1943 PERSONAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT BATTLE DIARY OF AN AMERICAN INFANTRYMAN

Corporal Joseph Engelhardt scrupulously writes over 55 pages, in an address book converted into a diary, full from A - L, of his journey from North Africa to Italy in the late summer of 1943 through to June of 1944. Battles, troop movements, anectodal observations and much more. Engelhardt is a keen observer and exhibits a fair bit of charm as he shares his thoughts and opinions. This is a down to earth yet cocky and brassy the young man is writing from a grunt's eye view; a soldier of the 34th Infantry Division, 168th Infantry Regiment, the famed "Red Bull" and "Deset Bull" divisions that helped beat the Germans in North Africa and opened the door for the invasion of Italy, that this very same soldier took part in. (The regimental motto is 'ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK'.) This diary begins with his account of North Africa, time in Oran and then onto Italy. He writes of his pals killed in action, the wounded and he suffers wounds too. In a very moving passage he makes a note to himself to write 'Nana' but not to tell her he is in the hospital again. He also writes of personal matters; girls back home, girls in Europe. In one personal passage he writes of receiving a letter from a girlfriend - "Got a letter from June which I didn't go for. She isn't going to tie me down to unhappiness after what I've been through!!" Stunning to consider this man's placement in World War II history and that he so carefully wrote of his times, thoughts and adventures. I'll quote from his last charming entry; June, 1944 "Everything set to leave. Still awaiting on furlong papers. Am I on edge!! Damn this waiting!!" Condition wise the book's exterior has been repaired with tape along the spine. The cover is just holding together and though the pages are very clean and legible there are some loose pages but all attached and present.; Manuscript; 24mo - over 5" - 5¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, DIARY, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, WORLD WAR II, WW II, NORTH AFRICA, ITALY, ITALIAN CAMPAIGN, SALERNO, ARTILLERY, INFANTRY, RED BULL, DESERT WARFARE, ROMMEL, DESERT RATS, INFANTRY, TANK, ARMOR