This ditty needs your undivided atten-shun
In May of 1944, Ted Elman, the navigator on Ray Fisher's crew, flew several missions out of England before the crew was transferred to the 514th Squadron in San Pancrazio. During his stay in England, Ted wrote this "ditty" to his wife Adele who he referred to as "teammate" because their initials in order spelled out TEAM (Ted Elman - Adele Morris). Many of Ted's friends thought it was a clever ditty that the Intelligencer would like to share with the membership of our Association.

To Dearest TEAMmate, Far across the deep blue o-shun, With thoughts of love and great devo-shun, I say I love you with no commo-shun, Because my love is an eternal emo-shun. You are my life -- my lovely crea-shun, You feed my heart's craving starva-shun, And nothing at all in this great na-shun, Could stir my heart to its present palpita-shun. You fill my every sweet expecta-shun, To know you are mine is great ela-shun, To stop our love would create a sensa-shun, But it shall not stop 'till life's termina-shun. To me you're an angel in every situa-shun, You're a queen on a throne without discrimina-shun, You're a heart beat pulse -- from my love sta-shun, For you I have nothing but tender adora-shun. The troubled world is a nest of tempta-shun, And many pretenses of a false salva-shun, But when the day comes for that great celebra-shun, To you alone will I extend invita-shun. I love you, I love you my solemn exclama-shun, You're all of my life -- my every conversa-shun, Of all of God's gifts, you're his greatest dona-shun, I love you forever, and for the dura-shun. (Thinking of you -- England -- May 16, 1944)