(some of the writing finishes a sentence in the next day so I (Scott Hinckley) am doing that and then starting the new day with the next sentence or combining two days )

May 31, 1944  finished volleyball playoff.  Plotters #3 won.  Valdes went up front with another F.P.C.  another push is opening in an effort to capture Rome.

June 1, 1944    Rec’d honey of watch from Helen.  Played in “all star” volleyball game.  Nice weather.

June 2, 1944    Still kicking hell out of Jerry.  No air resistance.  Played Vermont volleyball. Grubstake has won $200.00 playing volleyball games.

June 3, 1944    HQ’s is moving to our location at Lake Albano.  We will by pass Rome.  Front is moving to fast.

June 4, 1944.  Hq’s 5^th army has moved in on us.  This is no place for any advanced Op’s. Wacks are here too.  We have to be carefull with our toilet.  Damn wacks.

June 5, 1944    Rome was taken.  Pay day.  Usually games of chance.

June 6, 1944    Invasion from England! Lord, how we have waited for it.  Damn near cried were so happy.  Sent $75.00 home.  Hope its   soon over.

June 7, 1944    Made a trip to Rome.  The old Anzio line is a mass of ruins and wrecked equipment.  Country is beautifull around Rome.  Rome is soldiers dream  city.

June 8, 1944    Americans are “god like” “Albergo’s” are nice.  Colleseum and Vadican city were interesting and beautifull.  Lots of A.W.O.L.’s in Rome. (yes all of this is his spelling)

June 9, 1944    Returned to camp and tore down ready to move.  Made a beautifull coast drive fifty miles above Rome.  Nice roads. Flat marshy country merges into rolling hills.

June 10, 1944  Green vegetation and plenty of Jerry mines.  Located about 15 miles inland.  Between two small towns.  Plenty of laundry women.

June 11, 1944  Jerry had rifle range with painted British soldiers for targets.  Jerry camoflauge is good.  Dagos are scared of us.  “we bring candy0Jerry brings lice”!

June 12, 1944  Cozarts wedding anniversary.  A small road detail to Colonels tent.  Spit #9 buzzed us also B-25.  some our boys hot as can be.  Takeing it easy while we can.

June 13, 1944  few Jerry planes over last night.  Moved to top of hill and set up operations.  I got a terrible sunburn.  Got Tom’s old spring bed.  Chow is darn good.

June 14, 1944  Ops #2 now numbers 271 E.M. and officers.  Getting to damn big.  General Barcus is certainly tearing up and rebuilding this outfit.  He’s a G.I. “Prick”.

June 15, 1944  Offensive here in Italy is certainly moveing fast.  We will move to Gressto as soon as the infantry takes it.  No Jerry air activity for a long time. Doesn’t hurt my feelings abit.  Hope I never see any more of “Jerry’s kites”.

June 16, 1944  Too many hot sultry days has led to summer rains three days in a row.  Have been playing poker for the past four nights.  Have won over $175.00, will send it home as soon as possible.

June 17, 1944  We have quite a selection of “pin-up” gals.  Everything from movie stars, to strip-tease artists.  All they do is make us home sick for our gals at home.  Will we ever get home?

June 18-19, 1944        Colonel McNown rumored sities have been choosen for our stop over in states, on way to Pacific theatre.  They will have a big group of non-combantants when they try to get us our of the states next time.

June 20, 1944  We will catch up with the front again soon.  All of our old officers are back, thank goodness.  Outfit is getting very G.I.  boy how one C.O. can ruin a good outfit!!

June 21, 1944  Made another trip to Rome.  Long tiresome ride.  Dick and I took off together.  Walked all over and couldn’t find an “Albergo”

June 22, 1944  Had to go back to camp the same day.  Went to A.R.C. and met “Bea” thickens. She is certainly nice.  “Spec” is certainly crazy.   Didn’t get half the shopping done that I wanted to.

June 23-24, 1944        My vna’s motor has been giving me plenty of trouble.  Our boys cn’t fix it.  I took it to an ordance.  They did a nice job.  Glad I didn’t have to spend the night with them.

June 25, 1944  Jerry came over civil avecchia.  Were off the air.  Have the jump, when it comes to moveing and it should be in a few days.

June 26, 1944  528^th trucks have come up to help us move.  They say that we’re by passing Grosseto and going to Piombino.

June 27, 1944  Hit the road this morning. 299 had an accident.  One boy in hospital.  Hundreds of our M.T.’s moveing up.  Glad Jerry doesn’t have any “Kites”.

June 28, 1944  Long dust dirty trip of 135 miles.  But were that much closer home.  Our “Big friends” did real work on all bridges, air fields etc.

June 29, 1944  Located on one hell of a mt.  21/2 tone truck is father of all trucks, jeeps etc.  boy what I didn’t make mine do.

June 30, 1944  Brush, hills and rocks.  Takes an hour to work down to chow.  Port of P. really caught hell.  Col. Is getting a Dozer for our road.  General Barcus came up.. Made not fuss.

July 1, 1944    Mail came in.  half the year is up.  What a life.  Hot, dirt poar chow, wash laundry and work.  “Chicken-shit” outfits.

July 2, 1944 We can easily see the Island of Elba.  We are protecting the Piombinio Sector.  Jerry tries to run “reccies” down during the day. About every night one or two J.U. 88’s come down every night  they got an ammo dump on Elba.  But that is the only damage they have done.  Our AAA keeps them high.

July 4, 1944    Small heavy rain shower this morning.  Fast wind kicked up heavy waves.  Nice swimming.  A cool but uneventfull fourth of July.

July 5, 1943    Playing poker, swimming working and talking of home.  Lord it is monotinous, but there is really something big coming up.

July 6, 1944    Hope it breaks soon.  No air opposition against us.  We are pounding the hell our of Leghorn.  If we make this break through soon, it will be serious for Jerry.

July 7, 1944    mail has been good this week.  Sped brought up a bottle of some very good wine.  Along with some stolen rations, we had a little midnight snack.

July 8, 1944    built a volleyball court.  Have some big money games coming up.  62 F.W. is set up to take over our present positions.

July 9, 1944    Hot, dry, dusty and some wind.  We draw late shift rations.  Coffee and sandwich stuff.   J. C. schools sent me my acceptance contract.

July 10, 1944  Have been playing and winning at poker.  Happy birthday mother.  A swim is our only recreation. Certainly is enjoyed.  We have a picture show nearly every other night.

July 11, 1944  Went with Sampsell to 5^th army salvage.  Piombino is seething with activity.  Something that looks like a Southern France invasion is rumored.

July 12, 1944  Russians are going great.  Don’t see how Jerry can hold out.  He must be drugged.  He is catching hell from everything we have and non of his planes are comeing over.

July 14, 1944  Some or our boys hurt when they hit a Jerry road block up on Leghorn.  Lots of good looking Dago people in this country.  Joe and tome were pulled our and sent back to a staging area.

July 15, 1944  We go next.  Major reading warned us of “stuff”  days ahead.  Can’t be any worse than some days behind us.

July 16, 1944  Getting ready to “tear down equip” when a red cross clubmobile pulled in.  those gals are sure “tops”  how they ever found us beats me.  Coffee and “do-nuts”.

July 17, 1944  Took a fairwell group picture and moved the vans down the hill to H.q.’s.  with a fair view of  “Elba” behind us, we left the Piombino sector at 5:30 PM.

July 18, 1944  Drove all night.  Good roads lined with flowers and trees.  Stopped 50 miles north of Rome for coffee, changed drivers in Rome.  Roads are much worse.

July 19, 1944  Lost but once in Albano.  Not bad. Made two stops for refueling.  Cozy is driving now er are passing through a marshy zone.  Mussolini canal country.

July 20, 1944  Cissterno was blown of the map.  Small payment for the two ranger Co.’s lost there.  Now I  understand Anzio.  Terrible accident-driver went to sleep-hit a tree.  Changed drivers again.

July 21, 1944  I drove through Gaeta and Itri country into St. Marie-above Naples.  Stageing area.  Ate first watermelons of the year.  Solved laundry problem.  Fair price-clean for once.

July 22, 1944  Valdes “fubar” and Egg and I are on “D” day or “D” + 2 boat.  Driving a 21/2 ton ration truck.  Moved to “stageing” area.  Spent rough night-Jerry “Reccie”  over.

July 23, 1944  Sweat out another day in the hottest spot in Italy.  Nothing to do- must stay close to vehicles. Some are loading on Boat every day.

July 24, 1944  Some of the boys took off for Sorrento.  Lt. Fields got 6×6 for our transportation.  Went out to H.Q.’s and had all the fried chicken we could eat.

July 25, 1944  Cozy and Hanes have been taken back to 82^nd H.Q.’s. going to “Oklahoma” radar on D.S.  we join them later on-somewhere.

July 26, 1944  Tried to find miss Burns.  She is on five day pass to Capri.  Loaded vehicles on boat.  Spent night at Docks.  This show is going to be larger than French show.  Seven air-craft carriers, ten battle-ships.  Numerous corvetts, cruisers, destroyers and hundreds of troop transports-LST’s etc.

July 28, 1944  Lay around “Dallas” stageing area near Bagnolia.  Hot-dusty-dirty. Officers  got us an Italian beer issue.  No way to wash clothes.  “C” rations for all meals.

July 29, 1944  Meet miss Burns at Nurses home.  Lovely afternoon visit.  Had a nice lovely evening stroll along Naples Park and waterfront.  “Spec” gave us a ride home in jeep.

July 30, 1944  Had a nice shower. Took nurse Helen Burns to dinner.  “Spec” had the colonels Chrysler.  Had a nice drive.  Some iced vermouth.  Gee it was good talking to an American girl.

July 31, 1944 Loaded all Personnel aboard the U.S.S. Linclon Stephens”.  My first “Liberty Boat”.  Anchored Naples harbor.  Latterly hundreds of Boats.  Bigger than Sicily.

August 1, 1944            we enjoy swimming.  Dive from ships side.  About 30 feet dive.  Use a ladder to climb aboard.  Egg and I are acting as lifeguards.  Keeps us out of dirty details.

August 2, 1944            A.R.C. has furnished us with plenty of reading material.  Play a lot of card wish for mail and shore leave.

August 3, 1944            Have fire, air, and sea attacts, and abandon ship drill.  Long eventless days.  do plenty of sleeping.  Ran into American Sailor who can really play checkers.

August 4, 1944            Ships comeing and going all the time.  Most of the sips are nearly loaded.  Wish it were over with.  Hate sweeting it out.  No one knows where-lots of rumors from Southern France to the Balkans and far east.  Wish it were the states.

August 6, 1944            Dr. Turner found I had graduated from seminary.  Wanted me to give non-denominational services.  Best I could do was prepare one and let him give it.  The rest of the fellows certainly appreciated it.

August 7, 1944           chow on ship is poar.  One slice of bread per meal.  Beer issue: two cans of American Lager”.  First in 20 months.  Saw picture “A mask for Dimitrios”.

August 8, 1944            Play cards all day long.  This waiting is getting on everbodys nerves.  I think the initial force has moved our.  Fewer ships in harbor now.

August 9, 1944            Pulled guard duty between 1500 hours and 1900 hours.  Also 0300 to 0700.  Our ship has credit for two J.U. 88’s.  Also carring live ammunition.

August 10, 1944          Haven’t been paid for July.  Will draw two months pay the 31^st of this month.  Drew a big combat PX ration.  Play an awfull lot of cards.  Our only source of amusement.

August 11, 1944          No more mail to leave the boat.  Folks will start worrying now.  Had a bad blow.  Ships spun on their anchor chains like tops.  Haven’t heard any news of late.

August 12, 1944          Navy Commador McCanlish came aboard.  He is the former captain of the Boise.  He is in charge of our “Liberty” ship convoy.  We are first cargo ships unload.

August 13, 1944          Said goodbye to Italy and took a last look at Mr. Vesuveis at 2:30 PM  sailed between Capri and Sorrento and turned west.  General Patch-7^th army-letter of best wishes.

August 14, 1943          Sea is perfect blue.  Smooth as glass.  Porposes are our entertainment.  Boys got together and put on an entertainment, songs, jokes, etc.  passed between Corsica and Sardinia very late.