Lt. Lawson Reichard’s WWII Diary – May 6, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (05/06/09).
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.
Thursday, May 6, 1943 Camp Shanks, Orangeburg, New York
May 6, 1943 Diary Page
This morning at two o’clock we pulled in here. Camp Shanks is a new camp and a sorry sight it was what we could see of it. It looked no better in the daylight later on either. Well we were met by a Lt. Colonel and directed to our quarters which are tar paper shacks and no more than adequate. It was about four thirty when we got settled so we got only three hours sleep. Ray and I got up at 7:30 and started getting things straight. At nine we reported to Operations and had our introduction to the movement. They sure lined up enough for us to do. They kept naming the different jobs the officers of squadrons and companies should do: The supply officer will perform such . . . etc. The G-2 and G-4 will do this – etc. As we only have two officers and one must go to Staten Island to handle supplies it left all the other jobs up to me. Today I just went hog wild. Right now my head is running in circles and I wonder if it will ever clear up. Of course Sgt. Enright is in the same fix if not worse as he does the actual work, I just find it. The men outside of the office have little to do. I sent Sgt. Frazier down with Lt. Cohan to Staten Island as Cohan doesn’t know what it’s all about. That means I don’t have a supply Sgt. here. Sgt. Moore will have to take over. God! what a mad house this is. I’d give the world to put my head in Ginnie’s lap and have her rub this headache away.
Good Night
(editor’s note: Camp Shanks was one of three staging areas “to ensure each soldier and WAC left the U.S. fully equipped before crossing the Atlantic. The final field inspection at Camp Shanks identified any problems, made any necessary repairs, and replaced anything which could not be repaired.” Read more about the history of Camp Shanks at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Shanks)
• Hitler made one of his increasingly rare visits to Berlin for Viktor Lutze’s funeral. Lutze, the SA (stormtrooper) chief of staff, was killed four days earlier, officially, in an automobile accident. Rumors, though, pointed to an ambush by German partisans. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-europe/western-europe/western-europe-index-1943.htm)
• Indian nationalist leaders Subhas Chandra Bose and Abid Hasan arrived in Sabang, Sumatra, aboard the Japanese submarine, I-29. (http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/1943)
Indian nationalist leader Subhas Chandra Bose.
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.
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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