Area of operations.
Tuesday, February 29, 1944
We are supposed to start sending men to rest camp at Caserta. We draw three stars for our campaign ribbons.
BACK IN THE WORLD: March 2, 1944. Academy Award Winners: Best Picture, Casablanca; Best Actor: Paul Lukas (Watch on the Rhine); Best Actress: Jennifer Jones (The Song of Bernadette); Song of the Year: "You'll Never Know," by Dick Haymes and the Song Spinners (Hello, Frisco, Hello).
Thursday, March 2, 1944
Air raid over Naples. We draw three Cokes, our first in 18 months.
Friday, March 3, 1944
Trucks haul vino (wine) from Aversa to Venafro for French. Big drunk in camp.
Saturday, March 4, 1944
Paint our barracks bags and only one bag now. Get new truck, old truck had 31,000 miles on it. See John Garfield in person.
John Garfield starred in films such as The Postman Always Rings Twice, Gentleman's Agreement and Four Daughters. [courtesy: www.listverse.com]
Wednesday, March 15, 1944
Air raid over Naples, Aversa, Caserta and Capera. Planes fly so low they nearly tear top of our tents off. Wave after wave of our planes bomb Cassino.
If you look closely at the modern satellite image of Monte Cassino (click to enlarge), scars from bomb craters have become a permanent part of the landscape after the intense bombing campaign over 60 years ago.
Friday, March 17, 1944
Turn in our M1's and draw carbines.
A vintage WW II carbine. [courtesy: www.bigredone.pl]
Sunday, March 19, 1944
Move to new area near Sparinese. Mount Vesuvius erupts.
I took this photo of Mount Vesuvius, located just six miles east of Naples, as it came to life in March 1944. This was the same volcano responsible for the destruction of Pompeii 1,865 years earlier.
Wednesday, March 22, 1944
Crow and Kuda come back from their detached service at Naples.
Thursday, March 30, 1944
14 more good conduct ribbons given out. Not working very hard. Have nice camp in grain field. Nice spring weather, occasional rain.
Thursday, April 6, 1944
Louie Quast goes back to the "States." He's the 4th man we have sent. Durban, English and Lt. Johnson are ahead of him. Schuster is out on 36 hour pass. I haul 3 loads of bread from the 110 QM bakery to dump Q 53.
Friday, April 7, 1944
Beautiful day. Truck goes on haul, Aversa to 0423, comes in at noon. In afternoon goes on run to Sparinese. I loaf all day.
Saturday, April 8, 1944
I go on haul. Leave 7 a.m., make two trips from Q 536 Venafro to Q 52 Tiano. Haul wine barrels and wine. Get back 3 p.m. Change oil and grease truck. In evening see Joe E. Brown movie.
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