North Carolina Newspapers

Thi D!!n Xrr.tt , in e LjuuJ - O f ii Csss Off Course And Is Forced To Land; Forcd ; To land A Second Time In Tho Sahara Desert; SaysHtUkosWhertHe Is , Lt. H. D Maxwell. Jr. (Hugh) J former reporter and columnist ol ? the Times has been in service se- vera! year. He enlisted in the air corps and was rapidly promoted. He U a first lieutenant and before going over did patrol work along - the Atlantic Coast from New Eng 5 land to Virginia. Recently he took v ft from Miami for Africa, going V via South America. Hugh pilots a bomber, adoui a yi wrote an article "I Pilot A Bomb er which was published in the American Magazine, which was published in the Ameri can Magazine. ' The first letter his parents re Mivi from him after going over relates some of his experiences in th SAhAr Desert and other parts of Africa. The letter, in de tail: Somewhere in North Africa March 19, 1943 nar Folks: i I'll tell you more about the scri- bbling just above in a minute, i (Editor's note: the page evident IP. ally had been censured as some " lines were clipped out) . Right now I guess I'd better bring you up to date. Believe the last time I wrote ' we were at our jumping off place In South America. Well, we stayed there for two days and took off the second night. Got across OK, not without a bit of trouble, though. They underes timated a bit of weather, and we were forced off course and landed at a field 400 miles south of our course, almost out of gas. (Don't know just what this censorship permits but know I can't name any ' towns.) We stayed there over night. The British boys took pret ty good care of us, but they didn't have much to offer. Finally dug t U,'i enough gas to get us up to the town we were heading for to be- gin with. Stayed there over night and took Off early next morning on a flight across part of the sanara aeseri . Had to land at a field in the middle of the desert, because the pass through the mountains was closed.. Boy, that was something. Jusi landed on the desert sand. Thev have just a few fellows there with some gas, a radio set, one jeep, and some canned food. "Living in a mud fort that belong ed to the French foreign legion No beds for us. Slept in the plane wrapped up in everything we had and damned near froze. Sun burn: you up during the day. Arab vil lage, at foot of the big sand dune, which looks Just , like the movie ve.sions of desert towns. Sure wish we had a camera. Most of the Arabs can speak French, and be lieve it or not I remember? enough of my college French that I could talk with them fairly well. We went into the town with all the Arab children haflgUrr onto us begging for cigarettes, and chewing gum, gave away all the clgs I had. Finally, decided to open .a package of emergency rations St distribute It. Damned near got swarmed under- They piled all over me. In cidentally I made a mistake that could have been fatal if there had n't been a well-educated Arab there whom I had beerf talking to In French and struck up quite a friendship with. P opened the breakfast can of food and the kids almost had it when j grabbed it out of my hand, looked at it, and shoved' It back at me" quick. I caught on fairly fast. Hadn't thought of It, but the can contain ed pork: and" eggs, aiwr their re ligicm absolutely, forbids their touching any hog meat. In fact, thev wont get near one. If he hadtft stopped me; I would prob ably have my throat cut right now, because all those children . would have' been defiled by eating' pork and lost. However, they certainly appreciated the chewing gum, cigarettes and hard tack. We tried to buy some Arab knives (every one of them carries one); but mon ey doesn't mean anything to them, because there isn't anything for them to buy with it. The cheapest offer we- had was 1000 francs, which is 920 in Am erican money. That brings us up to the scribbling at the top of thirletter. - . It turned out that one of the Arabs was very wen educated and could write in Arabic or Fren ch. Arabic Is written backward! The scribbling Is his name. The. first Arable, the' second French. WeH . next' morning, the Captain in chars of the base (who was a very nice: fellow), told me that he wctuLi! do. his damndest, to. get me out of there ft started radioing the control field for this sector, to find out what airport X could get in that was on my. route, About ocn, we got a message that I was t y Lead for this one. .We didn't know where . It was, but 3 it the maps and took off. for this field so did reckoning na vigation until we hit it circled the field once and came in without contact. Imagine our surprise when we taxied up and stopped to find out that the squadron was here and this is our new home. We couldn't believe it. itti9 that thev moved out from 1 wfiere they were, and came down "Billie Hamp" Grady who Is sta-hir- wriwrinn't hvt tn m there tloned somewhere off the New at all. I know you're going to be tickled crapless to hear this, be cause patrolling out of here is just about like working out of Langley Field. We're well back from any active front, although we're where there was some fairly heavy fight ing when the boys moved in here. We're living in pretty nice bar racks that belonged to the French have a nice field, only three miles from a daned nice little coastal town, and very near a couple of very nice towns that you've heard a lot about in the war news, but which are all strictly under Ameri- can control now. We don't wear i nnr mins Into town or anvthlnz any more, although they still have pa- .... I trols with machine guns combing the town regularly just for absol ute safety. Right after we crossed the pass through the mountains coming up here, the fields started getting green, no more desert, we started seeing roads and rivers and towns again. We knew that the large towns near here are supposed to be damned nice. And we were generally bemoaning the fact that we couldn't stick around here a while. So we can hardly believe that we're stationed here. You just can't imagine how nice this coun try is compared to the seat & dirt and rain, negroes and insects and filth and desert that we've been going through ever since we left home. This is almost like the Sta tes. One of the things that tick les me to death is that everything is French, and I'll get a chance to really get onto the language. That's an awful lot of fun.- Only the air echelon is down here. The rest of the outfit is still on the way, so they haven't even got started here yet. We'll get off to an even start with the rest of the outfit. By the way, we're the first plane to get here out of the four that left Langley. The one that as ahead of us failed to make contact here and went on up. He's on his way back now. I left the others in South America. They should be here any day. ' Going into town you see French ships all out in the river that were scuttled there when the place was invaded, and they haven't had a chance to salvage yet. One thing that would amaze you is the way the natives in all of Africa that we've seen scramble for a bit of food. They have to burn all the garbage at the army .'amps, because otherwise the na tives swarm around the garbage jans like hogs and fight over any rotten, filthy scraps they can find. That isn't normal. It's just what the war has done to them. Al though most of them a.-e far, far from being civilized. Thank God the natives of this section are Ar abs, and not the" WogS (bush' ne groes) you find further south. They are the" lowest form of hu man life I've ever come into con tact with. Also this section has a much larger percentage of white people (mostly French) than any place further south on this coast. Incidentally, our APO number here will be different, and I don't know when 1 11 ever get any let ters you may have written to the number we had. I won't mail this until I find out what the address here will be, and will - put it on the envelope. The day you get this shoot a letter to me at the ad' dress on the envelope in case I haven't heard from you before, and let me know what the score is with all of you, Ruby Mae and Miss Junior, etc. Haven't heard from you in a hell of a long time. The mad service here is suppos ed to be particularly good from here to the States and fair from the State's to here. Understand a clipper makes the run direct from Miami every week. Old Tarant, one of my classmates, is pilot on lt, too. I'm going to try to get in touch with him and see if he'A bring some stuff over for me. If he wiO there' are a few things I particularly want. Above all if you still have one around the house, I need one of those zlppo cigarette lighters, or most any other kind I could get. Believe I told you I lost mine and it's im possible to get one. Also, if he can handle anything that big; if you aren't using lt much, I d give my left arm to have, that portable record player and a few records. The" boys over here picked up a few records in England at $1 each, but don't have anything to play them on now.. . ' Well. If I write much more now I'll never get it in one envelope, so Til stop until a later date. Re mind me to tell you about these French commodes. They're hon: eys. Please don't Workk about me',' because I'm well fixed right now., Just hope you're all doing fine.. StiH sort of like you people, ; Love and kisses,. - . :. Hugh .-. -":-r. Address! . ,'.! Another Duplin Boy Writes About Service Mr. Eddie Grady of near Ken- ansville received : a letter from England Coast. Included in the letter was one he or some one in service composed. The letter re veals the high spirits of our boys in service. It reads: MY DEAR BILL My Dear Bill, M'm one of the fellows who made the world safe4for Democ racy and what a crazy thing that was. I fought and fought but I had to go anyway. I was called class "A". The next time I want to be in class "B". B here when they go and B here when they get back. I can remember when I was . . V A A.- 1L. J 1 registered, i weni 10 me ucs nu my milkman was in charge. He said, ' what is your namer i said Voting man- you know wnai my name is. ""What's your name' ne barked back at me so I told him, "Aueust Childs". He said, "are you Alien?" "No" I said, "I feel fine." Then he said "when did you first see the light of day?" I said, "when I moved from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia". He asked me how old I was so I told him "23" the first of September. He said, "the first of September you'll be In Australia and that will be the last of August." Some veterinarian started in to examine me. He asked if I ever had the measles, smallpox, St. Vitus dance or if I took fits. I said. "No, only when I stay in a saloon too long." Then he said, "can you see alright?" I said, "sure, but I'll be cock-eyed tonight if I pass this test." Then he lis tened around my chest and said, "I think you have a wart some where." I said, "wart, my neck, that's a button in your ear." The doctor said that he had examined 140,000 men and that I was the most imperfect physical wreck he ever examim !. Then he handed me a card class "A". Then I went to camp and I guess they didn't think I'd live long. The first fellow wrote on my card "Flying Corps". Then I went a little farther and some little guy said, "Look what the wind blew in." I said, "wind, noth ing, the draft is doing It." On the second morning they put some clothes on me. What an outfit As soon as you are in it you think, you can lick anybody. They have two sizes too long and too small. The pants are too tight, I can't sit down. The shoes are too big. I turned around three times and they didn't move. And, what a raincoat they gave me. It strained the rain. I passed the of ficer all dressed with a fancy belt and all that stuff. He said, calling after me, "didn't you notice what I have on?" I said, "yes", what are you kicking about, look what they gave me." I landed in camp' with $75.00. In ten minutes I was broke. I never saw so many 3s and 12's on a pair of dice. No matter what I did I went broke. Something went wrong eveti In cards. One time I got five acei and I was' afraid to bet. A good thing I didn't. The fellow next to me had six kings. Finally, I said, "this is a crooked poker game." The fellow next to me said, "we're playing pinochle." Everything was crazy? If you were a livery hand they put you in the Medical Deptv If you were: a watchman they made you officer of the day. I saw a guy with a wooden leg and asked him what he was doing in the army. He said, "I'm here to mash the pota toes." ' ;. Oh, it was nicer-five below zero one morning and they called us out for underwear Inspection. You talk about scenery.. Red -flannels, bvd's all kinds. The union suit I had on would fit Tony Galento The lieutenant lined us up and told me to stand up. 2 said, "I am up. This underwear makes me look as though I was sitting down." He got so mad he put me out dig ging ditches. A little while later he passed me and said, "Don't throw that dirt up here." I said, "where do you want me to put it? He said, "dig another hole and put it in there." .. By that time I was pretty niad so another guy named Jones and myself drank a quart of whiskey. Finally Jones acted fumy so I ran to the doctor and told him. He asked me if Jones saw pink ele phants and I said, "No, that's the trouble, they are there and he can't see them." v ; The next day when we were In chapel. Jones said to me, "I think ihy-an is asleep." "Yes'' I ans ered, "I guess it is because' I just heard it snoring. Three days . later we sailed for Australia . Marching ' along' down the pier I had some more bad luck. I had a sergeant who stutter. ed and it took him so Idng to say "halt" that 27 of us marched overboard. They pulled us out and the captain came along and said, "fall in". I replied "I've Just beert Seasick all the time, Nothing go; irar down. Everything coming up. I leaned over the rail all the time. In the middle of one of my best leans, the captain rushett up and said, "what company are you in?" said, "I'm all by myselt". tie asked me If the brigadier was up yet and I told him if I had swal lowed it it was up by this time. Talk about your dumb people. I said to one of the fellows, "1 guess we've dropped anchor". He said, "I knew they would lose it, it's been hanging over the side ever since we left New York," We had a lifeboat drill and when the boat was being lowered over the side of the ship, it spilled the men out of the boat and they all fell in the ocean. Only the second lieutenant and I were left -in the boat. The lieutenant gave orders to pull the men out of the water by the hair of their heads. I was struggling with the men when one fellow with a bald head yelled "pull me out." I said, "go down and come up th eright way." Well we landed in Australia and were immediately sent to the tren ches. After three nights In the trenches all the cannons started to roar and the shells started to fall. I started shaking with patriotism. I tried to hide behind the trees but there weren't enough for the officers. The captain said, "five o'clock and we go over the top" I said, "I'd like a furlough." He said, "haven't you got any red blood?" I said, "yes, but I don't want to see it". He said, "where would you like to go?" I aid. "anywhere it was warmer". He told me where to go. Five o'clock and we went over the top. 10,000 Japs came at us and they looked at me as though 1 had started the war. Our captain yelled "Fire at Will". But I didn't know any of their names. I guess the fellow behind me thought I was Will, he fired and shot me in the excitement. On my way to the hospital I asked where they were taking me. They said, "You're go ing to the morgue". I said, there's some mistake, here, "I'm not dead." "Lie down," they hol lered, "do you want to make a fool out of the doctor. Finally a pretty nurse came in and said "move over". Oh that was another story. Summerlin'a CROSSROADS' Several from this community at tended the baccalaureate sermon at Kenansville School Sunday morning. , Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Whitman and children spent Saturday night with the latters parents, MrV and Mrs. Alonzo Jones. - Mr. and Mrs. D. F. ChamWrs of Peat-sail's Chapd visited" relatives- of this5 community Sunday afternoon.- , - Joseph H. Davis of the1 U. S Navy who Is now atatlrfnetf at Balnbridge, Md. and. Whose home Is in Ralelgft visited relatives and" friends of this community last week. Cpl. Llston Summerlirt wlio' is now stationed in- Virginia was home one day last week.- - Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Outlaw1 of Dudley visited Mr. and Mrr. Ar thur Outlaw Sunday. Potter's Hill NWf Mrs. Ida Rouse and Mrs. Fran ces Hinson and. children of La Grange, visited Mr. and Mrs.. William Gurley Sunday afternoon. Mr. Frank Raynor accompanied Miss Frances Gurley to the dan ce at the Kenansville School gym Saturday night- Mr. Hubert and Ashley Houston accompanied Misses Gerakllrte Fu trel, Sadie and Mary Lou Thigpen to the Pink Hill School gym dance Staurday night. Miss Beatrice Hall spent Satur day night with Miss Leatha Fut rel. Regular church . services were held at hte Advent Christian" ch urch Sunday. , . , . Miss Geraldine Futrel spent Sat urday night with Mary Lou and Sadie Thigpen. . - Mr. Wilbur Holmes spent Sun day afternoon With Mr, and Mrs. William Gurley and also Mr. Wil Hani Beamon. , . Mrs. Ellis Quinn spent the week end with her mother,. Mrs. Har- riet Scott of Jacksonville. Mr. Lloyd Rhodes was finest of Miss Christine Futrel Saturday night; , .. ,. Mr. Sam Turner and Perry Ed wards were guests of Misses Kath leen Futrel and LeUle Thompson Sunday afternoon. - - , We are elad to announce that Mn. Eddlo Rhodes is recovering from Illness.. ;, , r C-ENJMILB Society and Personals WA1CA3 MEaBTS"- " The" Woman Society of Christ ian's Service1 met one afternoon recently in the local Methodist Church with Mrs. Harvey Boney as guest speaker, She reported the State meeting that she attend ed recently in Sanford. The De votional for the afternoon was led by Mrs. Alton Newton and Mrs. C E. Quinn had charge of, the busi ness session.. The meeting was well attended. Joikf HOSTESSES , Misses Elizabeth Sparkman and MildrecLrate were Joint hostess with Mrs. O. P. Johnson in the home of the latter on last Wed nesday afternoon when they en tertained about 40 guests. Bridge was played at six table and hearts at three. Miss - Martha Pickett won the high score in bridge and Mrs. L. F. Weeks' carried home the traveling prize. Mrs. Alton Newton won the prize' in hearts. Mrs. J. B. Stroud, the former Celia Mercer was given a piece of china In her patern. The hostesses assisted by Miss Martha Fisher served an ice course carrying out a color scheme of yellow and white. Favors were Easter baskets filled with a yenc baby chick. Yellow and white spring flowers were used in the rooms for the occasion. Jonquils, Iris' and" Snap dragons predorrdnatooY . BRIDGE CLUB MSETS- Mrs. I: C. fiSrcif was Kbstess' to the1 Kftnefciftinv Kbrrfract Klrtr on last Wettnefedtty nigtit at eight O'clock. Mm .WooWew - BHnttrtj and Miss Margaret WHflams wenr addltional guests-.. FuTpto - arid white Iris were used for decora tions. Easter tallies and Easter doilies were used to carry out the Easter Motif. Club members high score as made by Mrs. N. B. Boney and visitors high score by Mrs. Brinson. Mrs. J. B. Wal lace assisted the hostess in serving a sweet course to the guests. MRS, JONES HOSTESS Mrs. G. E. Jones was hostess to her bridge Club on Monday night of thiff week at eight o'clock. There were two- additional table in play. Atrractive spring tallies seated the guests at the four ta bles arranged In the living room. Candytuft and other spring flow ers were used for decorations. Club members present were: Mes dames L. F. Weeks, V. B. Gavin C. B. Guthrie1, J. O. Stokes, J R. Grady and J'. B. Wallace1 also? Miss Margaret Williams' and Mrs. Mitchell Allen'. Visitors Included; Mesdames N. ' B.' Boney, J . E. Jertitt, P. J. Dottsony John Currle and D. S . Williattsttrf als Miss' Marthaf Pickett and Mrs. Efma Williams Meadows? ft Mrs. Emory Sadler".- High, score for the club members present was won by" Mrs. Allen and for" the- visitors by Miss Pickett. Tntfndtfe&. assisted by her mother, Mrs. Foster and by Mrs. L. F, WeekBanttMraf., Wil liamson served assorted sandwich' es and cookies with Iced tea. Mrs Perry J. Dobson . !pnrt' several days recently with her son Arnold Doosoft arid hnV family- in Wllmlrigtonv Mesdanie Harvey Boney and Norwood Boney attended the'U. D. C. Meeting'-' in Warsaw last Thursday afternoohv - Miss Juanfts? SahdHii of BUl ville spent the past week end here with her aunt; Mrs. W. M. Brin son. Miss' tela McDonald of the1 Ideal vELDIFJG Stccdman Carr K:.: school faculty; - whff liar bewnn the Goldsboro Hospital for a coup 1ft-months has returned-to her home in South Carolina. Miss Anne Dail of Pineland Collect spent Sunday here with he- parents. - ' ' Mrs. Ralph . Carlton has been. confined to' the bed for over a week now due' to a recent fall from which she received an injury to her back. - Edward Sykes who is stationed at Tampa," Fla, has been visiting his parents Mr. and 'Mrs. R. L. Svkes. He also went to Wash ne- tonN. C. to visit his 'sisters, Sar ah and Mary Lee while on his fur- tough. Mrs. C. B. SittersotY had as her guests one night last week tho following ladies for supper: Mrs Lula M. Hmson, Mrs. J. E. Jus- , sely and Mrs. J. E. Jerritt alsd Mrs. P. J. Dobson. Mrs. G. R. Dail and Ms. And rew Patterson accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Walter Stroud to Golds boro one day last week. " Miss Lula M. Hinson and house guest, Mrs. J. E. JussWy werd guests of Misses Pae and SparW ma nr. mntoer one nleht last week! Mrs-., John Larkins or tunston and WTimintton spent several A&yi here recently with her sisters. Miss" Mary Cooper and Mrs. wros ar rlor , r -, . -f Miss- Deris Brock: aWd.' friend; o( EGTC spent last ;week-end hera wlthYthr Jv M: BrprAsv Thv Js M? BKk reowttlyvtstti T if?lVsfrf a Coat. - i MrV aY Mtsf. Jonn t& GavTrf wen to1 Wilmington-' MoWey' or? buBmftsV , . j ' , DobnVOinpel Mr. and M"rs. P. E. Rouse spent the week end in Wilmington. . Miss Cornelia Qulnhk of Ken ansville spent Thursday night of last week with Miss Nannie Ruth StroUd. Miss Olive Summerlin' of Sum' merlin's Cross Roads visited Mis ses Kathryn and Virginia Kilpat rlck over the week end. Mrs". V. H. Simmons-and" Miss Georgia Rochelie - spent Sunday with Mrs. Jim Newsome or uiar- itv CroSs' ROadS. Mr. Kenneth Blanton" attended the dance at Kenansville Satur day night. -, Miss Shirley Morgartof E. Mag nolia spent Thursday nignt of last week' with Misses Julia 'and Lacy Pierce'.' . Mrs. Kenneth West and Mrs. ROWrf Slmm6s also' Mistf Martha Brock attended the'danWat Ken fmctrilTa Stffnl-rtav niKt. Mr', and Mrs. Hatfley Brock weht to Rose Hill ' Saturday to take tnelf baby to Dr. Hawes for: treatment. Mr'.' Pete Hawes" of Wilmington spent som6 time at' his home here recently. - Mrs. Horace Jackson pf Beula"- vine visited the Simmons' Sunday. . Mr. Elwood Brock anf Mr. Dan iel FafrcToth attended the dance at Kenansville Saturday' night. Miss Susie Lee Wfllfamson" of Ke'rianBVflTe spent Monday" night with Miss Nannie Ruth1 Stroud. Mr', and Mrs. Holmes ' Rouse went" to Wallace Saturday". ..Mf. Adrian Miner" and Mr. EV ereffe Miner' of Hflbville also Mary Ellis Thomas' of Cabin vis ited Miss' Laurice Sandlin Satur day evening". ... Mrs. Marcus Jones visited her mother", Mrs. Jlmmle Greshanvnf Millertown on Friday of last week. Mf . Richard Starling Is spending I i C&ING YOUR FARM MACttKlilY REPAIRS TO US ALL VO-K GUARANTEED 1l jj Hi FoaAtuico;: MRS. ALDEN MADISON t STROUD of Kenansvifie,' formerly Miss Edna Earle Kornegay who was married to Sgt. Stroud April 12th. Set. Stroud is from Oarksville. rrt u now stationed at- Seymour Johnson neiu m Doro. . ' some time with Mr. and Mrs Jake More of Charity '". Mr. and Mrs. James Edwards of Cedar Fork were Sunday guests 6f Mr. and Mrs. Kooen su.u... Mesdames Raipn mxon . .i i... ivea K Ann! es Moore oi wuu visited friends here sunuy. . Mr. and Mrs. Memn di it tended the show at Wallace Sat. urday night. Mr. Mavnard Hawes and Mr. Pete Hawes also. Misses Lauf ed the show at Wallace on Wed "KrfH'K HUU MUI " nesday night or last wee. Moccr Lee Ezzell and Doris King attended the dance at Ken ansville Saturday night. Mr. Ivey Thornton oi nose mu was In this section on business Friday. - ., Mr. Rivers Jones of Wilmington spent the week end at home here.., Mr. Holmes Rouse made a busi ness trip to Kenansville Friday. . Mr. T. N. Sandlin went to Rote Hill Sunday afternoon. v Messrs. Vance Bachelor, P. E. Rouse and D. A. Jones made a business trip to Clinton Monday, Messrs Nick King, Less Brock;.) Roy Rogers, and Rayford Jones ; made a business trip to WaUaea on Friday of last week. ; . v uitmr; 0f Crossroads Mews Mr. Levie and Andrew' Grady " called On Miss' Virginia King Sun-, day night. , . . Mr. and" Mrs. Marvin Summer-.... lin of Grantham's Store vlsitef ' Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Grady SOn-" ' day. .'".. . Mr; and Mr, Ben Hobgoodp, ueuiaviue visiiea nun w.....5 good and Mrs. Lou Davis Sunday. '. Mr. and Mrs. Ison Lanier of, Bowden- visited Mr. and Mrs. O. -W. Wood, Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Taylor visiterMrg. Taylor's mother, Mrs. AndeTSdn. Mr. Harry Pridgen Is now sick. We wish him a speedy recovery, Miss Daisy Burnham made business trip to Raleigh last week.- Mr. and Mrs. Albert Grady. - . ..... -.-J . A -..r .ActtmA ;vie ana aiiuicw uiau Mrs. John Allen of the B. F. " G-ady Community Sunday. - Mr. and Mrs. Standi visited , Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jones Sun- -lay. . ; A0 TLVttS CLASSra ADS n f l It D. Maxwell, Jf. 1st IX. A.: CL 1ST jisuH. . . - : 1, ";., , AfQ tZXi Yoi City . : Z was on th boat, 12. wy'.