From the Diary of Paul W. Krug

Preparing for the D-Day Invasion

May 13, 1944 - Took the oat to Portland to get mail.  Took all our gear in our boat and left Weymouth.  Run out in the harbor and boarded the USS LST 317 for permanent duty at 2100.  Deutsch, Bowen, and myself helped the cook clean ducks for tomorrow's dinner (getting in good with the boss).

May 12, 1944 - Let Salcomb in our boat at 0800.  Arrived in Weymoouth at 1800.  Don't know how long we'll be here. Slept in boat.

May 11, 1944 - Worked on boat.

May 10, 1944 - Borrowed a dingie from a guy and took a boat ride.

May 9, 1944 - Worked on boat.

May 8, 1944 - Packed all our gear in our boat & shoved off the ship at 0800.  Arrived at Saloome at 1300.  Moved into huts, expected to stay here until Friday & then move on to Portland.

May 7, 1944 - Going to leave the ship tomorrow, went on liberty, everything closed up.

May 6, 1944 - Reder and Soulier's crews are going to take over British communication boats, they're fast little jobs but they don't have any firepower.

May 5, 1944 - Worked on the boat.  Pulled into Plymouth and dropped anchor.

May 4, 1944 - Got up 0200 had chow, went over the side 0500.  Got to the line of departure too late, other boats had already gone into the beach and were firing their rockets.  I wish they'd pull the real thing.  I'm getting tired of these dry runs.

May 3, 1944 - Finished her up, go on maneuvers tomorrow.

May 2, 1944 - Started to paint her today.

May 1, 1944 - Worked on our boat.

April 30, 1944 - Packed our gear in our boat and came aboard LST495.  She loaded up with soldiers and trucks, we're going on a maneuver.

April 29, 1944 - Worked on the boats, cleaned guns.

April 28, 1944 - We shoved off in our boats for Weymouth at 100.  Arrived here at 2300, picked up 32 dead soldiers on the way that were victims of a torpedoed LST [victms of Slapton Sands tragedy].

April 27, 1944 - It's a nice place here but we don't expect to stay long.

April 26, 1944 – Got discharged from hospital 0900.  Left by train for Teignmouth at 1600, arrived 1900.

April 25, 1944 – Getting along swell.  Hope to get out tomorrow.

April 24, 1944 – Feel pretty good today.

April 23, 1944 – Feel pretty sick.

April 22, 1944 – Got food poison and went to hospital.

April 21, 1944 – Cleaned up some gear.

April 20, 1944 – No pay today hope to get some soon.  Stood sentry watch in gale.

April 19, 1944 – Worked on our boat.  Saw “China Girl” it was OK.

April 18, 1944 – Tried out our 50s

April 17, 1944 – Got the rudder foxed and put on a new screw.  Had trouble with the throttle, fixed it up.  We named her the “Ramblin’ Reck” because there’s always something going wrong with her.

April 16, 1944 – Cleaned up some gear.

April 15, 1944 – Worked on the boat.  Saw “The Lodger”

April 14, 1944 – Started out to sea for a little practice on our twin 50s but one rudder broke so we had to turn back.

April 13, 1944 – Received my first mail from the states, they were old but they sounded good to me anyway.

April 12, 1944 – Washed some gear. I went to see “The Song of Bernadette,” it was OK.

April 11, 1944 – Our crew went on maneuvers all day.  They had the band from the USS Samuel Chase here at the camp to play for us and they sure beat it out.  There are only 3 crews here at this base.

April 10, 1944 – Went to see “Pistol Packin’ Mommy” it was a pretty good show.

April 9, 1944 – Washed some gear.  Took a 5 mi. hike with a couple of buddies. 

April 8, 1944 We started out on maneuvers but had to come back as it was too rough.  Went into town (a small place with not much to do) had a couple of… (tasted like water).  The Pubs close at 2100. 

April 7, 1944 – I bought my weeks rations, which consist of 1 carton cigarettes, 1 bar soap, 1 chocolate bar, 1 box of hard candies and a razor blade.  The chow on the base here is lousy.

April 6, 1944 – We moved into the base today and are bunking in huts. This base here is just a big mud hole

April 5, 1944 - I didn't get much sleep last night on the train by the looks of the country around here it sure took a beating by bombs.  We arrived here at 1600 in a little town by the name of fowey.  Slept in a hotel.

April 4, 1944 - Shoved off at 1400 by train expect to arrive at destination tomorrow.

April 3, 1944 - I got all my gear packed as we're shoving off for south England tomorrow.

April 2, 1944 - The only thing you can get to eat is fish, chips and sausage.  I had my picture taken in kilts.  There's practically no entertainment at all here.

April 1, 1944 - Had cleaning detail this morning. Started for Glasgow at 1800, got there 1900.  We went to a pub and had some beer it sure is lousy, they all close at 2100.  Bunked at Red Cross Center.