Page 39 - Firehouse Pond

BROWN SHOE FACTORY
CHARLESTON, MISSOURI
MCHS

MY FATHER’S BROTHER

I am told that he also served in the U.S. Army and served in Japan after the
bombings. My uncle returned as he had departed. He was unchanged by the
experiences. He worked in the local Brown Shoe factory, had a family and

did not seem to have any negative issues relating to his time in the U.S.
Army.

It would be inaccurate for me to not tell a different story of my Uncle. A few
of the townspeople tell a totally different account of my Uncle’s military
service.

That account describes a soldier that went AWOL – absent without leave -
before shipping out for Japan.

I was unable to confirm or disprove the AWOL stories by several people.
However, a few months before her passing, my sister told me he had gone
AWOL, returned to Charleston, hid out at home and never served overseas.