Newspaper reports (e.g. The Indianapolis News on 21 Dec 1943) tell that Lt Col Eidson was sent to a hospital in Atlanta, GA and later Santa Barbara, CA, after his crash. It transpires that he met his future wife while recovering.
See
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...weds/42701214/ with some of his career. Also see
https://www.newspapers.com/article/f...-ha/124042785/
Some of his N. Africa time:
https://www.newspapers.com/article/t...star/56507025/
Regards,
Leendert