AND THERE SHALL BE WARS (Pictures 5)

Mr. Wagner's "peep" on the LST. There were two Piper Cub observation planes loaded on this LST, with a makeshift "runway". One plane took off successfully, the other did not.

Mr. Wagner's original diary page, regarding the day of the Salerno Invasion

An overturned tank. Italy, 1943

North of the Volturno River. The road was being built, but not yet finished.  This mudfield had to be navigated under blackout conditions. The headlights were mostly taped over, and only pointed downward, to avoid being observed by the Germans who were in the mountains.

Mr. Wagner after a night of driving through the mud, north of the Volturno River. Italy, 1943

155 mm guns and ammunition, Italy, 1943

Flying Fortresses, Italy, 1943

Convoy at Naples, getting ready to board LST to go to Anzio

LST 355, heading for Anzio.

Three battalion messenger agents (Mr. Wagner on right), after having driven their run during the night.

An ancient wooden-wheeled last-resort German artillery piece, near Florence. 

After the war was over, just hanging around Northern Italy, waiting to leave for the USA

Mr. Wagner visiting an old Army friend in Arizona, in 1968. He pretended to be a migrant worker, looking for a job.

Mr. Wagner's Army friend figures out who he's talking to.

AND THERE SHALL BE WARS (Pictures 4)

A little confusion, upon first landing in North Africa. The sergeant was telling the colonel how HE thought things should be done.

Mr. Wagner was an anti-aircraft machine gunner for a few days, but didn't like the job.

Mr. Wagner became a battalion messenger agent. This was his "peep" (jeep) on his first day on the new job, a job he kept until the end of the war.

A German road-side grave, most likely booby-trapped.

German "potato masher" hand grenades, on Hill 609, North Africa, 1943

A horse killed on Hill 609

American graves in North Africa

German graves in North Africa

Graves on Hill 609, three American, and one English. The graves were probably booby-trapped. 

An aircraft junkyard, in North Africa, 1943

Mr. Wagner's "peep", all waterproofed and ready to board the LST for the Salerno Invasion. 1943

AND THERE SHALL BE WARS (Pictures 3)

AND THERE SHALL BE WARS, books displayed on author's desk, 2012

Stationery bought at Camp Claiborne, 1941

Crossing the Atlantic in convoy, January 1942. This is an escort destroyer.

Arrival in Northern Ireland, 1942

Quonset huts used as sleeping quarters for US soldiers, in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Wagner in dress uniform, 1942

In the kitchen, about to hear the news of North African invasion, 1942

AND THERE SHALL BE WARS (Pictures 2)

A few sample pictures of Army basic training, 1941 style ... There are many more pictures in the book.

Issuing of uniforms, Fort Snelling, in Minneapolis, April 1941

Directions sign at Camp Claiborne,  Louisiana 1941

There still weren't enough real guns for training -- these were made of wood. 1941

Tent city -- basic training at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 1941

6 X 6's, Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 1941

Weapons carriers, Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, 1941

Mr. Wagner (without hat) working in field kitchen. On manuevers, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana 1941

AND THERE SHALL BE WARS (Pictures 1)

Duluth Farmer's Market, where Mr. Wagner sold vegetables both before and after the war.

Breaking new garden space in Hermantown, Minnesota, on land that Mr. Wagner bought for his own farm after the war.

Mr. Wagner's wood-cutter's shack in the swamp near Payne, Minnesota.

The interior of the log shack, Mr. Wagner's home for the winter of 1940 - 1941

Skidding a load of wood at Payne, 1941

A load of fence posts cut at Payne, 1941

A brand new manure spreader, bought in April 1941. Mr. Wagner's last day at home before leaving for basic training in Louisiana.