Tuesday, June 1, 1943
Casablanca, North Africa

June 1, 1943 Diary Page

Today was just another one of those dull days. The morning was spent censoring letters and writing some of my own. I also put in my order at the P.X. Over here each company has its own P.X. and buys its merchandise at a warehouse. We are getting quite a decent supply. This afternoon about two o’clock I went in town with Sgt. Frazier to see if we could by some means finagle our trucks. I soon found out that was impossible. When I remember how we were told in the States that we would have all our equipment as soon as we got on the other side, it makes me laugh. If we get the stuff before the duration I’ll be surprised. We got back about four and there was a colnel (sic) waiting for me. It seems he has the idea that we are going to move over to Cozey Airport (sic) [Cazes Airport] to put their trucks in order. That suits me fine so he said that we should be ready to move about friday (sic). I sure hope we are not going to be stuck there. I want to see a little more of this country before I go back. There is quite a bit of speculation going on now about when this 2nd front is really going to be opened up. It is pretty generaly (sic) agreed that the invasion should be around the 16th of June. If we wait much later it will be too late. Tonight I took in another show. This might get to be a habit.

Good night.

To view previous diary entries, click here.

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The Day That Was: June 1, 1943

•    A civilian flight from Lisbon to London was shot down by Luftwaffe fighters over the Bay of Biscay, killing all those aboard including actor Leslie Howard (born 1893). Howard’s last on-screen role was that of Spitfire designer R. J. Mitchell in the 1942 film “The First of the Few” (released in the U.S. as a trimmed version titled “Spitfire” in 1948). Howard, perhaps best remembered by filmgoers as Ashley Wilkes in “Gone with The Wind,” was a World War I veteran who was advised to take up acting as therapy after he was mustered out for shell shock. He found success throughout the 1930s, but with the outbreak of World War II, devoted himself to the war effort—directing films, writing and broadcasting on the radio. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML) •    The British Empire’s casualties in first three years of war, it was announced on this day, were 92,089 killed, 226,719 missing, 88,294 wounded and 107,891 captured. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/war-in-britain/war-in-britain-index-1943.htm)		Leslie Howard in “Gone with the Wind”
•    Mopping-up operations by U.S. Army troops against isolated Japanese groups on Attu Island continued. As of this day, the Japanese casualties on Attu were estimated as follows: killed, 1,791 (this figure does not include the unknown number killed by ar¬tillery fire and bombs. Such casualties were either cremated or buried by the Japanese); captured, 4. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-06.html) •    The Red Air Force attacked German rear communications and airfields at Smolensk, Orel and Bryansk. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/eastern-europe/eastern-europe-index-1943.htm) •    German U-boats adopted a new policy of fighting back at Allied sub-hunting aircraft with the U-boats’ own AA guns while crossing the Bay of Biscay on the surface. This tactic proved to be largely unsuccessful and was soon abandoned. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-at-sea/atlantic/battle-of-the-atlantic-index-1943.htm) •    The Allied 2nd Tactical Air Force was formed in the United Kingdom. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/european-air-war/european-air-war-index-1943.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.

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

Tags: Casablanca, diary, June 1 1943, Reichard, WWII, WWII Diary

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