Lt. Lawson Reichard’s WWII Diary – May 13, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (05/13/09).
Thursday, May 13, 1943 At sea – headed for Casablanca, Morocco
May 13, 1943 Diary Page
This morning when I woke up the ship was in motion although it took a little while to realize that fact. I got dressed and washed the best I could and went up to breakfast. What a line there was. I think it took us an hour to run through. After breakfast I came back and straightened up my bunk the best I could. There are twelve of us in a state room 12 x 12 decked 3 high. There is hardly room to breath. It could be worse. I imagine these rooms were the utmost in luxury in peace time and I would have given a lot to have taken this cruise then. I went top side about nine and we were clear out of sight of land and passing up a convoy of ships. This ship nearly always runs freelance as it is the fastest thing we have. We cleared the convoy about noon and the rest of the day we were escorted solely by planes and a blimp. The planes were 2 B25′s and a B 29. I stayed out forward by the gun emplacements talking to the sailors most of the day. This boat has some pretty nice armament which makes me feel a lot better. We had two “abandon ship” drills and they went off terrible. A meeting this afternoon straightened things out so the next one should be alright. Today certainly has been lovely. The water was relatively smooth and all is well. The men are situated in section C-1 which is three decks down but are pretty well off. I went down and talked to Enright and everything is fine. We are headed for Casablanca. I guess I don’t get to see England.
• The Royal Navy began the bombardment of Pantelleria Island, between Tunisia and Sicily. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/southern-europe/southern-europe-index-1943.htm)• Marshal Giovanni Messe, the Italian commander in chief of Tunisia, surrendered to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.ht
A Fleet Air Arm Martlet fighter from HMS Formidable patrols over the veteran battleship HMS Warspite off Sicily. The Warspite and other Royal Navy battlewagons bombard Pantelleria Island, between Tunisia and Sicily, on this in 1943.
• Cruisers and destroyers under Rear Adm. Walden L. Ainsworth bombarded Munda and Vila in the Solomons, while minelayers placed mines across the northwest approaches to Kula Gulf. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)• The light cruiser, USS Nashville (CL-43), and the destroyer, USS Nicholas (DD-449), were damaged by an accidental explosion.(http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)
• The Italian submarine, Mocenigo, was sunk by army aircraft at Cagliari, Sardinia. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.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.
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
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My Dad visited Cagliari in WW2, and got these interesting vintage postcards and photographs.