Introduction by Will Seippel, CEO – WorthPoint.com Lt. Reichard began writing a diary on January 1, 1943. In February, he bought a camera and began taking some photos. For the next three years, he wrote almost every day. When I started reading his diary, I thought it should be shared and that perhaps WorthPoint’s community of collectors, people like me who are intrigued by the past, might find the diary as fascinating as I did. (To read Will Seippel’s entire introduction, click here)

January 29, 1943 Diary Page (click to enlarge)

Transcript of diary entry   January 29, 1943

Friday,  January 29, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

This morning I felt pretty good and a good breakfast set me fine. I had a job to do today I didn’t relish but could see no honest way out of. That is busting a man. Sgt. B________ nearly cost me $200.00 by his carelessness and laziness in his duties as supply sgt. last summer and early this fall. I sent him away to school early in Nov. and put a rookie with a lot of nerve in his place and we finally got the books in order and equipment up to date. It took plenty of work and a lot of broken army regulations but it was done even to the satisfaction of the Post Inspector. Well he came back from school last night and today we sent in a recommendation for his bust. I called him into the office and told him the set up and all details. He had no defense and agreed he had it coming. I’m glad that is over with. I don’t know if that will set him on his feet or not but I hope so because he could be a damn useful man if he got over the careless and lazy streak.

It has tried to snow all day and finally succeeded tonight. I like the feel of this weather. Today we did very little outside of the usual lectures and gym work. Monday I have a Jiu-Jitsu expert lined up to give the men instruction. It is something that will never hurt them to know. A lieutenant came over from headquarters today to check our equipment. I don’t get the point but I guess he knows what he’s doing. I’m going to send out a tracer on that shortage list if I don’t hear from it soon.

Good Night

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: January 29, 1943

• Dr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner took the post in Adolf Hitler’s inner circle vacated by the assassinated Reinhard Heydrich. Kaltenbrunner would oversee the death camps, Einsatzgruppen, SS and Gestapo. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/russian-army-repels-hitlers-forces14.htm)

• The Nazis ordered all Gypsies arrested and sent to extermination camps. (http://team8-3.pbwiki.com/1943-timeline)

• In the Battle of Rennell Island, a cruiser and destroyer task force under Rear Adm. Robert Giffen, covering the movement of troop transports to Guadalcanal, was bombed by Japanese aircraft near Rennell Island. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.htm)

• Advance units of the 8th Army crossed the Tunisian frontier from Libya. (http://www.worldwar-2.net/timelines/war-in-the-desert/war-in-the-desert-index-1943.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