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.

Tuesday, March 23, 1943

March 23, 1943 Diary Page

Gowen Fieid,    Boise, Idaho

This afternoon the carbines came and a more welcome sight I have never seen. They are the sweetest little gun made and lighter than a twenty-two yet as deadly within 600 yards as a springfield. They have all the handling features of a pistol and killing features of a high powered rifle. We passed them out to the men and let them have the afternoon off to clean them up and get them in firing condition. They sure were a mess the way they came and I guess oil will be coming out of them for a month to come. Somehow if I come back from this war I sure am going to have one of those little babies. Today we sent out a teletype to Ogden to find out whether we can give the furloughs and how long. Man I could use one right now. I also sent out a teletype inquiring about that classification of men. I figured Capt L_____ would send it back and say he wouldn’t forward it because I was going over his head. I called him up and told him if he didn’t send it I would phone it in and explain why I could not send the teletype. He sent it. I don’t know how dumb these Captains think I am. Tonight I went in town and bowled three strings. My first game was 104, second & third 118 and 124 respectively. Someday I might learn how. It is a lot of fun so I think I will do more of it. I came out about eleven.

Good Night

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The Day That Was: March 23, 1943

• American tanks defeated the Germans at El Guettar, Tunisia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943))

• A U.S. naval station and naval air facility were established at Arseu, Algeria. Advanced amphibious training bases were established at Port Lyautey, Morocco, and Nemours, Tenes, Beni Saf and Mostagenem in Algeria. (http://www.blountweb.com/blountcountymilitary/wars/ww2/timelines/1943_ww2.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; Bryan Smith – voice of Lt. Reichard

Tags: diary, Gowen Field, March 23 1943, Reichard, WWII, WWII Diary

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