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Tuesday

40. We Lose Our Leader

WAR UPDATE: April 1, 1945. U.S. invades Okinawa.

Monday, April 2, 1945
Work on truck half day (1,000 mile check). T-5 rating today (promoted from corporal to Technician, 5th Grade).

A promotion from corporal (left) to T-5 (right) meant a slight increase in responsibility and a slight increase in pay. [courtesy: public domain]

Tuesday, April 3, 1945
Work on truck. Nice weather. Go to 3638 at 8:30 p.m. to see compulsory movie, but projector don't work and movie is called off. Send pictures to Lois.

Wednesday, April 4, 1945
Platoon has been in uproar for two days since Sgt. Schwartsfigare asked for bust. Work on trucks in forenoon. At 1:00 p.m. company plays softball against 3639 (D Co.) and we win 2 to 0. [Editor's note: unfortunately no details exist on the meaning of the "uproar" in the platoon].

Thursday, April 5, 1945
Not very busy, work on truck. Platoon has meeting in afternoon. In evening Raymond comes over and we see movie in our company area.

Friday, April 6, 1945
Work on truck in a.m. Take shower at rest camp in afternoon and write letters. Send pictures to Doris B. and Ruth B.

Saturday, April 7, 1945
Get trip in convoy, from Florence rail head to 0427. Start 3:00 p.m., get back next 3:30 a.m.

Sunday, April 8, 1945
Get up at noon. Get letters from home and Naomi. Sent pictures to August.

Monday, April 9, 1945
Assistant driver gets ammo run to 0431 from Florence rail head.

A massive ammo dump -- much of our work now involves transporting ammunition throughout north-central Italy, preparing for a massive assault on the German front in northern Italy. (courtesy: Bob Fagelson]

Tuesday, April 10, 1945
At 7:30 a.m. I go in convoy from Florence rail head to Q53 and bring salvage to Q545 in Florence. Finished at 9:30 p.m. and at 11:30 p.m. partner goes on ammo run to 0427.

Wednesday, April 11, 1945
Schuster hauls to 0427 and brings back salvage ammo to rail head. Fan belt pulley is broken and truck is deadlined.

WAR UPDATE: April 12, 1945. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies. Harry S Truman sworn in as 33rd President of the United States.

Harry Truman takes the Oath of Office on April 12, 1945. [courtesy: public domain]

Thursday, April 12, 1945
Get truck fixed

Friday, April 13, 1945
I go out at 1:30 a.m. to 0431, back at 12 noon. President Roosevelt died yesterday. Schuster goes out at 5 p.m. to 0427.
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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.