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When WWII was declared my three brothers enlisted. Jack became a Lieutenant Junior Grade and taught flying at the Navy Base in Glenview, Illinois. Merrill enlisted in the Navy but was discharged after a few months because of a serious hypertension condition. He then worked at Keesler during an expansion program and learned the pipefitting trade. He became a master craftsman and even went to Venezuela to build a big oil refinery. Harry was inducted into the service shorflyf after receiving his degree. He was a cadet major in Reserve Officers Training Corps at the time. He reported to Camp Polk, Louisiana, and later was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia. After receiving his second lieutenant's commission in the infantry, he volunteered for the Airborne. After making some eighty three practice parachute jumps and several combat jumps without serious injury, he returned home and was discharged as a Captain.
When the rent equal value contract on my winch truck matured, Uncle Sam took possession and shipped it to the Panama City, Florida job. I worked at several different jobs at Keesler, and when the last job was completed I went to Horne Island as master mechanic for the Ferguson Construction Company, helping build a chemical warfare plant. We were able to complete the plant in nine weeks despite the fact that night work was impossible because of a blackout. Ferguson's office manager was my good friend from Gulfport Roy Duckworth. The Germans had submarines in the Gulf of Mexico. While working at Keesler Field in 1943, I began framing a new three-bedroom house in the rear of the home we lived in. After I completed the framing, I contracted with Mele Craig, a long-time friend and a good builder, to finish the house for us. As soon as he completed the job, we moved in and
rented the house.
It had always been my dream to have a home in the country - a
safe and healthy place for the children. Fran did not particularly like the idea, but because she was such a good wife and mother, she consented. I was fortunate enought to find two and a half acres of good land with an old house and six large pecan trees on it, which I purchased for a paltry one hundred and fifty dollars. Each Sunday, we would drive out to the place (weather permitting)
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with the kids and have a picnic. I purchased a small wrecking bar for Bobby, and while I dismantled the old house, Bobby would pull the nails out of the boards. Before we left for home, we would stack the lumber. In about six week-ends we were ready to lay the foundation for our country home. One of our good neighbors, Jules Sperier, agreed to work on the new structure during the week and on weekends I would drive out and help. Jules was a fine carpenter and a good Christian. One day Jules noticed the excavation I had dug for the septic tank and remarked that it was as large as the one at the school. I replied, "That's how big I want it because-1 never want to have trouble with it." After fourteen years it was still trouble free. In the fall of 1944 I sold our property in Mississippi City and we moved into our new country home in Cuevas, Mississippi.
When the twins started school in Cuevas, Bobby was in fourth grade. Mrs. T.J. Broadus was principal then. Fran and I believed in the right of a teacher to maintain discipline, so we let the children know that if they were corrected in school we would always stand behind their teacher. Perhaps that's why they never did have any trouble in school. They knew that they were there for one purpose - to learn!
The children loved the country and Fran, well Fran was desperate at first; she was a city girl who had never even learned to drive a car. Never-the-less, she soon learned that she had much to contribute to our community. She gave the church a well directed choir and offered her talents in music and dramatics to the school. It was necessary for me to add a few head of live stock (which I didn't have) in order to get a transformer installed by the Coast Electric Power Association which allowed four of our neighbors to enjoy the comfort of electricity. Later we had an artesian well drilled and sold water-rights to two neighbors which allowed them to have the comfort of a complete bathroom plus running water in the kitchen. The small favors we managed meant nothing, but their love and appreciation really did! Never in our lifetime did we ever have such wonderful friends.
A father knows that he has done a good job when his children come to him with many of their problems, large and small. Our little family grew closer as the years passed. Bob was impressed
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