American Airpower Comes of Age

PARIS, CANNES, ITALY, NORTH AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA
statue. Ike very certain as to war’s end: only fly in ointment is
the unthinkable, impossible, Russians holding back. Ike has
no idea as to what more air can do; it is doing everything possible.
He is most enthusiastic about air support. He wants to
go to his 30th [West Point] reunion in June. I told him that he
could have as many C-54s as necessary to take members of
his class. He will go, arrive unannounced. 31
I have just been told that the suite I was occupying was
used by Goering on his visits to town. I have looked around
but have found no evidence. Had conference with Fred Anderson,
Bob Harper, P. L. Williams and Louis Brereton; very satisfactory
information from all. 32 Our troop Carriers took
250,000 gallons of gas to troops last Friday, and over 500,000
last Saturday. Talked over our redeployment and the part Airborne
and TC [troop Carrier] would play in Pacific and Post
War. Cable to Marshall.
After lunch with Brereton, P. L. Williams and Hank Pool took
rest for 1 1 ⁄ 2 hours. German prisoner of war, Fay, then was
brought in by General MacDonald. 33 He had landed a brand
new Me 262 at Frankfurt, was a test pilot for Messerschmitt,
was tired of war. 34 262 to go Dayton [for evaluation]. Fay gave
some information re interior Germany: railroads gone, factories
destroyed, no oil, best pilots killed, no experience in
squadrons, bomber pilots flying jets without sufficient training,
war can’t continue for more than 2 or 3 weeks; all organized
resistance will be gone then.
Took auto ride through Paris to St. Cloud, Versailles. 35 Paris
was not hit hard by our bombs; factories, airports, railroad
yards destroyed, but very little else. Germans did no destruction.
French in Paris are not starving, no evidence of malnutrition
in any part of Paris. Horses well fed and fat, goats grazing
which would not be if people were hungry. Lines at
bakeries and butcher shops, about 24 maximum. A lot of
bunk re helping starving French.
Had Wooly for dinner. 36 Versailles very unkempt: water gone
from pools, grass and trees need attention. French people apathetic.
Bed at 9:20.
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