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.

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.

Thursday, March 11, 1943

Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho

March 11, 1943 Diary Page

Well, something happened today I was hoping I would never have to run up against. Stealing. At least we are pretty sure that the stuff was taken. Three Registered letters at different times have disappeared in route from the Post Office to the men intended to receive them. The mail orderly signed for them so we know he got them but the men didn’t. We have proof of that because when the M.O. turns them over to the men they must also sign for them in turn clearing the M.O. The boy claims he knows nothing about it. I have him under arrest in quarters pending courtmarshall or release which ever the Postal Authorities intend. I don’t like this sort of thing but I have to go ahead with it. I had a long talk with the boy and told him exactly what he was up against. I checked back over his past history and found that he had been suspected of a pretty serious affair once before back at Scott field. Today the men went on a hike but I had to stay behind with a bad leg. My leg has bothered me quite a bit this past week. Today some time some one broke in a store down town and stole an officers uniform. With that and some things that have happened on the field some underhanded work is suspected. All officers must know the pass word to get on and off the field until it is straightened up. I stayed in tonight.

Good Night

Photos and clippings inserted in the diary on this date.

To view previous diary entries, click here.

The Day That Was: March 10, 1943

• On the Eastern Front, the SS Panzer Corps entered Kharkov and penetrated to the center of the city after intensive street fighting. (http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/mar1943/f11mar43.htm)

• In Washington, the Americans extended the Lend-Lease agreements by one year. The value of the agreements, up to the end of February 1943, was reported to be $9,632,000,000. (http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/mar1943/f11mar43.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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