Lt. Lawson Reichard’s WWII Diary – April 5, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (04/05/09).
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.
Monday, April 5, 1943
April 5, 1943 Diary Page
Furlough – En Route to Maryland
We were called at 1:45 . We got dressed went down and got a cab to the station. Sure they have cabs there. Two of them I think. The train was on time which makes me believe in miracles and we pulled out for Chicago. You should have seen the train. It took me back to some of the old western movies I have seen. The lights were gas lit and the seats were hard as boards. It sounded like a freight car and smelled like a cattle job. There was plenty of room so we stretched out and tried to sleep. We had a stop off in some town down the line about seven so we got off and had breakfast then took on quite a few passengers including and very attractive girl headed for Akron. That made the trip a little more interesting. At noon we picked up the C & N.W. 400 line which is a streamliner so the rest of the trip into Chicago was fast. We pulled in around eight and just had time to catch the B&O out for Washington D.C. Bill was taking the P.R.R. to Philly so we separated. I had the girl. Sure it was fun if you can have any fun in a chair car loaded down to capacity plus. This train situation is really a pain and I’m damn glad that I don’t have to do a great deal of traveling on them these days. It is the first time I’ve ever traveled “coach” and I hereby solemnly swear I will never travel that way again if I can help it. This is a fast train and it suits me fine that way.
• Dietrich Bonhöffer, a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and participant in the German Resistance movement against Nazism, was arrested, charged with subverting the German armed forces and imprisoned. His involvement in plans by members of the Abwehr (the German Military Intelligence Office) to assassinate Adolf Hitler resulted in a death sentence. He was executed by hanging shortly before the war’s end. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/western-europe/western-europe-index-1943.htm)
• The British 8th Army in Tunisia attacked the next blocking position of the retreating Axis forces at Wadi Akarit. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)
Dietrich Bonhöffer was arrested, charged with subverting the German armed forces and imprisoned on this day in 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.
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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