YANKS IN THE RANKS
WORLD WAR IHENRY W. BARTELL, Son-in-law of Anna Loughmiller McDaniel. Officers Training in Washington, D.C. Army Engineer Corp. 1918-1919. Buried In Golden Gate National Cemetery,, San Bruno, California.
JOSEPH SHAW BEACH, Son of Frank D. Beach. U.S. Navy, 1917-1920. Medical Corpsman, 1st Class.
RUEBEN ROY BOTTOM, Son-in-law of Frank Jacob Kroth. 1917-1919. Served with the 35th Division. One year was spent in France and participated in all of the Argonne Service with Company B.
HENRY CLARE CLEMENTS, Son of Ella Kroth Clements. Served in France. With Holton's Company B, 135th Division from May 1917 to June 1919. Transferred to Central Records Office.
ARTHUR HENRY KROTH, Son of Frank Jacob Kroth. Company 18, 5th Battalion, 164th Deport Brigade in Remount Squadron. Served in Bordeaux, France. 1917-1919.
RALPH THOMAS KROTH, Son of Charles Edward Kroth. U.S. Army, Company B, 135th Division, assigned duty in Central Records Office. 1917-1919. Served in France most of the two years he was in the service.
WILLIAM R. THURSTON, Husband of Julia Doane Beach. Canadian Artillery 1917-1920. At his death was Captain of Michigan State Troops.
NEIL WATTS, SENIOR, Son-in-law of Kate Kroth Venneberg, 1918-1919. Enlisted at Wichita, Kansas, and stationed at Fort Logan, Colorado. Here he was issued his uniform,- a hat that had been mashed flat, khaki blouse which was really a coat, woolen trousers, side lace white leggins of the type used in the Spanish-American War, and two pair field shoes with rough leather on the inside. Next assigned to Ellington Field, Texas, for gunnery training by British troops with British machine guns. He was transferred to a new Air Field at Sacramento, California, and assigned as instructor to flying cadets. While here he received several month's back pay and he schemed a week end pass, and went to Sacramento to buy a complete uniform, hat and shoes. This uniform was well worth its cost on parades and inspections. Transferred to Camp Funston, Kansas, for ultimate discharge and was in charge of a group of wounded, overseas veterans just dismissed from a hospital. Neil writes; "As I recall, only one time was a detachment given eat money. The other times the QM would deliver several large burlap bags loaded with canned goods, butter, coffee and loaves of bread. We could not use these supplies on a Pullman so we stored them in the vestibule. When we came near our destination, I would ask the Negro porter if he could use that stuff. I always got an excited answer like this: "Oh yes suh, ah sho kin use dem." They are yours then. 'Tank yuh suh." was repeated several times.
On February 13, 1919, I received that piece of paper,"my Honorable Discharge". Caught the next train to Topeka where I celebrated that night by attending a concert by Schumann-Hienk, the great opera singer. Next day headed for home at Havensville."
WORLD WAR II
RAY ADAMS, Son-in-law of Myrtle Kroth Whitson. 1943-1946, T/4 Signal Corps, U. S. Army.
DAVID AITKEN, Son-in-law of John Kroth. St/Sgt with 5th Air Force, 7th Fighter Squadron of 49th Fighter Group. August, 1943 to October, 1945. Saw duty in South Pacific Island, Biak, Australia, Phillipines and Japan.
CLARK R. ALLISON, Son-in-law of Harland Robert Kroth. Served from June, 1942 to December, 1945. His boot camp training was at Port Townsend, Washington, and was then transferred to Astoria, Oregon. He was Yoeman 3rd Class and served on a Lightship, fourteen miles off the coast of Washington. His Lightship was one of only two remaining coal burning Lightships in the Coast Guard. His first two years were spent at Everett, Washington. They came into port every so often to load with coal, which was a break for him and his family, as the gas burning ships and boats came into port very seldom. The purpose of the Lightship was to guide all ships and boats safely into the mouth of the Columbia River as they came in from the Pacific Ocean. Recreation while on the ship was swimming, making knife sets, and deep sea fishing for tuna and salmon. The big ones they canned. Clark's wife, Lois, and their two daughters, Evelyn and Janet, spent these years living at Everett, Washing- ton and Astoria, Oregon.
CHESTER ISAAC BARE, JR., Son-in-law of Rosa Clements Watts. Technician, March, 1045 to February, 1947. U.S.' Army, Served in the Phillipines.
GARTH WILLARD BARR, Grandson of Annie Loughmiller McDaniel. Served in the Army, 72nd Transportation Company TRK, 1954-1956, Pvt. 1st Class.
GAYLE DEAN BARNHARDT, Son of Rachael Beach Barnhardt. Pvt 1st Class, Armored Division, U. S. Army.
JEAN PAUL BARNHARDT, Son of Rachael Beach Barnharat. Pvt 1st Class, Armored Divisioni U. S. Army.
CLINTON RANDALL BEACH, Son of Robert Neal Beach, Corporal, U.S. Army, 1952-1954, Historical Division.
GAYLORD ELDON BEACH, Son of Clarence Beach, 1942-1946, U.S. Army, 322 Infantry, Company E. Served in Asiatic-Pacific Theatre in World War II. He took his basic training at Camp Rucker, Alabama. Discharged as a Major.
JOHN RICHARD BEACH, Son of Ivan Wayne Beach. Served with the 101st Airborne Division Paratroopers from 1960 to 1962. Stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served overseas in Turkey in 1961 .
KEITH L. BEACH, Son of Alton Potter Beach. Corporal, Company B, 13th Infantry of U.S. Army. Stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
LOWELL WILLIAM BEACH, Son of Ezra Montelle Beach. U.S. Navy 1941 to i945. Chief Petty Officer. Did Administrative work.
MAX ALLEN BEACH, Son of Richard F. Beach, U.S. Army, 1st Lieutenant, Army Engineers, 1957-1958.
FRANCIS PICKENS BLEDSOE, Son-in-law of John Kroth. Technician 4th Grade, 1943-1946, 834th Signal Air Warning Company. Served in Panama Canal Zone.
ALBERT KROTH BOTTOM, Son of Eva Kroth Bottom. 1944-1946. Served in the Phillipines and Korea.
GENE DEVERE BOTTOM, Son of Eva Kroth Bottom. 1953-1955. He was always in the United States.
JACK VERNON BURKHART, Son-in-law of Nina Mae Loughmiller. Served in U.S. Army for three years.
VERNE ORID BOTTOM, Son of Eva Kroth Bottom. 1951-1953. He was always in the United States.
JACK THOMAS BRENNAN, Son-in-law of Ralph Ivan Clements.
RICHARD ALLEN BRIGGS, Son of Alvene Loveta Beach Briggs. Joined U.S. Navy Air Corp in May 1960 and took basic training at San Diego, California. He spent fifteen months in Memphis, Tennessee, and now stationed at Oak Harbor, Washington.
NORRIS CHISICK, Husband of Kathleen Beach. M/Sgt. in U.S. Army Infantry for 29 years, now retired. ANTHONY CYRUS CHERIN, Son-in-law of Joseph Leon Salisbury. Ensign in U.S. Navy.
CLINTON EDWARD CLEMENTS, Son of Ralph Ivan Clements. U.S. Navy Apprentice Seaman, Petty Officer 2nd Class. Served in South Pacific. Station in U.S. Naval Hospital in New Hebrides for duration of World War 2.
DALE LLOYD CLEMENTS, Son of Ralph Ivan Clements. Assigned to 185th Engineer Combat Battalion where he was awarded U. N. Service Medal and Korean Service Medal with two campaign stars. T/Sgt.
ELLIS CLARE CLEMENTS, U.S. Marine Corp, 1943-1946, S/Sgt. Served in Japan.
GARY LANE CLEMENTS, Son of Ralph Ivan Clements. Took basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. Was sent through Instrument Repair School, Chanute AFB, Illinois. Served in Yuma, Arizona, in the 4750 Air Defense Squadron. Made several trips in Globemasters while at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Belton, Missouri. Airman of the Month of Air Defense Squadron in September, 1956.
SAMUEL LEIGHTON CLEMENTS, Son of Henry Clare Clements. Served with the Marines as Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class. Stationed at Midway Island.
IVAN WARD CLEMENTS, Son of Ralph Ivan Clements. Enlisted in U.S. Naval Reserves. Saw active duty from June, 1945 to July, 1946. Served on USS St. Louis Light Cruiser, and USS Wichita Heavy Cruiser.
DONALD BEACH DAVIS, Son of Cora Beach Davis. T/Sgt with Corps or Engineers.
GAYLE ROBERT DAVIS, Son-in-law of Effie Kroth Venneberg. Radio man 3rd Class, U.S. Navy, 1944-1946. Was aboard the USS Shangri-la in the 3rd Fleet of which Admiral Halsey was in charge. His ship was immediately behind the Missouri at the signing of the armistice and was in good position to watch the formalities.
GLENN FLETCHALL, Son-in-law of Effie Kroth Venneberg. Served with the U.S. Navy, Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class. He had amphibious training with the Marines. Made two landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Served for two and one half years on U.S.S. Darke.
HAROLD DELBERT FLIPSE, Son-in-law of Albert Thomas Kroth. U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment at Fort Carson, Colorado. He took his basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was also stationed aC Camp Desert Rock, Nevada, (Atomic testing site). September, 1953 to June, 1955.
FRED ALBERT FRANZ, Grandson of Clara Loughmiller Franz. Eletronics Officer in the U.S. Air Force.
ROBERT GORDON, Son-in-law:of George Kroth. Attained the rank of Major in the U.S. Marines. Was retired on disability, 1945.
LOREN GRAY, Son-In-law of Winnifred Loughmiller Salisbury. 2nd/Lt. in U.S. Air Force.
ALLEN DAVID HANSFORD, Son of Ruth Brownlee Hansford. Served on Sigon in the Phillipines, 1946.
HOWARD EDWARD HANSFORD, Son of Ruth Brownlee Hansford. U.S. Army, 1954-1955.
MYRON CHARLES HAYES, Son of Maude Loughmiller Hayes. 1st Lieutenant in U.S. Army, 1955-1957. Spent both years at Fort Devens, Massachusetts.
RODNEY MAX HAYES, Son of Maude Loughmiller Hayes. Served with the Armored Battalion of the 54th Infantry, Heilbronn, Germany, from 1958 to 1960 as a mechanic. Specialists 4th Class.
MELVIN EUGENE HERBERT, Son-in-law of Stella Kroth Manuel. Enlisted in the Cavalry in 1941, training at Fort Riley, Kansas. Was a member of Mexican Border Patrol. Member of "F" Troop, 14th Cavalry Regiment until 1942. Served with gth Armored Division, 776th Amphibious Tank Battalion. Took extensive training at Fort Ord, California, and went overseas in June, 1944. Served in Phillipines, Leyte, and Okinawa. He landed on Okinawa on Easter Morning, 1945. Was S/Sgt.
WALLACE WARREN HUFFMAN, Son of Lilah Kroth Huffman. Major in U.S. Army Reserves, Transporation Group Supt of Marines in Okinawa.
LLOYD ELDON ICENOGLE, Son-in-law of Cora Lena Beach Davis. 1st Lieutenant in U.S. Air Force.
HOWARD KENNETH KESTIE, Grandson of Louis Tillman Loughmiller. Served with 1022nd Battalion, Stationed in Seattle, Washington.
JEROLD G. KOCH, Grandson of Florence Venneberg Louthian. U.S. Army, 2nd Battle Group, 3rd Infantry, 7th Infantry Division. Served April,1960 to May, 1962. Stationed in Korea for the last thirteen months and was discharged as a Sargent.
AUSTIN AUGUST KREBS, Son-in-law of Eva Kroth Bottom. December, 1942 to November, 1945. Was overseas in 1945. Served in France, Germany and Austria with the 220th Armored Engineers Battalion of the 20th Armored Division. Was in battle at Rhineland and Salzburg.
CLARENCE RALPH KROTH, Son of Frank Jacob Kroth. Merchant Marines, Engian Naval Reserve training at St. Petersburg, Florida. Officers training In New London, Connecticut. On contract with Army Transportation Corp in South West Pacific areas as Staff Engineer.
DONALD CLINTON KROTH, Son of Harland Robert Kroth. October, 1941 to August, 1945. Took basic training at Farragut, Idaho, and entered Naval Ordinance training at Norman, Oklahoma. In 1942 he was assigned to Marine Air Squadron and ordered to Henderson Field in Guadelcanal. He was in Guadalcanal for a year, then to a rest area out of the war area. He was reassigned to Overhaul and Repair, and then back in the States to a rocket range for the duration.
EARL MOKEE KROTH, Son of John Kroth. Ist Lieutenant in U.S. Naval Reserves. Served as Commander of Naval Armed Guard crew of twenty-seven men on cargo vessels (Liberty Ships) carrying war supplies. Also had a tour of duty as Commanding Officer of the Naval Crew on a Navy Chartered Troup ship operating in the Pacific. Served November, 1943 to May, 1945. Visited England, Netherlands, France, India, Australia, New Zealand, Phillipines and Okinawa. Crossed the Pacific five times and the Atlantic five times. Had an emergency appendectomy performed by Army surgeons at sea. Never fired a shot in anger.
LARRY GIBSON KROTH, Son of Walter Evan Kroth. U.S. Naval Air Service. Trained at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Company 537. September, 1955 to SepterWoer, 1959.
ROGER LEE KROTH, Grandson of George Howard Kroth. Aerographer's Mate in U.S. Navy. Served 1946 to 1948. Stationed in San Diego, Florida and Anacostia, D.C.
ROBERT A. KROTH, Son of Arthur Henry Kroth. U.S. Army, Private, May, 1945 to December, 1945. Served with Central Pacific Bass. Comm.
JOSEPH W. LACOMBE, Husband of Una Beach LaCombe. U.S. Marine Corps, Motor Transportation 1929 to 1935.
WILLIAIM DEAN LANE, Son-in-law of Ralph Ivan Clements. Career man in U. S. Air Force, stationed at Sheppard AFB, Texas.
JACK LOUGHMILLER, Son or Robert Bruce Loughmiller. Career man in the Navy Seabees. Instructor in Diesel Mechanics. Has seen service in most Areas of the Pacific. Will soon be sent to Thialand as instructor in Diesel Mechanics. Has served for over ten years (1964).
JAMES MICHAEL LOUGHMILLER, Son of Robert Bruce Loughmiller. Working for his wings as a Navy pilot at Pensacola, Florida. He has served as a navigator on a navy aircraft carrier. Will receive rank of Ensign by 1965.
JOSEPH PHILLIP LOUGHMILLER, Son of Joseph Beach Loughmiller. Served in the Navy.
LARRY GAIL LOUGHMILLER, Grandson of Walter (Bob) Jacob Loughmiller. Served in the Air Force.
MARY ANNETTE LOUGHMILLER, Granddaughter of Albert (Bert) Loughmiller. W.A.F. 1956. Served as weather observer.
ROBERT TILLMAN LOUGHMILLER, Son of Louie Tillman Loughmiller. Sgt. in National Guards in Laramie, Wyoming, 1948 to present.
PAUL EUGENE LOUTHTIAN, Grandson of Kate Kroth Venneberg. Served from 1943 to 1945. Corporal with Gun Crewman, Light Artillery, 844th. Participated in action in Europe, Rhineland, Normandy and North France. Received the Bronze Star Good Conduct Medal.
CHARLES DAVID MACOMBER, Son-in-law of Albert Thomas Kroth. Charles was in the National Guard December, 1952 to November, 1956. Machine gun platoon Sgt., Company D, 161st Infantry Regiment of Washington National Guard, drafted November, 1956. His rank was PFC, basic training was at Fort Carson, Colorado. He spent 16 months stationed In Korea and 3 months at Fort Lewis, Washington, 13th Signal Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He was honorably discharged November, 1958.
MILTON LLOYD MANUEL, Son of Stella Kroth Manual. Entered Army July, 1941, for one year of active duty training and it turned out to be a long year as war was declared in December, 1945. Served in training at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Was in 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Division. Served in Ireland and was in Normandy Invasion, going in the day following the landings. Was wounded in leg and shoulder by mortar, hospitalized in England, returned to USA in January, 1945 and released in July, 1945. While in hospital in England, Earl Kroth with the aid of the Red Cross, located Milton. Milton writes, "I can well remember the surprise and joy of seeing Earl. I'm sure he must have traveled much to get there. There I was in bed on my stomach in a hospital ward (just a quonset building) in far away England. Seeing Earl was better for me than any medicine that could be provided by doctors and nurses. I'll be ever grateful to Earl for that act of kindness."
ROBERT E. McDANIEL, Grandson of Anna Loughmiller McDaniel. U.S. Navy Radioman 3rd Class. Served aboard battleship Nevada then aboard destroyer escort Laugh in both Atlantic and Pacific, 1941-1945.
THOMAS KAY MYER, Grandson of George Howard Kroth. Master Sargeant, U.S. Army. Stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, with the Army of Occupation in Germany for one year.
RAYMOND F. NEEDHAM, Son-in-law of Paul Henry Loughmiller. Major, serves with the 55th Headquarters Squadron of the Air Force. Received the Distinguished Flying Cross, April 21, 1958; Air Medal, June 27, 1960. Station at Forbes AFB, Topeka.
MILTON RAY NORTON, Son-in-law of Alton Potter Beach. T/Sgt. in Air Foree. Stationed at Scott AFB, Illinois. Has served in Japan, Hawaii and Texas.
CHARLES L. OATES, Son-in-law of Ralph Ivan Clements. S/Sgt. U.S. Air Force. January, 1941 to August, 1945. Served in South America, Nicaragua, India and several of the Pacific Islands.
GERALD EDMOND O'LEARY, Son-in-law of Ezra Montelle Beach. U.S. Army, 1941-1946.
MICHAEL O'NEIL, Grandson of Florence Venneberg Louthian. Served four years in Marine Corp, Headquarters Company, Fleet Marine Force. Was a corporal and stationed at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.
LAWRENCE MELVIN PERRY, Son of Nora Loughmiller Perry. May, 1951 to April, 1953. Served with 465th Field Artillery and stationed at Baumholder, Germany. Transferred to 957th Field Artillery in Hanau, Germany. Broke leg while playing football in Germany.
ROBERT EUGENE PERRY, Son of Nora Loughmiller Perry. June, 1944 to June, 1946, Gunner's Mate 3rd Class. Served in San Diego, California, A.A.T.C., Shell Beach, Louisiana, U.S.S. Charles P. Cecil (D.D. 835). Received Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, and Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. For Thanksgiving Dinner, 1944, the following was served; olives, celery, cream of tomato soup, roast young tom turkey, baked Virginia spiced ham, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, sage dressing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, buttered fresh peas, sliced tomatoes, quartered lettuce, Russian dressing, fruit cake, pumpkin pie, apples, oranges, nuts, candy, hot rolls, butter, coffee, cigars, and cigarettes.
DALE GENE RIGHTMIRE, Grandson of Winnie Loughmiller Salisbury. Seaman 1st Class, U.S. Navy.
PAUL ROY RIGHTMIRE, Grandson of Winnifred Loughmiller Rightmire. Seaman 1st Class, U.S. Navy.
VERNON WILLIAM SALISBURY, Grandson of Winnifred Loughmiller Salisbury. Served in the Coast Guard.
RUSSELL DAVIS SEYMOUR, Son of Aletha Vivian Davis Seymour. Served in the Navy 11 years.
CLYDE LEROY SIPES, Grandson of Nora Loughmiller Perry. June, 1956 to may, 1960. Boot camp at San Diego, California. Aviation Prep School at Norman, Oklahoma, and Class "A" School at Jacksonville, Florida. Transferred to VF-191, Moffett Field Mount View, California, then to VF-191 U.S. Naval Station, Alameda, California. Served aboard the U.S.S. Ranger CUA 61.
WILLIAM P. SIPES, Grandson of Nora Loughmiller Perry. Served in Marines, Corporal, September, 1955 to September, 1958 at Camp Pendleton, California.
EUGENE BEACH SMALL, Son of Una Beach LaCombe. Private 1st Class, U.S. Army Medical Corp, 1954 to 1955.
BILLY FLOYD SWAIM, Grandson of Louie Tillman Loughmiller. National Guards.
LLOYD E. SWAIM, Son-in-law of Louie Tillman Loughmiller. 1943 to 1946, Sergeant, served in Guam.
OSCAR H. TALBOTT, Son-in-law of Lilah Kroth Huffman. U.S. Navy, served as Fireman, August, 1944 to October, 1947.
CLIFFORD LAWRENCE TAUCHETT, Son-in-law of Nina Mae Loughmiller. Served in U.S. Navy Air Force in World War II.
KENNETH RAY TEAGUE, Son-in-law of Albert Thomas Kroth. Corporal in U.S. Army, 91st AAA Battalion, April, 1951 to April, 1953. Stationed in Germany.
EDWIN R. THOMPSON, Son-in-law of Lucille Peck Biester. U.S. Air Force, September, 1952 to September, 1956. Served as Dental Technician, Staff Sgt. Stationed at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska, and Little Rock AFB, Little Rock, Arkansas.
CLAUDE FREDERICK VENNEBERG, Son of Effie Kroth Venneberg. Served with the U.S. Marines.
CLYDE MAURICE VENNEBERG, Son of Effie Kroth Venneberg. Served with the U.S. Army.
LOWELL EDWIN VENNEBERG, Son of Effie Kroth Venneberg. T/Sgt. Enlisted October, 1941 and killed in action April 29, 1945. Received his training at Fort Ord and San Luis Obispo, California. His campaigns were in the Aleutian Islands, both Atue and Kiska; Kwajalein Atoll in the Marianas; Leyte and Okinawa. 7th Infantry Cavalry Reconnaisance Troop.
GALEN FRED WATTS, Son of Rosa Clements Watts. 1st Lieutenant in U.S. Army. Served in Japan and Korea.
MARK E. WATTS, Son of May Venneberg Watts. Served September 1950 to August, 1952. He took his basic training at Fort Ord, California, and his Military Police Training at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was sent to Pusan, Korea, and assigned to the 560th M.P. Company, 91st Batallion. Most of his time in Korea was spent directing convey traffic, escorting supply trains as a guard going north to the Division Supply Depots and guarding prisioners of war. He spent 17 months in Korea and on his return home was released from active duty on his birthday, August 15, 1952.
NEIL WATTS, JR. Son of May Venneberg Watts. December, 1942,to January, 1946. Flight Engineer, B-24 Bomber Squadron, Davis Monthan Field, Tuscon, Arizona. While here he wrote, "I lost my buddy yesterday. We were making a bombing run over the desert and we saw his plane go down, hit in a cloud of dust and burst into flames.." He also served at Alamagordo, New Mexico.
REX EUGENE WATTS, Son of Rosa Clements Watts. Captain, and now Major (1964). February, 1941 to 1946. U.S. Army, served in Italy, France and Germany.
THOMAS GILBERT WYATT, Son-in-law of Eva Kroth Bottom. Airman 1st Class in the Air Force, April, 1952 to May, 1936. Was in England from May, 1954 to April, 1956. He was with 3911th Air Base Group.
DIBERT L. YEAGLEY, Son-in-law of George Howard Kroth. Yoeman 2nd Class in U.S. Navy, April, 1944 to March, 1946 and stationed at Parragut, Idaho.
This letter was sent from Korea by Galen Watts, son of Rosa Clements Watts: December 12, 1952
"I got a vase for Lucy. I looked at all the little shops who specialize in trinkets for servicemen. No luck. We have a jeep driver who is from New Jersey (that has nothing to do with the whole thing) and who always knows where everything is or how to find it. So, I came back and got him and we started out. As we were waiting for one stop light in Pusan to change (hand operated) we saw a door with the sign "Souvenir" above it and the driver said we might try there. You cannot park in the streets of Pusan, so I hopped out of the jeep and told him to meet me at the same corner in a little while. I went over to the sidewalk and they saw me coming and decided I looked like an easy mark. I told them what I wanted with many hand gestures, and after much conversation in Korean, one said, "Come with me", and away we went. After a couple of blocks and one shop that wasn't suitable (according to him) we came to a shop full of glass and beads and crockery. The first one they dragged out was chipped and beat up. I said, "no", and he explained what an antique it was. I finally convinced him and he started dragging others out. I finally selected one tear-drop shaped one with a beautiful colored peacock on it. He carefully explained that it was really a saki (Japanese whisky) bottle and was made in Japan. That ended that. Then he brought out a heavy, tarnished brass urn-like affair with ring handles. This one had "much history' behind it. It looked pretty good and could be sent without breaking so I bought it. I should have jewed him down, but I was paying with "script" (which is illegal, but everyone does it) and was in a hurry as my driver was driving around waiting for me. (There are no blocks around here so he couldn't drive around the block.) When we got back I consulted my house boy to have him read the inscription on the side. Oh, yes, he knew. After many questions and answers, I found it was a gift from a Pusan banker to his customers, much as our banks give out calendars. The first ones were made in a factory that he built about ten years ago. He is still passing them out to his good customers. That is the history behind the vase. I hope Lucy enjoys it anyway. It cost 30,000 wun and the fellows here got a real kick out of my vase with "much history" behind it.
There are many lovely scenes here but I would hardly say they are wonderful. Then you look around and see some of the other sights. When I see some of these ill-clothed kids, I think of some of the old clothes drives and the peculiar things people gave. Next time anyone has one, for heavens sake, dig up every- thing you can find to give. I realize much of it will never reach the people for whom it was meant, but what does will make it worthwhile. And I can assure you everything that will hold together will be put to use. You can never realize the situation until you see it."
This letter was printed in THE RECORDER of June 4, 1945. It was from Clyde Venneberg, son of Effie Kroth Venneberg, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Venneberg.
Germany
May 8, 1945
Dear Folks:
Today (the day after the Armistice) the sun shines brighter. The flowers have added color. The bird's songs are clearer and sweeter. The country side, a battle field of only a few days ago, now seems so quiet and peaceful in the warm sunshine. Yes, it's the old country, after such a long time at war, again at peace. There was no wholesale celebration here, although that might have seemed the proper thing to do. When the "Cease Fire" order came, the boys merely congratulated themselves and then each other on coming through this thing O.K. Some will and have gone the limit with their celebrating, but the majority have just relaxed and are trying to realize it's all over. We who have been through all this here know we haven't really won a war, but have bought a victory; yes, and at a high price too, one that cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. So, tonight my thoughts and prayers are for several of my boys and close buddies, who are no longer here. That old familiar poem comes back to me:"To you from failing hands we throw the torch, be yours to hold it high. If you break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies blow in Flander's Field."
If everyone took that as a challenge and kept it in mind, I doubt if we would need worry about another war. This coming Sunday is Mother's Day, isn't it? In my opinion, the mothers had a much harder fight than any of us on the battlefield, and I give them most of the credit. To you, Mother, I give all the credit in my behalf. Some one has been praying for me constantly, I've felt it time and again. It wasn't luck or my brains that brought me through, and T could give you dozens of instances that would prove it. So orchids to you on Mother's Day, Mom.
Love,
Clyde Venneberg
TRIBUTE TO LOWELL VENNEBERG, from Church in the Vale items of June 11, 1945.
"No one could ever say that Lowell Venneberg was anything but an honorable, clean, upright young man. He was quiet and unassuming, but held many friends by his quick and deep thinking. Children liked to be with him because he made clever hand tools and play things that interested them. He was especially talented in working with implements of carpentry. His teachers liked him because he was dependable and studious. He caused no anxiety or needless thinking, because he was manly and wise long before he reached mans estate and stature. It seemed natural for him to love and honor Christianity. He became a member of church and Sunday School and always attended services whenever and wherever possible. One of his letters tells of helping to build a chapel of bambo stalks on the island. We are certain he was faithful to the Christ-life and died trusting that Love that is able to save to the uttermost. Lowell was sincerely kind and trust- worthy; a friend whom one loves and values and will miss, because he lived the gospel of brotherhood."
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