November 27, 1942 (Friday)

Barbers Point NAS

Swam most of the morning. The extraordinary news came over the radio this noon that the French fleet had scuttled itself in Toulon. I pray that it’s a permanent job. An attempted sneak capture by the Nazis was foiled as the ships blew themselves up. The commentators all spoke again of the “heroic French.” I say the “stupid blind French” who shortsightedness ever allowed their fleet to become embroiled with the pro-Nazi Vichy government. May this war cast a well-deserved impermanent blot upon their international “scrutcheon.”

Back to Barbers Point this afternoon with Wally Jones in the “Brown Chariot” (no brakes, every moment a thrill).

Big argument at the dinner table, with myself (radical as usual) predicting the future supremacy of the Army Air Force over the Navy’s, unless, the Navy make some radical changes in policy, damn soon!