17. Making A Final Drive Against The Enemy

Area of operations.

Saturday, March 6, 1943
Go on another 15 miles to get troops. Part of us get lost.

Sunday, March 7, 1943
Start out early in a.m. Drive 292 miles on trip. I had bad belly ache when I get back in afternoon. Company moves to Tebessa.

Monday, March 8, 1943
Move back to Morsot this a.m. We go to front, pick up French colored troops.

I scribbled a quick French lesson in my diary prior to hauling the French-speaking Senegalese troops.

Tuesday, March 9, 1943
Colored troops relieve 26th Inf. We bring 26th to Tebessa. Four of our trucks tip over last night (dark, rain, slippery). The French colored troops (Singlese) [Senegalese] lost more men in these accidents then they ever did in combat.

Wednesday, March 10, 1943
Back in camp, other driver takes truck out.

Thursday, March 11, 1943
We move camp to other side of Tebessa.

Friday, March 12, 1943
Other driver takes truck. I sent $150 home today.

Saturday, March 13, 1943
47 trucks go out. Haul 16th Inf. to make final drive against enemy. Two drivers in each truck.

U.S. infantry navigates the rough terrain in Tunisia. This region presented challenging and treacherous driving conditions, especially in the rain. [courtesy: U.S. Army Signal Corps]

Sunday, March 14, 1943
Stop at 2 a.m. Camp all day.

Monday, March 15, 1943
I go in convoy with truck. Leave 16th Inf. and pick up 26th Inf. Take them to Fairyanna. Arrive back with 16th Inf. at 1:30 a.m.

Tuesday, March 16, 1943
Take 16th to Gafsa. Get back to our company at 3 a.m.

True Story: Near the front lines some American GI's were buying eggs from an Arab farmer. They wanted something else to eat besides the same old stuff everyday. One day as they were going to buy some eggs, as they neared the place they saw a group of Germans approaching from the opposite direction. The Germans went to the house and bought some eggs. After the Germans left, the Americans went down and bought some eggs.

Wednesday, March 17, 1943
Rest in camp all day.


Motor Vehicle Operator's Permit, dated March 17, 1943, is finally issued to me. Certification reads: "I certify that Howard W. Branstner has demonstrated proficiency in driving the types of vehicles listed below as per signed authentication: Trucks, cargo 1/4 to 1 1/2 ton; Trucks, cargo, 2 ton & larger. Signed, John A. Thomas, 1st Lieutenant."

Thursday, March 18, 1943
I leave in afternoon. Take load of ammo close to front. Get back at 10 p.m. Get bent fender.

Saturday, March 20, 1943
Truck goes out. Gets back next morning.

Sunday, March 21, 1943
Stay in camp and rest.

Monday, March 22, 1943
I get load of gasoline on truck and come back to company at nite.

Tuesday, March 23, 1943
Other driver unloads truck at rail head. I leave at 9 p.m., take ammo to front (Gafsa).

Wednesday, March 24, 1943
Get back at 9 a.m. Drive 190 miles on the trip.

Thursday, March 25, 1943
Partner comes in from trip last nite. I get up at 10 p.m. and get load of rations, bring back to company. Arrive at 11:30 p.m.

Friday, March 26, 1943
Partner takes rations to Gafsa. I meet him at Boshepka and I get ammo. Take to Gafsa, arrive home at 11 p.m.

The outskirts of Gafsa, Tunisia, as it appears today. [photo by Jaume Olle]

Saturday, March 27, 1943
Other driver goes out. Gets back at 7 p.m. I get shot [vaccine] in arm, same last Saturday.

Sunday, March 28, 1943
Other driver is out again today. He gets back and I start out at 9 p.m.

Monday, March 29, 1943
I get back at 10 a.m. Hauled ammo to Gafsa.

Tuesday, March 30, 1943
Truck out.

Wednesday, March 31, 1943
I'm out on haul. This work continues.

16. Two Baths In One Week!

Wednesday, February 24, 1943
Resting today. Schuster goes out on run last nite and hasn't returned.

Thursday, February 25, 1943
Still resting. Truck gets back. I service truck. Our APO number has changed to 302 again.

This is a restored Diamond T 4 ton truck, exactly like the one I drove. [courtesy: www.ww2vehicles-and-meeting.be]


Friday, February 26, 1943
I go in convoy. Haul African colored troops (Singlese) [ed. note: Senegalese] away from front, 80 mile trip. Roads are very muddy. Get back at 6 p.m.

Saturday, February 27, 1943
Company moves and we haul medics again.

Sunday, February 28, 1943
Trucks park in new bivouac area out in open field near Morsot. I get first bath in months.

Monday, March 1, 1943
Schuster takes truck on trip. I get some mail, a bible from Wrightstown church.

Tuesday, March 2, 1943
Still resting. Truck is out yet.



A postcard I wrote to my friend, Bill Irons (click to enlarge).

Wednesday, March 3, 1943
Truck gets back at supper time.

Thursday, March 4, 1943
Work on truck, grease wheels.

BACK IN THE WORLD: March 4, 1943. Academy Award Winners: Best Picture, Mrs. Miniver; Best Actor, James Cagney (Yankee Doodle Dandy); Best Actress, Greer Garson (Mrs. Miniver); Song of the Year, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby (Holiday Inn)

Friday, March 5, 1943
I take truck on trip. Drive 114 miles. Get bath in hot springs near Guelma.

The 114 mile trip from our camp in Morsott to Guelma, Algeria.


The hot springs near Guelma, Algeria, as they appear today. This is where I enjoyed my second bath in a week's time! [photo by Meddour Lakhdar]

15. No Time For Sleep

Wednesday, February 3, 1943
Grease and service truck, good weather.

Thursday, February 4, 1943
Continue work on trucks. Start camouflage net for truck. Drive truck in practice convoy. Many of our men are transferred to different outfits.

Letter written home on Thursday, February 4, 1943 (click to enlarge).

French North Africa

Feb. 4, 1943

Dear Folkes,

Will write you a few lines this evening to let you know I am alright and getting along quite well.

As I told you before, in other letters, I would like to have you buy defense bonds with some of the money I send home and put the rest of it in the bank. I have sent a hundred and forty five ($145) home now and besides that there is the thirty dollar allotment which you are suppose to get every month. Have you been getting it? You should have gotten four $30 checks from the government by now. I have another fifty or sixty dollars to send home the first chance I get. You said you have been writing me about eight letters per month. I have been writing about the same number to you. Altogether last month, I wrote twenty-five letters and received twelve.


Well, guess I may as well close for this time, as there isn't a thing to write about. It may be a few days before I get around to write again.


Love, Howard

Friday, February 5, 1943
We go to pick up troops, fifty mile drive. Leave Oran as a truck driver.

Saturday, February 5, 1943
Load up headquarters company of 34th Division. Start 8 day trip to Tunisia. Start from Telemson.

My first assignment (or "run") as a truck driver: delivering the 34th Division from Telemson, Algeria (also called Tlemcen) to Le Kef, Tunisia. We made stops in cities circled in yellow: Bellabas (Sidi-Bel-Abbes), Orleansville (Ech-Cheliff) and Constantine.

Sunday, February 7, 1943
Start trip, get as far as Bellabas where we spend nite.

Monday, February 8, 1943
Spend nite at Orleansville.

The Algerian city of Orleansville (now known as Ech-Cheliff) as it appears today [courtesy: www.i-cias.com]

Tuesday, February 9, 1943
Bivouac between Rovico and L'araba-Rivet

Thursday, February 11, 1943
Camp at nite on mountain in snow storm near Constantine.

Friday, February 12, 1943
Pulled into pine woods. Inducted in the army one year ago today.

Saturday, February 13, 1943
Pulled out at 3 p.m. Arrive at Le Kef at 5 p.m. 34th Division unloads here.

Modern Le Kef, Tunisia. [photo by Aloui Ammar]

Our present location is western Tunisia/northeastern Algeria. Here are some of the cities which I will get to know well over the next few weeks.

Sunday, February 14, 1943
Pulled into olive grove near Le Kef and camp with English tanks.

Monday, February 15, 1943
Leave late in afternoon and join company near Maktar late in evening.

Tuesday, February 16, 1943
Leave late in afternoon. Haul supplies to Ebbaksour, Tebessa. Get load of ammo. Bring it to company area. Arrive at 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 17, 1943
Unload truck in company area. Prepare to go to front and bring back troops at nite. We break a brake line when we try to move truck. We are in small pine trees. We can't go on this run. We see several enemy planes.

A broken brake line is bad enough. Throw in a couple of Messerschmitt fighters and things go to hell in a handbasket real quick. [(c) HowStuffWorks, Inc.]

Thursday, February 18, 1943
Get truck fixed. Load ammo on and take to nearby dump. Enemy only eight miles away. Schuster takes truck on nite run.

Friday, February 19, 1943
Take retreating troops (16th Infantry) to near Tebessa. My first real trip. I do nearly all the driving. Up all nite.

Saturday, February 20, 1943
Arrive back in camp at 1 p.m. Leave shortly, enemy has our bivouac area surrounded, are within 3 miles of us. Haul medics to place near Tebessa. Arrive there next 7 a.m.

The ancient city of Tebessa, Algeria. [courtesy: www.aeria.phil.uni-erlangen.de]

Sunday, February 21, 1943
No sleep. Meet our company near there [Tebessa] and start out at 10:30 p.m. Haul French troops.

Monday, February 22, 1943
No sleep. Take troops to the front.

Tuesday, February 23, 1943
Arrive back in camp this p.m. Have terrible trip. Road was bombed. I get 30 letters today. First time our mail caught up with us since we started driving trucks. Go to bed, first time in four days.


I wrote home before going to bed for the first time in 96 hours. Notice I was so tired that I dated the postcard 1942 rather than 1943! "Dear Folkes, Haven't written to you for over three weeks. Have been very buisy and couldn't write. I am well. I got 30 letters today. That's the first mail I have had for a month. Love, Howard."

14. Truck Drivers Wanted

Thursday, January 14, 1943
APO [postal] detail in evening.

Friday, January 15, 1943
Go on all day pass. Restricted to company area for one week because tent fails to pass inspection.

Saturday, January 16, 1943
Work, nice day.

Our "homemade" battalion newsletter called the "Bars and Gripes" kept us updated on the news in and around the Second Battalion. This is my one and only surviving copy.

Sunday, January 17, 1943
Work, nice day.

Monday, January 18, 1943
On K.P. [mess hall detail]. Nice warm day.

Tuesday, January 19, 1943
Warm, work.

Wednesday January 20, 1943
Nice day, usual work. Get 3 shots [vaccines] in arm.

Thursday, January 21, 1943
Air raid last nite. Nice day, work. My 28th birthday.


A German Stuka dive bomber -- a familiar and dangerous part of life in Oran. [courtesy: www.rafbombercommand.com]

Friday, January 22, 1943
Nothing unusual, regular work in dump.

Saturday, January 23, 1943
Rain, work.

WAR UPDATE: January 23, 1943. General Montgomery's Eighth Army takes city of Tripoli, North Africa.

Sunday, January 24, 1943
Work, load freight cars at railroad. Rain. Go to church in evening.

Monday, January 25, 1943
Rain, work in warehouse.

Tuesday, January 26, 1943
Work in warehouse. Get letter from Mom. This is answer to first letter I wrote from Africa.

Wednesday, January 27, 1943
Nice day, start work as checker in dump. Get package from Sarah.

Thursday, January 28, 1943
Working as checker in "C" dump, nice day. Cold nites and forenoons, warm afternoons. See show, "Million Dollar Baby."

Million Dollar Baby, starring Priscilla Lane, Jeffery Lynn and Ronald Reagan [courtesy: www.whosdatedwho.com]

Friday, January 29, 1943
Air raid last nite, work as usual.

WAR UPDATE: January 31, 1943. Germans surrender at Stalingrad.

Sunday, January 31, 1943
Good weather, regular work. See show "Ride 'em Cowboy."

Ride 'em Cowboy, starring Abbott and Costello [courtesy: www.imdb.com]

Monday, February 1, 1943
Same routine

True Story:
We had a kid overseas that was kind of a dummy. He couldn't do anything right. You couldn't trust him with anything. They didn't know what to do with him. They got the idea of sending him to battalion headquarters to be the colonel's orderly. One of his jobs was to keep the latrine clean. They had just make-shift outdoor toilets. Someone told him if he would pour gasoline in the latrine, it would keep it sanitary. It was a two holer. The colonel went in there one morning and sat down. He was a cigar smoker and he dropped a cigar butt down the other hole and 'BOOM!' The colonel had his bottom singed. He wasn't badly burned, but had to go to the hospital a few days. The other officer said that did more good to boost the morale of the battalion than anything else that had happened during the war!

Tuesday, February 2, 1943
Company is taken off job at "C" dump. Company is split up. We get trucks and will now be a transport outfit. I will be assistant driver for Clarence Schuster.

We are suddenly a transport unit. Above is the Diamond T four-ton truck, which I am now very quickly learning to drive. [photo (left) courtesy: www.autogallery.org.ru; photo (right): public domain]

13. Routine Work in Oran

Editors note: the following two postcards were written by Howard to his parents; unfortunately, I am unable to reproduce their images here as they are unavailable to me.

POSTCARD:
Dec. 22, 1942 North Africa

Dear Folks, Just a line or two, to let you know I am alright. I am well and feeling fine. Hope every one back there is the same. This is about all I have room for so will close.

Love, Howard

POSTCARD:
Dec. 25, 1942 French North Africa

Dear Folks, Just a few lines to let you know I am alright. We had a nice sun-shiney Xmas here. Will write a letter soon.

As Ever, Howard

From The Stars and Stripes (9 Dec 1942), an article reminding us of strict censorship and what may be said in our correspondence. (Note that the above postcards I wrote comply with this).


From The Stars and Stripes (9 Dec 1942). A little military humor, although strict censorship was vital to our safety and the success of the invasion.

Friday, January 1, 1943
Worked all day. Weather is clear and cool. Has rained for several days. Saw Tarzan movie. Chicken for supper. Wrote letters to Lois and Ma.

Saturday, January 2, 1943
Nice day, worked. Wrote letters.

Sunday, January 3, 1943
I am on guard duty at "A" dump. Very muddy. We are on alert.

A large supply dump similar to the one in which I worked. [(c) Time, Inc.]

Monday, January 4, 1943

Nice day, work, send $40 home.

Tuesday, January 5, 1943
Work, rain in evening

Wednesday, January 6, 1943
Nice day, machine gun class, built new tent frame.

Thursday, January 7, 1943
Rain, built machine gun nest, get Christmas package from Jean and Rene

Friday, January 8, 1943
Nice day, work in dump, get job as warehouse man.

Portable warehouses were quickly erected with tarpaulins and poles, which helped protect vital supplies from the elements. [courtesy: www.diggerhistory.com]

Saturday, January 9, 1943
Good weather, work. Get package of candybars from Ardyce. See show "Star Spangled Rhythm."

Star Spangled Rhythm: starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Lamour [courtesy: www.imdb.com]

Sunday, January 10, 1943
Good day -- worked.

Monday, January 11, 1943
Work, very windy.

Tuesday, January 12, 1943
Work. Get package from Edna, also Krantz's.

Wednesday, January 13, 1943
Work in dump as usual.

Another large American supply dump. [courtesy: www.diggerhistory.com]

WAR UPDATE: JANUARY 14, 1943. Casablanca Conference begins between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill. President Roosevelt announces that the war in the European Theatre can only end with the "unconditional surrender" of all German forces.

12. Forward To Oran

Tuesday, November 10, 1942
Enemy has surrendered and immediately become our allies. We don't trust them much for a while. We move to town of Arzew and set up camp. Go to bank in this town and exchange our American Gold Seal money for French money.

While here I do just about everything. One day I direct traffic at the docks. I am sort of an M.P. Then one day I operated telephone switchboard. On a different day I have a walkie-talkie radio and spot trucks coming and going from docks. I report which way they are going and whether they are empty or loaded. Finally I get a regular job. I am a checker at a dump [supply depot]. All I have to do is see that ammunition is piled in the right place.


American Gold Seal notes were made in denominations of $1, $5 and $10 for use by U.S. troops serving in North Africa. The purpose of the gold seal note was to prevent the enemy from using them as demands on the U.S. silver stockpile, since they are actually silver (demand) certificates. Today they are very uncommon. [courtesy: www.hermes-one.com]

Thursday, November 19, 1942
Move to city of Oran. Set up camp in foundry or steel mill. Now we handle engineer equipment. We are running an Engineer Supply Depot.
Oran, Algeria, as it looks today [courtesy: sauvonslacasbahalger.viabloga.com]

Monday, November 23, 1942
Our work is routine. Receiving equipment, putting it in correct place and issuing it out to outfits which have requisitions to fill.

Had our first nite raid on this day.

Tuesday, November 24, 1942
Our first mail call since we have been in Africa.

Sunday, November 29, 1942
Move to ballpark in city of Oran. We start working in different engineer dump other side of town. We go to work by truck. My work is same, I check equipment coming in and fill orders going out. I do the pencil work. Arabs do the manual work.

My battalion camp site in Oran [Allen, 101]





My copy of volume one, first edition of The Stars and Stripes in North Africa, published on Wednesday, December 9, 1942. It includes a welcome message from General Eisenhower, Allied Commander-in-Chief, North Africa.

BACK IN THE WORLD: December 13, 1942. The Washington Redskins defeate the Chicago Bears 14-6 to win the NFL Championship.

11. Operation Torch Begins

Monday, October 26, 1942
10 p.m. we sail from Glasgow. For several days we are making a big circle in the Atlantic Ocean. We are joining up with other ships from the U.S. and British Isles. At one time we are within 500 miles from the coast of Virginia and the Carolinas.

The account of the voyage from Scotland to North Africa . . . is a remarkable story. In late October, 1942 ships left the British Isles heading west into the Atlantic to escape enemy air observation and then rendezvoused near Iceland and headed southward toward the Azores. When approximately due west from the Strait of Gibraltar the convoy turned and made a dash eastward and into the Mediterranean. It is still difficult to believe that the large scale preparations required to mount such an operation could have been unobserved. Tension was high and submarine attack awaited momentarily but all remained quiet. On D-Day minus-2 the convoy slipped into the Mediterranean through the Strait and only then did realization dawn that complete surprise might indeed be achieved. [Allen, 41]

Saturday, November 7, 1942

The night before the invasion, Lieutenant Commander E.J. Tamlyn extended an "Invitation to a Beach Party" to all officers involved in the Operation Torch "Landing Party," which my outfit is a part of. The following invitation was sent to Lieutenant Max Cherney, one of the officers in my company.

[Allen, 43]

Sunday, November 8, 1942
Land in North Africa. We land on H HOUR D DAY, which is at midnite. Our outfit is first. We have help. We have a spy on the beach with a flash lite to steer the first bunch in. My platoon isn't first. We don't land until about day break. Now we find out that a unit of U.S. Rangers have landed just ahead of our first wave, they are destroying enemy machine gun nests and coast guard artillery battalion. Some paratroopers have also landed a few miles inland and captured airport.

A map of Operation Torch. I am with the Central Task Force, landing at Red Beach (circled). We land just south of the town of Arzew, Algeria, east of the large port city of Oran, Algeria. [courtesy: www.dean.usma.edu]





Above are American troops of the Central Task Force landing on Red Beach, south of Arzew, Algeria, on November 8, 1942. These pictures were taken after daybreak, shortly after my platoon landed. [top photo courtesy: www.ibiblio.com; bottom photo: public domain]

Sunday, November 8 - Monday, November 9, 1942
Next two days is full of confusion. My company captures village of St. Lew. Also capture freight train, which is loaded mostly with barrels of wine. The enemy is mostly troops of the French Foreign Legion, with a few Germans. They recapture airport from our paratroops. They take our airplanes and strafe us on the beach. My outfit is now unloading ships and stocking supply and equipment on the beach. Our tanks and infantry recapture airport. It changed hands three times in a few hours.

My company captures the town of St. Lew (also known as Bettioua). The town of St. Cloud (also known as Gdyel) was an important stronghold during the invasion's first 24 hours.

Our infantry has captured town of St. Cloud [Gdyel]. Now the enemy has them surrounded and pinned down. They are helpless. We fear the enemy will now try to capture the beach head, which is my outfit and all the supplies we have there. Things look pretty bad.

Now we have to dig in to form a second line of defense. We have orders not to surrender, but fight to the last man.

After several hours, it was in middle of nite, good news. Tanks from 1st Amored Division had reached St. Cloud. They completely wiped out the enemy troops which had the infantry pinned down. The enemy was only an infantry outfit and had no defense against tanks.

10. "We are getting ready for an invasion."

Area of operations.

WAR UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 2, 1942. Rommel driven back in Battle of Alam Halfa, North Africa.


Thursday, September 17, 1942

My pay record for overseas hazardous duty pay was opened on September 17, 1942.

Thursday, September 24, 1942
Train at Beach Hill Camp near Londonderry for about five weeks. We now move, go by truck to New Castle, [Northern] Ireland. Here we set up camp and continue our training.

Newcastle, Northern Ireland, as it appears today. [photo by Astrid Lied]

Saturday, September 26, 1942
Fire rifles on range.

Saturday, October 3, 1942
Leave at 3 a.m., go by truck to Belfast. Load on USS Brazil.


The route from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to Liverpool, England, and on to Crewe.

Sunday, October 4, 1942
Arrive at Liverpool, England. Go by train to city of Crewe, about 30 miles from Liverpool. Here, our camp is at Crewe Hall, an old castle 2 or 3 miles from Crewe.

Crewe Hall as it appears today; Crewe, Cheshire, England. We used this castle as camp for 10 days. [courtesy: www.cheshire.gov.uk]

BACK IN THE WORLD: October 5, 1942. St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, defeating the New York Yankees four games to one.

Thursday, October 8, 1942
Our outfit is reorganized. We are getting ready for an invasion. I am to be a bridge carpenter, altho I have hardly ever seen a bridge. I had been a radio operator, but didn't have a radio to operate.

We are now plain old combat engineers. Our company will be the "beach party." We will land ahead of everything and prepare the beach for other units to follow, including infantry, tanks, etc.

Friday, October 9, 1942
Go on nite problem [training]. We train part of the nite. I help lay summervelt matting which will keep tanks and trucks from getting stuck in the soft sand on beach. I also have walkie-talkie radio so our unit can keep in contact with other units in the operation.

Wednesday, October 14, 1942
Load everything we have on train and go to Liverpool.

Friday, October 16, 1942
Load on HMS Durban Castle. This ship is from the South African ship lines.

A postcard of HMS Durban Castle. [courtesy: www.simplonpc.co.uk]

Monday, October 19, 1942
Anchored off Glasgow, Scotland. Here we continue our training on the ship.

Wednesday, October 21, 1942
We climb down side of ship on rope netting with full field pack. It is foggy, netting is slippery. We go from top of ship down to the water and back up again. Several of our men fall and get hurt.

Soldiers climbing rope netting with full field pack in a training maneuver during World War Two [courtesy: www.45thdivision.org]

Saturday, October 24, 1942
Training on ship while anchored at Glasgow. Have nite problem [training].

WAR UPDATE: November 1, 1942. Operation Supercharge begins; Allies break Axis lines at the Battle of El Alamein, North Africa.