PAGE SIX
Rev. Marvin Vick,
Person Minister,
Praises USO Work
Chaplain, In Army, Says Importance
Os Work Cannot Be Under-Estimated
More Than A Dozen Per
son Boys In All Parts Os
World Echo His Senti
ments.
A number of Person County
and Roxboro boys have expressed
their approval of the USO. The
USO retains 54 cents out of every
dollar collected in the United
War Fund Drive. A few soldiers
are located in isolated spots and
on ting islands and elsewhere
where it has not been possible
for the USO to operate, but the
USO is now operating and has
clubs in Iceland, Alaska and oth
er out posts.
The National association sup
ports the USO clubs in camps,
and towns, railroad stations and
even sends sihows to entertain
hoys while they are on maneu
vers. It is a great work and we
cannot let our boys down on the
home front, says Gordon C. Hunt
er, Person Chairman.
Some of the letters he has re
ceived are published below, as
follows: t
Mr. Gordon C. Hunter,
The Peoples Bank
Roxboro, N. C.
Deal Mr. Hunter:
Your letter, after traveling
from Roxboro to Oregon, to Texas
and finally back to Oregon
reached me this morning. You j
see the box number which you !
had was my wife’s mailing ad- i
■d: ess and she has moved to
Texas to stay With my family
while I am on maneuvers. She
forwarded the letter to me here i
in central Oregon to the man
euver area.
I am unhappy to learn that any
minister would criticize the !
work being done by the USO. I
never fully realized the value of :
the USO until my organization
moved sixty-five miles from the j
nearest community. With thous
ands of men concentrated in an
area thus removed from any form :
cf entertainment or relaxation I
the USO is our only contact with '
the life ,we lived prior to our ar
my duty. As often as is possible
the USO man drives into our
area with a movie, candy, games,
v/riting paper and a victroja. !
You cannot realize fully the val- !
i:e of this until you have exper- j
icnced it. This service of the USO I
is worth everything to the men j
and is only one of the outstand- j
ing contributions they are mak
ing to make the life of the soldier
more livable. The only regret
that I have is that we do not have
ten times as many mobile units
serving the men in the field. j
If you have ever been a strang- j
er in a small town totally un- j
prepared or unwilling to receive i
an increasing population of men i
you can readily understand an
.cnnc* valuable cotribution be- j
ing made by the USO. When all ,
movie houses af3 Idled to cap- j
acity, all eating houses sold cut '
of food and every church satis- ;
fied with its own responsibility |
there still remains an open door j!
at the USO Service Mens center. \
Every man knows that there he ,
•7. ill find a welcome, some warm
food, someone to sew buttons on,
possibly a muchneedcd bath and
a spirit of friendship anl love for
wihch he is starving.
Any criticism could only come
from someone who has never ex
perienced the lonliness of be
ing a soldier or who has never
investigated the windidtful job
5 that they are doing. As a minister :
of the Gospel day: give us more
USO services.
Ylou have my permission “to
publish all or any part of this
that may aid your cause. I do
not feel that I have said enough
in defense ofthe USO program,
but the real value of it is some
thing that is so close to your
heart that it is impossible to just
ly describe it in writing. I wish
I could justly describe in writ
ing the reaction I had as I sat
together with about six hundred
men out here in this Wilderness
pf sand and sagebrush and enjoy
ed the USO movie; but the real
value is deep down in my heart
and cannot be fully expressed in
any language. t
Your Friend,
Marvin Vick.
Chanlain’s Office
415th Regiment
Camp Adair, Oregon
Sept. 14, 1943
Dear Mr. Hunter:
I received your letter of Aug
ust 13 today and glad to see the
interest you people alre taking
toward the soldiers (or service
men). The letter had been to a
bout six different places tnd fin
ally catwrht up with me., although
it did skip about two places I
had* been.
The USO to service men is
the nearest thing to a Mother I
i would say. They are always wil
§ lipjf to help in any they can. In
cities where they are backed up
by the citizens the soldiers get
meals and lodging free, if they
need it bad enough to drop a
round. Small places they get
things at cost which is half the
amount it would cost.
They also are at stations and
all they can to help in informa
tion and serve hot coffee and
sahdwidhes.
I sure hope the people in Rox
bnro will back up this cause and
I know they will to show their
appreciation of the service men.
Most of them have’s son or broth
er in the service, which other
people are doing their best to
show them a good time.
They also have a variety of en
tertainment which I forgot to
mention and probalby some other
things.
You may express this in better
words as you see fit., as I just
can’t get it over as good as you
but you get the meaning.
Yours very truly,
Cpl. Willie R. Richardson
August 21. 1943
Desert Training Center,
California
Dear Sir:
The USO has done and is do
ing great things for the. boys in
the service. It really is of great
help to us. It provides us with
| movies, dances and recreation
! halls, •etc., I personally think
that the USO is a great idea.
F,v< ry town near an army camp
l as a USO. I hope your drive is
. a great success. I'm sure it will
be.
Yours truly
Pfc. James A. Satterfield j
Dolt Mr. Hunter:
I could hardly refuse the re
| quest of yours to write and give
i my impressions of the USO clubs
' since they have meant so much
j to mp and the rest of the fellows
! that I know here in camp.
I All of the USO clubs that I
I have had the pjrivilege of ciom
i ing in contact with have been
heaven sent to the homesick sol
dier. To be truthful about the 1
j matter, the USO is the nearest I
; tiring to .Home that I have been
j able, to find since being in the
I Are ;y.
When we made the trip out J
j here from Fort Jackson we stop- j
ped at Vicksburg, Miss, and wore
served coffee or lemonade and .
doughnuts by ladies from the
USO. Later, on arriving at Fort ]
■Worth' there was a club set up |
in a part of the railway station I
and they served us refreshments I
furnished us stationery, writing j
materials, books and magazine?
There the hostesses were very J
friendly and talked to us of their j]
boys in the Service. Those kind ]
ladies really helped lift our spirits j
because all of us were becoming
mdi'o homesick with each passing j ]
mile. ■ i
That night arrived in \
Rrownwood and were allowed to 1,
visit the USO. There we were ! )
allowed to take baths, write let
ters, read, and play different ; 1
grrtics. We enjoyed the baths ::
there the most as we had been ,
on the train for th:ee days and i
we were slightly on the dirty j •
side.
Since being at Camp Barkley |
I have had . the opportunity a
number of times to visit the USO
ciubs in Abelin. All of them are
i located in spacious building with
enough room for many types of
entertainments. Inside is a large
bulletin board which contains a
directory of all churches in town,
■writing tables with stationery,
comfortable chairs scattered a
bpiit, a nice sized library con
aining novels and biographies,
magazines and newspapers; a so
da fountain, ping pong tables, a
radio and piano. Also there are
shower facilities for the men.
The USO also sjponsores many
other things such as dances,
swimming and fishing parties,
'free movies, and only last Sun
day night I was fortunate in at
tending an ice cream party which
was put on by the UjpO.
When I was a civilian an 4 was
called on to contribute 'to the
USO it never occured to me what
suen things meant to the men in
[Service. Since then I have come
to realize that it is one o fthe
best contributions anyone could
make to any cause.
I have talked to a number of
fellcw soldiers and they heart
ily agree with me on the good
fcenifits of the USO. When you
get the chance to go into town
there is ns problem as to what
there is to do because the USO is
always at your service.
I hope te mpaigna
I hope the Campaign in Per
son County will go over with a
bang, let the boys from home
who are scattered all over the
world know that you ‘are back
ing them to the limit.
Yours yery truly,
Pvt. James C Brooks
. Camp Barkley, Texas
Dear Mr. Hunter:
I am pleased to learn of the
United War Fund Dive being put
on by Roxboro and Person Coun
ty. These funds go for a very
worthy cause and I hope every
one supports the drive 100%.
In Alexandria, Louisiana, the
nearest town to this camp, we
have three USO clubs operating.
One is under the management of
the Salvation Army, another un
der the direction of the National
Caatholic Community service, and
the third, which is the largest,
is operated by a non-sectarian
management. These, clubs have
auditoriums, libraries, writing
looms, soda fountains, and the
largest one even has rooming, ac
comodations for the friends and
relatives visiting the enlisted
men. These clubs have been of
great service to the married en
listed men by helping them find
living quarters within their fin
ancial means.
Thes clubs have been invalu
able in helping to furnish much
needed recreation to soldiers in
this camp. They cooperate with
the Army Service Clubs here in
camp by furnishing groups of
young ladies, properly chape
roned, for dances and other soc
ial functions.
I know that these USO clubs
and the Service Clubs and organ
tiemendously in building up the
high state of morale that exists
in this Regiment. Our Regimental
Chaplain and our special Ser
vices Officer are high in their
praise of these clubs.
Good luck in the drive.
Sincerely yours,
S. B. Satterwhite
Major, 411 the Infantry-
August 28, 1943 1
Dear Mr. Hunter: i
Since I came into the army, j
almost a year ago, I have been at !
four different army posts. I have j
had considerable time and oppor- j
jtunity to visit various USO’s and j
Service mens’ centers.
In each organization, I have j
found a vast number of hostes
ses. These girls are doing every
thing they can to raise the mor
ale of the service men, Dancing,
card games, ping pong checkers,
chess, etc. are to bo found at all
clubs which we service men all
enjoy.
The USO ogranization offers
many other form of recreation
than 1 have mentioned above.
[They have various sporting events
j in which a service man may take
lan active part. In addition to
| that, they offer a homelike at
i mesphere, showers, lounges and
reading of all kinds.
1 wish you every success in the
United War Fund Drive and I
sincerely appreciate the good
work the people are doing back
home.
Yours truly,
Pfc. Rupert C Jones
883rd. Preflight Sq: Tng. (P)
SAACC, San Antonio, Texas
August 2, 1943 |
Mr. Gordon Hunter,
Roxboro, N. C.
Dear Sir:
Just received a letter from my
brother, D. W. Ledbetter, of your
city and he mentioned the USO
was putting on a drive for funds
and gave me your narhe as Chair- i
man of this drive. So if you don’t
mind I'm writing this letter with
the hope that my' endosement of
the USO both at home and a
tread may help you in this
drive. It has been my misfortune
to be wounded, as a result I’ve
ALKA-SEITZER
vr^k MY DAY
OCCASIONALLY, I wake up in
the morning with a Headache.
It sometimes wears off along the
middle of the forenoon, but I don’t
want to wait that long, so I drink a
glass of sparkling ALKA.-SELTZER.
In just a little while I am feeling a
lot better.
Sometimes the week’s ironing tires
me and makes me sore and stiff.
Then it’s ALKA - SELTZER to the
rescue —a tablet or two and a little
rest makes me feel more like finish
ing the job.
And when I eat “not wisely but
too well,” ALKA-SELTZER relieves
the Add Indigestion that so
follows.
Yes, Alka-Seltzer brightens nay
- day. It brings relief from so many
that I always
don’t you get a package of
ALKA-SJELTZER at your drug store
today?
«I«ge Package CM, Small SM. i
PERSON COUNTY TIMES ROXBORO. N. Cf
spent several months in hospit
als in North Africa, and England
and now I’m home again and
have progressed far enough along
that I am able to use a wheel
chair, and that is where the USO
Comes in. We have quite a large
auditorium here at the Percy
Jones hospital. In the past week
since I have been able to get
around have been two very first
rate entertainment shows put on
and paid for by the USO and to
anyone who has had to spend a
long period in confinement of a
hospital or military camp, why
they must know the job and
goed that the 1 USO’s are bring
ing to us. If it were just possible
that you folks back home could
see the eagerness with which we
look forward to these shoiws, and
listen to the wild, unrestrained
applause each performance brings
forth, you would feel repaid a
thousand times and over for any
contribution you have made or
hope to make in this drive. I end
this letter with three cheers for
the USO and a successful drive.
Sincerely,
Pvt. Frank M. Ledbetter
Note: Pvt. Frank M. Ledbetter
of Statesville, N. C., who is the
brother of Toby Ledbetter, had
one leg shattered in a tank in
North Africa. He was removed
from the Tank and while on his
way to an ambulance was ma
chine gunned twice from the air
by* the Germans. He was hit sev
eral times before he could be
placed in an ambulance.
!
Dear Mr. Hunter:
You haVe asked me to express
in my own words, just what the
USO means to the men in uni
form. I have not taken a sur
vey of opinion but I can tell
you what it means to me person
ally. The fact that I have been
in Iceland well over a year au
tomatically makes me a member
of the Nut Cldb so you readers
I can take this letter with a grain
| of salt.
! When I was back in the States
| (it seems a hundred years ago)
I used to attend these shows of
j ten. I’ve found them to be excel- !
; lent entertainment. It was quite |
a novelty to see a film and then I
: have the character appear before
| you r eyes in person. It brought
! you a lot closer to them and
when you saw another of their
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Hear "Sepert te the Notion," hat- ****Z m ~.
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socks ....(Wool) m J , , “ over for guns, tanks, planes.
belt Jt3 l passed along as taxes. (1942 When you remember that the
leggings ...... .*o s figures.) On an annual house- service supplied by electric com-
* j hold electric bill of $37.50, the ponies under business manage
knue " u: " 43 1 total ta * is about $9 04. ment is the only electric service
->jL. fobs . ..’K"b' J* S $3.25 of this goes to local gov- federally taxed, it emphasizes
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'■ - sath towel A3 1 lice, etc.—and $5.79 goes to the these companies have done in
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£ %42||r fisst aid m 47 1 with all the things shown here. down!
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I 1 \
1 —: 1 •
films, the measure of entertain
ment was multiplied. They are
fine shows and a worthy cause.
Now here’s where the rub
comes. With all the form of en
tertainment that is available in
the States, why don’t they send
these shofws over-seas? To a man
back home, is just another show
to be forgotten the next day.
They don’t live in his memory,
for each day is something new
and alive for him. Why should
he even want to remember last
night’s show when he will see
another just as godd tonight?
The only form of entertainment
that we have is a portable movie
projector and a few 1918 films. I
rember last February we had a
show and the boys still laugh
and talk about it.
If the folks of Person County
are going to plan on supporitng
this fund, why not insist that it
he spent where it will do the
most good? I’ll be coming home
shortly, but there are other fel
lows who are coming to relieve
me that are going “NUTS”.
Sincerely yours,
Clifton E Milam
September 2, 1943
Dear Mr. Hunter:
With reference to your letter
regarding the activities ’.of the
United Service Ooganization, I
have visited the USO’s in Okla
homa, Texas and Flordia and can
say without a doubt that thy are
certainly doing a fine and thor
i ough job of providing good clean
fun, recreation and quarters for
the Service men who do not have
sufficient funds to look for enter
tainment elsewhere. Also the U
OS camp shqws are a source of |
good entertainment for all of us j
who have had the pleasure of I
seeing them.
I am sure that every dollar
the people of Roxboro and Per
son County give toward this
cause will certainly bring joy
and relaxation to the heart of
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many native sons.
It is surely the job of the
home front to do all they pos
sibly can to keep them happy,
while they “keep em flying”.
Sincerely,
Gutherie Gentry
August 21, 1943
Dear Mr. Hunter:
I was indeed very happy to
learn of the USO drive for funds
that my neighbors and fellow citi
zens are sponsoring. We have no
UFO clubs here but there is a
Rod Cross service club which has
ample recreational facilities.
It has been a long time since I
have been inside of a UiSO club
but I haven’t forgotten the many
evenings that I have spent en
joying myself. Most of us were
far aw;ay lino m[home and (the
USO came to be a second home.
Tneir dances, and their club rec
reational facilities such as bowl
ing, movies and athletic activities
were a great factor in boosting
our morale. Their friendly hos
pitality and home atmosphere are
things that we will always rem
ember about the USO.
Sincerely,
Ursal C. Yarborough
329 Merrimon Ave.
Asheville, N. C.
Sept. 20, 1943
Dear Mr. Hunter:
While I was home last week, I
heard of the work you are do
ing for service men through your
local USO. Unfortunately, to my
dismay, I was amazed to also
hear some criticism of some
phases of the USO’s work. Os
course I realize that criticism of
that, sort can only come from
certain misguided quarters, who
WANTED |
FRYERS 11
We want to buy Frying H
chickens. Will pay
30c lb.
BARRETT’S SERVICE
STATION
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1?43
although perhaps sincere, depend
on gossip and hearsay for their
“facts” and information. Never
theless, we in the army, coming
up against realities and actual
facts, feel so strongly about the
good work USO is doing, that I
can’t resist writing you to add
my little word of encouragement.
I’ve been in the army almost
three ygars, and it has been my
invariable experience that the
good, decent soldier is grateful
for the splendid recreational fac
ilities, and for the opportunities
for meeting the better type
people, that the USO pffers.
Whenever, I think of the USO,
I think of a buck private I once
saw who showed fifty dollars to
One of the USO matrons, saying,
“This is (what the USO made pos
sible for me. It’s a present for
my folks fiftieth weddipg anni
versary”. If the USO hadn’t off
ered that soldier a good whole
some place to go far his recrea
tion, he would undoubtedly have
spent his money in beer taverns,
dance halls and the like, instead
of saving that money from his
then meagre pay. That particu
lar soldier is no better nor worse
than the great majority of the
men in the army. Os course we
have a certain small minority,
which, as most minorities do,
spoils the record of the rest, and
perhaps spoils your good work
also, but surely it must be real
ized that similar difficulties arise
in civilian undertakings.
In the army it’s said that the
great majority of the men need
only the proper influences and
circumstances. I, for one, believe
that the USO goes a long way in
(turn to page seven, please)
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