I have been contacted by the son of a man I was with in Africa and in Italy during WWII. His name was Robert J. Workman.
      I had to admit to his sons that although I apparently was in the First Fighter Training Center in Berteaux Algeria with him, went up to the 27th Fighter Bomber Group in the same plane with him and flew in the same group for a number of months I have no memory of him at all. While this is depressiing, it is apparently part of the self protection people in combat develop. You make no "friends". They are "business colleagues".
      When someone did not return from a mission we automatically "deleted" him from our screen. There was no disrespect. It was simply one of our survival mechanisms. I don't think we realized it at the time.
      I had no memory of him at all so his son, Scott, sent me a transcription from his logbook, showing his time in Africa, his trip up to the 27th in Italy and his missions with targets and dates.

      On looking it over I realized he was in Algeria with me, probably on the same flight up to Italy with me and flew at roughly the same time I did and attacked targets that were familiar to me. We had to have been there together. I'm sorry that I have no memory of him at all.
      His son sent me a picture of him and I confess it does not help my recognize him. Our "combat forgetfulness" apparently was rather complete.

      Scott sent me copies of the transcription they had made from his logbook. I include them here.