WWII Diary of Chick Bruns – 70 Years Ago

We arrived at Marseilles at 3:30 am this morning. Loaded onto trucks and went out to the staging area. We were told that we would be here from 5 to 7 days. We drew our blankets and went to bed. Was up at 7 and ate breakfast. Then went back to bed till dinner time. After dinner we sweated out the P.X. line. Then sweated out the coke line. Then the chow line. Then the coke line, then the beer line. Then went to a stage show that was no good and a show that wasn’t much better. That’s all for today.

I slept out on the rear end of the coach all night. It was pretty cold but I at least got a little sleep. We were to get at Marseilles this morning, but at the rate we are traveling it will be tomorrow morning. We played some more cards to pass the time away.

Spent a rough night as we have no sleeping quarters. The seats are as hard as a rock, and it was pretty chilly. We played a little cards during the day to pass the time away. We ate twice during the day.

Went to mass this morning. Played cards in the afternoon. Went to the show in the evening.

Slept all morning as it was cold and damp. Went for a small hike and played some cards. Went to a show in the afternoon. Drank some beer and coke in the evening.

Went out for a walk this morning. Played cards till noon. They say we are leaving Monday. Played ping pong till supper time and went to a show. Talked till bed time.

Went out and played a ball game this morning. Laid in the sun all afternoon. Took a bath and went to the show. Went over and had a beer. It started to rain so we had to fasten our tent down. It didn’t rain hard.

Laid around all morning, cut a little grass. Took a sun bath. Ate dinner. Laid in the sun again in the afternoon. Played cards and went to a show in the evening.

Layed around all morning. Got a little sun before dinner and after dinner. They had a U.S.O. show for us so I spent the afternoon there. Went to the show in the evening and then walked down to the brew hall.