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Friday

29. Rome Is Liberated


General area of operations.


WAR UPDATE: May 25, 1944. Allies break through Anzio beach head.

Thursday, May 25, 1944
Rail head haul to 0428. Air raid at 10:30 p.m. in vicinity of dump. About 400 trucks in the dump at the time.

Friday, May 26, 1944
Truck releases from rail head job.

Saturday, May 27, 1944
At 1 p.m. I start on trip Aversa to Anzio. Haul assault boats to engineer dump on beach head. Get back at 1:30 a.m. 258 miles trip, 97 from Anzio to our camp. I saw Ray Stokes and Alvin Wright's outfits, but I couldn't stop to see them.


The beach at Anzio is much more peaceful today. [courtesy: www.stoa.com]

Sunday, May 28, 1944
I rest all day. Pop Stabino drives my truck on two day trip. Schuster has sore foot.

Monday, May 29, 1944
Truck gets in in the evening. I service truck.

Tuesday, May 30, 1944
I haul bread from French bakery at Q 52 Teano to Q 524 Pico. I found Chester Tonnar. Had visit.

Wednesday, May 31, 1944
1,000 mile check on truck and wash truck. Pay day.

Thursday, June 1, 1944
I get trip in evening Q 55 Sparanise to Q 525 Tarecino [Terracina]. 112 mile trip. Start 5 p.m., get back 1:30 a.m.

The view of the bay at Terracina, Italy, a quiet village on the coast, about 65 miles northwest of Naples. Looking at this tranquil picture, it is hard to believe this place was ravaged by war just 65 years ago. [photo by Tittimi]

Friday, June 2, 1944
My truck goes out.

Saturday, June 3, 1944
I get long trip, starting at 5 a.m. Sparanise to Q 521 to 0430. Get back 7:30 p.m. Schuster services truck and it catches fire.

WAR UPDATE: June 4, 1944. Allies liberate Rome, Italy.

Sunday, June 4, 1944
Schuster is on first trip since his lay off. Goes Aversa to Littoria. Has trouble with truck, is hour behind convoy on way up. Sent $50 home.

Monday, June 5, 1944
Rome is in our hands.

WAR UPDATE: June 6, 1944. Operation Overlord begins: Allied invasion of northwest Europe, landing at Normandy, France.

Tuesday, June 6, 1944
Move to Littoria about 80 miles up the Italian peninsula. I haul 12th Med. on way up. Invasion of France today.

Moving up the peninsula and pushing the Third Reich out of Italy.


Wednesday, June 7, 1944
Haul colored GI's from Fondi to north of Rome, 200 mile trip. Get first look at Rome.

Friday, June 9, 1944
I get trip Anzio to Q 541 north of Rome. All day run, air raid over beach head area at midnite. Schuster goes out with truck and trailer to haul gas above [north of] Rome.

Saturday, June 10, 1944
At 7 p.m. I get trip in convoy. Engineer dump at Anzio to E 217 near Rome. 127 mile trip. Back next 7:30 a.m.


I frequently went in convoy with Richard Wellman (pictured). This is him in Italy with his truck.

Sunday, June 11, 1944
Schuster out all day while I sleep.

Monday, June 12, 1944
1st echolon check on truck. Take machine gun mount off. At 4 p.m. I start convoy, Fondi to 40 miles north of Rome. 300 mile trip takes 21 hours. Back next 1 p.m. on June 13th.
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The Original Diary

The Original Diary
Here is the inspiration and primary source for this entire blog. Note the year for these entries was actually 1943, although Howard was using pages from 1942, as evidenced by the mention of the cities of Morsot and Tebessa and the fact that Howard was still in basic training in Texas in March 1942. He had to be creative with his limited resources and use whatever paper was available, which made researching this project somewhat of a puzzle at first.