure-sensitive bomb inside one of the chutes MAC had recently lost a C-47 when it exploded over the Mediterranean-most likely from one of these bombs! About this same time, we learned that our Arab houseboy at Blida had been arrested by French Intelligence as a Nazi spy, and was immediately executed by a French firing squad. We were all shocked, as he had been an amiable worker. Somehow, the 17th received seven more C-47s, bringing the total to 20, the most we had ever owned. We had 46 pilots and co-pilots, now, including 11 Flight Officers, the first we had ever seen. Now, all First Pilots had their own aircraft. Many of the co-pilots were upgraded to Pilot; Assistant crew chiefs were also upgraded and replaced by aircraft mechanics.
	17^th TCS Bivouac on "Zena One Airstip, June 17, 1943. Later, this airstrip was renamed "Q Strip." Kairouan, Tunisia. The unit carried 1903 Springfield rifles during WWII. Due to a shortage of folding cots, many crewmembers slept on litters taken from the aircraft. (Photo and text by Jim Moran.)
4 Jul 43	Staff Sergeant Pilots receive long-overdue commissions. S/Sgt Brandt Mclntyre, one of my tent mates, is now a 2nd Lt and moves into officers' territory. Before leaving, he gave me his old chevrons, which I wore from the time I made Staff a year later until the Air Force became a separate branch and adopted new chevrons. Strangely, no one ever questioned the inset Air Corps wings and prop!
4-7 Jul 43	The Group is on stand-down, putting aircraft in top condition, and awaiting orders for the ensuing drop. Flame suppressors and parapack racks are again installed. No one is happy with our Supply Officer, who removed all but two IFF sets from squadron aircraft, which he sends to MAC Headquarters. However we are somewhat soothed when he issues new back-pack parachutes, a distinct improvement over the old seat-pack types we have always worn, and new flak helmets with hinged earflaps to accommodate our headsets.
8 Jul 43	We receive our initial briefing, and the Flight Surgeon gives us a lecture on first aid. The drop will be on Sicily, tomorrow night. The three groups of the 51st TCW, augmented by RAF 38th Wing, will be joined by two groups of the 50th TCW, which have been detached from 9th Air Force in England, will drop 3400 paratroopers of the 2nd Battalion east of the coastal town of Gela to prevent the Germans from reinforcing the port until the US 1st Division had come ashore at dawn on D-Day, 10 July. Bob Bramble and I perform last-minute chores on the ship. While he inspects the engines and cleans the windshields, I tune the radios to mission frequencies; check my supply of flare cartridges; load the flare pistol with the correct flare (1 green and 1 yellow ball); and tape a copy of the recognition colors and letters onto the instrument panel
9 Jul 43	Receive our final briefing at 0900. We are scheduled to take-off at 2100, and are a bit unnerved to hear that 20% losses are anticipated. Bob is disgusted to see that our three heavy parapack bundles (we normally carry six) are all on the left side of the ship, and can't understand the Maintenance Officer's reasoning. We deposit all items of personal identification with the Briefing Officer; receive our escape kits, and return to the ship to remove all loose items; passenger parachutes; med-evac litters and racks; tool boxes and tie-down gear, which are neatly stacked beside our parking spot. External gear and control locks, pitot covers and steps will be added upon loading. Catch a couple of hours sleep, as it is going to be a long night. I'm surprised that I can sleep! T/Sgt. Cecil "Cookie" Williams, our Mess Sergeant, performs a minor miracle by serving the crews a fantastic supper of T-Bone Steaks with all the trimmings, plus a tasty raisin pie! Lt. Bond later told me that all of our pilots had been trucked far into the desert for a Top Secret briefing by Lt Gen James Gavin, the 82nd CG, who scared hell out of them. He was going to personally shoot any yellow son-of-a-bitch that didn't jump, and court-martial any pilot who carried a paratrooper back to base!
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