Lt. Lawson Reichard’s WWII Diary – June 22, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (06/22/09).
Tuesday, June 22, 1943 Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa
June 22, 1943 Diary Page
Things are getting pretty tense around here now and nearly everything is frozen as far as supplies and spare parts are concerned. These are being sent to the five places that have been selected for the debarkation of our invasion. The highways are covered day and night with troops and equipment rolling up to Bizerte in endless convoys of trucks. About all you talk about now is the invasion and bets are running wild as to the date. It’s getting late so something should happen pretty quick. Every day we put it off is one more Hitler has to prepare his defensive. His lack of interest in a summer campaign against Russia evidences to me the fact that he is throwing every resource he can spare into an all out defense of Europe against the coming invasion. It looks like I’m not going to get in this either. I thought that was what we were sent over fresh for. I’m beginning to wonder if I am going to see anything except the aftermath of each battle. Sgt. Frazier came back this morning with about five hundred pounds of welding rods, both arc and acetyline (sic). The depot where we tried to get a few rods said it was impossible to get. It seems he picked it up at some german (sic) salvage dump from the English. When this outfit stands short, I want to be around to see it. This evening I took the Jeep and went for a drive down some small back roads and saw some lovely little French villages. One had a large church, evidently Catholic, set in a group of large shade trees. It was a quiet place, secluded from all the bustle and noise of the war and a wonderful place just to relax and think. Tonight it looks like we might get a touch of rain.
• The U.S submarine chaser, SC-751, was grounded and sunk. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)
• U.S LST-33 and LST-387 were damaged by submarine torpedoes in the North African area. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)
• The Japanese submarine, I-7, was sunk by the destroyer, USS Monaghan (DD-354), in the Aleutians. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)
• Federal troops put down race-related rioting in Detroit. Thirteen murders remained unsolved. (http://timelines.ws/20thcent/1943.HTML)
Race Riots in Detroit.
\
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
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 22nd, 2009 at 1:00 am and is filed under WWII Diary.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
