Joe Broady
Airman 1st Class
- 121
- May 30, 2019
From Air Force magazine in May 1943 is this lighthearted look at life in Washington during the war. Plenty of employment, but good luck finding a place to eat or sleep.
"If you get a seat in a Washinton bus or street car, you're just plain lucky. Everybody goes and comes from work at approximately the same time; only veterans of New York subway rush hours will feel at home in the pushing and shoving. Washington has a large number of taxis. They are always full. On a rainy day or night you might as well pull up your pants and walk; you haven't a prayer."
"Food isn't easy to come by in Washington. There practically isn't such a thing as an empty restaurant. When you do get a seat the service won't be electric; the waitresses are tired and often the food is, too. But you won't starve and the fare is probably a little more varied than it is in Stalingrad."
"Where do you sleep? This is the $64 question. There are a hundred answers, none of which satisfy. And let it be said, the civilian population doesn't step aside for the military. They've seen too many uniforms. It's every man for himself. But after a long hunt a man can find a boarding house, apartment, small hotel or some kind of respectable accommodation. It will take time, and will cost the limit he can afford, but he'll have a bed."
Also see the immediately following article by a man who flew bombers against Japan and Germany. "Only one good tactic against MEs and that is good gunners. The principal thing for a gunner to watch out for is his method of shooting ahead. Lead your target by twice the amount you think you ought to and you'll get hits. The cannon on the ME is effective at about 1500 yards and the guns are usually opened at 750 yards. However, the guns in our 17s and 24s are effective at 1000 yards and you can always outrange them."
At the bottom of the web page are links to more issues of the magazine.
Life in "Camp Washington"
"If you get a seat in a Washinton bus or street car, you're just plain lucky. Everybody goes and comes from work at approximately the same time; only veterans of New York subway rush hours will feel at home in the pushing and shoving. Washington has a large number of taxis. They are always full. On a rainy day or night you might as well pull up your pants and walk; you haven't a prayer."
"Food isn't easy to come by in Washington. There practically isn't such a thing as an empty restaurant. When you do get a seat the service won't be electric; the waitresses are tired and often the food is, too. But you won't starve and the fare is probably a little more varied than it is in Stalingrad."
"Where do you sleep? This is the $64 question. There are a hundred answers, none of which satisfy. And let it be said, the civilian population doesn't step aside for the military. They've seen too many uniforms. It's every man for himself. But after a long hunt a man can find a boarding house, apartment, small hotel or some kind of respectable accommodation. It will take time, and will cost the limit he can afford, but he'll have a bed."
Also see the immediately following article by a man who flew bombers against Japan and Germany. "Only one good tactic against MEs and that is good gunners. The principal thing for a gunner to watch out for is his method of shooting ahead. Lead your target by twice the amount you think you ought to and you'll get hits. The cannon on the ME is effective at about 1500 yards and the guns are usually opened at 750 yards. However, the guns in our 17s and 24s are effective at 1000 yards and you can always outrange them."
At the bottom of the web page are links to more issues of the magazine.
Life in "Camp Washington"
