Monthly Archives: July 2013

Letter home – July 23, 1943

Dear Mother & Dad; This is the first chance I have had to write and let you know where I’m. I know you have been worrying your heads off but it just couldn’t be helped. Today is the first day … Continue reading

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July 23, 1943 – Friday

We packed everything up and left for the new bivouac area just this side of Palermo. Boy the roads are just full of prisoners. We got to our bivouac area just before dinner. I wrote my first letter home from … Continue reading

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July 22, 1943 – Thursday

There was nothing to do but wait for them to come after us. The Italian people were coming over and giving us wine and we were giving them food in turn. They are all about starved. We must have had … Continue reading

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July 21, 1943 – Wednesday

We laid around all day waiting to move. The company moved out at 6:30 PM and left myself and a couple of other men to guard the supplies & bring them up tomorrow.

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July 20, 1943 – Tuesday

I went down to the Battalion for some more supplies this morning. We moved out at 1 PM for the front. We got lost from the convoy and wondered up with in range of rifle fire. We got the hell … Continue reading

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Invasion of Sicily – continued

Chick talks about the invasion of Sicily in July of 1943 and the tragedy that occurred with the 82nd Air Borne. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, University of Illinois as part of the “WWII Central Illinois Stories” series … Continue reading

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July 19, 1943 – Monday

We laid around for awhile and then started out to look for the company. We found them working on a road about 20 miles from us. We found out that we have had 9 men killed and two wounded Artillery … Continue reading

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July 18, 1943 – Sunday; Sicily

The sea is still calm and just as blue as blue can be. We are to land this afternoon some time. We watch a sub chaser drop depth changes for about twenty minutes. I don’t know if he got this … Continue reading

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July 17, 1943 – Saturday

We are on the L.ST. 386, it’s not a bad tub, but the food is good. We just lay around and played cards all day. The water is very quiet and not an enemy in sight. Mac and I stayed … Continue reading

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Operation Husky – the invasion of Sicily

Chick talks about ‘Operation Husky’; the invasion of Sicily in July of 1943. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, University of Illinois as part of the “WWII Central Illinois Stories” series

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