War Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator

Excerpt

Well, here I am aboard ship and three days out of New York, waiting for a convoy at Halifax.  This seems to be a fitting place to start a diary.  I am leaving my continent as well as my country and am going forth in search of adventure, which I hope to find in Italy, for that is where we are headed.  We are a hundred and fifty aviators in embryo commanded by Major MacDill, who is an officer and a gentleman in fact as well as by Act of Congress.  We are travelling first-class, thanks to him, though we are really only privates, and every infantry officer on board hates our guts because we have the same privileges they do.  Capt.  Swan, an old Philippine soldier, is supply officer.