RECENT FAMILY EVENTS
(Last updated 08-11-06 for Brum and Judy)
This is a second test.
And the winner is --- It's been so long since the last update that the editorial staff forgot who won. They think it was Brum. But in case they are wrong they will reward the real winner with a six pack of ginger ale - if they can prove their claim. The photo of David taken in 1943 when he was a freshman at Deming High School. He played center on offense and linebacker on defense that year. Back then your offensive position determined your possition on defense - offensive centers were automatically defensive linebackers. The other linebacker was the full back on offense. That was the period that all or almost all teams played the single or double wing offensive formations and the substitution rules made it impossible to platoon players so players played both offense and defense. There was always a direct pass of the ball from center to either the tailback or the fullback. We say David "played center". He did this only at practice - he never got into a single game that year. (He weighed 105 pounds! and was 13 years old!") He did make one traveling trip - to Lordsburg. The Deming coach had coached at Lordsburg before coming to Deming and he took the whole team to Lordsburg to impress the people there with how many kids came out for football at Deming.
The team was transported in private cars - no busses. Each boy had to pack all his gear - pads, shoes, jersey, etc. - inside the football pants and take them in the trunk of the car inwhich he was riding. There were usually five boys in each car. Since WWII was still on in 1943, getting enough cars for the trip was a challenge. The school officials had to recruit towns people who had "C" ration cards - they were the only ones with enough gas to take the trips. People with "A" cards only got 3 gallons of gas a week!
We have only one book for the "Books for the Literati" for this edition. It is recommended by David. The title is "Ghost Soldiers" by Hampton Sides. The subtitle is "The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission." David recommends this book for several reasons. It is extremely well written. Many young men from Silver City and Deming were involved in various episodes related in the book. Mary and David knew many of the young men that experienced the atrocities related in the book. The main story is the rescue of the prisoners held by the Japanese in a prison camp in the Philippines. These were men who participated in the famous Battan Death March or those captured on the Island of Corregidor. David's uncle, George "Doc" Darling was one of the prisoners freed by the expedition in this book.
One of the reasons for selecting this book, other than the personal and familial connection, was to remind people what war is really like. The televison of the last "Gulf War" with the view from our combat planes with their view of the site to be bombed shown in the cross-hairs of their missle sights and then the explosion when the bomb hits the site in the middle of the cross-hairs makes the war "look" and "feel" like a video game. It doesn't give any feeling about what it is like to be bombed or the women and children that may be killed by the bombs or the widows or orphans that may be created by this "video game". This book tells what war is really like. Many New Mexican families, including ours, were seriously emotionally wounded by the events of WWII, including the events cited in this powerful book. War is not a video game.
And now for the "Who's This?" quiz. Now there are several questions you have to answer correctly to be honored by getting your name on this famous web site! 1. About when was the picture take? (A) 1915-1920; (B) 1920-1925; (C) 1925-1930: (D) Other (give the dates). 2. What uniform was the driver wearing? (A) Fireman; (B) Policeman; (C) Salvation Army; (D) Other (name the uniform). 3. Identify at least one person (you don't have to have their names - just relationship) who is related to either Honey or David and state the name of the relationship. Now you probably think this is too much to ask. But family relationships and lineage are very important and part of this web site is to emphasize this fact and to educate the younger generation about these relationships and the people involved. You can research this by contacting other family members via the web if you like - this is a "no holds barred" competition.
Now obviously this is a more recent picture - and there are several questions you must answer correctly if you want your name associated with this honored web site. 1. Who are the four people in this picture, from left to right? (Yes, you have to know their names!!) 2. What year was this picture taken? 3. What month was it taken? (obviously, not January!) 4. What major life changing event took place the day this picture was taken? 5. What are each of these people doing now? We assure you that many changes have taken place since this picture was taken. The old guy in the picture has lost 50 pounds! But he's still not skinny!
E-mail me if you want to send your answer(s) to any or all parts to the questions for the "Who'e This" competition.
Recent Events, Ann Darling, et. al.
(Last updated 02-07-03)Recent Events, Mary L. Darling, et. al.
(Last updated 09-02-01)Recent Events, David B. Darling, et. al.
(Last updated 08-11-06)Recent Events, Tony Darling, et. al.
(Last updated 02-28-02)Recent Events, John Darling, et. al.
(Last updated 03-27-03)Recent Events, Honey and David
(Last updated 7-13-01)Recent Events, Ryan Family Members
(Last updated 6-17-01)Recent Events, Hill Family Members
(Last updated 4-17-02)Recent Events, Francis Family Members
(Last updated 11-18-02)
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