DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, December 3, 1941-February 25, 1942

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Nile Kinnick diary of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve Air Corps, December 3, 1941-February 25, 1942

Page 029

to know what the hell is going on. I have never seen so many orders & counter-mands in my life. It seems to me we spend more time on inspections, swabbing the decks, and cleanup detail than we do on anything else. I have been here two weeks and the highest in the air I have been is a top bunk. At the beginning of one of our manuals is Kipling's poem "If" with the following line underscored - "if you can wait without being tired by waitin." Well, brother Kipling I can't, not anymore - I'm plenty tired with waiting - and if you wouldn't be "you are a better man than I, Gunga Din!!"
Last night Ken & I saw Walt Disney's new movie starring Dumbo, the elephant with the large ears. It was extremely entertaining. What they can do with these animated cartoons is marvelous! I found myself sympathizing and exulting with Dumbo's changing fortunes just as if he were an human acquaintance.
Ken McDonald, managing editor of the R. & Tribune, wrote to say he hadn't used either of the two articles I sent in.

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to know what the hell is going on. I have never seen so many orders & counter-mands in my life. It seems to me we spend more time on inspections, swabbing the decks, and cleanup detail than we do on anything else. I have been here two weeks and the highest in the air I have been is a top bunk. At the beginning of one of our manuals is Kipling's poem "If" with the following line underscored - "if you can wait without being tired by waitin." Well, brother Kipling I can't, not anymore - I'm plenty tired with waiting - and if you wouldn't be "you are a better man than I, Gunga Din!!" Last night Ken & I saw Walt Disney's new movie starring Dumbo, the elephant with the large ears. It was extremely entertaining. What they can do with these animated cartoons is marvelous! I found myself sympathizing and exulting with Dumbo's changing fortunes just as if he were an human acquaintance. Ken McDonald, managing editor of the R. & Tribune, wrote to say he hadn't used either of the two articles I sent in.