See rodeo put on by 175th Engineers.
WAR UPDATE: July 25, 1943. Mussolini's Fascist government overthrown.
Monday, July 26, 1943
We hear that Mussolini has quit his job.
True Story: A GI was asleep in a foxhole in Italy when someone nudged him and woke him up. It was an Italian soldier. The Italian said, "Please capture me!" He was tired of fighting and wanted to be taken prisoner.
Saturday, July 31, 1943
Some of our boys get drunk and raise cane all night in our day room.
Friday, August 6, 1943
Battalion puts on a party to celebrate our first year overseas.
Saturday, August 7, 1943
Terrific air raid at 3:30 to 5 a.m. We get our campaign ribbons. Sent $40 home.
Thursday, August 12, 1943
We move into big tents.
Monday, August 16, 1943
See Bob Hope in person. Air raid 9 p.m.
The legendary Bob Hope during a USO performance in 1943. [photo by David E. Scherman]
Tuesday, August 17, 1943
Rumor that Sicily has fell. Air raid at 9 p.m. Four of our boys slightly injured.
Wednesday, August 18, 1943
Air raid alerts at 4 and 5 a.m.
Sunday, August 22, 1943
Three alerts (air raid).
Thursday, August 26, 1943
Another alert.
Friday, August 27, 1943
Start drawing machine gun mounts for trucks.
A 50-caliber machine gun similar to the type we are now mounting to our trucks. [courtesy: www.imfdb.com]
Saturday, August 28, 1943
A letter home written on a Saturday. Raymond Stokes is an old friend from my home town of Hewitt, Minnesota.
Dear Folkes,
I got the package today. The glasses and combs came through in good shape altho it took two months for it to get here. I hope you have the package I sent by now. I heard from Raymond Stokes a few days ago. He is in Sicily now and is in a different outfit than he was.
About those bonds. The ones which haven't been sent home are the ones I got when they were taking out a little from my pay each month for bonds. I probably won't get them for some time, maybe after the war. I also had my insurance raised to ten thousand dollars on account of you could only get a few dollars per month with five thousand but with ten thousand you could get fifty per month until you had drew ten thousand.
I got to see Bob Hope and Frances Langford. They put on a show here. This will be all for now. Thanks for the package.
Love, Howard
WAR UPDATE: September 3, 1943. Italy surrenders to Allied forces, signs armistice.
Tuesday, September 7, 1943
Air raid. Seven planes shot down. On alert for paratroopers.
Hitler's Luftwaffe was a constant danger at night and
we all learned to function on little sleep. [(c) HowStuffWorks, Inc.]
we all learned to function on little sleep. [(c) HowStuffWorks, Inc.]
Wednesday, September 8, 1943
Italy unconditionally surrenders. Our boys coming down with jaundice. I'm working hard, feeling poorly.
WAR UPDATE: September 9, 1943. Operation Avalanche begins: the Allied invasion of the Italian mainland, which is still defended by German forces.
One of the spearheads into Italy originated from Bizerte, Tunisia (highlighted in red). Taking Italy would prove to be a hard, bloody fight as the Third Reich was slowly destroyed, piece by piece.
Thursday, September 16, 1943
About this time I come down with jaundice. I go to hospital [Bizerte, Tunisia].
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