Sunday, May 23, 1943
Casablanca, North Africa

May 23, 1943 Diary Page

This morning I slept until about nine then got dressed in overalls and went over to the company to see that the supplies hauled last night were stowed away. I hung around until the typewriters were unpacked then sat down and wrote Virginia and mother some letters. I sure miss those letters they send and look forward to the time they start coming in again. I wish I had gotten straight with Ginnie before I left because it worries me not a little. I should never have allowed that case to develope (sic) because now I can’t help myself and I’m afraid she is letting it slip. If I lose her, I can’t picture a very happy future. All the girls I know live way out west where I’ll never see them again and by the time I could feel very serious over another girl I’ll be too old to get the best part of life out of it. I can’t imagine marrying anyone other than Ginnie anyway.

This afternoon I had Johnson drive me out by one of the Arabian villages so I could get some pictures. I took them from a moving truck so I’m afraid they won’t be much good. After that Ray and I went in town to look it over and we walked all over the place. I wish I had continued French in school because it sure would come in handy. I took some pictures there. There is absolutely nothing to do outside of sightseeing so that is all we did. It was interesting but I’ve seen about as much as I want. We ate dinner in a pretty nice place then came on out.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

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The Day That Was: May 23, 1943

•    The Office of War Information releases a report on Rights and Privileges of American Servicemen, detailing their rights to vote, unemployment benefits and the suspension (for six months after the war) of serviceman’s civil liabilities, such as income tax, suits for debts, and insurance premium payments. (http://www.usmm.org/wsa/rights.html) •    The British claim that 313 Axis ships have been sunk in the Mediterranean since the battle of El Alamein. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-at-sea/mediterranean/mediterranean-index-1943.htm)
•    The battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) is commissioned at Philadelphia. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •   The PT-boat tender USS Niagara (AGP-1) is sunk by a horizontal bomber in the Solomons.  (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •    Motor torpedo boats PT-165 and PT-173 are sunk by submarine torpedoes off New Caledonia. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm) •    The RAF launches a heavy raid on Dortmund, dropping 2,000 tons of bombs. (http://www.feldgrau.com/may.html)		The battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) is commissioned at Philadelphia on this day in 1943. She spent the rest of that year in the western Atlantic and Caribbean area. New Jersey went to the Pacific in early 1944 and conducted her first combat operations in support of the Marshalls invasion.

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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