Today is the 73rd anniversary of the death of Perry Weismiller.
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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.
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| 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 his bride.
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| 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 never 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!
My English grandmother succumbed to the "white death" when my father was 3. Then his uncle got it and grandpa took him to Arizona to recoup (which he did) leaving dad with his sister-in-law who was married into a family of rich German Jewish progressive farmers (Protestant converts). Dad said he always felt like if he didn't work hard enough they'd throw him out. No wonder he treated me so well. Rest assured Curmudgeon I will continue to pray for Perry and Doreen.
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