Thursday, October 18, 1945
Our Army and Navy Boys
On the USS Guam in the Pacific – Arch G. Wooddell, 20, seaman, first class, USNR, of Marlinton, and C. L. Barkley, 31, first class, also of Marlinton, served on this battle cruiser, flagship of Rear Admiral F. S. Low, USNR, when she led a task force of more than 50 ships into Jinsen, Korea, September 8, to liberate the country from the Japanese.
About 15,000 American sailors and soldiers stream-ed ashore to occupy the capital city of Kaijo, 23 miles away, to the cheers of the natives. A crowd estimated at 100,000 gathered in the vicinity of the capitol to watch the lowering of the Jap flag and the raising of the Stars and Stripes.
Thousands of American prisoners of war, many listed as missing, were assembled, identified and headed for home.
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On the USS Chenango – Delbert N. Wilfong, seaman, first class, USNR, of Dunmore, served on this aircraft carrier when she carried 1,357 released prison- ers of war from Nagasaki, Japan, to a redistribution point at Okinawa.
Some of the evacuees – Americans, English, Australians, Dutch and Japanese – are survivors of Wake Island, the Bataan “Death March” and the sunken USS Houston.
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Sergeant Jack Sharp is home on furlough from the Army with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Sharp. He has just recently returned from the Arctic country of an island in Baffin Bay. So far this year, he has seen snow every month. When he got home, he saw snow on Cheat Mountain.
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James McGraw is home from the Army with an honorable discharge. He served several months overseas.
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Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Curry have received word from their son, Sergeant Arden (Pooley) Curry, of the Marines, that he had landed in San Diego, California, and expected to be home on furlough within two weeks.
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Corporal Dale Turner has returned to his home at Millpoint, with an honorable discharge from the Army. He has been in service nearly four years with 31 months spent in the Pacific area.
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September 14, 1945
Dear Mr. Price;
As I write this, I am looking forward to returning to those grand old West Virginia hills again, where life is pleasant and peaceful. The past three years, I have come to realize more than ever before the joys of life in the mountains of West Virginia.
We are anchored off the coast of Jinsen Bay, and what a rugged coastline. The mountains begin at the water’s edge. The sunsets are beautiful, a deep purple. The days are about the same temperature as those at home.
Now, I can describe my ship. I have served aboard this ship for nearly three years. It is an auxiliary oiler. Our duties are fueling the fleet from crash boats to battleships. We have taken part in the operations in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the bombardment and occupation of Japan.
Now, I expect to be on my way back to the United States soon, so please change my address to Brooklyn, West Virginia.
Sincerely yours,
Gaylon W. Sheets
U.S.S. Husatonic
FIELD NOTES
Jack Workman saw a panther in Brush Mountain near Huntersville. One day last week, he was hunting squirrels and while he waited and watched, a cat-like animal, the size of a big dog, came along. It was a yellowish brown in color, and had a long tail. Mr. Workman took three shots at the animal with number seven shot and it went away from that place. Coming home, Mr. Workman got a neighbor’s hunting dog. This dog ran the trail for a short distance, but did not manifest much interest in the chase. Mr. Workman is an experienced hunter, and he has killed all animals now common in these mountains. He says he never before saw an animal like this one. By reason of its shape, size, length of tail and color, it could be nothing other than a panther.
This is the first panther reported seen so far this hunting season.
The last panther that I know about being killed on Brushy Mountain was nearly seventy years ago by the late J. Albert Sharp and the late Andrew Taylor. They tracked the varmint into the rocks on the face of the mountain next to Knapps Creek, between Huntersville and Minnehaha.
WHO wants GRANDPA’S Cane?
Will sell cheap. Since discovering the concentrated nourishment in those energy-packin’, malty-rich, sweet-as-a-nut Grape Nuts, Grandpa says he doesn’t need any pesky old cane. He walks on his hands. And runs, too.