Author Archives: John

August 19, 1943 – Thursday

Same as yesterday nothing new happening.

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Letter home – August 18, 1943

Dear Mother & Dad; By now you should have read all of the news about Sicily. The deeply will get the rest now at least I hope so. Did I ever tell you that I saw Palermo. It was a … Continue reading

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August 18, 1943 – Wednesday

Not much today just laid around and rested.  Listened to the radio and went to bed.

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Messina Beer Run

Chick talks about the invasion of Sicily in July of 1943 and how going after water turned into a beer run in Messina. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, University of Illinois as part of the “WWII Central Illinois … Continue reading

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August 17, 1943 – Tuesday

The infantry is in the outskirts of Messina so we will probably move up today.  The city of Messina fell at 1:00 P.M. today.  The 3rd Div. beat the English in by 3 hours.  I went in at about 4 … Continue reading

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August 16, 1943 – Monday

Well we had a rest today.  The whole company was in.  All we did was lay around, play cards, read, write letters, and sleep.  The first platoon had to go out and work.  Went to bed early.  They have been … Continue reading

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Letter home – August 15, 1943

Dear Mother & Dad; Here is another Sunday and the days are still the same. You have a hard time trying to keep up with the day’s. We had a mail call last night and I received a letter from … Continue reading

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August 15, 1943 – Sunday

I laid around all morning and so I wrote letters after dinner.  We are moving again.  Boy that bridge sure slowed us up.  The front is about 25 miles from us.  The people along the way seem a lot different … Continue reading

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A ‘Bridge to the Sky’

Chick talks about the invasion of Sicily in July of 1943 and how the 10th Engineers built a ‘Bridge to the Sky’ at Point Calava, Sicily that was reported on by Ernie Pyle. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, … Continue reading

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Bridge at Point Calava, Sicily

The following excerpts have been taken from different references sources about the Bridge that was built by the 10th Engineers. …… While no direct enemy fire was received when the 30th approached Cape Calava, the advance was halted abruptly where … Continue reading

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