Decatur Newsletter for the boys in Military service

Decatur Newsletter for the boys in Military service.

News about you and your friends--about the Decatur Community High School and Decatur County.

V. I, Issue 2. February 10, 1943
Edited and compiled by Marian E. Cathcart, Oberlin, Kansas.

Made possible by the courtesy of the Decatur Community High School Oberlin, Kansas

"Valentines are filling the counters. Seems a person no sooner gets the Christmas decorations down, the mail on its regular schedule again; and the digestion back on weenies and liver, until another holiday races around the corner." -- Peggy of the Flint Hills. Cpl. "Blackie" Lindquist is now located at Ft Jackson, S.C., where he is in attendance at an ordnance school. His specialty is motor starters. (Had you been here the morning the temperature was a minus twenty-eight, you need not have stopped with checking the starter of my car -- you could have worked the whole thing over, and welcome.) Vike Francis has transferred from the Lincoln Air Base to Miami, where he is in the second term of officers training. 1/Sgt. Morris Dissinger, transferring from California to Ft Benning to report to the paratroops, stopped at his home in Eastern Kansas for a brief furlough. While working on the tin floor there, he was struck by a falling tree, which will necessitate some time in a Topeka Hospital. Capt. Ted Addleman sent a most interesting program covering the three series of Christmas music in their church in Rockford. Ted participates in the senior choir, Allen in the Junior and Ruth Ann in the intermediate choir. Skating at the State Park has been attractive much of this month but the shift has been made to roller-skating about town. Clarence Manning, now in Pasadena, is glad to transfer to a jeep from the infantry. Kenneth Matheny saw the Cotton Bowl game at Dallas on New Years day. Since then he has been transferred from Sheppard Field to Chanute Field, IL, where he is continuing training on aircraft engines. Cpl. James Meirowsky at Camp Tanforan, Calif, helped me locate S/Sgt. Arthur Joe Moss at Ft.Warren, Wyoming. Wayne Herzog now is foreman of the night gang of Photo-Template, in the particular defense job on which he is located in Wichita. Other employees of that firm are Faye Schmoker and Warren Claussen. Pfc. Robert Shorb is in the Personnel office at Camp Callan, Calif. His wife, the former Maybelle Hunt, now in Iola, will join him there later. It is a T/Sgt, rating for Wayne Ridpath at Atlantic City. Edwin Hitchcock is in charge of the State Wrestling tournament to be held at Salina February 26 and.27. The League tournament will be in Oberlin the 20th, with teams from Norton, Hoxie, St, Francis and Oberlin participating. Pvt. Howard Wright has a six-hour shift on, twenty-four hours off in the Control Tower at Eglin Field, Florida. It is now Lieutenant (senior grade) Jack Riley down at Athens, Georgia where, he is on the football staff at the Pre-Flight School of the University of Georgia. It is Africa for Bill Stowell and "Bud” Raymond. S/Sgt. Kenneth Williams, who is starting his second year over seas, is finding his New Guinea station rather dull compared to his experiences in Darwin. Captain Joseph Roberts landed in Africa recently, safe but minus clothing and personal equipment. Located at the Naval Construction Training Base in Williamsburg, Va, are Laddie Pilnacek and Boyd Roberts, S 2/c. Don Claussen, CM 2/c, is doing clerical work in materials department at his Alaskan base. He has developed an interesting hobby during his evening hours working with wood and ivory. On New Year’s Day he visited Pete Everist, their first visit in five months, Pete’s visit to Don failed to locate him, Pete was happy that an athletic room was offering him an opportunity to develop a wrestling squad. As chief trainer, assisted by some friends made at the National A.A.U. tournament he is eagerly anticipating the recreation afforded them. Bill Geisinger, Y 3/c, is in the District Communication Office located in San Diego. and is fortunate in being able to live at home. Pvt. Kenneth McClaury is busy guarding some tangible evidence of the success of the North African campaign. S/Sgt. Pollack Meyers, who was among the first to land in his particular sector of North Africa, has especially enjoyed his opportunity of knowing the different nationalities of' both Great Britain and of Africa. He said, in part, ". The English navy deserves a lot of credit in bringing us through the Mediterranean, which was filled with German submarines. Lt. Colonel Harwood Benton visited in Kansas recently on a tour of inspection through the airfields of the Midwest and West. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Barrett and Ina went to Mission TX recently to attend the ceremory in which Marvin O Barrett received his silver wings and commission as Lieutenant of the Air Forces. He remained at Moore Field as instructor for a time but is now at Randolph Field. Raymond Hague, TM e/c, has returned to active duty following an injury received during a lit of excitement along the Atlantic coast. He doubts that his opponents will again resort. With a Camel Corps Africa, can a Chesterfield Battalion or a Lucky Strike Division is far behind? Mr. and Mrs. Fred Paschke visited their son, son Pfc. Harold Paschke, recently. He is located in Omaha where he is attending a school in radio. Warrant Officer Ray Votapka spent furlough in Oberlin and Chicago. He was to report for duty at Atlantic City where he will direct a sixty to eighty piece band of the Army Air Corps. Mrs. Ed Dissinger has joined her husband in St. Louis where he is preparing for radio instruction at the University of St. Louis. There is a good deal of speculation on what the post war car will look like. On the contrary I am entirely familiar with the appearance of mine. It will look the same, with certain blemishes, as it did in 1935. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Welter have five sons in the armed service with he enlistment of Paul, now stationed at the Great Lakes. Four of the five are in the Navy. Mrs. Marion Drescher and baby daughter visited Marion’s mother, Mrs. Alice Drescher, recently enroute to Olympia, Washington where she will make her home. Lt. Meredith Huff received his silver wings and a Second Lieutenant's commission in the Air Corps Reserve at a Graduation ceremony recently at Luke Field, Phoenix, Arizona. Following his graduation he spent a brief furlough at home. Rex Garver, A S, was recently elected honor man of his company at the Great Lakes Training Station. Mrs. Donald Ashley (the former Elma Cramer) has resigned her teaching position at Hoxie and is joining her husband at Camp Adair, Oregon. Gene Dunn has returned from Pearl Harbor where he has been working as a carpenter the past six months. Pvt. Addison Cathcart of Toccoa, Georgia, paratrooper, spent a furlough here recently. It was interesting to learn of the strict physical examination for this branch of service and the rigid and exacting training given such a group. He has completed his preliminary training and has been accepted for further training. At the recent St. Francis-Oberlin dual wrestling match, Gerald Hackney considerably outweighed, gave state champion Topping a good fright and considerable effort before he finally pinned Hackney. Topping repeated on the State football team and this year was designated captain. Miss Ethel Crosswhite began the first of January at the Mayo Brothers Clinic, Rochester, Minn, a six-month's course in physical therapy nursing. Satisfactory completion of the course qualifies one for a commission in either the army or navy.... A/C. Harold Rehm of the Greenwood, Miss, Air Base, recently reached Stockton, Kansas on a recent training flight. Miss Wilhelm Meitl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Meitl, is now a commissioned lieutenant in the army nurse corps in Camp Phillips. Victor S. Green, an Atwood boy, has been seriously wounded in action while fighting in New Guinea, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Green have been informed. Lt. John Willcoxon is acting as Base Operation Officer at his particular base. Leslie Brown, who has made his home in Alaska for several years, has returned to Kansas. He has more recently been employed in defense work on Kodiak Island. He returned to enlist in a tank division but while on the way down, enlistments were frozen so he waiting for his transfer from Fairbanks, Alaska to this county’s Board. Darrell Woodside, who has been in Dutch Harbor on construction work for many months, is also in Oberlin awaiting call. Jay Fawcett and Floyd Lotker recently landed at New York after a merchant marine trip of many months. Mrs. Lotker has gone to New York City to visit Floyd while Jay, after a stop over at Baltimore for an appendix operation, will be home for a short time. Lt. Kenneth Wilson received his commission at Ft. Sill on January 7th. He has gone to Ft Roberts, Calif where his wife, the former Lorene Harger, will join him after resigning her teaching position in Goodland. Kenneth Callihan of the Army Air Corps is located at Eagle Field, Dos Palos, Calif. Pvt. Lyndol Zimmerman has been hospitalized for a hand infection at Camp Adair, Calif. Out of twenty four young men who left Hays for induction into the Army last week, twenty-two were married, the Ellis County News reports. Sgt. Francis Malone called his parents in Herndon recently from Panama where he has been located for nearly a year. Louis Lorenson S 2/c, is receiving training as a yeoman in Boston. Sgt Vincent J. Welter is located at San Bernardino; Calif. Home recently on furlough was Second Lieutenant Jimmy E. Anderson who recently completed training in the Medical Administrative Corps at Barkley, Texas. He was to report for duty in Virginia. Pfc. Norman Bainter, who recently completed the Medical Technician course at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver is now located in the 87th Station Hospital at New Orleans. Sgt and Mrs. James Kaspar spent a recent furlough here. He is located at Marana Air Basic Flying School, Tuscon, Ariz, and she is employed at the offices at the base. Pvt. Aloyious H, Kleinsorge is now at Camp Crowder while Pvt. Billie Schweitzberger has gone over seas. With the freedom showing in recent years by the higher powers in bandying about the date of Thanksgiving Day and of the time we report for work, there surely could be no harm or objection to moving spring forward one month. Royal Fisher is making a very satisfactory recovery following a critical illness. Harold Robinson visited in Oberlin very briefly, enroute to Chicago from Denver. He expects soon to be called for military services. His wife, the former Lela Huber, is also employed by Civil Service in Chicago. James Vavroch graduated from Kansas State College at mid term. During his four years of ROTC training there he was in the Coast Artillery group and held a commission in the ROTC. Following graduation he reported for duty at Camp Davis where he is in the Officers Candidate School. Among those who reported for physical examinations this month were: John Bremer, Everett Koehlor, Victor Dempewolfe, Edward A. Fortin, J Martin McKisson, Gerald Kump, and John Bertram. Accepted from that group were Martin McKisson for full service and John Bertram, for limited service. Reporting from Atwood and accepted were: Alfred E. Bliss, Max I. Dimond, Denzel C. Dyer, and Glenn 0. Harper, LeRoy Palmer, Edward J. Roberts, Kenneth R. Thiringer, John V. Tracy, and Walter P. Wendelin. It is T/Sgt Wayne S. Ridpath at Atlantic City. Other advancements we have noted are: Elmer Dodd MM 2/c; T/Sgt. Royce Head, Sgt. Merlin Cochran; Cpl Vic Claussen; Cpl Delbert Rounsley; Don Claussen CM 2/c; Sgt. Royce Harold who is teaching radio at Louisville, Ky.; First lieutenant Paul Nauer, Georgia. We will add to the promotions that of Cpl. Bob Jorn of the Marines down in Texas. Recently he was sent to meet a plane on what he considered a routine matter and was greatly surprised to find he was meeting the Commander-in-Chief of the Marines --General Mitchell. On January 20 the war department notified the parents of Lloyd Smalberger that he was making satisfactory recovery from injuries received in action. Lloyd, who had been in New Guinea, had written his parents in December of a five hundred mile trip by plane and that he was feeling fine. Since that time a letter indicated that he was about again. Edward Vavroch, RM 3/c, who recently graduated with honors from -the USNTS for radiomen at the University of Wisconsin is now located at Memphis Tenn. where he is taking an advanced course. Premysl Ruzicka, who had been foreman of the second machine shop shift of a Glenn L. Martin Bomber plant has reported to Rhode Island for duty with naval construction corps. We list these awaiting call as reserves in addition to the many others previously listed: Army Kenneth Muirhead, Joe Ridgway, Rex Diehl, Franklyn Jackson, Donald Anderson Allan Kintigh, Charles Johnson, Ralph Pool, Bob Rapp, Roger Orr. Navy: Harold Miller; Harold VanPelt in the V7. Reporting for the induction center recently were Elwyn White, Gustave Lippleman, and Max Brooks. E.W. Miller of the Olathe Mirror hopes the thoughts of a 100 billion dollar war fund will throw the chill into the Axis association as it does into the home folks. A Fire, which threatened for some time to destroy the entire business section of Smith Center, raged one morning when the thermometer registered at 15 degrees below zero. Damage estimated at $40,000 was done. The fire, which was early in the morning, short-circuited the siren. It was said that when the fire was burning it’s brightest less than 12 persons were on Main Street. Walter Roshong is now head of the implement business once known as the Murphy Bros. He is successor to the original partners Henry, Vern and Ray Murphy. Eldon Auker has quit baseball to remain in his defense job. He has a lifetime major league record of 130 victories and 101 defeats. An ODT order has limited the price of used machinery to 70% of the used price. It has spoiled half the fun of a farm sale. Emil Petracek has succeeded Wilber Hunter as head of the county FSA organization. Private Wilber Hunter is located in Miami with the Army Air Corps. George W. Norris, until the first of the year, US Senator from Nebraska has completed a term of forty years in the Senate. He is now living in McCook, where he has always maintained a residence: Fill stations may be, open for business only72 hours per week under the new OPM orders. Locally the downtown stations close at seven and all day Sunday except one chosen in rotation that is open for John Q Public. It is now forbidden to do a credit business on gasoline. Bond sales were above quota last month. Beginning this week, the high school is putting on its own drive. While stamps and bonds were being bought consistently by the students and faculty, for the next fourteen weeks the students are making a big effort to attain a real goal. The first three days of this week better than three hundred dollars have been purchased through the office. Nearly one hundred dollars has been pledged weekly. A little later in the campaign the town and county will be canvassed. Elwood M. Brooks, former resident of Oberlin and cashier of the Farmers National Bank, later State Bank Commissioner of Kansas, then president of the City National Bank at Atchison, is now president of the Central Savings Bank and Trust Co. of Denver. He is retaining his interest in the Oberlin, Norcatur, and Atchison Banks. Lifted bodily from a Bob Burns radio program -- or rather programs: His Arkansas train was later than usual as the engineer stopped every twenty minutes to see what meat could be found on the cow catcher, -- Hitler was too busy to speak as he was writing his sequel to “Mein Kampf" entitled Mein Retreat". Some one in the natural history department of the Nazi party had failed greatly in not telling Hitler that the Russian Bear is one bear that does not hibernate. Voted the Chin most likely to receive” Mussolini.

Drilling crews have abandoned the Hale oil test, four miles West of Norcatur, without making any announcements of their findings. Another test is going down on the Dave McCue place in Grant township west and north of the first test. Mr. G. E. Cody, who has been in poor health for the last year and a half suffered a stroke some two weeks ago. He is making satisfactory improvement. Another old time resident who has had a recent stroke was Frank Laidig, now of Danbury. He is very much better and is now about. Included also among those who were ill but improving very nicely, Mrs. Earnest Norton. She is now at home. Dallas Kolsky, now taking special training in Kansas City, is about ready for a transfer. Lt and Mrs. Fred Mehl visited in Oberlin recently. Mrs. Mehl formerly Mary Morrish, met her husband here and accompanied him to Omaha where he was to report. Mr. and Mrs. Matt Casper went to Texas to visit Carl and to drive his car home. Mrs. Lawrence Graves has returned from Louisville, KY, where her husband has been stationed. Mrs. Cloyce Railsback, Mrs. Alfred Wade and Miss Freda Jordan have gone to San Antonio. Cloyce and Alfred are located in a camp near there. Mrs. Francis Winkler (Billie Shields) recently visited her husband who is stationed at Ft Smith, Arkansas. Mrs. Dennis Sloan (Flossie Shields) is also in Oberlin at the present. Her husband, who received a second lieutenant’s commission in administrative work in the Air Corps, following training at Miami Beach, is now located in Blyth, CA. Mrs. Edwin Robertson has returned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to be with her husband now that living quarters are available. Roy Cody is employed by a Sears Roebuck store in Oklahoma. Melvin Berry lives in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he has employment as a radio repairman. A/C Byron McCartney and Harry Rathbun, Jr. reported to Omaha recently. Byron is located at Nashville, Tenn. John Felible of Fort Hays State has been secured to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Ed Dissenger. It was a double shift, “Jack” Johnson shifted to the physical education vacancy, and Felible to the social science post. Marriages: We will correct last month's letter; It was Pauline Roe and Raymond Harold. I failed to recognize the “Pauline Rowe of Nebraska as anyone I knew. Frances Burson of San Francisco and Richard Shorey of Oakland, “Dick” is leadsman welder in a ship yard at Oakland. Gertude Foster of Dresden and Clarence Howard of Goodland. Mrs. Audra Ash and T/Sgt Harold Nitcher at Ft Smith Arkansas. Doris Marcuson and Milton Peterson, Virginia Harmon of Denver and Lt. Earnest Miller of Chicago at Sioux City, Iowa. Florence Barenberg of Herndon, and C.H. Bennet of Washington, DC in Washington Helen Sidney Hosse of Evansville, Indiana, and Pvt. John Paul Kiplinger of Herndon. He is stationed at Ft Knox. Leona Ann Ruth Wolkensdorfer of McCook and Cpl Blaine C. Hagadorn of Norfolk, VA at McCook. Genevieve Erikson and Carl Henningsen. They are living on a farm in Rawlins County. Vivian King and Elton Neiman of McCook. Doris Ryant of Lowell, Mass. and Cpl. Alfred E Brunk at Lowell, Mass.

Three young men who left Oberlin together last April have remained at Camp Barkley where they each attained the rank of corporal. Recently they left for maneuvers in Louisiana; rather Cpl. Neil Nicodemus and Cpl. William Carter did, while Cpl. Willard Carter was left behind with the mumps. Pvt. Floyd Brown has transferred from Duncan Field to Stinson Field where he is with an Air Depot Group. Cpl. Dale Brunk is in the Coast Artillery stationed at Ft. Bliss. His wife, the former Nila Vernon, is now with him. Pvt. Wilbur Hare Jr. is in the Ambulance Corps Key Field Miss., while his brother, Cpl. Joseph Hare is a cook and stationed at Camp Hood, Texas. Lloyd Corcoran writes from India that his company now has two cub bears in addition to two baboons. As soon as they add a man-eating tiger they will be ready to offer Ringling Bros competition. While I am not sure the remark was Lloyds he might easily say they can't move me now without bringing me closer home. Cpl Joseph Kinser is located at Camp Adair, Oregon, while Pvt. Vern Buswell is in the Quartermaster Corps at Fort Custer, Michigan. The annual banquet of the county teachers association is scheduled for Feb. 18, with Dr. Start of Hays as the chief speaker. "By telegram from the Navy Department, February 3, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Schmoker were informed that their son Glen, age 21 was among the missing.” Glen had been in the Merchant Marine eighteen months. A part of this time he had been stationed outside the States but a recent letter indicated he expected soon to be home. His brother, Cpl Kenneth Schmoker, is now stationed in Virginia. Mark Cleland is among those graduating February 13 at Kirtland Field, Albuquerque, NM. Mark is a bombardier and will receive a second lieutenancy commission at that time. Glen Gierhart excited the envy of the early season anglers the other Sunday when he landed them right and left, including a six lb carp. One of the country correspondents reports that five coyotes played in a nearby pasture. When she reported it to a neighbor, hoping some hunter was present, she had already noted two near her house. Chester Cox of Herndon is now in Africa. Darrell Woodside has returned to Portland. Since there are no more enlistees accepted in any branch of the service, young men, who desire to go for training, must enlist at their local draft board and go when the next call comes. Such was the case of three of the four young men who left this week for pre-induction examinations. They Are Darrell Landau, Herbert Graves and Willis Cullison of Oberlin. Leo Koerperich of' Selden also went for his examination. Recent deaths include: Mrs. Sarah L McKenna; B. F. Monroe of' Colby (Jess now lives at Napa, Charles, Carroll, Kenneth, Esther and Hester at Vallejo, Calif.); Mrs. Theresia Leitner; Charles Anthony; Mrs. Wirt Bartlett and Charles Magers. John C Graves died very suddenly following a fall from a tree stump while he was cutting wood on the Leinwetter farm, clearing debris left by the tornado. It was only a two or three foot but fall but by the time Herbert could reach him it had proven fatal. Allen Chambers has purchased the half interest in the Oberlin Livestock exchange owned by Fred Dunker of Ludell and will operate it as a partner of Fred Schlake. We were interested in the Associated Press story of how the cruiser Pensecola described as "the work horse of the Pacific, battered, proud and game to the last inch of her plates finally came into her due at Pearl Harbor. She was singled out as symbolic of our fleet’s “unflagging spirit”, she carried on without rest or overhaul, she safeguarded the first convoy to Australia, stayed at sea months at a time in the most perilous waters of war, and roared defiance in the, face of heavy punishment in the fourth battle of Savao last Nov, 30, long after she was due for dry-dock and repair. She attempted to save the Yorktown. Her respite finally came at Savao with fires so serious on board that her entire main mast was a mass of flames; with one engine room flooded and her ammunition exploding she saved herself to fight again. The words are those of Vice-Admiral William L. Calhoun, commander of service force". Censorship asks that we not name our representative on the Pensacola but to him goes our best wishes and congratulations. Melvin Stimbert is making satisfactory recovery from an injury received when he upset his truck. The second generation includes: Mary Jane, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Merlin Etheridge of' Shreveport., LA; Lois, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thane Carver, Aztec New Mexico; Janice Roberta, daughter of Robert and Maybelle Hunt-Shorb; Myrna Louise, daughter of Pvt. Gilford and Lois Nicodemus-Fisher; John Wesley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marshal Spencer of Wichita. She was Lucille Hanson; A daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson King of Goodland, where he is music instructor; A boy to Mr. and Mrs. Bette Towry-Miller of Albany, Ore.; A son to Pvt. and Mrs. Clyde Gate. Clyde is now a stationed in Hawaii; A daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Cletus Kelley; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Yonker. He is stationed at Fort Bliss; a daughter to Cleo and Marba Jean Bobbitt-Fisher of Denver; a daughter to Pvt. Melvin and Avis Armstrong-Beneda. He is located at Amarillo, TX; a son to Sgt and Mrs. A.E.Thanschiedt of Colorado Springs, Mrs. Thansheidt was the former Mary Lou Cummins; a son to Pvt. Paul and Katie Thummel-Harper. Locations and transfers: Frank Carmon, OCS to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD; Adam Fleckenstein Jr., F 3/c, from San Diego to Iowa State College at Ames; Cpl Herald and Cpt. Darrel Carter from Ft Warren to Pyote, TX; Harold Guilliams from the Great Lakes to Newport RI; Pvt. Stanley Bosler to Albuquerque, NM; Pvt. Rex Berry from Ft Warren to CA; other CA addresses include: Pasadena, Pvt. Clarence Manning; Glendale, Pvt. Raymond Wurm; San Mateo; Cadet Lloyd Woolley; Camp Beale; Pvt. Virgil Walker, Pvt. Moritz Nauer; Fort Ord; Pvt. Kenneth Vernon; San Francisco; Rex Gill, F 1/c; Pacific area overseas: S/Sgt Harry Brown; Kit Carson, Colo. Pvt. Dean Smith, Pvt. Ira Jones; Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Cpl. James Montgomery; Florida, Clearwater; Pvt. Leo Neff; St Petersburg; Pv.t Leroy Barrett; Camp Carrabelle; Pvt. Geo Carver, and somewhere in Florida; Cpl Bryce Cody, Georgia; Pfc. Clarence Wilkinson; Waycross; John Fawcett; Savannah; Regis McKay; Illinois; Chanute Field Pvt. Kenneth Matheny; Iowa; Mt Vernon, Vincent Landau; Kentucky, Camp Campbell: Pfc. John Mazanek, Jr; Cpl. Lawerence Urban; Sgt Archie Gilreath; Gerald Miller; Pvt. Louis Tuxhorn; Louisiana, New Orleans; Pfc. Norman Bainter; Out of the States: Pvt. Everett Adamson; Camp Selby; Rudolph Weidner Minnesota. Rochester, Miss Ethel Crosswhite; Oklahoma; Pvt Donald Montgomery of the Marines at Norman; Camp Adair, Oregon: Pvt John Lindquist; Ft Jackson SC Cpl Robt Lindquist; Texas, “Hondo” Pvt. Archie Robertson; Camp Hood; Pvt. Dale Jordan Marfa; Cpl Rolland Beardsley (he is learning to fly twin engine planes); El Paso; Pfc. Henry Johnson (he is taking a technicians course in the Army Medical Corps); Salt Lake City, Utah, Pvt. Ralph Stowell; Geiger Field, Washington, Pvt. John Shaw; Duane Huff in the Army Hospital Ft Dix, NY; Merlin Cramer, Message Center Chief, Camp Blanding, FL; Darwin Smith in Australia. It is Africa for 1/Sgt Carl Fiala; Clair Carlton of the Army Air Force is at Jefferson Barracks; Ruth Wolf of Jennings has joined the WAAC’s. It is Ft Benning and the Infantry for Pfc. Clarence Wilkinson; Miami Beach for Pvt. Wm H Heatherington; Jefferson Barracks for Harry Rathbun Jr ; Winfred Karls Army Air Corps, St Louis MO; Africa also numbers John Riepl Jr and Delbert Siegfried; Sgt Elmer Weishapl is on the West Coast, Virgil Lippold at Camp Hale, Colo; Sgt Harrold Derby is a radio instructor in Ft Knox and Sgt. Vincent Welter is specializing in radio at Camp Young, CA; Paul Welter AS, Great Lakes; Pvt. Floyd Eckhart, St Petersburg FL; Harold Noland, AS and Junior Bobinmeyer AS Farragut Idaho; A/C Marvin S. Riepl Marysville MO; A/C Albert Buk, San Antonio TX; Pvt. Edward Stoney Orlando Air Base FL; Raymond Barenberg, Camp Howzie, TX; Pvt Gus Rohnke, Camp Phillips KS; Wm Cris McManus, AS, Portsmouth, VA. Furloughs: Pvt. Lewis Pachner, Medical Corps Camp Barkley; Cpl Ernie Leitner, Walla Walla, WA; S/Sgt Elmer Leitner, Atlantic City; Raymond Weis of CA; Cpl James Montgomery; W.O. Preston Cochran enroute from the Army Music School at Ft Myers, VA to Ft Clark TX; (it is one hilarious “Dad and daughter” party going on in the gym), Marvin Leitner, Camp Shelby Miss; Virgil Dolph S 1/c, Terminal Island CA; Dean Fringer has completed his basic flight training at the Goodland Airfield; Pfc Loren Broyles of Ft Leonard Wood; Cpl Gilford Fisher of El Paso; Pfc. Bill Bystrom and Ralph O’Hare of Ft Ord CA; Jay Fawcett of the Merchant Marine; Arthur Schweitzberger, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin; Pfc Darrel Gaines and Sgt Sylvester Meitl of Camp Crowder; Cpl Carl Stephens of Pueblo CO; Sgt Merlin Cochran, Cpl Delbert Rounsley, and Pvt. Ira Jones of Colorado Springs; Dale Carlisle, SM 3/c of Miami; Earl Leitner, Camp White OR; Pvt Geo. Launchbaugh Camp Farragut ID; Lt Shelburne Hendricks and Cpl Vic Claussen of Camp Robinson Arkansas; (he was accompanied by Berenice, Vic likes his work very much); Owen Page W e/c, Rex Garver S 3/c, and Eugene Guinn, S 3/c all of the Great Lakes; Pvt. Herman Martin, Camp Campbell, KY; Cpl Elmer Tongish of the Salina Air Base; Cpl and Mrs Harrold Neidermeyer, Army Air Base Rapid City SD; Pvt. Dale Wichham of Scott Field (he is teaching radio while awaiting assignment to an OCS) Sgt and Mrs. Maynard Wennihan of Camp McCain Miss; Sgt Perry Macy of Camp Campbell. Neil Macy of Wichita has been visiting here prior to his reporting for duty. Ira McKay is engaged in defense work in Chicago. “Man isn’t so smart as he thinks he is. Thousands of years before he even thought of them, the turtle sported a streamlined body, a turret top, a retractable landing gear, and a portable house.” “Rommel may not leave footprints in the sands of time, but the Wichita Eagle observes that he has left a lot of them in the sands of North Africa.” Pvt. Everette Adamson says in his present location there is little farming, some fruit, and a great deal of beautiful scenery. Cadet Lloyd Woolley is attending the US Merchant Marine Cadet Basic School at San Mateo CA; Chaplin John E Stevenson, after six months active duty, has been advanced according to an Alaskan Defense Command order, from assistant Regimental Chaplain to the Post Chaplain at Hdqts. APO 983, Seattle. It is Sgt Glenn Miller. At the present he is on maneuvers. Pvt. Harley Kathka is at Sheppard Field where he is taking a course in airplane mechanics. We note that both he and Lloyd Emerson have been joined by their wives. Pvt. George Carver has transferred to Camp Carrbelle FL. He likes the winter weather and the fact the barracks require no sweeping as they are of sand. A recent furlough was spent in Chicago. Aside to Leroy Linn; yes, I know what it is to be sea sick; Leroy is in Africa but where cannot be disclosed of course. He is driving a truck. Earlier in the letter I believe I placed Raymond Linn in Africa too -- let’s do a quick shift and make it an MP in Great Britain. Major Harry E Miller, who has been out of the states since July, could of course tell us nothing of his experiences since that time. He was called to duty in December 1940. He was stationed at Ft Robinson, attended the Louisiana maneuvers, and graduated from the school at Ft Sill. Following that period he covered most of the army posts on the Western Coast, preceding his present assignment. Untimely events including the chicken pox acquired by Archie Vernon just before the State Wrestling tournament. Defending State Champions this year will be Archie, and Dennis Fraker, while Merlyn Robertson will be trying to replace his second place with a first. The first dual match was lost to Norton, with Simpson and Montgomery out because of illness, and very little practice for Archie Vernon, though he won his bout. Then came a match at Sainty where we walloped them 33-15. They came here for more an the score was 42-8. The return match at Norton. Norton had wrestled the two Salina schools and the two in Wichita, losing only to Wichita East. In this match Oberlin won 30-12. The League Tournament will be held the 20th with four schools, Norton, Oberlin, Hoxie and Sainty in competition. The following week will be the State Tournament with some ninety entries. Hope the hitchhiking is good. Basketball scores are: Hoxie 9 - 0berlin 27; Culbertson 19 - 0berlin 11; Goodland 22 - 0berlin 15; Atwood 17 - Oberlin 23; Norcatur 16 - Oberlin 23; Colby 25 - Oberlin 23; Herndon 16 - Oberlin 32; St Frances 21 - Oberlin 23; Herndon 15 - Oberlin 18. We are playing at Norton tonight. Norton is undefeated to date in the League and I believe Colby is second. Our league rating is three won, two lost. Tonight finished the League for us as it is a single round robin. The St Francis game was an exciting one with Sainty leading all the way up until the final minute when Oberlin tied the game and Worcester sank a field goal to win 23-21. Ward Sauvage has been the leading scorer on the team and the regulars listed as Hague, Harold, Sauvage, Worcester, Geyer, and Tice. The unveiling of the Methodist Church honor roll will be held Sunday evening. The State Fish and Game Department is providing another truck load of fish for the State Park, a dump truck, a team for rowing, and the promise of oil mat for the roads when such is available. George Cody is caretaker. A two thousand dollar quota has been set for Decatur County for the Red Cross drive, which is scheduled for February. Bill -- “She’s pretty as a picture.” Ed -- “nice frame too.” Miss Vera Wycoff, former Norcatur girl, but now of Wichita is the first woman employee of the Boeing Aircraft plant at Wichita to join the SPARS, woman’s reserve organization of the US Coast Guard. A red fox has been caught on a trap line along the Republican River. George Goltl has arrived somewhere overseas. Home on furlough are Pvt. Francis Leitner of Camp Barkley, and Sgt and Mrs Elmer Weishapl of San Rafael, CA; Walter Wendelin is stationed at Clinton IA. Recent visitors have included: Mrs. John Peters (Velma Fleming) and Patty Ann of Lawence; Pvt. and Mrs. Wayne Hagerman (Anita Townsend) of Chicago; Mr and Mrs John Jill (Ruth Beam) of Pensacola FL. She will remain her while her husband goes to Pearl Harbor for defense construction. Warren Claussen employed by Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Neva Hendricks, and Lois Bogart of Denver, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Baldwin (Bernice Reist) of Logan. Dorothy Olson is the new bookkeeper for the gas company, replacing Bette Jaderburg, who with Marjorie Johnston has gone to Denver. Nita Hopkins has gone to Los Angeles where she will visit her half-sister, Mrs. Roy Olsen. Mr. and Mrs. Otis Relph received word that their daughter Ardve Shinn and husband have moved to New York City from Cooperstown, NY. “Ruth rode on my motorbike, directly back of me. I hit a bump at sixty-five and rode on Ruthlessy.”--From the Oberlin Herald. “Several weeks ago the Oberlin Chamber of Commerce started plans for the construction and erection of an Honor Roll board to bear the names of all Decatur county men serving in the armed forces. A committee appointed by the president of the C of C to carry out the plans for an appropriate Honor Roll. Evidence of the committee’s actions is now found in the completed Roll of Honor Board, which it is believed all will agree, is a good job well done. The board bearing more that 460 names of Decatur County young men, has been finished and ready to be erected. Appropriate ceremonies have been arranged for the unveiling and dedication of the Roll of Honor to be held Friday afternoon, February 19. The board will be erected at the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn, where the names, painted on both sides of the board, may be read from Penn avenue and also for east Hall street. Some idea of the appearance of the board may be had from a description of the size, color and lettering. The lettering space is four feet high and twelve feet wide, painted white, with the names painted in black. When set the top of the board will be six feet from the ground, and painted across the top are the words, “Decatur County Honor Roll.” By putting the names on each side, there is space for about 700 names.“ “Two men, Wood and Stone, were standing at a street corner. A pretty girl walked by, Wood turned to Stone. Stone turned to Wood. They both turned to rubber, and the girl turned into a hat shop.” I liked Dorothy Kelley’s New Year wish -- it is now February but I’m passing it on now anyhow: “Anyway, for better, for worse, do we take this New Year. In sickness and in health, bad crops or good, as she comes we’ll take her. One day at a time, she can be handled. A year at a time, and she’ll have us licked before the income tax report is half figured out. We can make it a Happy New Year if we choose. Or we can sit and mope about all the terrible things happening in the world over which we have no control, have no happiness for ourselves and give none to anyone else. The little things we can always handle, but the things too big for us get us down. If we just won’t worry about the flat tires we’re going to have on the way home until after we’ve patched the ones we have on the way there, we’ll enjoy the time we spend there a lot more. And anyway, as long as we’re wishing, it costs no more to wish for the biggest, brightest, happiest, New Year in the world than it does merely to say Hello. So why not wish it, January isn’t old yet, and a whole year’s ahead.” I cannot close this letter without an expression of appreciation of what you folks are doing. It is difficult to show tangibly one’s realization of the sacrifices being made, the lack of choice of your surroundings, and the very real danger in which many of you find yourselves. As I sorted the overseas envelopes tonight it was made very vivid to what extent this mailing list covered the hot spots of the world. We, here at home, may lack fluency in expressing pride and interest in you. One of you said recently that he did not know people cared so much. We are behind you one hundred percent -- bonds, rationing, a seventy-hour week, food, gasoline, taxes, or what have you! Our only wish is that you soon be home and absorbed into civilian life. Happy landings.

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©2003 Sharleen Wurm
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Wednesday, October 20, 2004