CIRCA 1943 HANDWRITTEN DIARY AMERICAN JOURNALIST RUSSIA PERSIA WW II RARE 100 PP
Item History & Price
I attempted to identity the author of the diary without success. I did find basic facts such as his age mentions a birthday( 42 years old) and he was possibly from Philadelphia. I wish I knew more I believe he may have been a well known personality. Nevertheless I believe there is enough information in the diary to research and determine who our author was.The diary mentions meetings with General Connolly Commander of Persian Gulf Command, and his staff. He also studies Russian, and writes about the state of affairs in the Middle East. Expect lots of “ local color stories” such as Persian prostitutes, drinking binges, night clubs, hunting grouse in the desert. There is mention of a Polish refugee camp fire, Negro truck drivers, Russian truck drivers, Jewish Polish refugee waitress, drinking with fellow officers, American archeologists and much more.
There’s a good bit of travel as well mentioning army camps bases across Iran. He writes a bit of poetry and some very humorous pieces on life in Iran. His observations and writing style are quite good and the diary defiantly reads like a book or a lengthy essay. He also uses the diary to have existential arguments about his career, regrets missing the invasion of Italy etc.. He had many projects in the works and was a prolific writer. For example working on a book, a script several magazine articles. discusses writing Hollywood, other writers Thurber, Steinbeck film makers like Huston various magazines, newspapers.
The diary is in good condition overall just a few pages show light damp staining. It contains approx 100 double sided pages (200 pages in total) of text. He changed the dates in the diary and it begins on July 6, 1943 with a final entry Sept 22, 1943. All entries are very detailed and the handwriting is easy to decipher. Brief excerpts from the diary: Keep in mind this is just a fraction of the content. Questions, and comments are more than welcome.
I have other WWII related items listed this week check them out: 1) U.S.N. Nashville China photo album-Shanghai River Patrol, 2) A massive archive of letters, and scrapbook from the 73rd Troop Carrier Command in Europe 3) Rare archive: diary, manuscript, photos from a Army combat photographer stationed in Burma.
Diary excerpts :
I am quartered in the Annex which has Persian coverlets on two beds and a pretty dam good 0 looking Persian rug. Had a fine shower, and change then Just got to dinner under the wire. Gen. Connolly there Gen. Scott his chief of staff, Cols. Stetson , Pervis Yount and of course Brown were also present dinner in spite of the comm Willie. Afterwards we listened to our Radio Terran report on Sicilian Campaign, which certainly sounded wonderland seems to have started on Friday night with 2, 000 ships the most spectacular amphibious operation in history, god dammit, and me a couple thousand miles away. Well anyhow, they'll be others we can get in on and meanwhile there’s this job to do which if we are given the proper team and tools, could turn out to be the god damnedest picture ever made.
July 13, 1943
Just made breakfast by 8:30 the others all long gone. Tried to swap my two Russian words with Ada the Polish maid who allowed she preferred to speak English. She saw the Vera Michele's Dean pamphlet I was reading “ Russia at War” and said Rooskey Stalinist most horrible “.
Afterwards they met a Russian Major who got stuck on a Red Cross girl and everybody had a fine time. I was delighted that George had an opportunity of seeing what great guys the Russians can be. Then we talked of the future. George is convinced that he ought to go back home, spend a month or six weeks rounding up men and equipment, get a letter from on high like Doug’s and come back here and hit this one over the flagpole but properly. It all gets down to the fact that a film treatment adequate for this subject simply can’t be made with with equipment and men we have on hand.
Gen. Scott said this whole operation was one of speed and suggested the picture open up with a Camel train. George and I looked at each other, for he had made that very remark at our huddle in Holt’s room. Further mention was made of several U.S. Persian experts we should contact fo b.g. there was also talk of the Kashgari revolt now going on around Isfahan. The head Khashgari Khan Khshogahi indecently is our ultimate landlord Brown thought earlier that there might be a Life piece in it.
July 21, 1943
Here is the tentative ground busting program I scribbled down yesterday: a) Go through all written material on history of P.G.S.C., plus the story of the Foley Bros: read Pageant ; c) take a trip down the line ( or up) to area commanders who might have good stories ;c) go to Isfah or Persepolis to shoot some ancient snaps, also to the Hammabad Kazv in region d) take give myself Russian lesson everyday : e) write some mag pieces much check with Holt about Pers piece and with Brown about Joburg.
July 24, 1943
Said goodbye to Ada, the Polish waitress who told me yesterday in German that she was Jewish and asked me if I thought it showed in her face. I said I thought it showed in her eyes a little. She didn’t agree, but sand even if it did she wasn’t ashamed : being Jewish was her pride.
While chatting with Fenton a tall potbellied, crewcut 1st Lt. Rolled up said his name was Ritter and asked who I was. I went through all the embarrassing horse crap about being officially titled Special Consultant to the Secretary of War but actually out here as a scriptwriter etc. He thought it all over and blurted out “Well as you’ve probably guessed it I’m a cop.”
Aug 1, 1943
During my siesta I decided not to try to get this story in just a Life article, but to shoot the works on a 25, 000 wordish book from Knopf and let Life have what it wanted, the whole to be a long monologue by a G.I. who has seen it all. In this way the whole P.G.S.C. purpose philosophy strivings, and conquering leading personalities and what have you can be included.
Aug 11, 1943
Bates, Gordon, Brown and I gnawed at some coffee and than went out to Rafadia to the British T.A.P. where the Colonel told us that most of his Indians working on the Cono ? had been recently sprung from jails and one fellow had been serving 65 years for a double murder. He told us about the Poles and Russians in this area solving the Iraqi tactical problem.
Aug 12, 1943
Went to the Beehive with Lt. Pryor and a Sgt of the M.P.’s the Beehive is out of bounds to our troops but in bounds to the British, and we saw lots of Indians there also several quite pretty girls, although most were iron faced pocked marked gold toothed one of them kidded Bates about old man want jeeg- jeeg all the time “ Bates said they use a rather different position from ours here while at Poon the man keeling and the girl sitting prepped up with her legs twined around his back.
Got to Talbout 11;15 rode to good old 10-8 in a carry all parked my stuff reported to Brown on what a swell trip I had told him I wanted to go back again and we decided on Wednesday what a man! We had lunch and it seems Gen. Scott has a Fortune article in mind what it in their hands Oct 1. That now makes a movie script, book and two mag articles I got to get out yet before George gets back haha !
Aug 21, 1943
This is certainly a hell of a picture assignment we’ve taken on : no actors, no ? Us except the elements ; no beginning or end to the story unless we can get into Russia and if you use the early days, how the hell do you make rain and snow; no sets or mechanical facilities ; and a censorship to work under that makes the Legion of Decency look like the Casanova Society. Still and all. I can’t get over the doubtless completely insane feeling of confidence that we’re going to make people sit up.
Gil said he had the feeling George never saw much to it and I agreed.I think he wants cowboys and Indians setup in which he can boost em home as Gunga Din. I also believe that he had his own professional reputation in mind. No doubt he is wise in this but I’m for John Huston who wrote directed and shot his Aleutian picture probably with noting but a Kodak and a pencil.