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.

February 7, 1943 Diary Page

Transcript of diary entry   February 7, 1943

Sunday, February 7, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I received a telegram from Sgt. Sanders. “Arrived just in time. Cigars in order. 8 lb 9 oz boy born Friday night. Every thing O.K.” I feel as relieved as if the kid were mine instead of his I’m so proud. This afternoon the music on the radio is beautiful. John Charles Thomas is on now singing all the songs I love. He just finished singing “All the Things you Are.” That song seems like it was written for Ginnie and myself and it it makes me miss her like the very devil. Missing her is something I don’t talk about much any more. It hurts too much and means too much to talk about. Mother thinks I’m forgetting because I don’t write about her any more. Some how I just like to keep it to myself or tell Virginia. This afternoon I stayed in and wrote letters until four thirty when I went in to Marie’s for dinner. As usual we had a delicious meal. We sat around and talked until about eight when we went in town and met Ray & Helen and went to a show. It was a very good show. After the show we went up to the Boise club for a drink and dance. It was getting late so we didn’t have much time. Every thing closes at twelve. Helen remarked that it looked like I was headed for trouble again and I said I had it. She is going to try to tell Marie to lay off the mush. I can see I have to see a lot less of that young lady. Why in the hell do girls get such ideas.

Good Night

A rush was on to buy shoes, as it was announced on this day in 1943 that shoe rationing in the United States would be going into effect in two days. (Esther Bubley, Library of Congress)

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: February 7, 1943

• Across the land bridge to Leningrad, within range of Germany artillery, a Soviet train arrived at a bomb-damaged station in Leningrad. People weakened by hunger and hardship were jubilant over the breakthrough. (http://www.fsmitha.com/time1943.htm)

• In the United States, it was announced that shoe rationing would go into effect in two days. (http://gmu.mossiso.com/689/?p=timeline)

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