Page 153 - Anthology

While in Japan, my recreation was softball, basketball, tennis, hunting, pool, and playing cards. I wrote
letters to my family about two times a week and received mail about that often from family and friends.
We’d play the Japanese Air Force ball teams, and on occasion, we went to the mainland to play against
our U.S. Air Force teams.

There was a time that we were in a military vehicle going up the mountain on the island. The driver ran
off the road and I was thrown down in the truck. When looking over I was looking straight down about five
hundred feet. I jumped out of the truck; the other guys thought I’d fallen down the mountain, but I was
safe. Anyway, back then, I didn’t go to church and I didn’t talk about religion. When I left that accident, I
said that I was lucky.

Later on, our Captain sent us to the mainland to play against another Captain’s team. They had a bet as
to which team was the best. We traveled on a Navy LST. The LST’s Captain received a radio warning
that there was a typhoon approaching. He thought we could make it to the mainland without incident.
The LST was bouncing up out of the water; we could hear the motors making strange sounds as it came
up out of the water. A Merchant Marine on board told us that the Captain had lost control of the LST. We
bounced around; it felt like the barge was going to break apart. But a short time later all of a sudden, the
water calmed, and things smoothed out. Again, I said, I’m lucky.

Not once did I ever stop to think that I wasn’t lucky, but that I had been saved by the grace of God. My
mother had always been after me to go to church. She would write me letters asking me to join and go to
church. I’d write back to her and say, don’t write that stuff to me momma, I don’t want to hear it.

I thank God that she lived long enough to see me in church. I believe in Angels, and I think the incidents
on the side of the mountain and onboard the LST prove that I was saved by Angels. I was not a “church
goer”; I don’t believe you have to attend a church to be a believer.

My last day on active duty I had dinner with some friends, shot some pool and then took a trip to
Winterhaven, California; Winterhaven was about four miles north of Yuma, but in a later time-zone so the
bars were still open. When we got to Winterhaven, a couple of the guys decided we should go into
Mexico. I had never gone to Mexico, so off we went. Needless to say, we got drunk. I was sick and had
to be back for my discharge at midnight the next day.

I was discharged from the military on February 16, 1958, with the rank of S/Sgt. My medals include the
Good Conduct, National Defense Service, and Air Force Longevity.
When asked to use one word to describe my service, my reply is “dedicated”.

I cashed my mustering out check and bought a bus ticket home to Kentucky. It seemed like it took
forever to get back home.

Until about my late twenties or early thirties, I think I disliked God; I simply did not understand things. I
could not understand why my father died so young and I did not understand why my brother had to go off
to war in Korea.

While serving, I made life-long friends. They came from several states. We attended Air Force reunions
in Las Vegas, Nevada, Branson, Missouri, twice, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. I have visited some in
their homes and some have visited with me. I attended one’s surprise fortieth wedding anniversary
celebration.

I had a great welcome home, but my adjustment was not good because of a car wreck with a friend
driving my car and his wife being hurt. She passed away from her injuries. I had blood poison in my foot
and after a few months on my job I was laid off.

I have stayed in touch with some of my comrades and I belong to the American Legion Post 34 for
twenty-eight years. I served as Post Commander for nine years.