I have a "Pocket Guide To North Africa" given to the GIs in '42.
It's got alot of instruction as well as information & some of it is
pretty humorous:
" North Africans are great eaters of bread. If you enter a bakery, leave your
shoes at the door, as the baker slides the loaves pit of the oven onto the floor
and the customers object to having dirt tracked in from the street."
"These few rules are to be strictly observed with relation to the Moslem women:
Never stare at one.
Never jostle her in a crowd.
Never speak to her in public.
Never try to remove the veil.
This is most important. Serious injury if not death at the hands of Moslem men
may result if these rules are not followed."
"The social life of North Africa is very different from our own...because Moslem men do not
make companions of their women. A man's wife attends to the home, bears children, and may work in the fields, but she is in the position of chattel. If her husband cannot afford to
support more than one wife, he can still divorce her with ease and be free to marry again."
"When Moslem men want the company of women at a party, they engage a troupe of professional dancing girls. These professionals have a unique social position, not as low
as that of the prostitute, but still somewhat degraded. They are said to be more interesting company than the Moslem wife because they get around a great deal and know all the answers. They dance for the men, not with them. Men have dances of their own, but when a Moslem gentleman is seen dancing it is usually a sign that he is a bit plastered."
"When you meet a Moslem he will want to shake hands. Do it gently! Do not pump his
hand or squeeze too hard. Many of them, especially the city Moslems, have fine hands which are easily hurt. A Moslem may even kiss your hand...do not laugh at him; it is his way of showing politeness. If they laugh at you, take it; don't get angry. Above all, NEVER
STRIKE THEM. They do not know how to box; one right on the jaw would knock a Moslem down. You would make an enemy of everyone that saw you, and word would spread around that all Americans are bruisers. Moslems fight with knives, and they probably are alot better at it than you are."
In the list of "Do's and Don'ts":
Don't drink liquor in the presence of Moslems 
DON'T enter mosques.
Discuss something else - NEVER religion or women.
Don't refer to the people as heathen; they are very religious.
don't bring a dog into the house 
Leave food in the main bowl - what you leave goes to the women & children.
When you see grown men walking hand in hand, ignore it. They are not "queer".
Avoid talking about or praising Europeans.
Yeah, it had to be a difficult transition for almost every GI overseas. North Africa to them was like another planet. 
Must have been a very bizarre experience. Most certainly unforgettable. :alien2:
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Hey kid!
Could you possibly do me a favor and scan the cover and possibly a few pages from the booklet for the documentary? I am feverishly working on segment two, and am compiling all the documentation for this chapter. Would be a fine addition.
Also, it's kind of hard for me to find and scroll through all the great entries you have posted. Is it possible you could send me any pages you have copied from your dad's diary? I know it's a big order, but would love to use some within the documentary. Also, if you have already done this...please forgive, and remind me you already did. 
To make it easier on you right now, I would only need diary items up to and including N Africa.
One of the toughest jobs is just gathering all the material together for each of the segments. I have the process down pretty good now, but always afraid I will miss something I wished I had included. 
Much love,
M1
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Will do M1! It'll be an HONOR! I'll locate the booklet tonight & have it scanned & also
Dad's N Africa info.
I can't imagine the work involved with creating your documentary. It took MONTHS for me
to organize my father's things within the WWII timeline.
Gosh, Dad would be THRILLED that his info was being included in your documentary!!!
thanks M1!! 
Have I told you lately that I 
you? Well I'm a doin' it right now!
The head "peep"
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
SORRY LADIES, BUT I NEVER SAW A BOOK LIKE THIS IN ORAN OR CASABLANCA.
WE WEREN'T TOLD THE DOS' AND DON'TS OF MUSLIMS, BUT THEN THAT WAS
65 yrs. AGO. MEMORY HAS FADED. BUT AS FAR AS A BOOK ON MUSLIMS, NEVER
SAW OR HEARD OF ONE. HOT SAND AND KEEPING OUR WEAPONS CLEAN FROM SAND.
MAYBE YOU CAN SHOW A PAGE OR TWO OF THE BOOK. ole doggie!!-- 
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Dear "Head Peep" (I think you should have a better title M1. Something like Grand Exalted Poobah Peep 
),
I've got the book & will ask my pal Tom to scan portions (he's got the lastest photoshop software etc).
It's says: "Pocket Guide To North Africa For use of Military Personnel only...prepared by Special Services Division, Services Of Supply United States Army". "War and Navy Departments". It's got a cute cartoon on the front cover. On the inside back - it says: "US Government Printing Office 1942". It's 4" x 5" & 44 pages.
Contents:
Introduction
Three Years Of Struggle
Springboard to Europe
We were there before
People of North Africa
The Bond Of Islam
Political Divisions
Country Of Contrasts
Town and Country
Dining With Moslems
Customs At Mealtimes
Details Of Native Dress
Shops & Markets
North African Social Life
Warning The Women
Study The Language
The Faith Of Islam
Land Of The Living Saints
Rules For Health
Some General Rules
Check List Of Do's & Don'ts
Other Arabic Phrases
It also has a North Africa Map. Let me know which things you want me to have scanned.
The intro says:" You are to do your duty in North Africa as a soldier of the United States,
and this guidebook has been prepared to assist you in serving in a strange country as well as to give you a more complete understanding of why you are fighting there & to make your service a more worthwhile experience.
No other American Force has been given a more important mission..."
M2: Bless you my child. You get a whole container of holy water today! 
Many thanks for your help!!
Baraku laufik
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
From Dad's 1943 diary ( from departing the US to departing to Oran for D-Day Salerno):
FEB 20: no liberty, wrote Joe, talked to Pa from (Fort) Devens
FEB 21: beautiful day, getting ready to move
FEB 22: left Fort Devens at 5AM for FT DIX NJ, arrived at 5pm, worked till 5AM
FEB 28: went to church & received Communion
MARCH 2: sent $30home
MARCH 4: BOAT
MARCH 5: left the US
MARCH 19: North Africa
MARCH 24: Went to Oran
MARCH 25; Company split up, went to Siddi Bel Abbis
April 4th: church Siddi Bel Abbis
April 7th: Payday 1770 francs, wrote home
April 13: mail received from Joe & Mary
April 14: Our 1st PX opened, wrote home
April 19: received letter from Mildred Younts & also Ruth Miller
April 25: church in Siddi Bel Abbis
May 3rd: payday - 2105 francs, sent money home
May 5: haircut 30francs
May 16: moved to Ain Temouchant
May 17: moved
May 18 arrived in Rabat
May22: wrote home
May 23: received letters from home dated May 3rd, also a letter from Trudy
May 24: received first issue of "The Townsman" (the Wellesley MA hometown paper)
May25: went to the Red Cross Theater, saw picture "Hit Parade of 1943"
May 26: received letters from Trudy, Mary, & Ruth
May 27: Went to the hospital
June 5: wrote home
June6: letters from Joe & Mary, wrote Joe
June 7: 2 letters from home
June8: came out of hospital
June 9: wrote home
June 10: Phil Hughes died, sent insurance form
June14: received "The Townsman"
June27: received letters from home, wrote Mary
June 29: received letter from Joe, he made PFC
July 1: wrote Joe, bought a watch 10.00
July3: letter from home
July 4: Big parade in Rabat with 1st Armored & 36th Div
July 7: to Casablanca
July 14: Parade Bastille Day
July 16 received letter from Ma
July 19: wrote Mary & Ma
July 20: wrote Joe
July 21: wrote home to Ma
July 24: Lt Scott & Lt Garra(???) visit us (from Dad's former infantry regiment)
July 25: letters from home, went to Communion
July 27: sent letter to Ma
July 28: received letter from Joe
July 29: received letter from Mary, Mary Hutt is engaged (the Hutts were Wellesley neighbors
Aug 1: wrote Ma
Aug 2: getting ready to move (this would've been Dad's 31st birthday)
Aug 3: part of Company went by train
Aug 4: left Rabat
Aug5: bivouac at La Senica (???)
Aug 6: arrive at Port Aux Poules, went swimming! (this makes me chuckle because my father must've been so sick of the sand, dust storms, & flies & he LOVED to swim)
Aug 9: received letter from Mary O'Neil
Aug 11: cabled money home
Aug 12: wrote to Ma, went to Oran & saw the movie "Hurricane" with Dot Lamour
Aug 14: received 2 letters from home. Ma received my cablegram.
Aug15: church (his parent's 32nd wedding anniversary)
Aug 19: 26 wks ( I wondered what this notation meant & then realized that it was the # of weeks since he'd been home & seen his family. Little did he realize how many more weeks,months, years he had to go through before seeing them again)
Aug 20: received new "6" (6th Corps patch?)
Aug 23: ready to move again
Aug24: moving
Aug 25: moved to staging area, saw "Random Harvest"
Aug26: went to Oran, saw Al Jolson in person, Red Cross show "Abe Lincoln in Illinois"
Aug 28: 22 new men arrived, promotion T/4
Aug 29- Aug31: staging area "ASSI-BEN OKBA"
Sept 1: left area, arrived at dock, board boat
Sept2: in port of Oran, very hot!
Sept3: at port
Sept4: received mail from home
Sept 5: left port at 16:00 hours
Sept 6-Sept 8: At sea
Sept 9: left boat, boarded LST at 07:30, beach, air attack
(and so begins Salerno & the Invasion of Italy)
I'm having the diary cover scanned & will send to you M1!
Oh goodie!!! 
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
Here it is, Exalted M. I'll take you up on the "holy water". I have my mother's bottle of Lourdes water with me at all times (in case of emergency). I've used it to bless friends & family members before surgery or in trying times. I always tell them not to take it as a sign of dire circumstances or to think that they are extraordinarily special - because I've
blessed Aunt Mary's mini-poodle with it on several occasions. 
I don't know Mary Ann, if you use it on doggies, does it then become holy puppy puddles? 
Oh, I just made myself laugh. (She's easily amused!)
BTW, I love the Grand Exalted... Grand Exalted M sounds good! Oooh, that's good because it spells GEM! Oh man, I am full of spice today!
Marion J Chard
Proud Daughter of Walter 'Monday' Poniedzialek
540th Combat Engineer - H&S Company
I don't know Mary Ann, if you use it on doggies, does it then become holy puppy puddles?
BTW, I love the Grand Exalted... Grand Exalted M sounds good! Oooh, that's good because it spells GEM! Oh man, I am full of spice today!
G E M==GO EASY MAAM OR YOU'LLE B A G
bust a gut rjr
Roque J.(Rocky) Riojas
Your EXCELLENCY, THE Grand EXALTED Marion,
The place name that I couldn't read in Dad's diary is "La Senia" also called "Es Senia"
or just "senia". It's near Oran. We sure do learn a lot here!! I had no clue what "Assi Ben Okba " was - at first I thought it was some weird military acronym. HA!!
Here's the google earth map for others tracing their routes or those of their loved ones.
Helpful if you are inclined to say: "what or who's a Siddi_Bel-Abbis".
http://travelingluck.com/Africa/Algeria/Or....html#local_map
