POST THIRTY-SEVEN (Alligators to Diamondbacks) 28 May 1943

May 28, 1943

Friday Morning

Hi Ma,

     We were just working on the guns cleaning them when up came a shower, did it get black. In a few minutes you could here the rain come over the hills. We all made a rush for the woods and our tents. This started out to be a swell day. The sun was out this morning with only a few white clouds in the sky. If it keeps up I'll turn to a Duck I'm sure.

     (After chow at night) It's no joke, Mom, it cleared up this afternoon and we took a 10 or 12 mile hike. We have just finished chow and I don't think all the boys are done when up came another heavy shower. Here I am inside with my raincoat over the front of my tent. (Remember they went out into the woods with their howitzers for two weeks.) 

     I got those pictures. I mean the ones with the cat (Billy Boy) on the rail. Gee, the barn looks great. Ha Ha that old gas can. Oh yes, have you got a chain over the back porch? I can see something black just above the stairs.

     I sure would like to run in and see the kiddos. I wonder what they would do if I should pop in on them? Seems to me they'll all be grown up when I do see them. (He is talking about his two nephews and three nieces.) 

     I thought Raymond Jr. was going to sign up in the Service. (cousin) When I left they were all talking about it. Had better take my advice and stay out as long as he can.

     You know, Mom, when the old people fall in love they haven't anything to say about the younger people. I've seen them riding in cars before. Ha Ha. I wonder how many more could have sit in front with Uncle Dave and his sugar pie. Ha Ha Ha

I wish I were home so I could see all that's going on. Keep on, the pair will be steady, it'll be sweet. (He is writing about his mother's brother. He lost his first wife in 1940. He is 49 and dating a lady the same age. She will become his second wife.)

     Thanks so much for getting up to write Sunday night. At 10:30 pm I was about half back to La Crosse. Did you ever stop to think just where I was or was doing right at a certain time?
     The boys have caught about 25 gray squirrels with only sticks. What they won't do. I know they would tackle a bear. Let me tell you this one. While they were in Louisiana with only a mosquito net and a tent rope they got an alligator 6 feet 6 inches long (1.982 meters), another time with a long stick and a loop made of tent rope they caught a Diamondback Rattlesnake 14 feet long (4.2672 meters). They don't give a darn and anything for some fun. On outside life you wouldn't think they could do it. 

     Gee, it was swell for Wesley and his wife to send me the announcement of the arrival of a boy 8 pounds 1 ounce. Little things like that mean more now than ever before. Oh Boy, Grammie York, I bet she can talk fast now. Did she have anything to say about my trip up there or when she was down. You never said anything about it. (Wesley was a son of Uncle Dave. Grammie York was Uncle Dave's mother, therefore, this new baby was her new great grandson.)
     How is Dad? I may have some junk around home he'd like to use, it's O.K. Some day you and Dad let someone snap your pictures.
     It's not raining much now. Guess, I'll close. Give my love to Helen, Joe, Eugene. Good night, Mom. I'm still looking to come home.
                                Love Charles, X Mother   

 *May 30, 1943 – Battle of Attu, Alaska Territory Ends (Pacific Theater)

Troops: USA/Canada 15,000 plus; Japan 2,900.

Casualties (Killed/Wounded/Missing): Allies 1,697; Japan 2,850.

Final attack in Aleutian Islands campaign begun after Japan invaded American territory June 6-7, 1942. Two week battle in Arctic conditions against fortified Japanese position. Bonzai charge at end of battle surprised American position, but ended with Japanese losing almost all of its men. Only land battle on U.S. soil in the war.

Alligator, Gray Squirrel, Diamondback Rattlesnake

105 mm howitzer #1

105 mm howitzer #2

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse

POST THIRTY-SIX (Burned His Clothes Off) 24 May 1943

 May 24, 1943

Monday

 Dear Mom,
     Here I am again deep in the woods of Wisconsin. Don't ask me where for we traveled quite a long time before we stopped. It has been raining all night and day. It is now pouring outside while I'm in this tent trying to keep dry. You can see nothing is dry here. We have still the two small thin blankets but couldn't bring our overcoats. I have my rain coat over the front as the rain doesn't seem to come all the same direction due to the wind. I did bring out a suit of heavy underwear which I intend to put on at night. I can feel the dampness coming through one of the blankets I've laid down. Guess I'll have to build a fire just outside the door with a back to reflect in the heat, that will help dry it out I think. We are out here for two weeks.
     By this time you must have a little surprise. I mean the record. Maybe next time I'll do a little better. The first time seemed funny. You have to be careful because every little mistake you make will record. 
     Marian wrote me a letter and wanted me to go to Madison, Wisconsin, with her. She has a sister there that has not been married very long. We left La Crosse at 5:15 pm Saturday and arrived in Madison at 10:15 pm. She had never been there before and didn't know her way around. Madison is a big place. The capital of Wisconsin. (1940 population was 67,447) It was late so we took a cab. It would have been quite a walk we found out later. Only 10 cents and it was worth it after the long ride. We left Madison at 7:15 pm Sunday and arrived at La Crosse at 12:30 am. I still had a 1 hour 15 minute ride back to camp after walking home with Marian. (Gee, it is raining hard now.) Sunday morning we all slept a little late but after a while we took a walk around town. Look on your folder I sent from Madison and find the Capitol building. I went up the big stairs and inside the building. I had just bought the folder at a drug store and so I dropped it into one of the mail boxes inside the Capitol building; took a second look and found I had put it in an airmail box with only a 2 cent stamp on it. If we had a guide with us we could have gone to the top. As it was, I kept walking upstairs until I reached here. (Drew a small picture of the dome to show how far he went.) I couldn't see out. Guides were there but we didn't have time to bother. I wouldn't have the money to do it if Marian wasn't a good sport.
     She has a chance for a job for the Badger Ordnance Company or powder works (for ammunition) about $40 or $50 a week. ($598 to $747 worth in 2020) It is way past between here and Madison. Too far to go and see her much. I sure will miss her if she goes. She has asked me to take another trip with her to Wisconsin Dells. We went by the place on our way to Madison. It is a a place the river has cut through the rocks. Do you get the idea? A nice boat ride with a pretty city to see which has an Indian Settlement nearby. Wisconsin Dells is a noted place Marian told me. She gives me something to look forward to all the time. Now you tell me I won't miss her if she goes.
     Oh yes, the Badger Company is so large that one day's production of powder now would last the Army and Navy for a year in peace time. We went quite close to it Saturday night. What a place with all the lights and a fence with a road all around the outside. Guards walk along the road all the time. Funny thing, most of the land is hilly but that place is on a flat piece of ground and I was told it went 9 miles back.
     Have pictures of home come yet? 
     I just went out to get some mail and found the letter with the pictures. Oh! Oh! the little pigs. I showed the pictures to Dan. He said I had a nice home. Dad sure did a swell job on the barn.
     Oh yes, one of the cooks went to heat some water. He picked up a can of water and someone had made a mistake by mixing up a 5 gallon can of gas with the water cans. He went to pour the water into the pan (as he thought) and the pan was on one of those outdoors gas stoves. You can guess what happened. Poor fellow burned his clothes off, but I don't think he hurt his face much, only on one side. They rushed him back to camp to the hospital wrapped in a blanket.
     Magna Nelson sent me a nice box of candy. Frank Hall wrote me a nice letter. Waneta (sister) wrote a long letter. 
     Mom, put the Date on that record, Thursday, May 20, 1943. Put on the folder May 23, 1943, Sunday.
     Mom, do not think I'm going to get a furlough right away but I'd like the money on hand in case. Please send $60.00. Do not use any of your money to send it. You wrote me I had a little more than that once. When you sent me the $5.00 I did not expect you to send it yourself. I know you have it hard. But I'll have my pay fixed up soon. I wrote to Clyde Sawyer for the $2.00 but he never sent it. I'm going to send him another letter later.
     Not much more news to-night and I have to try and get things fixed up for to-night. We are camping in the woods on the side of a hill. There is a small hill in the valley below about 75 acres. I'll look out and start to my left as I sit in my tent I'll draw you the hills just beyond the fields. Starting to the very left of my tent.

Hope you can partly make it out . Say does that chief carpenter belong to a union? I'll work for him at $57.00 a month. Ha Ha! No less because this job pays better than that (maybe). 
Give my love to Eugene, Helen, Joe. Give the pigs a scratch on the back and tell them it's from me. (Here we go for some more hard rain.)
Good night, Mother dear. Sleep tight and don't worry.   
                              Love from your Son
                                      Charles xxxx xxxx

^^May 17 Millionaire Howard Hughes crashes into Lake Mead, while test flying his Sikorsky  

 Howard Hughes Sikorsky

The crash killed Civil Aeronautics Administration inspector Ceco Cline whose body was never found and mechanic Richard Felt.

Howard Hughes

 
^^May 18 Allied bombers attack Pantelleria, an Italian island 100 km southwest of Sicily 

^^May 19 Berlin is declared "Judenrien" (free of Jews)

 
^^May 20 French, British and US victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia

 May 20 Gen. Eisenhower saluted by French, British 

and US victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia

 May 20 French, British and US victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia

 ^^May 23 -24: 826 Allied bombers attack Dortmund, Germany. The raid was considered successful with around 2,000 buildings destroyed. There were 600 killed on the ground with another 1,275 injured. There were 41 aircraft downed causing 189 deaths and 68 POWs

. 
^^May 25 Trident conference in Washington, D.C. (operation plan '43 against Japan)

"This model was manufactured in the mid-1940's. Pictured with the record cutter is a Recordisc cutting needle store display (complete with packages of needles), the original Astatic microphone, two blank discs, and a hardcover book titled "How To Make Good Recordings."
Record cutters played an important role in American history, allowing average Americans their first opportunity to record in the privacy of their homes.

 https://www.retrothing.com/2009/01/vintage-1940s-record-cutter.html

Wisconsin State Capitol

Badger Ordnance Company Entrance

KNIGHT HOMESTEAD BARN  

BUILT FALL 1942 TO SPRING 1943

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse

POST THIRTY-FIVE (How Did the Meeting Go With Marian's Family?) 17 May 1943

 May 17, 1943

Monday

Dear Mom, 

     Got your long letter just before I left for La Crosse last Saturday. I read it on the bus on the way down. It was a swell letter and I had a good laugh. Sure was glad to get it as it was the first letter all week. I wrote you one in a hurry while eating a little lunch early Sunday morning. Don't know as I wrote much but I found I had the paper with an envelope in my pocket. In a rush I wrote you a note. 

     I told you we were to leave on the 7:45 am bus. I called for her at 7:20. Poor kid, she still was in bed. The other girl had taken the alarm clock and set it back from 6:30 am to 8 o'clock. I called a cab and we made the bus depot O.K. Ha Ha I call her a kid, 23 years old.

     I met her folks and they used me swell. What a swell chocolate cake she made. She made me eat three (3) pieces of it. (dinner & supper) Just like Abby Cash made, remember. Ha Ha, ---- she made me eat 3. She didn't have to make me eat very hard. In the bus on the way back Marian said, "I feel better now you've met my folks. I didn't know just how you'd take them." Then she wanted to know why I didn't introduce her to my folks. She didn't say much but I guess they talk well to her about me.

     Here is a little sign I want you to post on the door at home. Watch Out for the Love Bug. He'll get you. Ha! Ha! 

     So, Mother, you had a week with a bunch of kids. My car had a funny spell over to Uncle. I take it to be a happy spell. Well, I haven't forgot how my car and I alone have had some lonesome spells. Glad I didn't leave anything like that inside. Mom, is the picture still on the shift? You know inside my car?

     Gee, with that parlor set and all the rest I wish I could see home. I like to see you have a nice home, Ma. (His father had built the home in the early 1920's. It is only now in the 1940's they could put in a bathroom, fix up the kitchen and buy some nice furniture.) I know you like to have it nice. You could always fix it up even with what you had. Guess you and I like a lot of the same things, same taste.

     I hope to get that thing for you this Saturday. I'll send it the first of the week if I can. You see we have no Post Office here except down the other end of the camp 2 1/2 miles I guess. You have to go there or wait until you go out. I may find someone going out that will mail it for me. Not much but I'm in the army. Wish it had come before but you have to wait for everything to-day. Called Marian one night and had to wait 2 hours in line.

     I sent Dot a letter a long time ago. I do not know if she got it or not. 

     Mom, didn't Helen Ladd give you a cedar chest once? Seems to me she did. She had a big heart for you. (Right out of the blue my uncle writes about his first girl friend. He mentioned about the Love Bug getting you after going with Marian to see her folks. He never got over his first girl friend and I'm wondering if he's feeling a little guilty about having feelings for another girl. He had other girl friends all his life but never married. Right up to the day he died he had a girl friend. Never lived with any like they do today.) 

     It is raining here to-night. We have been out firing all day. Supper Chow at 7 to-night. I'm tired so will take a shower and shave then go to bed.

     I put Helen's picture on the shelf with that small one of Eugene stuck in the corner. (his sister and brother) It looks good. Foolish but sometime I talk to the pictures.

     Tell Dad the farms out here are poor. I mean the buildings. Some of the houses are made of logs, then cemented up. The land they plow is in between the hills and on the sides. The ground looks swell for farming. A lot of it is black soil. Never plow corn under here. Just cut it in the fall. See quite a few pigs around. Pig house is just a pile of hay with a few poles to hold up the center. Some pigs even roam around. The barns are stone or rock way up then wood. They put their buildings up cheap. They spend little money to keep them up.

     Well folks, guess I'll say good night. Love to all (how many there) Good night, Mom.

                                    Love

                                     Son Charles  

*May 17, 1843 – Operation Chastise (Dambuster Raids) - European Theater

More information: https://www.thoughtco.com/operation-chastise-the-dambuster-raids-2360533

**May 17 The United States Army contracts with the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School to develop the computer ENIAC. 

Computer ENIAC

**The Memphis Belle becomes the first airplane in the 8th Air Force to complete a 25-mission tour of duty. 

The Memphis Belle

**May 19 – Winston Churchill addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress. 

 Churchill Addresses Joint US Congress May 1943

copyright gettyimages Library of Congress

OLD WISCONSIN BARN

copyright gettyimages Library of Congress

KILL OR BE KILLED! - World War II Training Film

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse

THIRTY-FOUR (Visit with Marian's Family) 16 May 1943

 

Sunday Morning

6:00 May 16, 1943

Dear Mom,

     It is early Sunday morning and I'm in La Crosse eating a lunch just before going up to Marian's house. That is, I'm to pick her up and we'll take the 7:45 am bus for her home. I feel I'm going to have a good time. That kid sure has been good to me. I shouldn't call her a kid, she's a swell girl.

     Gee, it rained hard here yesterday. I just had my clothes pressed last week. I got caught in a down pour  and when I got to town I looked like a clothes bag, no press at all, Oh dear. I bet you can picture me, Mom. You know your old maid all ready to go out (special) with no press in his pants. Oh well, I went into a little tailor shop. "How about pressing a pair of pants?" "Sure, sure me do it," he said. Ha Ha I said, "But I have them on." He said, "Hee, Hee, you get into barrel, me fix you up." So he did. Then your old maid went on his way.

     It is raining a little this morning. Hope it stops as she said we would go any way. 

     Thanks for the letter yesterday. I'll have to answer that letter special and later.

    Must be going now, Mom dear. Marian will be waiting. So long. It's times like this that help make the dull day seem happy.

                                Good bye Mother

                                      Love to all

                                        Charles

[Next week we will find out how his meeting with Marian's family goes!]

*May 16, 1943 – Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Ends – Eastern Front

More information: https://www.thoughtco.com/auschwitz-camp-system-facts-1779683

^^May 16 Operation Chastise: No. 617 Squadron RAF begins the famous Dam Busters Raid, bombing the Möhne and Eder dams in the Ruhr valley with bouncing bombs. 

Operation Chastise

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse

POST THIRTY-THREE (A Killing in Town) 13 May 1943

 Thurs. May 13, 1943

Hello Folks,

     What is wrong back home? I haven't heard from you since last Saturday. Don't get like Waneta. I wish she would write. After all she hasn't much writing to do. With me I have to try and send them all a letter.

     Some more on the weather report. Yesterday was cold with rain. It was swell except for a cool breeze.

     We went out firing yesterday and the Staff Sgt. took me into his section and sending one of his over to mine. I think that Corporal in my regular section who is acting chief of section or trying for that Sergeant rating almost - - - - his pants. He didn't know what to do.

     To-day we were marking some of tools with our section number Sec. 2. His friend was printing so I took a bunch and started to print too. He didn't like it because some of the other boys were telling what a good job I was doing. I'll just keep my mouth shut but beat him out if it's the last thing I do. You have to have a little leadership ability which I think he lacks.

     Marian sent me a nice letter telling me to be sure to come this weekend as she had written home so they would be expecting us. She said it was just as well I didn't come last weekend as she didn't feel very well. She'd make it out OK anyway.

     Two soldiers got into a fight last Saturday night in La Crosse. One stabbed and killed the other. Too bad because it gives the boys a bad name.

     I forgot to tell you but I did the firing of the howitzer yesterday. He (the Corporal that doesn't like him) tried to make me a little sore by asking if I wasn't a little slow. All I said was, "Slow but sure."

     Had a short letter from Pauline and she was in bed with a cold. Poor kid guess she's not well.

     I sent a letter to Clyde Sawyer for the $2.00 he owed me. If he sends it home put it in a letter and mail it. Do you blame me for writing? $2.00 is $2.00 in the army. (That would be worth $29.90 in 2020).

     Well, that is about all for to-night. Good night Mom, Dad and All. How is Dad?

                               Love

                                  Charles

P.S. Hope you're OK.   

 ^^May 11 Hermann Göring division in Tunisia surrenders. Hermann Wilhelm Göring was a German political and military leader as well as one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party

Hermann Wilhelm Göring

*May 11-30, 1943 – Battle of Attu, Alaska Territory BEGINS (Pacific Theater)

Troops: USA/Canada 15,000 plus; Japan 2,900.

Casualties (Killed/Wounded/Missing): Allies 1,697; Japan 2,850.

Final attack in Aleutian Islands campaign begun after Japan invaded American territory June 6-7, 1942. Two week battle in Arctic conditions against fortified Japanese position. Bonzai charge at end of battle surprised American position, but ended with Japanese losing almost all of its men. Only land battle on U.S. soil in the war.

Japanese Occupation of Attu

**May 12 – The Trident Conference begins in Washington, D.C., with Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill taking part.

The Trident Conference

^^May 12 Axis forces in North Africa surrender.

 Other Pictures of the Battle of Attu

Howitzer 105 - The guns Uncle Charlie was firing

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse

POST THIRTY-TWO (Promotion?) 10 May 1943

 Monday

May 10, 1943

Dear Mom,

     We have had an easy day so will drop you a short letter. I can hear the bugle blowing taps but I'm not very tired.

     Just awhile ago the Staff Sgt., our chief of the gun section, came by my bunk and asked me to come outside. A Staff Sgt. has four stripes. Three up one down. I said to myself, "What can be up?" I went outside. He said, " I have something to tell you. You're soldering with a hard fellow, but don't say anything. (you know the one I told you about) Keep bucking. (keep soldering as you have been doing) There are going to be a lot of changes made around here. I want to tell you the Battery Commander has his eyes on you. He told me you were a good soldier and felt you could give orders and do the work. Now don't forget what I told you. It don't make any difference how long you've been in here. The main thing is to do the job. Even if you know you stand a chance if you want it. I also put in a good word for you. Keep bucking. You may have a gunner job with a Corporal rating before a month. Forget what the rest say. You know it's hard to put a new man in over older men heads but I still say you can do the job." (This letter is making sense of what I saw on my uncle's discharge papers. On all his letters even overseas that highest rank he ever wrote on his letters was Pfc., however, on his Separation Qualification Record it states, 3 months Pvt. (Basic), 29 months Cpl. (Gunner Cpl.) 2 months Sgt. (Charge of Section). I will let you read the rest of the Record down below the "Posters and Pictures for the Post.")

     Gee, Mom, that sounds good to me. Just think that is the same Staff Sgt. I had words with about the damn old Yankee. (post 19) Guess he found I had a little back bone at the right time. As far as that Mexican I don't care, now that I know he can't hold me down. I'm still going to watch him and keep my mouth shut. If I get it I'll be the same rank as he. Won't he blow his top and p--- (I won't say what we do in the army.) Darn old army way of talking. I forget and write it sometimes. Oh well, Mother, I always did tell you about everything. I'm older now so I guess a slip once in awhile won't hurt much. Now keep it to yourself (except Dad) until later. Hey, how does Dad rate knowing it Ha! Ha!
     I forgot to tell you why I was so mad about not going out last week. You see, Marian asked me to come down Saturday. Sunday morning we were going to take the bus to Tomah, her home for the day. It being Mother's Day her mother was going to have a nice dinner. I would have had a good time. I called her up and told her I couldn't come. She was out getting her hair fixed so I haven't heard from her. The woman at the house answered the phone said she knew Marian would be disappointed. I expect she'll send me a letter to-morrow. Do you blame me for being mad? You have to be a good little boy or you don't go out. Ma, can I go out the first Saturday night I'm home? Ha! Ha!
     Guess it may rain before morning. Well, I have to shave so will close. Love to all.
                       Love Charles 

 ^^May 7 Liberty Ship George Washington Carver, named after scientist, launched. In November 1943 the ship was allocated to the United States Army by the WSA and was converted to hospital ship USAHS Dogwood. The ship made multiple trips to ports in England from its home port of Charleston, South Carolina, before sailing for duty in the Philippines in 1945.
In January 1946, the ship was converted to carry a combination of troops and military dependents as USAT George Washington Carver. The ship was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in 1947 and was sold for scrapping in 1964.

Liberty Ship George Washington Carver

^^May 7 US 1st Armour division occupies Ferryville, Tunisia.

^^May 7 US 9th Infantry division occupies Bizerta/Bensert, Tunisia.

^^May 8 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham of the British fleet: When Axis forces in North Africa were on the verge of surrender, he ordered that none should be allowed to escape. Entirely in keeping with his fiery character he signaled the fleet "Sink, burn & destroy; let nothing pass".

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham

^^May 9 5th German Panzer army surrenders in Tunisia.

Staff Sgt. Chevron

Separation Qualification Record

*Source 1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453

*Source 2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for major battles

**Source 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States

^^Source 4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943

##Source 5 https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii

copyright of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse