 |
| Dad |
Born on 11 February 1910 in Marysville, Kansas, he lived in Marysville until he was conscripted into the United States Army during the 1939-1945 War. He had always been sickly, and when he passed the medical examination for his draft, he came home and told my Grandmother, 'Mama, Hitler must be winning the war. They just took me'.
He did his basic training at Ft Leonard Wood, Missouri, before transferring to Sheppard Field, Wichita Falls, Texas for advanced training in the US Army Air Forces.
 |
| Dad in Uniform |
After training, he was assigned to Hq&Hq Sqdn, 8th USAAF, stationed at High Wycombe, Bucks, England. It was there that he met my Mother, who had been conscripted into work in a war plant nearby.
They married on 7 July 1945, in her home parish church in Catherington, Hants. Dad was mustered out of the Army in December of 1945. It was April 1946 before Mum could get to the US. Family legend has it that he almost wore out the platform at the Marysville Union Pacific Depot, pacing back and forth impatiently as he waited for her train.
 |
| Dad and I on Grandma Weismiller's Front Stoop |
On 31 July 1952, my Sister, Marlene, was born. Dad went into hospital almost immediately after her birth. He knew he was dying. One of my few memories of him is him telling me that he was going to hospital and wouldn't be coming home. In 1952, five-year-old children were not allowed to visit hospital rooms. I remember standing outside the building and waving to him as he looked out the window.
On 10 August 1952, he died, leaving a widow, a five-year-old son, and a ten-day-old daughter. Rest in Peace, Dad. You are gone, but not forgotten. I still miss you!
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon them. Memory Eternal!
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing but life everlasting.
Thou only art immortal, the creator and maker of man:
and we are mortal formed from the dust of the earth,
and unto earth shall we return:
for so thou didst ordain,
when thou created me saying:
“Dust thou art und unto dust shalt thou return.”
All we go down to the dust;
and weeping o’er the grave we make our song:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
What a nice recounting of your father's life Jovan. I'm so sorry you lost him at such a young age, his and yours both. I remember when the hospitals would not allow children under the age of 13 to come inside, even when family members were dying. You would think that hospitals would figure out that the greater harm is to keep loved ones apart at times such as these, but covid proved that not to be the case. Sadly.
ReplyDeleteMy younge brother Joe shares your July 5th birthday... being born 10 years later in 1957. So, that's a nice coincidence.
Also, my father in law was like your father, an early WWII member of the USAAF before the Air Force became it's own branch. And my dad served as a radio operator in the USAF during the Korean conflict too.
Anyway, thanks Jovan for sharing your family history. It's good to know and remember and it's also good to pray for all these souls who have gone ahead. May the Lord bless us all... living and dead. In Jesus' name, we all give thanks and praise. Amen. Cathy