36. Another Run to the Front

Saturday, January 27, 1945
See movie at Apollo, "When Ladies Meet," Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Herbert Marshall. Russians 95 miles from Berlin.

[courtesy: www.imdb.com]

Sunday, January 28, 1945
On guard. Get 4 letters from Betty, Jean, LaVerne and Mother. Allies are making gains on Western front. Have gained back more than was lost in big German counter-attack.

Tuesday, January 30, 1945
See very good movie, "Since You Went Away."

[courtesy: www.dvdbeaver.com]

Wednesday, January 31, 1945
Pay day. Pull our small trailers to PBS (Peninsular Based Section) ordinance, turn them in.

Thursday, February 1, 1945
Go to hospital to visit Quinton Goynes in forenoon. Russell gets out of hospital. Write letter to Rene. Radio report Russians 45 miles from Berlin. Rumor that we will get semi's soon and haul for 8th Army and move to Rome.

Friday, February 2, 1945
Haul trailers for 3638 and 3605, turn them in to ordinance.

Saturday, February 3, 1945
Go in convoy haul diesel oil from Montecini rail head to Q544. Leave at 12:30, get back at 8 p.m.

Another convoy heads out on another assignment. [courtesy: pro.corbis.com]


WAR UPDATE: February 4, 1945. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet at the Yalta Conference.

Sunday, February 4, 1945
Schuster leaves at 1 a.m. hauls ammo, Montecini rail head to 0428, gets back at 9:30 a.m. Lovely day. Raymond is over in forenoon. Take pictures.

Raymond Stokes (left) and me outside my quarters in Florence, Italy. Sunday morning, February 4, 1945.

Tuesday, February 6, 1945
A seven day training period has started. All trucks in battalion are deadlined. But a convoy of 4 ton'ers go out in evening. Manila is liberated.

Wednesday, February 7, 1945
In spite of training period, Schuster and I get a trip with Diamond T and trailer. Go to 1108 Engineers north of Lucca. Stay overnight then to 23 miles north of Lucca to Fornair, which is 4 or 5 kilometers from front. We could machine gun and other small arms fire. This area was shelled quite frequently. We get load of sheet aluminum at plant there. Get back to camp at 6 p.m. on Feb. 8th. Trip started 2 p.m. on Feb. 7th.

Another run to the front.

35. Fire Damages Our Quarters

Monday, January 1, 1945
See football game, "Spaghetti Bowl." 5th Army beats 12th Air Force 20-0. I get 4 Bertha Heralds.


My copy of the "Spaghetti Bowl" game program.


Clipping from The Stars and Stripes.


Thursday, January 4, 1945
Company formation and parade. We get War Dept. citation. In evening Raymond comes over for visit.

Saturday, January 5, 1945
Three men go home. Sosa and Musil on rotation. Rickstein on furlough.

Monday, January 8, 1945
Articles of War. I go on pass, visit 52nd Q.M. in forenoon. See Raymond. In afternoon I go downtown see movie. Walk home with Varinoskus. Snow today. Get 4 letters from LaVerne, Mother, Dolores, Vera. Lately, the rumor is everyone goes home after 30 months overseas. We have one month left according to that.

One of my buddies, Vincent Varinoskus.

Sunday, January 14, 1945
Go to church at Apollo Theater in forenoon. Fire caused by oil burner in our quarters burns some of our equipment. Mashburn, Malley, Jergensen and myself lose equipment. Quinton Goynes gets burns on hands and face, is hospitalized.

Monday, January 15, 1945
Work all day cleaning and painting our quarters. Job pretty well done. Will move back soon. Get new style blouse issued to us today.

Tuesday, January 16, 1945
Seven of us move into different building. Company sends truck load to shows in evening now.

Wednesday, January 17, 1945
Putting new living quarters in shape. Install another oil burner. Get two letters from Doris and Opal and Jean.

Thursday, January 18, 1945
Our battalion starts a training schedule. 1,000 mile check on truck. Our company has dance.

Friday, January 19, 1945
Exchange windshield and top with Jergensen's truck.

Saturday, January 20, 1945
Install de-froster on our truck.

Sunday, January 21, 1945
My 30th birthday, a quiet Sunday morning. Got letter from Rene.

Wednesday, January 24, 1945
Drive GMC no. D to Q 53 get trash detail there, then haul load of matress covers to 102 bakery in Florence. A 66 mile run. In evening see "Buffalo Round Up," a 92nd Div. orchestra. Am seeing quite a lot of shows. Russians have been on big push for week and a half. Are around 140 miles from Berlin.

A GMC "deuce-and-a-half." [courtesy: www.roadandtransport.com]

WAR UPDATE: January 26, 1945. Auschwitz concentration camp liberated.

Prisoners escorted by Russian soldiers after liberating Auschwitz. The world is shocked over the brutality discovered there. [public domain]

34. "A cold, uncomfortable Christmas."

Friday, November, 24, 1944
1 a.m. start out on 175 mile run (convoy). Leg Horn [Livorno] to 0427. Get back at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 28, 1944
Another ammo run to 0430, 18 hours.

Wednesday, November 29, 1944
On pass, visit 52nd Q Battalion. Draw sleeping bags.

Monday, December 4, 1944
Raymond is on 5 day rest. Visits me.

Tuesday, December 5, 1944
I get trip to Leg Horn to 0427, a 175 mile trip. Doing this type of hauling most of the time.

An ancient fort in modern-day Livorno (Leg Horn), Italy. [public domain]

Wednesday, December 6, 1944
Raymond is over again.

Thursday, December 7, 1944
I have 4 tires to change after Schuster run. In afternoon go over to 3638 Q.M. to get practice driving semi-trailer jobs.

Tuesday, December 12, 1944
Company dance downtown Florence. Good time. Weather very bad.

Beautiful Florence, Italy, as it appears today. [photo by Olga Shelego]

Wednesday, December 13, 1944
Futa Pass is closed to all unnecessary traffic on account of snow. One way traffic through the pass.


Futa Pass (above) as it appeared during World War Two. It was of strategic importance, connecting Florence to Bologna. It also demarcated the Gothic Line, the last major line of defense for retreating German forces in Italy. [courtesy: www.mtmestas.com]


I am in the II Corps (circled in red). This map outlines our advance from June - December 1944. The cities of Florence and Leg Horn are underlined in red. This is our main area of operation right now. The current position of the II Corps is indicated by the red "X". [public domain]


Futa Pass today. [photo by Stenebaum]

WAR UPDATE: December 16, 1944. Germans attack through Ardennes -- Battle of the Bulge begins.

BACK IN THE WORLD: December 17, 1944. The Green Bay Packers defeat the New York Giants 14-7 to win the NFL Championship.

Monday, December 18, 1944
Germans counter-attack on 1st Army front. I'm on pass, visit 52nd Q.M., see Raymond.

Tuesday, December 19, 1944
We are having break, not much work for past days. Bad weather.

Sunday, December 24, 1944
Get back from 21 hour trip to Leg Horn to 0430. Back at 12 p.m. Company moves to new area in Florence [Firenze] near marshalling yards. Today I get 5 packages from ma, Rene, Edna and Herald, Dolores, and Lois. Have previously got packages from Rene, Jean, Lois, Doris S. and Bernice.

Monday, December 25, 1944
Two more packages from Sarah and Myrtle K. A cold, uncomfortable Christmas.

Saturday, December 30, 1944
Not very busy just now. I have pretty bad cold for the last few days. Only 10 minute walk from here to Raymond's company.

Another neighbor wounded overseas, from the Fergus Falls Daily Journal.

33. On Pass

Saturday, October 14, 1944
See Katherine Cornell in stage show at Florence.

Tony-Award winning actress, Katherine Cornell. [courtesy: www.bellisland.net]

Monday, October 16, 1944
Move to new area in Florence.

On the move again, this time to the home of Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Galileo and many others: historic Florence (Firenze), Italy.

Thursday, October 19, 1944
Get pass and spend afternoon downtown in Florence with Rich Wellman.

Me on pass in Florence, Italy, October 19, 1944.

BACK IN THE WORLD: November 7, 1944. Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected to an unprecedented fourth presidential term, defeating Thomas E. Dewey.

Friday, November 10, 1944
Find Raymond Stokes. He is in Florence too. He is just back from southern France. We get to see Billy Conn and several other boxing matches.

Light-heavyweight champion, Billy "The Pittsburgh Kid" Conn. [courtesy: www.billyconn.net]

Sunday, November 12, 1944
Get package from Rene, first Xmas package. Raymond comes over and we see show in evening, "She's a Soldier Too."

[courtesy: www.imdb.com]

Tuesday, November 14, 1944
Go on pass. Visit Raymond at 52nd Duck Battalion.

Wednesday, November 15, 1944
On guard duty.

Friday, November 17, 1944
On pass, see movie "Random Harvest" in afternoon. In evening see stage show, "George and Margaret."

[courtesy: www.soundtrackcollector.com]

Sunday, November 19, 1944
On pass. In afternoon see Italian stage show. In evening see Spencer Tracy in "The Seventh Cross," at Apollo.

[courtesy: www:imdb.com]

Monday, November 20, 1944
Go with Jergensen, haul trailer to Leg Horn 2L77 and 76. [ed. note: "Leg Horn" was the common Americanism for the coastal city of Livorno].

Tuesday, November 21, 1944
Get another D.T. (Diamond T) 4 ton truck. Other one has been salvaged (junked).

Thursday, November 24, 1944
Thanksgiving Day. All get passes. Turkey supper at 5 p.m.

32. Fifth Army Plaque and Citations

WAR UPDATE: August 25, 1944. Allies liberate Paris, France.

Saturday, August 26, 1944
Work has been continuing about the same. Get back to camp after 4 or 5 days work moving ammo, dump 0444 to 0420. Turn in 4 ton truck around Sept 1st and drive no. 15 for few days, then draw new 2 1/2 ton no. 6.

For a brief time we drive what is commonly called the "deuce and a half." [courtesy: daveswebshop.com]

Monday, September 4, 1944
Joe Louis visits our camp and eats with us (one meal). Schuster gets trip to Rome. From now on we are busy hauling to Florence.

Heavyweight boxing champion, Joe "The Brown Bomber" Louis, signs autographs for troops while joining them for a meal during World War Two. [courtesy: www.hlswilliwaw.com]

Sunday, September 17, 1944
Move 30 miles up [north] on route 67 near Pisa, 40 miles north of Florence.

Monday, September 25, 1944
Our company wins 5th Army plaque today. Parade and get citation for work done last February [Battle of Monte Cassino].

Officers issuing our company citation during a field ceremony, September 25, 1944.

Rich Wellman and me (right) holding the 5th Army plaque awarded to our company during the citation ceremony, September 25, 1944.

Wednesday, September 27, 1944
Turn in our 2 1/2 ton trucks to 3605 Q.M. and draw their 4 ton'ers. I go with group to Pisa. See the famous leaning tower. Fall rains are setting in. Have had several wet days during last couple weeks.

A snapshot I took of the Leaning Tower (to the right).

BACK IN THE WORLD: October 9, 1944. The St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series, defeating the St. Louis Browns, four games to two.

Article about me from the Fergus Falls Daily Journal.

Another neighbor from my home town of Hewitt, Minnesota, who saw action in Italy, taken from the Fergus Falls Daily Journal.

31. Pushing Forward

Wednesday, July 5, 1944
Haul ammo with 4 ton 0447 to 0440.

Thursday, July 6, 1944
Schuster in Rome on pass.

Friday, July 7, 1944
Company moves to Piombino, another 100 miles or so up the coast. I make a nite trip to 0403 to 0411 ammo.


Civitavecchia to Piombino, pushing forward.


The peaceful fishing village of Piombino as it appears today. [public domain]

Saturday, July 8, 1944
I make trip, a nite haul to same place, air raid at 1 a.m., bombs drop nearby.

Sunday, July 9, 1944
Sleeping today, good run in afternoon. Continue to haul ammo for next few days.

Saturday, July 15, 1944
We make some runs. Have been swimming twice and saw one GI stage show lately.

"The Fifth Army's Where My Heart Is," written by Irving Berlin and dedicated to the Fifth Army in July 1944. This is a program from a stage show I saw in July.

Sunday, July 16, 1944
Drivers move to ammo dump 0409 and move dump to 0413.

Wednesday, July 19, 1944
Job is completed and we move back to our company.

WAR UPDATE: July 20, 1944. German assassination attempt on Hitler fails (also known as Operation Valkyrie).

The remnants of the conference room soon after a detonated bomb failed to assassinate Adolph Hitler. [courtesy: German Federal Archive]

Wednesday, August 2, 1944
Have been doing same kind of work. Return on August 1st from 7 day trip, Siena to Naples. Haul French. Pull bulldozer on trailer. Had pass in Naples. Send $25 PTA home today.


Richard Wellman posing with a flat bed. We used these to haul bulldozers from Siena to Naples.


The long journey from Siena to Naples.

WAR UPDATE: August 4, 1944. Allies liberate Florence, Italy.

Friday, August 4, 1944
Five day rest in Rome rest camp. See about everything. Buy pictures and souvenirs. Work continues about the same. Saw Pope Pius XII and St. Peter's Cathedral on this trip.


Road to Rome, published by the Fifth Army, a souvenir I picked up in Rome.


This is me on pass in Rome, August 1944.

30. Continuing North Up The Peninsula

Wednesday, June 14, 1944
Trip with engineer equipment. Anzio to E 222, Civitavecchia.

Ancient ruins in the village of Civitavecchia, Italy. [photo by Vincenzo Surace]

Thursday, June 15, 1944
Get back to camp.

Friday June 16, 1944
Ammo haul Anzio to Q 438, 70 miles north of Rome on highway 2. Back in camp at 2 p.m. on June 17th. 270 mile trip.

Sunday, June 18, 1944
Company moves north to Civitavecchia. I get catch in my back I have lame back, am on sick book.

Continuing north up the peninsula.

Saturday, June 24, 1944
Have been laid up for last few days with lame back. We now have several 4 ton trucks in company.

Sunday, June 25, 1944
I start to work after a week lay off on account of a lame back. Haul ammo 0447 to 0440, 160 mile trip. See Raymond Stokes at 0447.

Monday, June 26 1944
Schuster goes to Rome on pass. I stay in camp. Raymond Stokes visits me all afternoon.


My old friend Raymond Stokes in on right. We hail from the same small town of Hewitt, Minnesota.


Italy
June 26, 1944
Dear Folkes,

Well, I finally got to see Raymond. I saw him yesterday in a supply dump. He was taking a truck load to the dump, and I was getting a load to take to another place. We talked for about an hour and today he didn't have to work so he came over to see me and stayed all afternoon, as I didn't work today either. We had a good visit, really talked over old times. Our camps are about eight miles apart.
I started to work yesterday after a weeks lay off on account of a lame back. I hurt my back by stooping over and raising up. Just a catch in the back you know. It's alright now. I don't suppose Ray and I will be this close together very long. This is the first time we have been so close together. I don't know where Chester Tonnar is now.
Love, Howard.


Wednesday, June 28, 1944
I haul Italion rations Q 545 to Lake Bracciano, then go to Tuscicania. A 160 mile trip.

Scenic Lake Bracciano, the remnants of an extinct volcano, is located just 18 miles northwest of downtown Rome. [public domain]

Thursday, June 29, 1944
I don't work, so in afternoon I go and visit Raymond.

Friday, June 30, 1944
I go on pass to Rome. See Coliseum and St. Peter's Cathedral. See stage show (GI) and move, "Sweet Rosie O'Grady," with Betty Grable.

Snapshots I took of St. Peter's Cathedral and Castle St. Angelo while on my first pass to Rome.

[courtesy: www.moviegoods.com]

Saturday, July 1, 1944
I haul in convoy 5th Army C.P. to 15 miles above Grasita. A 183 mile trip.

Sunday, July 2, 1944
I make short trip. Gas for trans-motor pool.

Monday, July 3, 1944
Schuster is driving 4 ton'er. I still have no. 6, but water boy is using it.

Tuesday, July 4, 1944
I spend day working on 4 ton truck.

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.