Thursday, May 18, 1944
Our Army and Navy Boys
Army Headquarters, European Theatre – Among the West Virginia Airborne Troops ready for assault on Hitler’s Europe are the following from Pocahontas County, West Virginia; Corporal Chad B. Alderman, of Minnehaha Springs; Corporal Claude A. Jordan, of Millpoint, squad leader; Sergeant Dock J. Varner, of Marlinton, former rigger, squad leader; P.F.C. Andy E. Hefner, of Marlinton, ammo bearer.
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Major Zed S. Smith, III, is at home with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Zed S. Smith, Jr., after thirteen months of hard and distinguished service as a flyer in the South Pacific area. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
Sergeant James A. Boggs, of Air Transport Command, is being transferred from Camp Luna, Las Vegas, New Mexico, to West Palm Beach, Florida. He visited his mother, Mrs. Leah Boggs, and brothers, Gerald and Kermit, a few days last week. He has been in the service nineteen months.
Word has been received that Ivan N. Barlow, of the Seabees, has landed safely somewhere in England.
Private Arthur Cain, stationed at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, was home on furlough recently with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Cain, of Huntersville.
Uriah Gibson is home from the army with an honorable discharge. He served seventeen months, and part of the time was in North Africa.
Kenny Beverage, son of Jesse Beverage, writes home from Italy that he ran across Ralph Boggs, of Marlinton.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Grubbs have learned that their son, Roy, has landed safely in North Africa, from where he cabled his mother Mother’s Day greetings.
Mr. and Mrs. Kent Chestnut, of Frost, have received word that their son, Kenton T. Chestnut, Jr. S 2-c has been promoted to Seaman First Class. Junior has been somewhere in the Pacific since October.
Private Billy Evans, of the Marines, has completed his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, and is now at home on furlough with his wife and son, Ronny, and his mother, Mrs. Mary Evans. On his return he will go to Cherry Point, North Carolina for more advanced training.
FIELD NOTES
If Marlinton people had been paying attention to what was going on Sunday afternoon, they would have enjoyed the unusual sight of an old she bear and her year old cub, up at the dead tree at Kee Rocks, overlooking this town. Several wide awake citizens did see them.
R. B. Slaven reports the unusual sight of a mother robin giving her grown offspring a drink of water. All of us daily see mother and father birds feeding their young. The other day Mr. Slaven sat on his porch and watched a pair of robins stuffing a young bird with worms. Suddenly the mother bird frisked off to a pool of rain water. Mr. Slaven was sure he was going to see her take a bath. However, she gulped down some water and went to the young bird. Then the youngster opened his mouth and the old one put the water down its throat.
Wm. Crigger, the watchman in the forest tower at White Rock on the Beaver Lick, tells me he cut to no good purpose the snake stick he got ready for business on May 6 and 7. These are the dates he expects rattlesnakes to come out of White Rocks, where they have spent the winter. For all the years he has watched on this forest lookout tower, he never failed to get rattlers on May 6 and 7. Sometimes he has killed as many as four head. This year the woods were so wet on these dates he did not have to be on the lookout. It was easy to tell the snakes were just out their winter home by their muddy, dirty coats. If the snakes did come out this year, Mr. Crigger was not there to get them. However, late last fall he did get two big rattlers as they were going into the White Rocks. Maybe there were none to come out this spring.
FARM WOMEN’S CLUB
On May 3, Minnehaha Springs Farm Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. Howard Barlow. There were thirteen members and two visitors present. The meeting was called to order by the president, Mrs. Elmer Moore, followed by the Flag salute. A very interesting Devotional was conducted by Mrs. Arndt White. The lesson topic was, “Keeping Well in War Time…”
Mrs. Arndt White gave an excellent demonstration on mending screens. After adjournment, delicious refreshments were served by the hostess, Mrs. Barlow, assisted by her daughter, Helen.
On May 31, the Club meets at the home of Mrs. Julian Lockridge.
