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Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 31, 1943

Alison Harder — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:00:32 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com Lt. Reichard began writing a diary on January 1, 1943. In February, he bought a camera and began taking some photos. For the next three years, he wrote almost every day. When I started reading his diary, I thought it should be shared and that perhaps WorthPoint’s community of collectors, people like me who are intrigued by the past, might find the diary as fascinating as I did. (To read Will Seippel’s entire introduction, click here)

January 31, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 31, 1943

Sunday, January 31, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I had the clock set for eight so I got up. I got over to the office about nine and made arrangements to pay the men off. We had to pay six of them on vouchers so I took them up to the Finance office and cleared that up the same time I picked up the payroll. We came on back to the office and I paid them off. Fifteen minutes later a craps game was going on in one end of the barracks and a blackjack in another. Before night one of the boys had cleaned up nearly $100.00 and that aint hay brother. I can’t see how those men can sit down and lose most of a months pay and than do the same thing next month. Maybe I’m not built right.

About three thirty I had Pvt. Dailey run me in to Marie’s house. Ray and Helen were there as we had all been invited to dinner. They had a fire going so we all sat around the fireplace and talked. Also went outside and took some pictures. We had dinner about six and it was delicious. We had a thick cut steak medium rare plus hot rolls. For dessert we had hot cinnamon rolls. Boy were they good. We sat around the fireplace after dinner until ten thirty talking then Marie ran us down town. I took a bus out to camp and turned in early.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 31, 1943
• To Adolf Hitler’s disgust, German Field Marshall Paulus and 15 other generals, trapped in Stalingrad, surrendered the southern group of his army. Two days later, General Schreck surrendered the northern group. The VI Army was no more. (http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/nazioccupation/opbarb.html)

• Vichy France created the Milice (Militia) under the command of Joseph Darnand, an extreme right-wing World War I veteran, to combat the Resistance. The Milice effectively became an arm of the German occupation forces and reached a strength of more than 20,000 by mid-1944. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/western-europe/western-europe-index-1943.htm)

• Finnish leadership was sure that Germany would lose the war and started to think how to make peace with Allies. (http://www.lysator.liu.se/nordic/mirror/sa-int/hist.html)

• The 8th Army took Zuara, near the Tunisian frontier. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 30, 1943

Alison Harder — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:00:44 +0000

January 30, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 30, 1943

Saturday, January 30, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning Ray and I gave the boys a real inspection. I had warned them so they should have been ready. They thought they were but had no idea we were going to be so rough. When we finished we had the names of 2/3′rd of the company down for something. We had a meeting afterwards and I told the men they were restricted. I think there were only two men allowed on pass. I think they will be more careful in the future. The meal of the morning was dull and the outlook for the afternoon was worse. I decided I was tired of being bored so Sgts. Eggleston, Sanders, W_________, and myself took the jeep up into the mountains. We took old dirt roads and ran them down to their ________ and I mean they were rugged. Even a sensible horse would have balked at some of the places we went. It was a warm day so the ground had thawed out to about ten inches so we had to drive most of he time in front wheel drive. We went along a couple bridges that looked bad and W________ was sitting with his feet hanging over the side ready to jump. We saw quite a few deer and picked up a lot of horns evidently shed. When we got back we told some of the boys that W________ had caught the deer and the horn had come off when he grabbed him. We even had them believing it. This evening I met Marie at her house. She sold her car (1941 Chev Coupe’) for $850.00. Whew! We used her fathers Olds which is pretty nice. I like the hydromatic drive. Got in about one.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 30, 1943

• With the German VI Army in its death throes at Stalingrad, Hitler did the seemingly unthinkable and allowed the 10th anniversary of the Nazi seizure of power to pass without speaking to the nation. It was the first unmistakable evidence of Hitler’s retreat from public appearances as the tide of the war turned. However, a rally held in Berlin was addressed by senior Nazi leaders including Göring and Goebbels. The rally was interrupted several times by six raiding Royal Air Force Mosquito fighter bombers of Squadrons 105 and 139. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/western-europe/western-europe-index-1943.htm)

• In a nighttime attack on Hamburg, aircraft of the RAF Pathfinder Force used the H2S bombing radar for the first time. (http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/rafhistorytimeline1943.cfm)

• The last Japanese cleared out of Guadalcanal by an evacuation plan undetected by the Americans. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943))

• U.S. land- and carrier-based naval aircraft engaged Japanese aircraft attacking Rear Adm. Robert Giffen’s cruiser and destroyer force. Japanese Val aircraft torpedoed the heavy cruiser USS Chicago (CA-29), which sunk, and the destroyer USS La Vallette, which was damaged. A naval station was established at Akutan Harbor, Fox Island in Alaska. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• Grand Adm. Karl Koenitz became chief of the German Navy. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• A U.S. B-17 crew attacked an unidentified submerged object in Alaskan waters and dropped four depth charges and one bomb. The unidentified object was a whale. (http://www.sfmuseum.net/war/43.html)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 29, 1943

Alison Harder — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:00:13 +0000

January 29, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 29, 1943

Friday, January 29, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I felt pretty good and a good breakfast set me fine. I had a job to do today I didn’t relish but could see no honest way out of. That is busting a man. Sgt. B________ nearly cost me $200.00 by his carelessness and laziness in his duties as supply sgt. last summer and early this fall. I sent him away to school early in Nov. and put a rookie with a lot of nerve in his place and we finally got the books in order and equipment up to date. It took plenty of work and a lot of broken army regulations but it was done even to the satisfaction of the Post Inspector. Well he came back from school last night and today we sent in a recommendation for his bust. I called him into the office and told him the set up and all details. He had no defense and agreed he had it coming. I’m glad that is over with. I don’t know if that will set him on his feet or not but I hope so because he could be a damn useful man if he got over the careless and lazy streak.

It has tried to snow all day and finally succeeded tonight. I like the feel of this weather. Today we did very little outside of the usual lectures and gym work. Monday I have a Jiu-Jitsu expert lined up to give the men instruction. It is something that will never hurt them to know. A lieutenant came over from headquarters today to check our equipment. I don’t get the point but I guess he knows what he’s doing. I’m going to send out a tracer on that shortage list if I don’t hear from it soon.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 29, 1943

• Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner took the post in Adolf Hitler’s inner circle vacated by the assassinated Reinhard Heydrich. Kaltenbrunner would oversee the death camps, Einsatzgruppen, SS and Gestapo. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces14.htm)

• The Nazis ordered all Gypsies arrested and sent to extermination camps. (http://team8-3.pbwiki.com/1943-timeline)

• In the Battle of Rennell Island, a cruiser and destroyer task force under Rear Adm. Robert Giffen, covering the movement of troop transports to Guadalcanal, was bombed by Japanese aircraft near Rennell Island. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• Advance units of the 8th Army crossed the Tunisian frontier from Libya. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 28, 1943

Alison Harder — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:00:24 +0000

January 28, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 28, 1943

Thursday, January 28, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Today I won’t forget for a while. I went up in a “B17″ a Flying Fortress as it is commonly called and got sick as a dog. It’s the first time I’ve ever been air sick and I hope the last. I don’t think I have ever been sicker in my life. We took off about one on a bombing mission up on the plateau to the east of camp. There is a railroad track up there and a water tower surrounded by a few houses. This we used as our objective. We went up and down that track about three or four hundred feet up for three solid hours traveling about 250 MPh. I was alright for the first hour and a half. In fact I was enjoying myself thoroughly looking the plane over from one end to the other. Then I got the brilliant idea of going up in the top gunner turret. There I played around for about half an hour training the guns on every thing in sight. It was a hell of a lot of fun and I wasn’t thinking about what the training manual said up there might be doing to my stomach until it was too late. I made a bee line for the rear mens and just made it. I was a sick individual for the next hour. The combination of low flying and the turret is probably what did it. The next time I go up I will make sure it’s a high flying mission. This evening you can bet I stayed home and nursed a sick stomach. I did manage to write some letters. I feel much better now and I did put some supper down.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 28, 1943

• The War Relocation Authority (WRA) began processing loyalty questionnaires. U.S. Army officially activated the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed of the 100th Battalion from Hawaii and Japanese-American volunteers from the mainland internment camps. Nearly 10,000 Hawaiian Nisei (second generation Japanese-Americans) volunteered for military service, but only 1,100 of the mainland prisoners volunteered.

• Nine Norwegian commandos successfully climbed down the steep gorge on one side of the German “heavy water” plant at Telemark and worked their way up a 500-foot, almost sheer rock face to reach the plant on the other side of the gorge. Undetected, they gained entrance and successfully set and detonated their explosives, ruining the plant. All the commandos escaped safely without taking or inflicting any casualties. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/scandinavia/scandinavia-index-1943.htm)

• A new conscription law in Germany was enacted. Men between 16 and 35 and women between 17 and 45 were open to mobilization. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943))

• Japan’s Prime Minister Tojo told parliament of his government’s intention to recognize the independence of Burma and the Philippines and to aid India in its liberation from British rule. (http://www.fsmitha.com/time1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 27, 1943

Alison Harder — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:00:17 +0000

January 27, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 27, 1943

Wednesday, January 27, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning was spent getting ready for this afternoon. We must have worked out a little too long on those dives yesterday because we were all pretty sore. We tried a new system today. Instead of diving over sticks we dove over men. You can judge where to take off much better that way. In the morning practice we were diving well over eight feet using five men on their backs and knees as hurdles. We worked out our schedule then took off for the rest of the morning. We went in town about three. We went on at three forty five and I gave an introductory speech trying to put across the importance of physical training then we went into our diving act. They have a swell gym with plenty of room. This diving act went over with a bang. We finally cleared ten feet. The ten foot try mostly stumped me. I got off on the wrong foot and didn’t realize it until I was ready to take off. I went all over the place taking the men I was to go over with me. The next time I made it. Then we had a interesting match between ________ and myself. We made it look rough. After that came the “free for all.” It was a pretty good show and made the papers. This evening I met our four new men at the station. I sent them out to camp then met Marie. We picked up Ray & Helen and saw a show then stopped into the Boise Club for a while. We left early. It was raining most of the evening.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 27, 1943

• For the first time, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) staged a heavy bomber attack on Germany. Fifty Boeing B17 Flying Fortresses of the 1st Bombardment Wing, 8th USAAF, attacked Emden and the large naval base at Wilhelmhaven, causing extensive damage. (http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/aviation%20timeline/1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 26, 1943

Alison Harder — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:00:07 +0000

January 26, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 26, 1943

Tuesday, January 26, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Well this morning I called the men together and I really worked them over. They have had it coming because they have let down in their military more than just a little. Our set up here has made it quite difficult to carry on as a military unit and the sooner we get to where we belong and get on our regular job the better I’m going to like it. When I finished Sgt. Enright took it up. One thing I’ve put a stop to is this business of everyone coming to me with their troubles. They are supposed to see the field Sgt. then if he sees fit they come to me. They are doing entirely too much complaining. There are a few gold bricks that want to mess the whole thing up. I’ve given orders that those men will be taken care of. I think they will be.

This afternoon we did some tumbling. The running dive type. We had it as process of elimination and the final dive was 7′ 6″. That is quite a dive in any man’s language. This morning they had more lectures. I called Engineers about the packing lumber they were supposed to get us. They don’t have it yet. This is a hell of a field to get anything done. I got a letter from Sacramento today from ________. She says she is going to get a job and work for a month or so. I wonder if all is right. This evening I went in town, saw a bum show and came out early.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 26, 1943

• The submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) sank an entire group of Japanese ships north of New Guinea—two freighters, one transport and one tanker. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• The Stalingrad pocket was split in two and Voronezh captured. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm)

• The 8th Army took Zaula in Libya, less than 100 miles from Tunisian frontier. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.htm)

• Japanese aircraft strafed Costantine Harbor on Amchitka Island in the Aleutians. (http://www.sfmuseum.net/war/43.html)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 25, 1943

Alison Harder — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:00:51 +0000

January 25, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 25, 1943

Monday, January 25, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Today we had the roughest rough and tumble I’ve ever seen and it lasted for one hour and thirty five minutes without a break. The men are really getting in condition so they can take it. The morning was spent in lectures and demonstrations which are a review of the things we have been going over for the last six months. It is about the only thing we can do here until we find out about our equipment. I think we will all be far happier when we get the news to go. This lying around doesn’t do anyone any good and the boys are getting restless. So am I for that matter. I went in town and at last found a good camera shop. I think I have a light meter lined up but it will be two weeks before I can get it. I hope I’m still here then.

It is much warmer today and it is still clear although it looks as though tomorrow will be cloudy. I wish it would stay cold.
Tonight I stayed in and wrote some letters. I went over to the office about eight and Enright, Sanders, Eggleston and myself had a long talk. Tomorrow I’m going to give the outfit a working over. They are getting lax in their Military.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 25, 1943

• The Red Army succeeded in splitting the remnants of the German VI Army into a northern and a southern pocket. German forces evacuated Armavir and Voronezh. Stalin’s order of the day said that the Red Army had routed 102 German divisions in the last two months. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm
stopped at Novorossiysk and Krasnodar. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 24, 1943

Alison Harder — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:00:12 +0000

January 24, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 24, 1943

Sunday, January 24, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I woke up a little earlier than is usual for me on Sundays. I rolled out of bed at nine and wrote some letters. This is one thing I’m sure behind on so it was time well spent. I went over to dinner at noon then came back and read for a couple hours. I listened to Andre’ Kostelanetz. That is a program I surely hope we can get on the other side.

About three I got dressed and had Daily drive me in to Marie’s. Her father came home about four and for two solid hours we sat and argued theory and politics, war and peace and just stopped barely short of religion. We both enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun because it is the first time Ive had a chance to talk like that in a year. He is a very interesting man. I also looked over their pictures of their camping trips made through Oregon, Idaho, and California. They have a beautiful collection. It was a pretty wonderful afternoon. Around seven we went over and picked up Ray & Helen and went to the Boise Club for a steak dinner. It was delicious. After dinner we danced, had a few drinks then left for home. It was a pretty nice day. Sunny and brisk and the ground covered with snow. It went down to four below last night.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 24, 1943

• Hitler ordered troops at Stalingrad to fight to the death. (http://www.fsmitha.com/time1943.htm)

• The Russians took Starobelskiy, near the Donets River in eastern Ukraine, more than 250 miles to the west of Stalingrad. The offensive by the Soviet Trans-Caucasian Front toward the Kuban bridgehead was stopped at Novorossiysk and Krasnodar. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm)

• A bombardment group of cruisers and destroyers under Rear Adm. Walden Ainsworth and a carrier group under Rear Adm. Bertram Ramsey bombarded and bombed the Vila-Stanmore area of Kolombangara in the Solomons. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm

Production Credits:

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain VIsta H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 23, 1943

Alison Harder — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:00:57 +0000

January 23, 1943 Diary page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 23, 1943

Saturday, January 23, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Five-Star Saturday.
I got promoted.

This is one happy day today. Why? You’d feel the same way if you had just been promoted from second to first lieutenant. I walked into the office this morning and there it was. A long white envelope from Washington, War Dept. spread over the upper left and my name in the other with “First” spelled out in front of it. I could hardly get it open and when I did it sure looked mighty good for such a little slip of paper. I went up and had my pay voucher changed and above all that new set of silver thread bars put on my blouse. Boy does that look good. It was effective Jan 15, 1943.

This afternoon I went down town and did some shopping and bought a box of cigars for the men. That is an iron clad rule in this outfit. All promotions from corporal up rate cigars to all who want them. Now it’s my turn to pay up.

This evening I met Marie and we went over to get Ray & Helens. They found a place to live at last. It’s in a wealthy woman’s home in the best end of town. This woman has fixed up her basement and rest of the house into small apartments and rooms. It’s right _____ and Ray & Helen love it. They get meals & room for $90.00 a month and the meals are wonderful. Those two are just like a couple of kids just fallen in love.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 23, 1943

• The Casablanca Conference ended. Roosevelt, Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff agreed on the invasion of Sicily and a cross-channel amphibious assault on Western Europe. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• The Japanese destroyer Hakaze was sunk by the submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217). (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• The 8th Army under Montgomery triumphantly entered Tripoli, the capital of the Italian colony of Libya. The vice governor of Libya and prefect of Tripolitania offered a formal surrender. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.htm)

• The United States seized control of Kokumbona and Mount Austen, Japan’s last two strongholds on Guadalcanal. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces14.htm)

• The last German airfield in the Stalingrad pocket fell. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm)

• The U. S. Coast Guard cutter Natsek was overdue in the North Atlantic for several weeks and presumed lost. The next of kin of Natsek personnel were notified. The Natsek was built by the Snow Shipbuilding Corp., Rockland, Maine, in 1941 and was placed in commission in June 1942. The cutter, which bore the Eskimo name for fjord seal, was 116.9 feet in length with a beam of 23.16 feet and a draft of 11.8 feet. Her gross tonnage was 225 tons, and her net tonnage was 134. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-01.html

Production Credits:

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain VIsta H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 22, 1943

Alison Harder — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:00:53 +0000

January 22, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 22, 1943

Friday, January 22, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Today was a fairly busy one for the men. I have worked out a schedule by which they will have lectures in the morning and physical education in the afternoons. I am making the non-coms do the lecturing and I supervise. This puts some responsibility on their shoulders and also makes them realize that they don’t have those stripes just for ornaments. This afternoon we put on a rough and tumble show for the public relations officer here at Gowen. They took pictures for half an hour in a lot of poses. One was of myself running across the chests of the men as they lay on their backs. The visitors seemed very favorably impressed. The pictures will appear in the papers next week. This outfit manages to make the papers at each stop. The last time it was with Sgt. _____ the duck. Well it’s a lot of fun anyway.

This evening I decided to stay home. Today was a little rough and I’m plenty tired. Also I need to get off some letters. This letter writing business is getting more difficult all the time. I used to enjoy writing long letters but now I hate it. Well it must be done. By the way it is still thawing and the ground is a sea of mud.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 22, 1943

• The War Shipping Administration announced that the men who sailed the ships of the American merchant marine would be supplied with free cigarettes for use during long voyages. Through an arrangement with a leading cigarette manufacturer, seamen aboard all vessels of the Victory Fleet would get cigarettes. (http://www.usmm.org/wsa/cigarette.html)

• Adolf Hitler refused to consider the surrender of his forces at Stalingrad despite a desperate message from Gen. Friedrich Paulus reporting dire conditions on the ground. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces14.htm)

Production Credits:

Diary photos: Claudia Forbes

Video production: Alison Harder

Narration: Mountain VIsta H.S. Theater Department

Jeremy Goldson, Department Chair; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 15, 1943

Alison Harder — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:00:34 +0000

January 15, 1943 Diary Page

Newspaper Clipping inserted in Diary on January 15, 1943

Transcript of diary entry January 15, 1943

Friday, January 15, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Tonight at midnight just after I came in a flash five miles to the south told of the death of nine kids just out of school with the polish still gleaming from the bars on their shoulders. They never got to see a Jap. A B17 heavy bomber just didn’t get back from a collision. One did. I guess you have to learn to accept those things but its pretty rough on parents.
I don’t know what held my mail up, getting to Virginia, but she didn’t get the news about me going across until Jan 5. I sent a Air Mail special on the 20th of Dec and two air mails following and they all got there the same time. She sent an airmail special on the fifth and I got it yesterday. When she writes a letter like that one it sure makes me want to go east. She is a pretty wonderful little creature. I also got a letter from Dottie. My conscience hurts me a little there because I shouldn’t have let that get so serious but we had so much fun together. I could see breaking it off completely and that is how it would have to be done. Today I called Sacramento and got no help. I’ll have to wait for Capt. Johnson to get here. Our stuff seems to be scattered all over the U.S.

Today I took up boxing. The have an ex-pro who instructs boxing here. This is a rough old codger and took a great deal of delight in knocking my head loose from my shoulders. I can hold my own in wrestling but boxing has always been my weak spot. I’ll learn some time. I went in town to a show tonight. It was only fair. I came out about midnight.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 15, 1943

• Acting on assurances from Hermann Göring that it could be done, Adolf Hitler called for the daily delivery of 300 tons of supplies to the trapped VI Army in Stalingrad. While 300 tons would meet the needs of the men on the ground, it was far beyond what the Luftwaffe could accomplish. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces13.htm)

• The British started an offensive aimed at taking Tripoli, Libya. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943))

• U.S. Navy and Marine aircraft from Henderson Field attacked nine Japanese destroyers off Guadalcanal, damaging two. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• Work was completed on the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington, Va.
(http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1943/january_15_1943_102029.html)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 12, 1943

Alison Harder — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:00:11 +0000

January 12, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 12, 1943

Tuesday, January 12, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Yesterday was a busy one. Of course there were the first four hours from 6 to ten that I enjoy unintentionaly but nevertheless enjoyed. I slept. When I went to bed last night I forgot to set the alarm and this weather up here is wonderful for sleeping so I over slept. That was bad though because I had so much to do. Well any way I got up and went over to the barracks which are just one block over from mine, which is handy. We are trying to get office equipment and is that a job here. At McClellan all you had to do was write out a requisition and you had all the desks and so forth you needed. Here they just don’t have them. This field is supposed to be one of the best organized in the west. If rules made organization then it would be true. However that isn’t the case and evidence to the contrary is everywhere. I have never been anywhere where the trucks were in a worse condition. In the afternoon I took Sgt. W______ and three other men down town to pick up the four trucks that were to be assigned to us. After checking them over we brought them out. The 6×6 G.M.C. had no outer _____ but I’ll try to get them this P.M. The rest of the afternoon was spent signing for buildings and making out reports. This evening I got dressed and went in town. I don’t think much of it but might change my mind before I leave. Not much to it ___ _____ About the size of Stanton, Va. from my first glance. I came out about twelve.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 12, 1943

• The Red Army began an offensive to restore land communications with the encircled city of Leningrad. In the east, German Heeeresgruppe A continued its withdrawal from the Caucasus to the Taman Peninsula, i.e. the Kuban bridgehead. (http://www.feldgrau.com/Jan..html)

• The Japanese 18th Army’s commander, General Adachi, ordered the evacuation of Sanananda in New Guinea. About 2,000 troops escaped by sea or on foot by the end of the battle. The Allies had nearly given up hope of winning this battle when it became clear that most of the Japanese had left. (http://www.kokodahistorical.com/index.php/Battle-of-the-Beachheads.html) • U.S. forces occupied Amchitka in the Aleutians. The destroyer USS Worden (DD-352) was grounded and sunk at Amchitka, and PT-28 was grounded and sunk in Dora Harbor, Alaska. Japanese patrol boat No.1 was sunk by the submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217) near New Ireland. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) • In the U.S., frankfurters were replaced by Victory Sausages, a mix of meat and soy meal. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 11, 1943

Alison Harder — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:00:39 +0000

January 11, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 11, 1943

Monday, January 11, 1943 Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I slept until nine. The girls were already up so I got dressed and cleaned up then we went to breakfast. One nice thing about a diner is that it has such large windows. We took our time at breakfast watching the country pass by. This country is so like Wyoming that I almost feel like I’m back in O.C.S. The hills are peculiar in that they look like some Paul Bunyan cut their tops off with a huge knife leaving a flat plateau on top. There are no trees except in the towns and along a few creek bottoms. It is a dead looking country to say the least. It’s cold and a little bit of snow covers the ground in some places. The mountains are covered by a blanket of snow.

We pulled into Boise about noon and Sgt. Enright was waiting for me with the officers I’m relieving. We came out to the Field which is quite small and very new. I checked in then started looking over the set up. It’s swell where enlisted men are concerned but a little rough on the officers. I can wear a Sam Browne, a leather jacket, or any of my G.I. clothes. That is bad. I can’t drive any Govt. vehicle either so I might as well be lost because I love to drive. They take all my rental allowance and shove me in the barracks. They charge me $1.25 a day for meals whether I eat or not yet only pay me $23 once a month for rations. We have some old Colonel that can’t see beyond an army regulation so it looks like I’m obviously not going to like this post. I wrote Ginnie & mother tonight.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 11, 1943

• Motor torpedo boats attacked Japanese destroyers off Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal, damaging two of the destroyers. U.S. losses were PT-112 (sunk) and PT-43 (damaged, beached and abandoned). (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• President Roosevelt submitted his budget to the U.S. Congress. Of the $109 billion budget, $100 billion was identified with the war effort. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/the-americas/the-americas-index-1943.htm)

• The Chinese Nationalists formed an official alliance with the United States and Britain. This came two days after their Japanese-puppet counterparts in Nanking declared war on the Allies. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces12.htm)

• Antifascist and socialist Italian journalist Carlo Tresca, editor of Il Martelo, was shot to death in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue in New York City. His death was mysterious at the time, but it now appears clear he was murdered by organized-crime elements seeking to curry favor with the Mussolini regime. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/the-americas/the-americas-index-1943.htm)

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 10, 1943

Alison Harder — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:00:58 +0000

January 10, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 10, 1943

Sunday, January 10, 1943 On Route to Boise, Idaho

This morning I woke up about eight thirty. I went up to the dinner for breakfast. It was a very good one too. I had sausages, two eggs and four slices of toast with two cups of coffee. It was a much better meal then was dinner and lunch. After breakfast I came on back to the car and tried to read. To me that is practically impossible on a train. It just gives me a headache. I watched the boys play blackjack and Sgt. Enright cleaned up about a $100.00. Even that got boring as I was getting pretty restless. Dinner or lunch if you will call it that was fair. After lunch I lay down and slept until five. I can’t figure out why. We pulled into Ogden about six thirty and had a two hour lay over. There were no berths left for me on the troop train so I had to take a tourist ____ 13 on the regular train which left about an hour after the troop train. I met some swell girls going to Seattle and Portland and we sat on my bed untill nearly twelve talking about any thing and every thing. One girl was from Alaska and her husband just left for overseas. Another had a husband in the ski troops in Colorado and was going back to get her car. We turned in about midnight. “Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 10, 1943

• President Franklin D. Roosevelt flew to Morocco for a top-secret meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He had not flown since 1932 when he traveled from Albany, N.Y., to Chicago to accept his nomination at the Democratic National Convention. No U.S. president had previously flown while in office because the Secret Service regarded flying as a dangerous mode of transport. Air travel was the only realistic option for the trip to Casablanca because German submarines lurking in the Atlantic made a surface crossing too risky. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)

• A Soviet force of nearly 300,000 men closed in on the surrounded Nazi German VI Army at Stalingrad following the refusal of Nazi German Col.-Gen. Friedrich von Paulus to negotiate a surrender. After a 55-minute bombardment by thousands of guns and rocket launchers, and employing seven armies, the Red Army began Operation Ring, the final annihilation of the tattered remnants of VI Army defending themselves desperately in the ruins of Stalingrad. (http://www.feldgrau.com/Jan..html)

• The submarine USS Argonaut (APS-1) was sunk during an attack on a convoy southeast of New Britain. The Japanese destroyer Okikaze was sunk by the submarine USS Trigger (SS-237) off Honshu, Japan.
(http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm

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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 9, 1943

Alison Harder — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:00:50 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

Lt. Reichard began writing a diary on January 1, 1943. In February, he bought a camera and began taking some photos. For the next three years, he wrote almost every day. When I started reading his diary, I thought it should be shared and that perhaps WorthPoint’s community of collectors, people like me who are intrigued by the past, might find the diary as fascinating as I did.

January 9, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 9, 1943

Saturday, January 9, 1943 Left McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

Well this morning while I was signing character endorsements on Service Records an announcement came over the radio talking about army air force pets. They said one of the strangest was Sgt. ______ the Duck. His picture appears on all the trucks of the 1710th Ord. Company so it looks like ______ has gotten up in the world and is becoming quite famous. This morning has been about getting off the final reports and cleaning up a few details. The inspectors came over but could do nothing because Ray has to get me cleared after the new outfit pulls in. We pull out at eleven tonight so we are going to have to do some stepping.

Today has brought forth some difficulties we weren’t expecting. The 23rd is out on a maneuver today so we can’t get any action there. Ray has to clear that up too. Sgt. Frazier is now finishing up the final shipping tickets for the new officers. The men are all packed and waiting. We had everything pretty well cleaned up by three oclock so I had the men take their bags outside and mop up the huts. Ray made the arrangements for trucks to take us into town. About five I went back to my barracks and did my final packing and got dressed then went up to the club for dinner. We went in town about nine and got our tickets then climbed aboard. I tried to get in touch with Dorothy but couldn’t. I’m going to miss her. We pulled out at eleven but I was asleep so didn’t know about it.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 9, 1943

• In Britain, clothes-rationing coupons were cut back again in the beginning of 1943. At the outset of the war, everyone was given a book of 66 coupons to buy new clothes for one year. This was cut to 48 in 1942 and 36 in 1943. Each item of clothing cost a certain number of coupons. Coupons were not required for secondhand clothing. A man wanting a raincoat would have to use 16 coupons, a woman 15 and a child 11. It would take eight coupons for a man or a woman to get trousers, six for a child. A man needed seven coupons for boots or shoes, a woman five and a child three. (http://www.historyonthenet.com/WW2/home_front.htm)

• The Soviet ultimatum to the German IV Army at Stalingrad was ignored by order of Col.-Gen. Friedrich von Paulus, and the battle continued with unabated ferocity. (http://www.feldgrau.com/Jan..html)

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 8, 1943

Alison Harder — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:00:52 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

January 8, 1943 Diary entry (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 8, 1943

Friday, January 8, 1943 McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

Well today was a busy one if there ever was such a day. We ran around like a bunch. Thank God for the fact that we were nearly ready anyway because of our last orders. The service records are all up to date except for a few minor last minute enterances and the reports concerning this transfer were worked on by Sgt. Enright until three in the morning. The morning was spent running between here and the main post doing a million odd jobs that must be cleaned up before moving an outfit from a Post. The afternoon was spent mostly down town. We took some of our overages down to the Ordnance storage house and got receipts for same. Then I took the propeller that I picked up last summer and shipped it freight. That cost me $6.50. After that I dropped Ray off at the hotel and came on out. After signing a few papers I got dressed and went in town.

I met Dorothy at the Senator and we went to Bedells for dinner. After dinner we went to a show then she drove me out to the Field. Saying good bye was a little rough but it had to be done. I hate to say good bye but it’s the best thing. It was getting a little too serious to suit me. We have had a lot of fun together and seen a lot of this country and I won’t forget. I hope I don’t have to pay too dearly for the good times I’ve had since I came into this army.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 8, 1943

• Soviet planes dropped leaflets from General Rokossovsky, commander-in-chief of the Don Front, issuing a surrender ultimatum to the German troops of VI Army surrounded in Stalingrad. The ultimatum guaranteed “their lives and safety, and after the end of the war return to Germany” and promising that “. . . medical aid will be given to all wounded, sick and frost-bitten . . .” (http://www.feldgrau.com/Jan..html)

• The British handed Madagascar over to the Free French. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 7, 1943

Alison Harder — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:00:16 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

Tom Brokaw called them The Greatest Generation—and they were. They lived through the greatest changes a generation has ever seen, from horse-and-buggy days to men on the moon. As children, they struggled through the Great Depression. In their teens and 20s, more than 16 million of them marched off to war in Europe and the Pacific to save the world from fascism.
Some 400,000 were killed in action. Today, World War II veterans are in their ’80s and ’90s.

Nearly a 1,000 a day are dying, and they are taking their memories with them. Most of them never really talked much about the war. Having grown up in a military family, and having never really understood what my dad did in WWII or Vietnam, I have always been intrigued reading other soldiers’ stories. Thus, when I learned of a group of WWII papers available at a local estate sale, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase them.

Finding my way to the sale was an arduous task in Atlanta’s northern suburbs. Twisted roads and limited signage, and I was running several hours late. I did manage to get to the sale and was amazed that most of the items I was interested in were still there and priced quite reasonably.
It was a sale that you shake your head at and question the pricing logic as many of the better WWII items were priced fairly and some of the Korean- and Vietnam-era items were priced way too high, as the sellers assumed all of the late officer’s items dated to WWII. In such a sale, there is no chance to keep the collection together unless you overpay.

I also found it fascinating that a Lt. Reichard, to whom the items had belonged, rose to the rank of captain in the war and later became a flourishing artist in Atlanta. He obviously was interested in photography, as I found his photographic work throughout the house.

Coincidentally, at the time I bought his diaries, I discovered what looked like some of his photos of the 1944 Mt. Vesuvius eruption, which ended up unattributed in a National Geographic article. I attribute the connecting of the dots on this to fate as I never read the magazine. (I never even knew I had a subscription.) Something made me pick up and look at a copy my older son had left on our kitchen counter. It opened right to the page where they showed a picture of a WWII army bomber trying to fly around the ash cloud that was eerily similar to one in Reichard’s dairy. I went on to read his diary entry for that day in which he writes vividly about the experience.

Other questions that I have may never be answered, as this was an estate sale, with the former owner of the goods being deceased. Although Reichard left us a detailed record of these years, many questions screamed at me, including:

• How did he end up going from being a Dartmouth grad to the lieutenant of a motor pool?
• Why wasn’t his family interested in the items, and who are the remaining relatives?
• Another soldier’s gripping postwar diaries were with his. These discussed the return to civilian life and praying to God that he is not wiped out by floods or crop disease as a farmer with consistent bad luck. How were these men related?

Lt. Reichard began writing in his diary on January 1, 1943. In February, he bought a camera and began taking some photos. For the next three years, he wrote almost every day. When I started reading his diary, I thought it should be shared and that perhaps WorthPoint’s community of collectors, people like me who are intrigued by the past, might find the diary as fascinating as I did.

So we decided to have the diary transcribed. Kathleen Long, a producer from Los Angeles, is transcribing the diary. Our Peabody award-winning editor, Alison Harder, is working with teacher Jeremy Goldson and the students in Mountain Vista High School’s Theatre Department in Colorado to record the first few weeks of the diary. She is also editing the readings and the transcribed entries to create short videos for each day.

On January 1, we’ll begin posting Lt. Reichard’s diary, one day at a time. In February, if there is still interest in the diary, we’ll begin adding his photos. Our newsletter editor, Greg Watkins, will soon begin posting a few lines each day about what was happening in the world in 1943. We’d like to find a high-school history class or a group of veterans that would be interested in taking on that aspect of this project. If you are interested, contact Mary Brenneman at news [at] worthpoint [dot] com, and put Lt. Reichard in the subject line.

If you are a veteran, a member of the Greatest Generation, or just interested in history, drop us a note, and let us know what you think of Lt. Reichard’s diary and our project. We are fairly sure we’re not the only ones interested in what one soldier was thinking 65 years ago when the entire world seemed in turmoil, and our young men and women marched off to war to save the world for future generations.

This project is our way of acknowledging our debt, appreciating our freedom and saying thank you to the men and women who fought on the battlefield and also to those who stayed home and helped save the world by supporting the war effort.

Will Seippel

January 7, 1943 Diary page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 7, 1943

Thursday, January 7, 1943 McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

How these days manage to get by so fast is more than I can see. It seems as though the ink hasn’t time to dry on one entry of this diary before I start to put in another. Some times it scares me a little. Today was normal. The men received instruction on rifle slings and training down of various small arms they are liable to use in the course of the next few years. I gave a lecture for about an hour on infantry tactics then we ate dinner. After dinner we put on our packs and marched down to Del Paso Park for some practical demonstrations of what we had discussed in the morning. It was very interesting and we got a lot out of it besides a good work out physically. It was rough.

This evening I went to a show up on the main Post. When I came back I was told to get in touch with the Adjutant. He informed me that the whole 1710th was pulling out for Boise Idaho. Brrrrrr! I’m shivering now just thinking about how cold it is in that country. I don’t understand the move but then there are a lot of things I don’t understand any more so I just don’t bother. We should pull out within two days. One thing that makes me sore is that we are not taking our equipment after all the _______ we have done these last six months. We are not even the 1710th any more. That makes me mad too because we are proud of that number. Well we just got to move and that is all there is to it. I guess I’ll turn in after a letter to Ginnie.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 7, 1943

• President Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered the State of the Union address to members of the seventy-eighth Congress:

“Any review of the year 1942 must emphasize the magnitude and the diversity of the military activities in which this nation has become engaged. As I speak to you, approximately one-and-a-half million of our soldiers, sailors, marines and fliers are in service outside of our continental limits, all through the world. Our merchant seamen, in addition, are carrying supplies to them and to our allies over every sea lane.

“Few Americans realize the amazing growth of our air strength, though I am sure our enemy does. Day in and day out, our forces are bombing the enemy and meeting him in combat on many different fronts in every part of the world. And for those who question the quality of our aircraft and the ability of our fliers, I point to the fact that, in Africa, we are shooting down two enemy planes to every one we lose, and in the Pacific and the Southwest Pacific, we are shooting them down four to one . . .”

“We Americans intend to do this great job together. In our common labors, we must build and fortify the very foundation of national unity—confidence in one another . . .”

“I have reason to know that our boys at the front are concerned with two broad aims beyond the winning of the war; and their thinking and their opinion coincide with what most Americans here back home are mulling over. They know, and we know, that it would be inconceivable—it would, indeed, be sacrilegious—if this nation and the world did not attain some real, lasting good out of all these efforts and sufferings and bloodshed and death.

“The men in our armed forces want a lasting peace, and, equally, they want permanent employment for themselves, their families and their neighbors when they are mustered out at the end of the war . . .”

“Let us remember, too, that economic safety for the America of the future is threatened unless a greater economic stability comes to the rest of the world. We cannot make America an island in either a military or an economic sense. Hitlerism, like any other form of crime or disease, can grow from the evil seeds of economic as well as military feudalism.

“Victory in this war is the first and greatest goal before us. Victory in the peace is the next. That means striving toward the enlargement of the security of man here and throughout the world—and, finally, striving for the fourth freedom—freedom from fear . . .”

“A tremendous, costly, long-enduring task in peace as well as in war is still ahead of us.

“But, as we face that continuing task, we may know that the state of this nation is good—the heart of this nation is sound—the spirit of this nation is strong—the faith of this nation is eternal.” (http://www.infoplease.com/t/hist/state-of-the-union/154.html)

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 6, 1943

Alison Harder — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:00:36 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

Will Seippel

January 6, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 6, 1943

Wednesday, January 6, 1943 McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

This morning it is cold as the devil. Right now we are up in the air. A few minutes ago the inspectors came in and said they wanted to look over our offices. I asked why so early in the month. They said new orders had just come out saying we were going after all. I immediately called Post Adjutant and he said he had heard nothing to that effect so now we are holding our breath until we find out. Well we found out a few minutes later. The dumb inspector misinterpreted the letter he had received. He got us all worked up because he couldn’t read.

The rest of the morning I spent trying to get a training schedule. I hate these damned things and the training officer of the 23rd has a screw loose when it comes to schedules. After dinner I got into a pair of fatigues and put on my field equipment. I took the outfit down to Del Paso Park and we assimilated infantry maneuvers. The boys really take it in earnest because they came so near going over it has made them think. We worked out for nearly three hours. Most of that time we noticed an officer on horseback watching us. We didn’t know who he was but we used him as an enemy and tried to keep out of his sight all the time. Evidently we did a good job of it because he call for me and asked me to gather the men together. He was a full Colonel so I did. He told me we were a damned good outfit and had done a fine job of keeping concealed. It turned out he was the Inspector General for IV A.S.A.C. Whew! He was a swell guy. I stayed in tonight.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 6, 1943

• Flying Fortresses (Boeing B-17), with Lightning (Lockheed P-38) and Warhawk (Curtiss P-40) escorts, attacked a Japanese transport in the Shortland Island area in the Solomons. A possible hit on the stern of the ship was reported. U.S. aircraft bombed the airfield at Kahili near Buin on Bougainville Island. Haze prevented observation of results. U.S. aircraft bombed the airfield at Munda on New Georgia Island. Results were not reported. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-01.html)

• The light cruiser USS San Juan (CL-54) was damaged by a dive bomber in the Solomons. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• The German submarine, U-14, was sunk by land-based naval aircraft (VP-83) off Brazil. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• In Romania, Prime Minister Ion Antonescu’s forces detained and executed scores of disbanded Fascists after another attempt by the nationalist Iron Guard party to wrest away control of Antonescu’s Romanian government.

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 5, 1943

Alison Harder — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 06:00:39 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

Will Seippel

Transcript of diary entry January 5, 1943

January 5, 1943 Diary page (click to enlarge)

Tuesday, January 5, 1943 McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

Today we just took it easy. I spent most of my time in the supply room. We have a lot of dirty work that must be covered up in time for the check up by the Post Inspector. We would have gotten away with murder if we had gone over and a more completely equipped outfit couldn’t have been found. Covering up this dirt is not an easy job but I think we are safe now. We got a couple good non-coms in that supply room for which I’m pretty thankful. I told Sgt. Sanders to drill the men a couple hours then let them have the rest of the morning off. We are pretty much up a stump where training is concerned. All our equipment is packed and ready for over seas. We will just play games and build up physically for the time being. You can’t tell me that an outfit in our condition will be kept on this side. Its pure waste. This afternoon we got a couple of footballs and divided the company into two teams and had a ______ game of tackle. With out padding its pretty rough. Lt. Deitz got messed up a little. We played until four then took off for supper. I still don’t eat an evening meal so I came over to the barracks and cleaned my equipment then got dressed for retreat. We had an officers meeting discussing the familiarity between pvts and non-coms. From now on a man is called by rank instead of name. Tonight I had a date with Dorothy and told her the news about not going. We left early because she wasn’t feeling well.

“Good Night”

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 5, 1943

• After forcing the Japanese to quit Guadalcanal, the U.S. Navy attacked Japan’s new Solomon Islands base at Munda, New Georgia. During the darkness of the early morning, a U.S. task force of surface ships successfully bombarded the Japanese airfield at Munda. As the task force retired, it was attacked by Japanese dive bombers. Four Wildcats (Grumman F4F) intercepted and shot down at least four of the enemy dive bombers and probably destroyed two more. All Wildcats returned safely after the remaining enemy planes had withdrawn. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-01.html)

• U.S. Flying Fortresses (Boeing B-17), escorted by Lightning fighters (Lockheed P-38), attacked a Japanese heavy cruiser at Buin on the island of Bougainville. Results were not observed. Our fighters were attacked by 25 Zeros and float-type biplanes. Three enemy planes were shot down, and two others were listed as “probably destroyed.” Two U.S. fighters were lost. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-01.html)

• United States Army Air Force (USAAF) North West African Air Forces were activated under the command of Maj. Gen. Carl Spaatz. (http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/aviation%20timeline/1943.htm)

• In an effort to put a stop to the Axis practice of seizing property and goods from occupied nations, 18 Allied nations agreed that property transfers and similar business conducted under Nazi German or Italian occupation could be declared null and void at the discretion of the occupied government. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces12.htm)

• George Washington Carver, educator and scientist, died at age 81 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Born the son of a slave woman in the early 1860s, Carver went to college in Iowa and then headed to Alabama in 1896. There, at the Tuskegee Institute, Carver served as an agricultural chemist, experimenter, teacher and administrator, working to improve life for African Americans in the rural South by teaching them better agricultural skills. One of the farming methods Carver devised, using peanut and soybean crops to enrich soil depleted by cotton crops, revolutionized Southern farming. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)

Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – January 4, 1943

Alison Harder — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:00:54 +0000

Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com

Will Seippel

January 4, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry January 4, 1943

Sunday, January 4, 1943 McClellan Field, Sacramento, CA

Well this morning I got up bright and early. It was cold but clear. Two days with out rain is really too much to expect. Things were pretty quiet over at the office when I came over. We are all packed except for a few details to be taken care of the last minute. The boys clothes needed cleaning pretty badly so I had them collected and took them down town to see if we could get some two day service on them. I talked the cleaner into a promise to have them by Wednesday. That ought to be safe.

On the way out I stopped in to see 4th Asac. Hqs. They had a phone call coming in from Patterson Field that took all the wind out of my sails. Our orders were canceled. We were not going. After all that packing and planning. I felt pretty sick because I really wanted to go. I argued for an hour and a half but got nowhere. No reasons. They didn’t know anything themselves. I came on out and told the men. A more disappointed lot you never saw. We have been training for six months for this job and now we can’t go. It will take months to put the men back on such a keyed up mental plane again. Out of [ink blotch] men only two weren’t itching to go and the moral could not have been higher. Now weve had our props knocked out from under us. I wrote to mother and Virginia. I’m going to ask for a leave as soon as I figure I can get a decent one. I feel all let down & rung out. It’s a sin to key a man up that way then let him down. It’s a waste of time and energy.

“Good Night”

Letter from Ginnie to Lt. Reichard on University of Maryland Stationery

Ginnie's Letter January 4, 1943 page 1

Ginnie's Letter January 4, 1943 pages 2-3

Ginnie's Letter January 4, 1943 page 4

Monday Jan. 4, 1943

Darling:

Just received your three air mails today and am heartsick. Everytime the phone rings I get ill with fear. For once in our lives we literally pray that they won’t buzz our room (one for all & all for one in 405) As God is my judge I swear I won’t let you down. I’ll keep the letters rolling in. If by any chance you don’t get any for long periods of time just remember I am writing regularly. Just always remember that, and trust in me.

Don’t be lonely while you’re away – that is if you have time to be! I’ll be thinking of you as near to every minute as one can. I can’t be lonely now because you’re in my heart crowding everything else out. I can’t even call a dream my own
anymore. And that’s the way I want it to be, for always.

When I read your letter a million old memories flooded my mind. I’ll never forget the expression on your face when you squeezed the kiss meter and I registered “amaturish.” All the soldiers laughed and I did too ’cause I knew different! Our last hour together you slept with your head in my lap. And remember the time I sewed name tapes on your socks (or should I say sock!) and got blood all over them from where I cut my finger. You were horribly disgusted with me, but not half as mad as when I watched you shave.
P.S. That mustache shall always be a subject of anxiety to me, as well as a sore spot.
But the things I’ll never forget as long as I live are the feeling of your arms around me, the promise in your eyes when we talked about the future, and other things I can’t put down on paper. If only I could just be with you for five minutes or hear your voice again. Just one thing more to hang on to. Why aren’t people ever satisfied?
We’ve had more than our share of good luck. I’m going to worry like the devil until I hear you’ve landed safely. When
you once reach your destination I know everything will be O.K. You’re strong and you’re smart – and you’re lucky!
Besides, God won’t let anything happen to you. He practically promised me that!
Sweetheart, nothing is connected in this letter but you’ve always done a good job of figuring me out, so maybe by sticking the pieces together you can see how utterly and completely I love you. Darling, love me all the time & never
stop loving me. I don’t think I could get along without you. We’re so wonderful!!
All my love, Ginnie

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 4, 1943

• TIME magazine names Joseph Stalin Man of the Year. (http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19430104,00.html)

• Seven Soviet armies launch “Operation Ring” against the Germans at Stalingrad. Adolf Hitler had grossly underestimated the Soviet Union’s ability to defend itself. The German army still has a lot of power, but all that Hitler can hope for is the spending of a vast amount of money and men in continuing to occupy the Soviet Union. Finland’s government already sees Germany as losing the war and is interested in getting out as soon as it can. (http://www.fsmitha.com/time1943.htm)

• As Japanese troops began a planned withdrawal from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, U.S. units attacked and gained high-ground positions in the vicinity of Mount Austen, capturing an enemy field piece. Six enemy counterattacks were repulsed with 150 Japanese killed. Patrols in other sectors killed 20 additional Japanese and captured howitzer mortars and light machine guns. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-01.html)