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, Ginny, 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 19, 1943

Friday,  February 19, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

Today was rough in any sense of the word. We set out at nine in the truck for the mountains. We had sandwiches for lunch packed in our packs and we were going to climb the mountains this time instead of drive up. We went in behind Boise and left the truck at the foot of the hills and started following a small stream up. It was chilly when we started but at the first stop all field jackets came off and we were sweating plenty. After the final three miles the climbing really got steep. Sgt. Moore got drunk last night and dropped out so he won’t have any passes for about a week. He has been slipping lately any way. One of the boys had to hand over his rifle so I took it. That extra eight lbs felt like a hundred. We climbed to above eight thousand at noon. We sat and ate the sandwiches and had a drink from our canteens. We needed the rest. About six of us elected to go on to the top. The rest were bushed so Lt. Seitz stayed with them while we went on up. It was rough going almost straight up. We ran into deep snow and had to quit because of time. We rested then turned back. We picked up the rest and came on down. We got back to camp about four thirty. We were all pretty tired. I took a shower and a nap then ate. I forgot on the way down we had a gas attack. The boys were pretty __________ _________ and got their masks on in time. Tonight I stay in. Why? Hmmm. You guess.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: February 19, 1943

• The North African Economic Board was established “to supervise the supply of civilian goods from Britain and America and to restore the general economy in North Africa.”—“International News,” March 6, 1943, p. 230. (http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/events/1943.html)

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