Thu, October 1, 1942
Went on sick call today & stayed in bed all day. Listened to St. Louis beat the Yankees 4-3. Went uptown after retreat & went to Jimmie Canes house. Don Triano came over & we played a few games of pool & then went to the dance at the Palladium. Had a few dances then went to Ace Cains & finished up there.
Fri, October 2, 1942
Back to the lot today. Spent the whole day taking inventory. Had to take the last truck back & didn’t get in until 6:15. Had a cold supper & missed out on my tetanus shot. Will get it tomorrow. That will make a bad week end. Was supposed to move tomorrow but now it’s put off until Monday. Guess I’ll call Mary & then go to the show. Am all tired out from last nite.Sat, October 3, 1942
The day passed about as usual only I had my tetanus shot about 4:30. I went up town & ate and at 7:00 went to the opening of the Hollywood Canteen. After 2½ hours got up to the front door & no further. Got to see Rochester & Dinah Shore. I called Mary at 10:00 & she came after me and I went home.
Sun, October 4, 1942
Slept late all tired out from dance. Went to 12:00 mass then spent rest of day home. Bros Harry & Bob and wife’s were both over to see me. Harry was ½ tight & knocked over my front fence. Retired at 10:00 & was glad to get into that old bed of mine.
Mon, October 5, 1942
When Mary dropped me off this morn at 6:30 the squadron was all out. We were ready to move right after chow. We tore our bed down & packed our clothes in our bags then we helped load the tucks & at 11:00 we were convoyed over to Hal Roach studio. We ate on arrival here using our mess kits. Will have this to do for a while now. After chow we moved in all the beds & furniture & around three we were finished & all unloaded. I picked up a room over the paint shop and fixed it up. After chow went to see “Mrs. Minerva” at Culver City. Good show & had a couple of beers.Tue, October 6, 1942
We were all assigned to our work today & the paint dept received 2 painters. We’re 4 now. Spent all day printing signs. Left camp tonite at 5:30 and went to the Hollywood Canteen. It’s sure swell. Danced with Kay Francis, Deanna Durbin, Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, & Olivia de Havilland. Was served coffee, sandwich, cake, & cigarettes. All free. The place was well filled but everybody was having fun. Called Mary tonite. We had heard from our son. He’ll be leaving soon for the front. I am going to find out if I can take aerial gunner. If I can I’ll join a combat outfit. No action here.
Wed, October 7, 1942
Cleaned up the paint shop all morning & then fixed up our room so it would be more livable. Put in a lamp & clothes closet. Mosquitos sure chewed on me during last nite. Went to town tonite again to the Hollywood Canteen. It was Warner Club nite & lots of the girls & stars from Warner’s were there. At 9:30 went to the Army Jubilee at CBS for our soldiers at the front. They transcribed it the Hall Johnson Choir, Ethel Waters, Rochester, Duke Ellington Band played. It was swell. They gave us service boys front seats. After went back to the canteen. Home at 1:00.Thu, October 8, 1942
Went home tonite to see the wife & children. Was sure glad to see them & get a good hot bath & sleep in my old bed. Dropped into the Canteen on my way home. Mary came to Hollywood for home.Fri, October 9, 1942
Painted the stage floor on our stage setup in the mill for our show. After all the work it was cancelled. Everybody but a few are sure disgusted today. They put out some more ratings and as usual they passed me by. Cpl. Shindler, my boss, got up to Sgt. He was hot he should have been a staff. Spent the eve at the Canteen til 9:30 then went over to Warner’s & went on the lot & saw the boys.Sat, October 10, 1942
Am going home tonite. Won’t be back till Monday. Cut stencils all day & had a terrific headache all day. Still feel bad tonite.
Sun, October 11, 1942
Really enjoyed getting home again. Stopped off at Mother’s and had a few. Sat nite Mary came after me. Went to the war vet’s breakfast at the studio & heard Charlie Gadonites tell of his experience at Midway Island. Mary had a lovely dinner, chicken & pie. Leonard Clark came over in the afternoon & spent a couple of hours. He’s coming back to spend an eve this week with me. To bed at 10:30.Mon, October 12, 1942
Got up at 5:00 & Mary brought me into Hollywood. I rode out with Phil Wright. Mary is wanting to go to work. I sure hate it that she has to. Worked like hell all day painting signs & getting a set ready to shoot at 5:00 tonite. Went over to the Hollywood Canteen & at 8:30 went to Bob Hope rehearsal for tomorrow nite. Saw Skinny Ennis & Band, Bob Hope, Jerry Colona, Bette Davis (guest star Vera Wange, Frances Langford). Had a swell show. I was back in camp at 10:00, spent 15¢.Wed, October 14, 1942
Not much to write about today. There was a show tonite at the theater, “Topper” & “Battle of Midway.” Mary, Ronnie, Rosemary & Wanda, our neighbors sister, came over to see it. Clara, Bob’s wife, fainted in the show & caused quite a lot of excitement. It was acute indigestion. The family went home at 10:30.
Thu, October 15, 1942
Well we painted our first set today. Operations office, 2 rooms. 4 of us started at 7:30 and finished at 5:00. Had no time off after lunch. Boy did we work. Had to run to get to retreat. They gave out the warrants to those that were made NCO’s. I went home tonite. Hitch hiked.
Fri, October 16, 1942
Had a swell nite home last nite. Be glad when I can go home every nite. This room by myself gives me the willies. Painted barrels & camera equipment that’s going overseas. Then made 3 signs. I’ll be a sign painter yet. Stayed in tonite. Tired and there’s an inspection tomorrow.
Sat, October 17, 1942
We had our inspection at 9:00 and everything was OK. After inspection I had to make a large stencil 3X4 & then stencil 10 large signs. I finished at 4:00 and after shaving & taking a shower I drove over to Warner’s with Blackie Blackburn. Had several beers & then Mary came after me at 6:30.Sun, October 18, 1942
Went to church at 11:00 mass. Then came home & had my favorite breakfast hot cakes & sausage. About 2:00 went over to see Buff Jones. Spent the afternoon with him & had several drinks. In the evening went up to Gene Autry’s ranch in Newhall. Johnnie Agee, his trainer about 60, brought out one of the horses & worked him. His wife is 19 years old. Looked over the ranch, They had a bad fire in the hills there. Was home at 10:00.Mon, October 19, 1942
Well I left home at 6:00 & was here at 6:30. Found out I was on KP. I went over to the kitchen & worked until 10:00 washing pots & pans. I was taken off then for I had 60 signs to paint & letter. 30 for the officers & 30 license plates for cars & trucks. Finished at 4:30 with the first coat & after chow had to work until 9:00 painting litters & cans for a unit that is shipping to Australia. In bed at 10:00.
Tue, October 20, 1942
Well I lettered 60 signs & made two more today. If I do say it I am improving greatly. Leonard Clark & his buddy came down from Santa Anna to visit me. They ate chow here then went to the Hollywood Canteen with me. After we went to the Florentine Gardens and saw a 2 hour floor show. Leonard’s pal had to get on the floor with one of the girls. They hitch hiked back to camp and I got off at Wash Blvd. Got home at 2:00.
Wed, October 21, 1942
Painted our Heaven Gates set all day & then Shindler & Sharkey & Zell & I went to town. We went to the Hollywood Canteen & couldn’t get in, crowded. We went up to the USO & got tickets to Lucky Luger broadcast over KFAC. All the beer girls to dance with & sandwiches from 8 to 12. We went to the Canteen then saw the floor show & then at 12:00 went to the Florentine Gardens. Swell floor show. Camp at 2:30.Thu, October 22, 1942
Still on the Heaven set. Will finish it up tomorrow. Also found out I’m on KP Sunday. Oh my more pots and pans. Am going to the show tonite with wife & kids. Slapsie Maxie & girls are putting on the show here in the mess hall at 8:00. After I am going home & take a good hot bath & climb into my nice soft bed. Heard tonite I’m going to get a rating soon.
Sun, October 25, 1942
Went home today but was disappointed. Mary went to work Friday at Ralph’s & believe me she was sure cranky. God I’m sorry she went to work.
Mon, October 26, 1942
Stood by in the co all day today. Was told that I was going on location tomorrow. I had to load the truck & then get ready to drive it to the location. I passed my test OK & got my driver’s license.Tue October 27, 1942
Left at 4:00 for San Diego Naval Base & shot some shots of the Jap Zero & the U.S. P-40. Sorry to say the Jap Zero had it all over the P-40. We were quartered with the sailors and several of us went to San Diego & went to several beer parlors. Was in bed by 10:00 & glad to be there.
Wed, October 28, 1942
We went to the field at 8:00 this morn. We had to paint the Douglas bomber up & we didn’t do much today. It was cloudy & the sun was dim most of the day.Thu, October 29, 1942
The day started at 8:00 and it was noon before we were ready to go. They took several shots of the Zero & the P-40 in a fight scene & we were expected to go home at 5:00. The last minute we had to to stay.
Fri, October 30, 1942
We stayed with the Marines last nite & the boys really treated us nice. We were in the flying field at 8:00 & by 11:00 we had the plane ready to go. At 1:30 we finished the last shot & left for our camp. We arrived at Culver City at 5:00 & at 5:30 I was on my way home.
Sat, October 31, 1942
I went home & was tired. I went right to bed. I took the car for I was supposed to go to Santa Ana to see Leonard Clark & drove up this evening at 5:00. I got there at 7:00 & waited until 9:00 to try and see him. I failed so I left & arrived home at 11:00 tired and disgusted.