Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – April 2, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (04/02/09).
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.
Friday, April 2, 1943
April 2, 1943 Diary Page
Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho
It’s a cinch that this kind of weather can’t last much longer. It’s just like summer and it makes me homesick as hell. I got a letter from home that was a caution. It had a distinct maternal viewpoint. All about the birth of about thirty-five piglets at a most in-opportune time. It seems they were expecting some wealthy guests from down Georgia way so they got both the pigs and the guests and nearly at the same time. Who says a farmer’s life is dull!
Well! Well! Well! who says a soldier’s life is dull. I called Ogden, Utah a few minutes ago and talked to Buckley. Well I got some news alright. We are packing up and moving to Stockton California. Capt. Ritter of M.P. butted in and told me I had thirteen days leave. Well it’s a mad house now. It’s too late to do anything about it today. Tomorrow I’ll get cleared of the station and Sunday take off for home. Ray & Sgt. Enright can handle the moving without any trouble and I have a situation to clear up at home. Also I’ve got to see Ginnie.
Tonight I had a date but canceled it as I wanted to get packed. That’s always a mess where I’m concerned as I keep too much junk. Maybe some day I should go into the business. What a junk dealer I would be.
• Formations of B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and P-38 Lightning fighters made eight attacks against Japanese installations at Kiska in Alaska. Hits in the target area were observed. Another force of Liberator bombers attacked Japanese po¬sitions on Attu Island. All U.S. planes returned. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-04.html)
• In Navy Department Communiqué No. 332, it was reported that 16 Japanese Zero planes were shot down by U.S. fighters northwest of Guadal¬canal. Further reports revealed that a total of 18 Japanese Zeros, instead of 16, were shot down by the U. S. pilots. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/comms/1943-04.html)
Two U.S. Marine Corps Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Fighter planes like these scored 18 victories over Japanese Zeros northwest of Guadalcanal on this day in 1943.
• The Disney film, “Private Pluto,” was released to theaters. Chip and Dale made their first appearance, though unnamed. (http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/disnehis/disn1943.htm)
Walt Disney Studios released a cartoon short on this day in 1943, “Private Pluto,” which introduced an unnamed Chip and Dale.
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.
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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