Dugout Command Post of the 51st Medium Artillery | Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs

Major Leak is at the phone, Doc Brown is at his right, Dick Corse is standing with the sun on his face. I got to know these officers well. They invited me to their mess even though I was only a volunteer civilian ambulance driver without rank. We had been through a lot together and became good friends, continuing to keep in touch long after the war.

One day while we were sitting at mess, the officer in charge of getting the shells up to the guns received an urgent order that a barrage on Takrouna must start in 5 minutes. I knew how shorthanded he was, because I had carried out several of his men who had been wounded.

I was on the point of offering to help him; but I suddenly realized that if I did, I would be involved in killing people, to which I was conscientiously opposed. I sat on my hands.

Location: Enfidaville, Tunisia.