Lt. Lawson Reichard’s WWII Diary – April 8, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (04/08/09).
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.
Thursday, April 8, 1943
April 8, 1943 Diary Page
Home - Maryland
It’s good to be home. Ginnie called this morning and was all apologetic for over sleeping. Lord! I hope and pray it all works out right for us. I love her too much to lose her. Please God bring her around to me when I come back. I ask very little for myself, but I do ask that.
I went over and saw Grandmother and Grandad this morning and it was good to see them. They don’t look a bit older for the two and half years I’ve been away. Things have changed very little at home for so much happening everywhere else. Of course they all think everything has changed but I noticed so little. Of course I was put to work and will probably work the rest of my visit but that is a pleasure I’ve been looking forward to. I’ve got to make friends all over again with “Butch” as he doesn’t remember me. He certainly is a swell dog and I wouldn’t trade him for any I’ve yet run across. “Sandy” is a cute little number but she will be a problem to make friends with. Of course the kitchen is full of cats just born which just made me feel at home. A new addition to the home hotel is a pig about as big as your hand. They are feeding it with a bottle as he is a runt and not big enough to put with the rest. They named him “Herman” and a livelier devil is not found. “George” the colored boy is also new to me. He seems to be a good hand.
TA soldier waved a Soviet flag after taking Kerch.
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.
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
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