Frank Lovell’s World War II diaries. 

Frank Lovell typing away on his typewriter, somewhere in the field.

About the author:
Frank Lovell was born on April 1st, 1917, in Boston, Massachusetts and was raised in Houghs Neck, Quincy, MA. His mother was an Irish immigrant and his father was American and worked as a chauffeur/auto mechanic for wealthy people. His specialty was Rolls Royce cars. Frank grew up playing baseball for the local youth league. After graduating from High School he went around the country trying out for major leagues – He ended up playing Minor league baseball for Utica, New York.

He was one of the first men drafted in Quincy, MA, in 1940. On his draft card his occupation was listed as clam digger. During the Depression he supported himself, as did his brother, by digging then selling clams. Initially he was at Fort Bragg in Battery “A” of the 9th Infantry Division, Field Artillery Battalion. Later he became a clerk and transferred to the Headquarters (HQ) Section of the 60th Field Artillery Battalion, 9th Infantry Division. By completion of his service he was a Chief Warrant Officer. Just as he was anticipating being let out of the army the Pearl Harbor attack happened. He ended up serving a total of 4 years in the army.

Prior to landing in Normandy Frank participated in all the 9th Division campaigns. This included the invasion of Morocco as well as action in Algeria and Tunisia. This was followed by the invasion of Sicily. Prior to Normandy his unit rested at Camp Barton Stacy in England. Frank then fought in France, Belgium and Germany.

In 1945 he met his future wife, Patricia Anna Donnellan, who he married in 1946. After living in Brighton, MA they moved to West Roxbury, MA. They had 5 children. After the war Frank worked for 30 years in the U.S. Post Office as a clerk.

Frank Lovell passed away on January 25th, 1996.

Frank Lovell sitting on the front porch of his home in later years.

The diaries:

During his whole service time Frank kept a diary, and took over 500 photographs. After Frank passed away, Mary, one of his daughters, took the huge task upon herself to gather all the diaries, pictures and military artifacts he left behind,  and started grouping them. She matched pictures to the diary entries and researched the places Frank visited during the war. It was the start of a life long project, which resulted in the publication of this first book, “Frank Lovell’s World War ll Diaries: The European War Theater Years”. With some gripping diary entries and impressive photographs, we can learn more about the daily life of the men serving in the Field Artillery Battalions. This surely is a unique historical document for many.

2 pages in one of the diaries Frank kept. 

About Mary Lovell:

Mary Lovell is a lifelong Boston resident and one of the five children of author Frank Lovell. During the last five years Mary has devoted herself to the transcription and preparation for general publication, of her father’s WWII diaries. As part of the research for this book, she has journeyed to Europe, retracing her father’s footsteps as a soldier during WWII. She counts history and travel as her interests.

During her research Mary got in touch with 9th Infantry Division researcher Yuri Beckers. Yuri and Mary met up in Germany and Belgium several times during the past years, and retraced some of the places her father wrote about. Many wartime pictures were found again, and some great “then and now” pictures could be created.

A great then and now picture: On the left, George Newhardt and Harry Hammer in 1945, standing in front of Hotel zum Stern. On the right, Mary Lovell and Yuri Beckers in 2011.

About Yuri Beckers:

Yuri Beckers has been researching the World War 2 history of the 9th Infantry Division for many years and has become an authority on this subject. Besides working on several publications about the 9th Infantry Division as well, Yuri also created and maintains the most visited website on the Division, www.9thinfantrydivision.net. Having met Mary Lovell through their mutual research, he has served as historical adviser for many of the subjects and pictures featured in this book. Together with Mary he has visited some of the place mentioned in the book and served as a co-editor for this publication. Yuri is a Dutch man currently living in Denmark, with a huge passion for the 9th Infantry Division’s history.