Your Son, ‘Chick’
Category Archives: 1943
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
Posted in 1943, In his words
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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
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
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
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
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
Posted in 1943, In his words
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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
August 14, 1943 – Saturday
I went out to work with the Company today. The Jerries did a beautiful job of demolition at the end of the tunnel. We had to put in a trestle bridge and it was sure a job as you … Continue reading
August 13, 1943 – Friday
We moved up to a new area this morning as we have the Jerries on the run. We camped in a cane forest and then just waited. We cooked our own meal. We will be more like bums when we … Continue reading
August 12, 1943 – Thursday
We moved again to to Cape d’Orlando. Stayed there a while and then took off for the front. Boy what a mess, dead men sprawled everywhere. We came back to our area and went to bed. Airplanes came over and … Continue reading
