diary of a WWII soldier



August 29, 2009

Aug 28, 1944

Anchored - St. Tropez & St. Maxime again- Loaded patients - 131 kraut heads & 31 yanks - at 1920 - Set sail again for Naples.

August 24, 2009


Debarked patients Aug 24 - I went ashore - Naples.
(blogger's note: the following was found on another page in the diary. Evidently the soldier decided to write more about that day later on)
Went ashore in Naples-
Aug 24 1944 - Many bldgs bombed, I never saw so many people begging - the whole city is a mess. Tiny kids begging in all the streets. Every other door a barber shop. Basket merchants & jewelry vendors with boxes of junk. Mt. Vesuvius belched a little smoke to let us know she wasn't dead and still could cloud up and rain plenty of hell. The Isle of Capri was solely rock - not at all as I had it pictured. Both trips to the beachhead were nice and smooth - with beautiful sunny weather.

August 23, 2009


Aug 23, 1944


Sailed for Naples Aug 22, 1944 - 1900

At 1200 noon Wednesday Aug 23, 1944

Exactly between Corsica & Sardina.

Also rumored that Paris had been taken.

August 17, 2009



Aug 17, 1944

Sailed from beachhead at St. Tropez & St. Maxime - 25 miles West of Toulon- 25 miles N.E. of Marsielles - 35 miles East of Nices & Cannes.

Loaded patients - German, Italian, & Russian. English Supermen don't look so super. German died of grenade wounds Aug 22 - right after loading. Checked morgue refrig.

August 2, 2009



Sailed from Norfolk Aug 2, 1944.
Destination Algiers - Orders changed at Gibraltar.
Invasion of S. France.