The Okie Legacy

Vol. 2, Issue 54 -- 15 April 2000, Saturday

WWII Saga - Love, War & Separation

I wasn't quite sure what I was going to write about this week! The Spring fever has me wanting to play hooky outside in the sunshine between the spring rain showers. BUT... The cool, partly cloudy days of spring has me stuck indoors reading more of Uncle Bob's WWII letters to his family. This week it is a couple of sweet, loving letters to his first wife, Helen.

Capt. Bob is found stationed south of the Ruhr up in the mountains of Germany the middle of April 1945. Bob has lost track of the date, but it doesn't matter. He is describing his cozy, snozy, comfortable countryside surroundings in a letter postmarked 24 April 1945 to his "Dearest Darling Helen" (wife of eleven months).

Everything is green for Spring with mountain streams in a nearby wooded area. "Darling, it is simply beautiful," he exclaims! He is reading his old mail over again because there was no mail tonight. BUT... He is expecting two letters tomorrow.

Bob begins his letter of April '45 to his wife, "You know, honey, I haven't the faintest idea what the date is but I'm sure that it doesn't matter. I'm all relaxed in a very nice cozy place. Honey, you should see it. Really "snozy" -- Radio and everything -- Although, I did have to call the electrician over to make a few adjustments on the radio so it would work. I am down south of the Ruhr now up in the mountains and -- Darling, it is simply beautiful. Of course we have the most comfortable place in the countryside and really it is pretty swell -- of course yours truly got his thumb in on one of the nicest of the bunch."

Bob's WWII Timeline || April '45 Letter to Helen

On 19 April 1945 we find Bob receiving three letters from his darling wife. The latest one written on the 12th April '45. He mentions that he and some of his buddies were discussing how long it would be until they went home,...

"First - If we stayed here and were army of occupations after the war is over here, we decided it would be all of 1 1/2 to 2 years at the least. And that prediction is based on something more than just guess work. It doesn't seem too pleasant but under the circumstances there is no alternative. The second possibility is going to another theater in which case it will still be about the same amount of time."

I assume that Helen mentioned something of what the columnist, Drew Pearson, was writing and saying about the war being over and they are just mopping up. Bob's response to that, "...I am so glad to hear that. I'm sure some of the fellows nearer the front will to. They have been thinking all the time that the war was still going on and that the GD Krauts have still been shooting our people right along. I wish you wouldn't believe that tripe but instead listen to what General Ike Eisenhauer has to say. He knows what he is talking about."

!9 April 1945 letter to Helen

His last paragraph leaves us with the love and passion he had for his wife and partner (Helen) back then. "Bet you will have all kinds of things fixed for our house by the time I get home, won't you, Sweet. You must spend lots of time sewing up a storm. I'm really glad you like being a housewife so much, Honey, because that's exactly what you are going to be -- my personal housewife, sweetheart, lover, companion, partner, and in fact everything all rolled up in 109 pounds of blood and passion -- that's you."

Has anyone heard about a "Circus train crash" in the 1930s around Tahlequah, Oklahoma? We are searching for more info or where we can look for more info. I've tried a few search engines online, but to no avail. Are there any train enthusiasts or circus followers out there that could help us out? We would love to hear from you. If anyone out there has any info, please Contact Oakie.

OAKIE's LINKS & MAILBAG

WORLD WAR II STORIES -- While the emphasis is on WWII, stories are welcome about wars from other eras from veterans everywhere. If you tried to add a story but were unable to post last week, please try again now. You might post a veteran's biography, locate an old buddy by registering at the Lost and Found Window, post a memorial in the Veterans' Garden, or post a story about a nurse who served.

"Drew Pearson, born December 13, 1897. died September 1, 1969., Newspaper Columnist, author, farmer, teacher, Washington Merry Go Round Farm, creator of the Friendship Train. The Merry-Go-Round Farm was once the vacation home of world-famous newspaper columnist, Drew Pearson, and his prize-winning herd of Holstein dairy cows, Merry-Go-Round Farm continues to preserve the ruralness for horses, cows, kids and nature lovers."

Granite Monument for 22 April 1966 crash victims -- "What we want to do is let the families and relatives know about the memorial being erected April 2000. Also we want to contact by mail or email anyone who is found through the searches. Maybe you have an email friend in or near one of the towns listed. Also keep in mind we will have a memorial dedication ceremony, and we hope to contact as many family members as possible, so they can plan to attend. I know with several of us working together, we can make contact with some family members who would otherwise never know about the memorial or the upcoming ceremony. The link below will take you to a listing of the crash victims. They are grouped by state. If you want to help, let me know, and we'll keep the list updated as progress is made. Check the link regularly. I'll post update info as it comes in to me. Our April 22nd deadline is coming quickly. Please FORWARD this email to anyone you think may help. Thanks." E-mail Butch at if you would like to help. Listing of crash victims

Grandma's Soap Recipe... This Soap Recipe was found in the 1909 Rest Room Guestbook of my Grandmother Constance Warwick McGill's with other saved memories that have been stashed away in our basement of treasures. At least, I think it is a soap recipe!

A Spring Wooing... Paul L. Dunbar's Poetry
I found this little poetry book, "Lyrics of Love and Laughter", by Paul Laurence Dunbar among other books of my grandmother Constance Warwick McGill. Dunbar's book shows it was published in New York by Dodd, Mead and Company, 1907. It was Copyrighted, 1903, by Dodd, Mead and Co. and the First Edition Published March, 1903 by the University Press: John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U.S.A. It was dedicated to Miss Catherine Impey. The reason for selecting this Poem, because Grandmother had made an ink mark beside it in the table of contents... AND... It being Spring... Well! Read and enjoy!

There's also some other Links to more information about Paul Laurence Dunbar, the First African-American to gain National eminence as a poet. Poetry of Paul L. Dunbar || Digital Text Collection Poetry

I have been doing some Spring cleaning and moving over at "OkieLegacy." The World War II - POW Camps (Prisoner of War Camps in Oklahoma) - It was called Nazilager (Nazi Camp) has a new URL (or link). If you have linked to this page in the past, you might want to re-adjust your web links today.

I've added a few more pages of the Kemper Military Alumni List that served in WWII. Check out Kemper Alumni #15, #16 and #17. I have just begun typing on #18, so it isn't finished yet.

"Hi! I am looking for information on a circus train that crashed around Tahlequah, OK in the 1930's. Do you have any knowledge of this or know where I might look? Thank you for your time." Mike

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

The lightest burden we carry in life That represents the most hard won victories Is our pride, our heritage, our history and our experience" -- E. Richardson

An Irish Proverb:
"What shall I do to love? Believe. What shall I do to believe? Love."

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