June 9, 1943 Diary Page

We pulled out of Guercif at eight this morning and set a pretty rugged pace until we got into the mountains. We crossed about thirty more miles of desert before we started the climb but from then on the country began to look more livable every mile. After crossing the first range we ran across some of the loveliest valleys I’ve yet seen. The ground here is far richer than even that around Fez (sic) [Fes] and is beautifully cultivated. I marveled at the straightness of the rows and cleanliness of the field when you see the equipment they use. We went by huge fields of ripe wheat being cut for thrashing and all the work was done by hand with a small cresent (sic) scicle (sic). Some of the fields must have been over a hundred acres and only once in a great while was a combine seen. The thrashing was even done by beating sticks. How they accomplish the job is more than I can see. There is a tremendous improvement in the people of this section. They are much cleaner and far more whites are in evidence. The mountains we went over were pretty rugged and reminded me a great deal of Idaho. It was really a lovely trip and well worth taking. We pulled into a village outside of Oran and had to wait for an M.P. escort to take us to the depot so we filled our canteens with wine. Of course it took about four hours to find the depot then had to go out in the country 12 miles afterwards to dinner. It is a beautiful night and cool. We should sleep well.

Good night.

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The Day That Was: June 9, 1943

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

May 1943 Recap: The long journey begins by train as the outfit travels cross country to Camp Shanks, New York, where they will prepare to head overseas.  Lt. Reichard now knows the destination:  Casablanca, Morocco in North Africa.  After ensuring that all the supplies are in order, the outfit boards the “West Point”, the newest in troop carriers and heads to sea.  Lt. Reichard spends many peaceful evenings enjoying the time at sea before landing in Morocco.  May ends with the outfit setting up camp and adjusting to the customs of Morocco.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

June 8, 1943 Diary Page

Today was one of the most miserable days that I have ever spent in my life. I must have gotten a touch of Ptomaine poison last night in the “C” rations because I was terribly sick this morning when I woke. I didn’t eat any breakfast, in fact I lost what I had eaten last night. I think I spent half of the day leaning out the side of the Jeep. The other half I tried to sleep in the back of the Weapons Carrier. This section around “Fez” (sic) [Fes] has everything beat I’ve yet seen in N. Africa. It is truely (sic) a garden spot and puts many fine places in the States to shame. Beautiful big houses dot the countryside almost hidden in lovely groves of cool shade trees. Red tile roofs contrast the white of the stucco homes adding a warm bit of color. The horizon was broken by the even round peaks of mountains many millions of years old and worn by the rain and erosion of those centuries. Then came the contrast at the other extreme standing out like a sore thumb on the broad palette of mother nature (sic). The desert was as unbearably hot as was the coast briskly cool. We nearly smothered and the sun showed no mercy. Halfway across we had a trailer break loose and tear down an electric pole. We reported it at our stop tonight. It was a miserable drive for me as I was very sick the whole way. I met a boy from Salisbury at the stop. His name is S/Sgt. Warren E________. It is a small world. I took a hot shower tonight at his place in town.

Good night.

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The Day That Was: June 8, 1943

•    Senior military officials brought the rioting in Los Angeles under control by declaring the city off limits to all sailors, soldiers and marines. The Shore Patrol was under orders to arrest any disorderly personnel. The Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution banning the wearing of zoot suits in public, punishable by a 50-day jail term. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/zoot/eng_timeline/timeline2.html) •    Japanese forces abandoned Kiska Island in the Aleutians, their last foothold in the Western hemisphere. The event was almost to the year of their landing. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943)) •    U. S. Army patrols on Attu Island killed 66 Japanese and captured one in the area between Sarana Bay and Cape Khlebnikof. There was no enemy activity on other parts of the island. The U.S Naval Air Facility at Attu was established. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-06.html) •    Jewish Dr. Albert Menasche arrived at Auschwitz from Greece. He joined the camp orchestra, which would play as new arrivals entered the camp. He was the only one of a family of more than 30 to survive. (http://www.neveragain.org/1943A.htm) •    Civil Defense officials began V-Home Campaign because of the continued possibility of enemy attack. The objective was to award “V-Home, We Are Prepared” stickers to qualified households. These stickers were made available by the United States Office of Civilian Defense as part of a national campaign which was already underway. (http://www.sfmuseum.net/war/43.html)
•    Civil Defense officials began V-Home Campaign because of the continued possibility of enemy attack. The objective was to award “V-Home, We Are Prepared” stickers to qualified households. These stickers were made available by the United States Office of Civilian Defense as part of a national campaign which was already underway. (http://www.sfmuseum.net/war/43.html)		“V”-Home Campaign sticker.

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

May 1943 Recap: The long journey begins by train as the outfit travels cross country to Camp Shanks, New York, where they will prepare to head overseas.  Lt. Reichard now knows the destination:  Casablanca, Morocco in North Africa.  After ensuring that all the supplies are in order, the outfit boards the “West Point”, the newest in troop carriers and heads to sea.  Lt. Reichard spends many peaceful evenings enjoying the time at sea before landing in Morocco.  May ends with the outfit setting up camp and adjusting to the customs of Morocco.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

June 7, 1943 Diary Page

This is what most people would call a screwed up day in every sense of the word. I woke up at six and ate breakfast so I could be ready to head for town alright (sic) to make all final arrangements and clearances. This turned out to be a hell of a bigger job than I had bargained for and the job wasn’t finalized until around three. We were scheduled to leave at two so that was a fine start. We picked up ten bomb service trucks and trailers at Fedala to take with us which helped out the loading space considerably plus the fact that it gave the men something to do besides sit. This made us a convoy of 17 trucks and like numbers of trailers. We started out at six thirty and headed for Meknes for our first stop. It was a lovely drive, the majority of it in the dusk of early evening and we watched the sun set over the Atlantic. Several of the boys remarked about the fact that it looked like it was night over New York and we all wished we were back there. However this was too lovely a drive to be spoiled by reminiscing so we just took it in. The farther north and west we got the richer the country. Rich orchards and vineyards covered the landscape in neat rows cleanly cultivated. I liked it. We finally pulled in our camp after getting lost in Meknes for an hour. Of course there were plenty of directions to be had but who can understand french (sic). We got in at 1:30 and went to sleep

Good night.

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The Day That Was: June 7, 1943

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

May 1943 Recap: The long journey begins by train as the outfit travels cross country to Camp Shanks, New York, where they will prepare to head overseas.  Lt. Reichard now knows the destination:  Casablanca, Morocco in North Africa.  After ensuring that all the supplies are in order, the outfit boards the “West Point”, the newest in troop carriers and heads to sea.  Lt. Reichard spends many peaceful evenings enjoying the time at sea before landing in Morocco.  May ends with the outfit setting up camp and adjusting to the customs of Morocco.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

May 23, 1943 Diary Page

This morning I slept until about nine then got dressed in overalls and went over to the company to see that the supplies hauled last night were stowed away. I hung around until the typewriters were unpacked then sat down and wrote Virginia and mother some letters. I sure miss those letters they send and look forward to the time they start coming in again. I wish I had gotten straight with Ginnie before I left because it worries me not a little. I should never have allowed that case to develope (sic) because now I can’t help myself and I’m afraid she is letting it slip. If I lose her, I can’t picture a very happy future. All the girls I know live way out west where I’ll never see them again and by the time I could feel very serious over another girl I’ll be too old to get the best part of life out of it. I can’t imagine marrying anyone other than Ginnie anyway.

This afternoon I had Johnson drive me out by one of the Arabian villages so I could get some pictures. I took them from a moving truck so I’m afraid they won’t be much good. After that Ray and I went in town to look it over and we walked all over the place. I wish I had continued French in school because it sure would come in handy. I took some pictures there. There is absolutely nothing to do outside of sightseeing so that is all we did. It was interesting but I’ve seen about as much as I want. We ate dinner in a pretty nice place then came on out.

Good Night

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The Day That Was: May 23, 1943

•    The Office of War Information releases a report on Rights and Privileges of American Servicemen, detailing their rights to vote, unemployment benefits and the suspension (for six months after the war) of serviceman’s civil liabilities, such as income tax, suits for debts, and insurance premium payments. (http://www.usmm.org/wsa/rights.html) •    The British claim that 313 Axis ships have been sunk in the Mediterranean since the battle of El Alamein. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-at-sea/mediterranean/mediterranean-index-1943.htm)
•    The battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) is commissioned at Philadelphia. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •   The PT-boat tender USS Niagara (AGP-1) is sunk by a horizontal bomber in the Solomons.  (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •    Motor torpedo boats PT-165 and PT-173 are sunk by submarine torpedoes off New Caledonia. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •    The RAF launches a heavy raid on Dortmund, dropping 2,000 tons of bombs. (http://www.feldgrau.com/may.html)		The battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) is commissioned at Philadelphia on this day in 1943. She spent the rest of that year in the western Atlantic and Caribbean area. New Jersey went to the Pacific in early 1944 and conducted her first combat operations in support of the Marshalls invasion.

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

May 22, 1943 Diary Page

This morning Ray and I got up about seven and ate our first hot meal since we pulled in here. It sure did taste good. We enjoyed the first storage eggs this area has seen in a long while. A piece of ham and bread were also included as well as coffee. All in all, from what I hear from the men, they feed better here than in most camps in the states. After breakfast we collected all the money in camp and took it in town to have it exchanged for gold seal. This is American money stamped with a seal that distinguishes it from regular. From my outfit alone I collected a thousand dollars. Cpt. Johnson drove us in town and boy did we have a time. I’m sorry now that I didn’t take my French more seriously as that is about all that’s used here outside of Arabic. Of course I got lost and had to ask directions and you should have been there. The one time you want an “M.P.” you couldn’t find one for hell or high water and the police don’t know a word of English. Me trying to speak french (sic) was bad enough but when they try English, it’s impossible. I found where I wanted to go and got the business cleaned up then came out to camp. Tonight we worked until after midnight hauling supplies from the base where they had been unloaded from the ship. Quite a bit of our equipment has arrived which is very unusual. I was tired as hell when we finished.

Good Night

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The Day That Was: May 22, 1943

•    The first U.S. jet fighter was tested. Lockheed Martin had picked Clarence Johnson, a Univ. of Michigan graduate (1932) to develop the nation’s first jet fighter. Having already designed the P-38 Lightning, Johnson and his staff developed a jet prototype, the Shooting Star, in 143 days. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML) •    Allies begin heavy bombing of Sicily and Sardinia, both possible landing sites for the invasion of Italy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943))		On this day in 1943, Lockheed Martin had picked Clarence Johnson, a Univ. of Michigan graduate (1932) to develop the nation’s first jet fighter. Its first test flight would be on Jan. 8, 1944.
•    The US Advanced Amphibious Training Base at Tunis, Tunisia is established. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •    The German submarine U-569 is sunk by aircraft (VC-9) from the escort carrier USS Bogue (CVE-9) in the north Atlantic.  (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

May 21, 1943 Diary Page

Even the ground felt good last night after that hike out. We have pyramidal tents with no floor and as bare of everything else. There is plenty of scrap lumber from crates, that we are getting and making floors and bunks. In fact that took up about 90% of the day for the men and I had them fix my tent up. Of course I had to attend a meeting of CO’s in town at nine o’clock at the shell building so I shaved out of my helmet and dressed in kaki’s (sic) and took off. Our transportation was furnished so I didn’t get lost. The meeting was short and of little importance outside of the fact that we met a rugged Colnel (sic) with full sides of a big mustache that made him look like a walrus. He blew off about relations with the natives and the French and our actions as far as military conduct & customs were concerned then turned us loose. I came on back to the camp to get organized. The natives here are really something to talk about. They are either in a big hurry or sitting around doing nothing. I have never seen people who walk as hard and fast in my life. They are as a whole the dirtiest people you can imagine. Their clothes consist of any piece and as many pieces of cloth they can put on and they look like black scavengers as their rags flap in the breeze as some native walks hurriedly by. I have yet to see one that isn’t skinny yet their strength is unbelievable if some of the load they carry is anything to judge it by. This goes particulary (sic) for the women and age doesn’t seem to make much difference. Their means of travel is either walking or by asses. These little beasts of burden are not much bigger than a nine month old colt if that, yet carry loads on a dump cart that I wouldn’t put on a horse of 15 hands and 1200 lbs. It’s almost unbelievable. I’ll get some pictures. Tonight I had a bed of sorts.

Good Night

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The Day That Was: May 21, 1943

•    The Luftwaffe carries out a raid by FW-190 fighter bombers against Malta. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/southern-europe/southern-europe-index-1943.htm) •    The Italian submarine Gorgo is sunk by the destroyer USS Nields (DD-616) off of Algeria. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)		On this day in 1943, the Luftwaffe carries out a raid by FW-190 fighter bombers against Malta.

1943 Diary Recaps

January 1943 Recap: We first met Lt. Reichard in January, stationed at McClellan Air Base in Sacramento, where he was in charge of a motor pool unit. Expecting to be sent overseas, their orders were changed and they became restless to see action. Lt. Reichard’s sweetheart, Ginnie, would write frequently, and he would go to dinner and movies with local girls – Dorothy, in Sacramento, and Marie, when the unit moved to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho. The men have spent their days in lectures, and physical demonstrations to try to keep sharp mentally and physically. But they are getting increasingly restless.

February 1943 Recap: The unit continues to be restless as they still haven’t any orders for overseas. The days are kept busy with lectures, physical demonstrations, and frequent hikes in the mountains above Boise. Lt. Reichard receives a promotion to Lieutenant First Class and continues to write to Ginnie back home, though her letters are becoming more infrequent. February 1943 comes to an end with the unit still feeling bored and discouraged.

March 1943 Recap: March brings uncertainties in weather and daily life to Gowen Field. Still no word about overseas orders, the outfit must now share quarters with another unit. There is now time to begin a photo album, collecting pictures from times with the outfit. Letters from Ginnie are becoming more infrequent but there is no shortage of dates with the local girls in Boise. March comes to an end with everyone in the outfit anxiously awaiting word of upcoming furloughs.

April 1943 Recap: Last minute furloughs come through, and Lt. Reichard returns home to Maryland for some time with his family on the farm. He and Ginnie have a chance to talk things over and hopefully save the relationship. Just before leaving Boise, the unit gets orders that a move will come at the end of April. April comes to an end with the men spending a week in Stockton, California getting ready to ship out. But where they are going remains a mystery.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project : On January 1, 2009, WorthPoint began a three year project following the life of a WWII soldier through the daily pages of his diary. To read about the inception of this project, or to add your own comments, click here.

Production Credits:
Diary transcription: Kathleen Long

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain Vista H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard