Lt. Reichard’s WWII Diary – March 29, 1943 by Lt.Reichard (03/29/09).
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.
Monday, March 29, 1943
March 29, 1943 Diary Page
Gowen Fieid, Boise, Idaho
This morning I got a letter from Ginnie. It makes me feel like a new man. Her mother came down to school and they had a long talk. I’ll never be able to thank Mrs. G__________ because she fixed things up pretty nice. It’s useless for me to try to tell you how it is because I’m not a writer. I’ll keep the letter for you to read whenever you want. I was just reading the first entry to this diary. It states that this the beginning of a new diary, an overseas one. That was three months ago and I’m still here. Sometimes I wonder. We were expected to leave then and were all ready. Since then we have come 1100 miles, changed companies, been under new overseas orders and had them cancelled. This place sure is quiet now. There is little or no paper work to get out and all the men are in school leaving practically nothing for me to do. The more efficient this organization gets the less I do and I like work. Ye gads I’ll get so damn lazy I won’t be worth anything. Maybe the furlough will come through so I can get away from the army awhile and come back for a fresh start. I feel stale and probably am pretty much that way. We have been doing the same things too long. The weather had the ground dried off pretty good so we will start some field tactics again. The men are getting soft and need that kind of work.
• Meat was rationed in the United States. The U.S. government required Americans to ration fat, meat and cheese. The military used fat in the manufacture of explosives. Meat and cheese were rationed to guarantee a supply for both civilians and soldiers. Meat rations were set at 28 ounces per person a week. (http://www.myhistorymuseum.org/WWII/timeline/1943.htm)
Meat rationing went into effect on this day in 1943. Original caption: “Harold Rowe, Office of Price Administration food rationing chief, sells meat to girl reporter at shopping preview of new program at the A&P in Washington D.C. Meat, fat and cheese.”
Photo: Office of War Information
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
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