Whimpy

While flying with the 2nd Bomb Group out of Italy, we had, on a number of occasions, visited with some British airmen whose airbase was located near ours. We flew the B-17 Flying Fortress and they flew the British Wellington Bomber, which they nicknamed Wimpy. On each of our visits, we were invited to join them in "a spot of tea," which they heated over a bonfire. One of them exchanged his cloth "wings" for one of my silver wings. I still have those wings. This was my first contact with any British people, and I remember being very impressed with their friendly attitude and their eagerness to fight and get the war over with so they could return home.

I recall being happy that I did not have to fly those Wimpys, because they did not seem to be a very formidable fighting machine--certainly not as safe as our B-17s.

Incidentally, the Wellington was nicknamed Wimpy after the hamburger-loving character, J. Wellington Wimpy, from the Popeye comic strip.

Perhaps the bomber was a little Wimpy, but there was nothing Wimpy about those British airmen. Some of them had flown during the "Blitz," and they loved to talk about it. They also said it was much safer now that we were in the war.