Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary Project and Recap: 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.
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.
Transcript of Diary Entry February 22, 1943
Monday, February 22, 1943
Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho
Ye gods won’t something happen to get rid of this damned monotony. If this keeps up much longer I’m going to volunteer in a unit that’s on its way over. I’m sick as hell of this sitting around doing the same old thing day after day and getting nowhere whatever. When I get in a job where no progress is shown then I want to get out. Slowly now a damned good outfit is disintegrating. Two boys have asked to join the aerial gunnery school. Five have been ordered to appear tomorrow before the Officers Candidate board tomorrow and will pass. It’s a cinch to get by the board now days. The men are discontent and restless and so am I. When you hear how badly trained outfits are needed you realize what a damned sin it is to allow something like this to happen. If this is what I’ve worked for for the last year then I’m sorry I did it. I need a furlough to get away for a while so I can forget it. Today we had lectures, drills and physical training. I think I could fill up the next ninety pages with that sentence and give you an accurate account of the day’s happening. To hell with it. I want action.
• In Munich, five students and a professor had been spotted putting up graffiti and making leaflets. The six were charged with treason, and on this day, beheaded. (http://www.fsmitha.com/time1943.htm)
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; Sean McGill – voice of Lt. Reichard
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