1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,360
>> This is James Newberry.

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00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,280
I'm here with Richard
Webber on Monday,

3
00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:07,820
March 22, 2016, at

4
00:00:07,820 --> 00:00:10,900
the Sturgis Library at
Kennesaw State University.

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00:00:10,900 --> 00:00:13,035
Mr. Webber, do you agree
to this interview?

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00:00:13,035 --> 00:00:14,125
>> Yes, sir.

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00:00:14,125 --> 00:00:16,180
>> Well, we'll start
at the very beginning.

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Could you please
state your full name?

9
00:00:18,665 --> 00:00:20,540
>> Richard H. Webber,

10
00:00:20,540 --> 00:00:22,805
H Standing for
Harold. [LAUGHTER]

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>> And when and
where were you born?

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00:00:26,010 --> 00:00:27,660
>> I was born
outside of Buffalo,

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New York in 1926, April 17.

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>> So you have a
birthday coming up?

15
00:00:33,615 --> 00:00:35,785
>> Coming up, yes. at 90.

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>> So Mr. Webber,

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00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,445
tell me a little bit
about your childhood.

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00:00:40,445 --> 00:00:45,090
>> Well, I was raised
in a small town.

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My dad was a contractor,

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00:00:47,890 --> 00:00:50,070
painter in construction, and

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I used to help
paint and so forth.

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And he was very meticulous in
keeping his yard beautiful.

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The garden rows were
straight and so forth.

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My mother was a
wonderful mother.

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And I had a sister
and a brother.

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My sister is the oldest.

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She'll be 92 in April.

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And my brother, he's six
years younger than I am.

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But we had a
wonderful childhood.

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We were like the dead end kids,

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if you know anything
about those.

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We had our adventures.

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We did a lot of bicycle riding,

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and we had an old stone
quarry next to us,

35
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and we just had a wonderful
time, good community.

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>> And what were
your parents' names?

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>> Samuel Webber was my dad
and my mother was Edna.

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>> And you said your mother,

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was she working in the home?

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>> In the home. She
was a homemaker.

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>> So what are

42
00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,360
your memories of
the Japanese attack

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on Pearl Harbor in
December of 1941.

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00:01:48,835 --> 00:01:51,340
>> We went to church
that Sunday morning,

45
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and when we came
home from church,

46
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we always turned on

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the radio before we change
our Sunday clothes.

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And we listened and Roosevelt

49
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announced that
there was an attack

50
00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,785
on Pearl Harbor that morning,

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and that's the first time
we heard of the attack.

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And as soon as she heard
it, my mother said,

53
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"Oh my, I hope you
don't have to go."

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That was her first thought.

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>> And what were the feelings

56
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going through your
head at that point?

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>> Mine as a young person,

58
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I didn't think that much of
it until I heard more news.

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It was a frightening
thing that it

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could happen on one
of our shores there.

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>> You were still
in high school.

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>> Yes.

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>> And how old were you?

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>> Actually, let's see,

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'41, I was 16.

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>> Where did you attend school?

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>> Depew High School
in Depew, New York.

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>> And when did you
quit high school?

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00:02:52,275 --> 00:02:53,880
>> My dad had a stroke.

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His blood pressure hit 280.

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I was working with
him at the time,

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and we took him by ambulance.
We didn't think he'd live.

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And of course, he couldn't work.

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His final angiitis set
in, but he did live.

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So I quit high school
and started to work

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at Curtiss-Wright
building P-40s,

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working on P40 airplanes.

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And that was in '42.

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00:03:17,135 --> 00:03:20,940
>> Tell me about going
to apply for that job.

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>> I don't remember except I had

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a neighbor boy buddy
that I played with.

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He had a job there,

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and I found out I could
get a job through him.

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At least he introduced me to

85
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,125
them up over there at Curtiss.

86
00:03:38,125 --> 00:03:40,320
It was only 5 miles
from our home.

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00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,230
>> Was it a factory?

88
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>> Yes. It's a
Curtiss-Wright factory.

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>> How how large?

90
00:03:46,665 --> 00:03:52,335
>> They built the P-40s,

91
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and one of the other big planes,

92
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but it was a big factory.

93
00:03:55,650 --> 00:03:58,380
>> Do you have any idea of how
many employees there were?

94
00:03:58,380 --> 00:04:00,400
>> No. There were thousands.

95
00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,560
It was a big place, right
by the Buffalo Airport.

96
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:04,980
>> What was your position?

97
00:04:04,980 --> 00:04:07,460
>> I had to install
the carburetor heater

98
00:04:07,460 --> 00:04:10,210
controls right on the
right side of the pilot,

99
00:04:10,210 --> 00:04:12,920
and then also the terminal boxes

100
00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,040
for the electrical
and the tail end,

101
00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:16,920
and the colored
lights underneath.

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00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:18,645
That was my job.

103
00:04:18,645 --> 00:04:22,185
>> So describe a
typical working day,

104
00:04:22,185 --> 00:04:23,745
from getting there,

105
00:04:23,745 --> 00:04:24,960
to working there, to leaving.

106
00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,050
>> Well, I had to run
in with the union.

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We were supposed to produce
eight planes in a day.

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And I was finished at noon.

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And they said you're
going too fast.

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So I had to slow down,otherwise,

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they would have
released me, probably.

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[LAUGHTER] But anyway, we
produced eight planes a day.

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>> Did you have breaks
during the day?

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>> Yes. Although I didn't need

115
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any smoke breaks
because I didn't smoke.

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So I just kept

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working or took a break and
talked with the [inaudible].

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>> And describe your co-workers?

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>> Well, we had one of
the girls that worked,

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and she knew that I was

121
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very particular in how I
looked as far as my hair.

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And I was working on

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the tail end of the plane,
and she came along.

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[LAUGHTER] And I
still remember that.

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And I was ready to throw a
wrench at her, but I didn't.

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And I still have my
little socket set at

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home that I used back
there in '41-'42.

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>> You were able to keep it?

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>> It was my own set.

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>> I see. So how much
money did you make?

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>> I think it was
90, some dollars.

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I don't know if it was a week.

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It was less than $1 an hour.

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>> And what did you

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use the money for?
Where did the money go?

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>> To my home. I gave
it into our family.

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>> And I had an
allowance, of course.

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>> How much was that?

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>> We had a nickel, ice cream

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[inaudible] on Sunday afternoon.

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[LAUGHTER] And the
nice vegetable garden.

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That was most of it.

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>> So tell me about wartime.

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This is '42-'43 that
you're working this job.

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00:06:13,785 --> 00:06:17,530
Do you remember rationing?
Do you remember [inaudible]?

146
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>> Yes. Rationing.
We had a ration,

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only four gallon a week,

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and my dad had to
be careful driving.

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He had an old '36 Chevy,

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and he drove that to work,

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but it was limited.

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And then we had stamps
that you could you

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couldn't get certain
meat and butter,

154
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and a lot of things
were rationed.

155
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And of course, tomato soup
was only 10 cans for $1.

156
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A loaf of bread was $0.10.

157
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And I remember that,

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but we were very frugal
and far as spending.

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We were a poor family,

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but my dad was hard worker.

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We always had chickens,

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and geese, and a few rabbits.

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And of course, it was my job

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to take care of the chickens.

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And in the wintertime, I hated
to clean the chicken coop,

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it froze on the coop floor
and I had to scrape it.

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I didn't like it very much.

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And had to take the coals

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out of the coal stove
in our living room,

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and had to pick out

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the coals that didn't

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burn because we
wouldn't waste those.

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So that's what we did
as a boy. Very strict.

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My dad, when he'd
get home at night,

175
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he'd look over the
work and he said,

176
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now, I want this done
by tomorrow night.

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00:07:36,230 --> 00:07:38,330
It'll take you an
hour or all day.

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All I want is it's got to
be done when I get home.

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>> So you said that your
family went to church.

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Can you describe
the church you went

181
00:07:47,650 --> 00:07:50,300
to and what part that your
faith played in your life?

182
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>> This was a Church of God,

183
00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,005
Anderson, Indiana headquarters.

184
00:07:55,005 --> 00:07:57,930
And it was at [inaudible]
in Buffalo, New York.

185
00:07:57,930 --> 00:08:00,630
It was just outside
of where we lived.

186
00:08:00,630 --> 00:08:02,985
We lived in the town
of Cheektowaga.

187
00:08:02,985 --> 00:08:05,665
That's why I always say
Buffalo outside of Buffalo.

188
00:08:05,665 --> 00:08:08,390
Cheektowaga in the Indiantown.

189
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And they used to have a
lot of gypsies there.

190
00:08:11,390 --> 00:08:14,375
But that's where we were raised.

191
00:08:14,375 --> 00:08:20,230
>> So you reached your 18th
birthday in April of 1944?

192
00:08:20,230 --> 00:08:22,935
What happened after
you turned 18?

193
00:08:22,935 --> 00:08:25,590
>> My dad, we were putting

194
00:08:25,590 --> 00:08:28,110
in a cellar underneath
his his home.

195
00:08:28,110 --> 00:08:30,650
It didn't have a cellar,
was raised up on blocks,

196
00:08:30,650 --> 00:08:34,010
and I was helping him take
out the dirt and so forth.

197
00:08:34,010 --> 00:08:37,095
And then I got a
draft notice report.

198
00:08:37,095 --> 00:08:40,250
And I weighed 118
pounds at the time.

199
00:08:40,250 --> 00:08:42,940
I could hide behind
a telegraph pole.

200
00:08:42,940 --> 00:08:45,410
And they said, they'll
never take you.

201
00:08:45,410 --> 00:08:47,850
You're too skinny, you can't
do anything over there.

202
00:08:47,850 --> 00:08:49,500
I said, I feel good.

203
00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:52,840
So I went in and I passed
with flying colors.

204
00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,595
They just put down on
my papers, underweight.

205
00:08:55,595 --> 00:08:57,060
That's all. Maybe that's why

206
00:08:57,060 --> 00:08:58,750
I got in the Air
Force. [LAUGHTER]

207
00:08:58,750 --> 00:09:01,270
>> You say you went in and you
passed with flying colors.

208
00:09:01,270 --> 00:09:02,960
What did you have to do to pass?

209
00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,240
>> Well, they have
to take a physical,

210
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,300
and it was a pretty
heavy physical.

211
00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:12,610
And that's all I remember
as far as that physical,

212
00:09:12,610 --> 00:09:14,450
because when I got in, I'll

213
00:09:14,450 --> 00:09:15,670
tell you about that physical,

214
00:09:15,670 --> 00:09:17,145
that was a little different.

215
00:09:17,145 --> 00:09:18,950
But anyway, I got home,

216
00:09:18,950 --> 00:09:20,290
and the week later,

217
00:09:20,290 --> 00:09:22,670
I got the notice that
I was supposed to

218
00:09:22,670 --> 00:09:25,990
report to the Buffalo office,

219
00:09:25,990 --> 00:09:29,590
and we were going to
take a train to Trenton,

220
00:09:29,590 --> 00:09:31,630
New Jersey, the Fort Dix,

221
00:09:31,630 --> 00:09:33,940
New Jersey to be entered in.

222
00:09:33,940 --> 00:09:36,070
>> So I'll come to that.
I want to quickly ask,

223
00:09:36,070 --> 00:09:37,985
how would you receive
these notices?

224
00:09:37,985 --> 00:09:39,290
>> Through the mail.

225
00:09:39,290 --> 00:09:42,410
>> And what would it say?

226
00:09:42,410 --> 00:09:44,090
Uncle Sam welcomes you

227
00:09:44,090 --> 00:09:48,500
[LAUGHTER] and you
were accepted.

228
00:09:48,500 --> 00:09:50,000
>> So how did you
feel about leaving

229
00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,220
your home then at 18
to go to Fort Dix?

230
00:09:52,220 --> 00:09:54,590
>> Well, our family
never did travel.

231
00:09:54,590 --> 00:09:56,945
We never had a vacation
that I remember.

232
00:09:56,945 --> 00:09:59,315
And they never traveled
and I never traveled.

233
00:09:59,315 --> 00:10:02,405
So this was going to be the
first time out of state.

234
00:10:02,405 --> 00:10:04,025
So it was new.

235
00:10:04,025 --> 00:10:07,355
And our folks they
took a little rough

236
00:10:07,355 --> 00:10:10,070
and I remember the day

237
00:10:10,070 --> 00:10:12,140
that they took me into
the train station.

238
00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:15,590
My brother collected the
eggs in the chicken coop,

239
00:10:15,590 --> 00:10:17,750
and he had one left
in his pocket,

240
00:10:17,750 --> 00:10:19,670
and he broke it going

241
00:10:19,670 --> 00:10:21,905
into the train station
in his pocket.

242
00:10:21,905 --> 00:10:24,275
He had that egg in his pocket.

243
00:10:24,275 --> 00:10:26,555
And I remember they

244
00:10:26,555 --> 00:10:29,075
left me off at the New
York Central Station.

245
00:10:29,075 --> 00:10:30,980
And as the train
went by the viaduct,

246
00:10:30,980 --> 00:10:32,630
they were waving goodbye,

247
00:10:32,630 --> 00:10:34,760
and that's how he left.

248
00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,715
>> So you arrived at Fort
Dix, what did you do there?

249
00:10:37,715 --> 00:10:39,710
>> We got there about
two in the morning

250
00:10:39,710 --> 00:10:42,680
and we went into a large room,

251
00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:44,765
where we were sworn in,

252
00:10:44,765 --> 00:10:48,455
and we had to repeat
what they told us to do.

253
00:10:48,455 --> 00:10:50,390
And then we had to
go another room

254
00:10:50,390 --> 00:10:52,670
and get rid of all
of our clothes,

255
00:10:52,670 --> 00:10:56,180
and then go to the counter
and they threw clothes at us.

256
00:10:56,180 --> 00:10:57,770
They were too big for us.

257
00:10:57,770 --> 00:10:59,060
They didn't care what size,

258
00:10:59,060 --> 00:11:01,025
because we would be sized later.

259
00:11:01,025 --> 00:11:04,040
And so that was that night.

260
00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:05,570
And then we went to

261
00:11:05,570 --> 00:11:08,225
our barracks for that
night afterwards.

262
00:11:08,225 --> 00:11:11,150
>> How long did you
stay there? Okay.

263
00:11:11,150 --> 00:11:14,780
>> I'm not sure, but I
think it was several days,

264
00:11:14,780 --> 00:11:17,390
because we went
through the process

265
00:11:17,390 --> 00:11:24,020
of a physical examination,
I should say.

266
00:11:24,020 --> 00:11:25,940
And when we went in,

267
00:11:25,940 --> 00:11:27,755
they said they put needles.

268
00:11:27,755 --> 00:11:29,585
They were standing
on both sides of us,

269
00:11:29,585 --> 00:11:30,740
a couple of needles in this arm

270
00:11:30,740 --> 00:11:31,925
and a couple of
needles in that one.

271
00:11:31,925 --> 00:11:33,110
Someone yell, "Watch out for

272
00:11:33,110 --> 00:11:34,370
the one with a propeller on,

273
00:11:34,370 --> 00:11:37,745
" and [LAUGHTER] some
of the guys feigned it,

274
00:11:37,745 --> 00:11:40,880
and it was quite a
sight, and of course,

275
00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,620
a bunch of nude guys in there,

276
00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:44,825
and things they had you do.

277
00:11:44,825 --> 00:11:47,390
So that was our
first experience for

278
00:11:47,390 --> 00:11:50,120
a little boy away from
home for the first time.

279
00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,385
[LAUGHTER] It was a shock
for an 18 year old.

280
00:11:53,385 --> 00:11:56,140
>> So at what point did you head

281
00:11:56,140 --> 00:11:58,360
to Bootcamp at Shepherd Field?

282
00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,030
>> Well, that was about
probably a week later.

283
00:12:02,170 --> 00:12:06,125
It's always in the
mid of the mornings,

284
00:12:06,125 --> 00:12:09,395
and we arrived at Shepherd
Field and we were thirsty.

285
00:12:09,395 --> 00:12:13,775
And when we went onto the
field there, they said,

286
00:12:13,775 --> 00:12:18,040
"If you're thirsty,
there's the water bag."

287
00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:19,345
It was a lister bag,

288
00:12:19,345 --> 00:12:21,910
they call it in the
middle of the grass,

289
00:12:21,910 --> 00:12:23,365
out in the sun all day,

290
00:12:23,365 --> 00:12:24,790
and you could get
water from that.

291
00:12:24,790 --> 00:12:26,110
So it was hot water, we drank

292
00:12:26,110 --> 00:12:28,185
it 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.

293
00:12:28,185 --> 00:12:31,490
And it was terrible. Texas
was worse in overseas.

294
00:12:31,490 --> 00:12:33,860
Sorry, Texas. [LAUGHTER]

295
00:12:33,860 --> 00:12:36,035
>> Can you describe
Shepherd Field then?

296
00:12:36,035 --> 00:12:37,640
>> It was nice. It was

297
00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,840
a two deck barracks
that we stayed in,

298
00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,400
and I was on the lower floor,

299
00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,625
and I always had trouble
with people snoring,

300
00:12:46,625 --> 00:12:48,800
and to get into a barracks with

301
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,665
30 guys all playing their tune,

302
00:12:51,665 --> 00:12:54,050
I remember one night a guy

303
00:12:54,050 --> 00:12:55,580
next to me was soaring so loud,

304
00:12:55,580 --> 00:12:58,130
I got up and squeezed his
nose and jumped back in bed.

305
00:12:58,130 --> 00:13:01,460
[LAUGHTER] He stopped his
storing for a little while.

306
00:13:01,460 --> 00:13:03,755
But it was a new
experience for me.

307
00:13:03,755 --> 00:13:05,300
But it was a double
deck barracks,

308
00:13:05,300 --> 00:13:08,180
and the sergeant would
come in every morning.

309
00:13:08,180 --> 00:13:11,585
And when they blew the
bugle in the morning,

310
00:13:11,585 --> 00:13:13,520
we had to be out in line,

311
00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,800
whether we were dressed
or not. You'd be there.

312
00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,890
Some were still in their shorts
and others were dressed,

313
00:13:18,890 --> 00:13:20,735
but we stood in attention.

314
00:13:20,735 --> 00:13:22,955
Then we went in and had
to make our beds up,

315
00:13:22,955 --> 00:13:24,950
and then the sergeant would come

316
00:13:24,950 --> 00:13:27,035
in and flip a
quarter on our bed.

317
00:13:27,035 --> 00:13:28,520
And if it didn't pop,

318
00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,170
he pulled it aside and we

319
00:13:30,170 --> 00:13:32,000
had to make it over,
so it was tight.

320
00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,285
So it would bounce when
he put the quarter on.

321
00:13:35,285 --> 00:13:40,340
So I had my quarter bounce
sometimes and sometimes not.

322
00:13:40,340 --> 00:13:42,905
>> Can you tell me
about the food?

323
00:13:42,905 --> 00:13:45,110
>> Well, I can tell you

324
00:13:45,110 --> 00:13:47,300
the songs we sang
while we marched.

325
00:13:47,300 --> 00:13:48,875
The chicken that they serve you,

326
00:13:48,875 --> 00:13:50,165
they say is mighty fine.

327
00:13:50,165 --> 00:13:52,865
One hopped off the table
and started marking time.

328
00:13:52,865 --> 00:13:56,075
I don't want an Army
life. I want to go home.

329
00:13:56,075 --> 00:13:58,670
Then the coffee that
they serve you,

330
00:13:58,670 --> 00:14:00,410
they say is mighty fine.

331
00:14:00,410 --> 00:14:01,640
It's good for cuts and bruises,

332
00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,095
it tastes like Iodine.

333
00:14:03,095 --> 00:14:04,715
And so we sing those.

334
00:14:04,715 --> 00:14:06,980
That's some of food.

335
00:14:06,980 --> 00:14:08,390
The food was okay,

336
00:14:08,390 --> 00:14:11,840
but the Navy had better food
when we had some Navy food.

337
00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,735
>> What kind of training
were you doing in Bootcamp?

338
00:14:14,735 --> 00:14:16,040
>> Well, of course,

339
00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,300
we always had to march,

340
00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:19,085
and stand in line.

341
00:14:19,085 --> 00:14:20,915
And of new recruits,

342
00:14:20,915 --> 00:14:22,670
we didn't know the language.

343
00:14:22,670 --> 00:14:25,160
And they said, "We need
a truck driver today,

344
00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:26,810
" and some would raise

345
00:14:26,810 --> 00:14:29,975
your hand and find out they
had to push a wheelbarrow.

346
00:14:29,975 --> 00:14:31,700
That was the truck driver,

347
00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:36,125
or kitchen police or KP.

348
00:14:36,125 --> 00:14:38,330
So I never volunteered
for those.

349
00:14:38,330 --> 00:14:40,130
I just marched and did what I

350
00:14:40,130 --> 00:14:42,185
was supposed to do partially.

351
00:14:42,185 --> 00:14:47,710
Not all the time. We
had to corner lot.

352
00:14:47,710 --> 00:14:49,480
It was so hot in Texas.

353
00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,660
And it was a ash fault square

354
00:14:52,660 --> 00:14:54,250
that we were doing our exercises

355
00:14:54,250 --> 00:14:55,840
and push ups and so forth.

356
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,190
And evidently, I wasn't
doing it properly.

357
00:14:59,190 --> 00:15:01,010
And the sergeant said,

358
00:15:01,010 --> 00:15:02,930
"Do a duck wattle
around the field."

359
00:15:02,930 --> 00:15:05,060
So here I'm down I'm
doing a duck wattle,

360
00:15:05,060 --> 00:15:06,305
if you know what that is.

361
00:15:06,305 --> 00:15:09,065
And a lieutenant saw me and
he said, "What happened?"

362
00:15:09,065 --> 00:15:10,460
He told me, "It's all
right, get back in

363
00:15:10,460 --> 00:15:11,885
line." I said, "Okay."

364
00:15:11,885 --> 00:15:13,355
I was thankful for that.

365
00:15:13,355 --> 00:15:15,950
So that was part of my training.

366
00:15:15,950 --> 00:15:18,050
And then one time,

367
00:15:18,050 --> 00:15:19,940
we had to jump over,

368
00:15:19,940 --> 00:15:24,035
it must have been
at least 20 feet,

369
00:15:24,035 --> 00:15:27,080
a big hole in the
ground with water,

370
00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,315
and a rope down the middle.

371
00:15:29,315 --> 00:15:31,100
And we had to run and grab

372
00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:32,945
that rope and swing
to the other side.

373
00:15:32,945 --> 00:15:34,955
Hope you didn't fall
into the water.

374
00:15:34,955 --> 00:15:36,710
Well, I didn't like that idea,

375
00:15:36,710 --> 00:15:40,280
so I tried sneaking around,
but they caught me.

376
00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:43,790
So [LAUGHTER] I had to
do it and I made it.

377
00:15:43,790 --> 00:15:45,440
So that was okay.

378
00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,495
And then in the Air Force,

379
00:15:47,495 --> 00:15:49,880
to fell in front of me
went in the Army and

380
00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:51,320
the one in the back
went to the Navy

381
00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:52,430
and I went at the Air Force,

382
00:15:52,430 --> 00:15:55,610
maybe because I was so
late, lightweight, maybe.

383
00:15:55,610 --> 00:16:01,040
But, I was when we
had gas masks drill,

384
00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:07,640
we had to crawl under 18
inches of a barbed wire top.

385
00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:08,990
And while I was under there,

386
00:16:08,990 --> 00:16:10,910
they shot tear gas at us,

387
00:16:10,910 --> 00:16:13,535
and we had to put a gas
masks on under there.

388
00:16:13,535 --> 00:16:17,030
But they didn't cut your hair
as long as the Army did,

389
00:16:17,030 --> 00:16:18,395
or the Navy,

390
00:16:18,395 --> 00:16:21,665
and I had a little hair
stuck out of my gas mask,

391
00:16:21,665 --> 00:16:24,635
and I got gas in my
mouth started choking.

392
00:16:24,635 --> 00:16:28,085
And I got a real short
haircut after that.

393
00:16:28,085 --> 00:16:31,055
>> Well, you were talking
about the different branches.

394
00:16:31,055 --> 00:16:31,655
>> Yes.

395
00:16:31,655 --> 00:16:33,140
>> How were you selected

396
00:16:33,140 --> 00:16:34,730
or how did you go
about choosing that?

397
00:16:34,730 --> 00:16:35,945
>> When we were in line,

398
00:16:35,945 --> 00:16:39,170
when they were picking out
where you were going to go,

399
00:16:39,170 --> 00:16:41,555
I didn't know what
I was going in.

400
00:16:41,555 --> 00:16:43,340
And they said, "The
guy in front of me,

401
00:16:43,340 --> 00:16:44,810
you're going into the Army."

402
00:16:44,810 --> 00:16:46,850
And they told me he said, you're

403
00:16:46,850 --> 00:16:48,500
going into the Army Air Force.

404
00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:50,705
The guy at back of me,
you're going to the Navy.

405
00:16:50,705 --> 00:16:52,340
So I don't know if
they did every other

406
00:16:52,340 --> 00:16:53,945
one like that or coast guard,

407
00:16:53,945 --> 00:16:56,780
but that's all I remember.
That's how I got in.

408
00:16:56,780 --> 00:16:58,625
>> How did you feel about
going into the Air Force?

409
00:16:58,625 --> 00:17:00,230
>> I was glad because I didn't

410
00:17:00,230 --> 00:17:02,045
want the infantry.
It's just inch.

411
00:17:02,045 --> 00:17:04,250
And I didn't know how to
swim. I didn't want the Navy.

412
00:17:04,250 --> 00:17:08,315
[LAUGHTER] So I was glad
I went to the Air Force.

413
00:17:08,315 --> 00:17:11,855
>> So where did you go
from Shepherd Field?

414
00:17:11,855 --> 00:17:15,080
>> Shepherd field, after
our first basic training,

415
00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:16,760
we were supposed
to go to Madison,

416
00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,505
Wisconsin for radio
mechanics school.

417
00:17:19,505 --> 00:17:21,020
But it was filled,

418
00:17:21,020 --> 00:17:23,840
so they said we had to take
a second basic training,

419
00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:25,610
which I didn't care about.

420
00:17:25,610 --> 00:17:27,410
But I went through
it, and we took

421
00:17:27,410 --> 00:17:30,965
our 25 mile hikes at night
because it was so hot,

422
00:17:30,965 --> 00:17:33,440
and we had our packs on
and radio men were on

423
00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,870
one side and mechanics
were on the other side,

424
00:17:35,870 --> 00:17:37,025
and see who would drop out.

425
00:17:37,025 --> 00:17:38,570
The meat wagon would follow us.

426
00:17:38,570 --> 00:17:40,880
Some dropped out and had
to ride the meat wagon.

427
00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,790
And then after the
second basic training,

428
00:17:43,790 --> 00:17:45,605
why they said, "Well,

429
00:17:45,605 --> 00:17:46,940
the radio school still filled,

430
00:17:46,940 --> 00:17:48,620
you have to take a
third basic training."

431
00:17:48,620 --> 00:17:49,970
I said, that's for the birds.

432
00:17:49,970 --> 00:17:52,700
I went to the headquarters
there and I said,

433
00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:53,990
"Do you need a typist?"

434
00:17:53,990 --> 00:17:55,430
"Yeah, can you type?" I said,

435
00:17:55,430 --> 00:17:57,905
"Yes, I took it in my first
year in high school."

436
00:17:57,905 --> 00:17:59,420
And so they gave me

437
00:17:59,420 --> 00:18:00,680
a job typing while

438
00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,960
the rest marched by,
I was watching them.

439
00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:04,550
And I was glad, and then

440
00:18:04,550 --> 00:18:07,790
after the third basic
training that they had,

441
00:18:07,790 --> 00:18:09,440
we shipped to
Madison, Wisconsin.

442
00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,015
Well, they gave us a furlough.

443
00:18:11,015 --> 00:18:14,555
We went home for 10
day furlough maybe,

444
00:18:14,555 --> 00:18:17,885
and then we went to Madison,
Wisconsin and enrolled.

445
00:18:17,885 --> 00:18:20,735
>> Well, tell me about
working as a typist.

446
00:18:20,735 --> 00:18:22,415
What sort of office were you in?

447
00:18:22,415 --> 00:18:25,445
>> It was just a open office.

448
00:18:25,445 --> 00:18:29,285
It was not a booth or room.

449
00:18:29,285 --> 00:18:31,580
It was like a open office area,

450
00:18:31,580 --> 00:18:33,845
and I was the only typist there.

451
00:18:33,845 --> 00:18:36,635
And so I type different
things for them.

452
00:18:36,635 --> 00:18:37,910
>> What sort of things?

453
00:18:37,910 --> 00:18:39,935
>> Well, probably reports.

454
00:18:39,935 --> 00:18:42,350
I don't remember
exactly because that's

455
00:18:42,350 --> 00:18:45,965
quite a long time
ago. That was 1944.

456
00:18:45,965 --> 00:18:49,115
So I don't remember
quite what I was typing.

457
00:18:49,115 --> 00:18:55,355
But then when I was
at the radio school,

458
00:18:55,355 --> 00:18:59,210
we had to build
superhot din radios.

459
00:18:59,210 --> 00:19:01,745
Then at the testing time,

460
00:19:01,745 --> 00:19:05,620
it was time to plug in our
radios to see if they work.

461
00:19:05,620 --> 00:19:07,180
And when we did, we saw

462
00:19:07,180 --> 00:19:09,100
smoke coming around
different areas,

463
00:19:09,100 --> 00:19:12,355
where they were shorting
out the different radios.

464
00:19:12,355 --> 00:19:13,750
Then we had to go to

465
00:19:13,750 --> 00:19:17,710
a B24 bomber that
had radio trouble,

466
00:19:17,710 --> 00:19:20,465
and we had to find out
what the trouble was.

467
00:19:20,465 --> 00:19:22,220
That was part of our test.

468
00:19:22,220 --> 00:19:24,365
And that was radio school.

469
00:19:24,365 --> 00:19:26,410
>> So this radio school,

470
00:19:26,410 --> 00:19:27,780
it was in Madison, Wisconsin?

471
00:19:27,780 --> 00:19:29,260
>> Madison, Wisconsin.

472
00:19:29,260 --> 00:19:33,570
>> And, when you arrived there,

473
00:19:33,570 --> 00:19:36,410
how did they lay out what
your training would be?

474
00:19:36,410 --> 00:19:38,915
You said you build
this type of radio.

475
00:19:38,915 --> 00:19:40,490
Could you could you
go over that in

476
00:19:40,490 --> 00:19:43,010
a more basic way
for [inaudible]?

477
00:19:43,010 --> 00:19:45,170
>> It was super. We went into

478
00:19:45,170 --> 00:19:47,610
the radio building where

479
00:19:47,610 --> 00:19:49,910
they worked and where
the school was,

480
00:19:49,910 --> 00:19:52,970
and they had each one of
us had at a workbench,

481
00:19:52,970 --> 00:19:54,575
and also chair,

482
00:19:54,575 --> 00:19:57,230
and we had our resistors

483
00:19:57,230 --> 00:20:03,170
and other things to put
in wires and so forth.

484
00:20:03,170 --> 00:20:07,450
Then we had to memorize the
code for the resistors.

485
00:20:07,450 --> 00:20:09,710
Of course, I never forget

486
00:20:09,710 --> 00:20:13,070
the poem they gave
us to remember it.

487
00:20:13,070 --> 00:20:15,170
Our bad boys raped
our young women,

488
00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:17,605
but violent gave in willingly.

489
00:20:17,605 --> 00:20:20,020
Never forgot it. Each one

490
00:20:20,020 --> 00:20:21,370
of those represented a color.

491
00:20:21,370 --> 00:20:25,785
[LAUGHTER] I remember that.

492
00:20:25,785 --> 00:20:27,295
>> Sort of a pneumonic device.

493
00:20:27,295 --> 00:20:27,670
>> Yeah.

494
00:20:27,670 --> 00:20:32,395
>> I see. And was that your
only task to fill that radio?

495
00:20:32,395 --> 00:20:33,895
What other things were
you doing a radio school?

496
00:20:33,895 --> 00:20:36,790
>> Well, that was the main
thing, work on the radios.

497
00:20:36,790 --> 00:20:39,490
And then after
that, if we passed,

498
00:20:39,490 --> 00:20:42,130
then we were shipped home for

499
00:20:42,130 --> 00:20:45,610
a 15 day furbogh and
then shipped overseas.

500
00:20:45,610 --> 00:20:48,440
>> So how long was radio school?

501
00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,420
>> I think it was maybe six,

502
00:20:52,420 --> 00:20:54,700
eight weeks, maybe six weeks.

503
00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:58,555
>> And as someone who was
working on a radio like that,

504
00:20:58,555 --> 00:21:01,900
what did you expect to

505
00:21:01,900 --> 00:21:03,100
come when you were shipped

506
00:21:03,100 --> 00:21:05,245
overseas if you were
working on radio?

507
00:21:05,245 --> 00:21:07,720
>> Well, we were supposed
to work on when they have

508
00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,150
difficult in the various planes

509
00:21:10,150 --> 00:21:11,665
because when we
shipped to Saipan,

510
00:21:11,665 --> 00:21:15,685
it was a 29 air base.

511
00:21:15,685 --> 00:21:17,590
So we had to work on
any troubles that

512
00:21:17,590 --> 00:21:19,810
they had in their radios.

513
00:21:19,810 --> 00:21:23,695
But well, I can tell you when
we got over it to change.

514
00:21:23,695 --> 00:21:25,660
>> Did you expect to see combat?

515
00:21:25,660 --> 00:21:28,210
>> Well, we didn't
know for sure.

516
00:21:28,210 --> 00:21:31,270
Radio school and the work

517
00:21:31,270 --> 00:21:32,890
we would be doing
over there would not

518
00:21:32,890 --> 00:21:34,930
be actual combat because

519
00:21:34,930 --> 00:21:37,270
the planes would come in
and if there was trouble,

520
00:21:37,270 --> 00:21:39,715
we'd have to take care
of the troubleshooting.

521
00:21:39,715 --> 00:21:42,220
So we actually didn't
see the combat,

522
00:21:42,220 --> 00:21:44,275
but they did, but
we didn't have to.

523
00:21:44,275 --> 00:21:46,315
>> Tell me about
your furlough home.

524
00:21:46,315 --> 00:21:49,120
>> Well, the first
furlough before we went

525
00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:52,285
overseas, it was tremendous.

526
00:21:52,285 --> 00:21:55,120
My sister, let's see,

527
00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:56,260
she is two years older than me.

528
00:21:56,260 --> 00:21:57,580
My brother was six years younger

529
00:21:57,580 --> 00:22:00,100
and they just thought
I was the hero,

530
00:22:00,100 --> 00:22:04,885
and of course, I didn't have
any stripes on my shirt yet.

531
00:22:04,885 --> 00:22:06,190
They didn't give
you any stripes to

532
00:22:06,190 --> 00:22:08,830
you actually we're
doing something.

533
00:22:08,830 --> 00:22:12,700
But they were happy to see me
but sad to see me go again.

534
00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:15,625
>> Had you experienced
home sickness?

535
00:22:15,625 --> 00:22:19,780
>> Yes. I wrote home
well, not every day,

536
00:22:19,780 --> 00:22:21,985
but my mother wrote
just about every day

537
00:22:21,985 --> 00:22:25,915
and I'll tell you more about
that when I get overseas.

538
00:22:25,915 --> 00:22:29,350
But it was a scream, really.

539
00:22:29,350 --> 00:22:33,250
>> So when did you ship out?

540
00:22:33,250 --> 00:22:36,250
>> I don't have the exact date,

541
00:22:36,250 --> 00:22:45,490
but it was in the wintertime,

542
00:22:45,490 --> 00:22:48,760
must have been January
because it was very cold in

543
00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,495
Madison was below zero
and I have pictures.

544
00:22:52,495 --> 00:22:55,450
The red cross furnishes
a photo room.

545
00:22:55,450 --> 00:22:58,195
So I took my own pictures
with an old black and white

546
00:22:58,195 --> 00:23:00,160
and developed my
own pictures and

547
00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,020
I have a picture of
a sergeant saying,

548
00:23:02,020 --> 00:23:03,610
if if Webber were
to shipped out,

549
00:23:03,610 --> 00:23:05,950
we were all frozen to death
because I took care of

550
00:23:05,950 --> 00:23:09,505
the stove and it was very cold.

551
00:23:09,505 --> 00:23:12,100
But while I was there,

552
00:23:12,100 --> 00:23:15,310
it was a cold experience,

553
00:23:15,310 --> 00:23:19,585
I'd say but we got through it.

554
00:23:19,585 --> 00:23:20,785
>> And where was this?

555
00:23:20,785 --> 00:23:21,970
>> Madison, Wisconsin.

556
00:23:21,970 --> 00:23:24,355
>> I see. So you're
leaving from there.

557
00:23:24,355 --> 00:23:25,720
>> And then from home,

558
00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:29,605
we went to Vancouver,
Washington,

559
00:23:29,605 --> 00:23:36,805
but we we stopped at Salt
Lake City for a few days.

560
00:23:36,805 --> 00:23:38,980
And while I was there,

561
00:23:38,980 --> 00:23:41,740
why we put Kilroy,

562
00:23:41,740 --> 00:23:45,880
that was a fellow that was
in the service with us.

563
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,320
They called him Kilroy,

564
00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,140
and they say, Kilroy was
here and Kilroy was there.

565
00:23:50,140 --> 00:23:51,730
So we climbed the out behind

566
00:23:51,730 --> 00:23:55,105
the capital of Salt Lake City
and put Kilroy up there.

567
00:23:55,105 --> 00:23:58,825
And then we went to the Mormon
Tabernacle visited there.

568
00:23:58,825 --> 00:23:59,980
And we were there for

569
00:23:59,980 --> 00:24:01,390
just a couple of
days and then we

570
00:24:01,390 --> 00:24:03,640
shipped on to
Vancouver, Washington.

571
00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,700
>> When you were making your
way across the country,

572
00:24:06,700 --> 00:24:08,245
you stopped in Salt Lake City?

573
00:24:08,245 --> 00:24:08,800
>> Yes.

574
00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,770
>> And you had been to
the Mormon Tabernacle

575
00:24:11,770 --> 00:24:13,420
and Kilroy was there?

576
00:24:13,420 --> 00:24:15,520
>> Kilroy we put him on
the mountain back there,

577
00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,310
and then we went to a studio
and had pictures taken.

578
00:24:18,310 --> 00:24:22,165
This was when I
was 18 years old.

579
00:24:22,165 --> 00:24:23,335
>> Where did you
have this taken?

580
00:24:23,335 --> 00:24:25,420
>> I couldn't tell you.

581
00:24:25,420 --> 00:24:28,030
I think it was Salt Lake City.

582
00:24:28,030 --> 00:24:29,980
>> And why did you
have the photo taken?

583
00:24:29,980 --> 00:24:31,270
>> Well, all the
other guys were.

584
00:24:31,270 --> 00:24:33,520
[LAUGHTER] And I'll tell

585
00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,980
you what we did when we came
back from overseas too.

586
00:24:35,980 --> 00:24:37,570
[LAUGHTER]

587
00:24:37,570 --> 00:24:40,120
>> So then you made
your way to Vancouver,

588
00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:42,325
Washington, and you
shipped out from there?

589
00:24:42,325 --> 00:24:42,970
>> Yes.

590
00:24:42,970 --> 00:24:45,340
>> And tell me about
those days at sea.

591
00:24:45,340 --> 00:24:47,530
How did you adjust
to being [inaudible]

592
00:24:47,530 --> 00:24:50,380
>> That was a real eye opener.

593
00:24:50,380 --> 00:24:52,930
Like I say, it was
a 17 day trip.

594
00:24:52,930 --> 00:24:56,530
The first five days, I was
sea sick and we were down in

595
00:24:56,530 --> 00:25:00,190
the second or third
hole down below deck.

596
00:25:00,190 --> 00:25:03,565
And I was on the second bunk up.

597
00:25:03,565 --> 00:25:05,590
And the fellas were
throwing up in

598
00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:08,875
their helmets and it got
to be such a stench,

599
00:25:08,875 --> 00:25:13,735
I went and took my blanket and
slept outside on the deck.

600
00:25:13,735 --> 00:25:16,285
But the ship was
going so cheerio.

601
00:25:16,285 --> 00:25:19,480
And then when we go
down to the chow line,

602
00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,570
you had to hang onto your
tray because if you didn't,

603
00:25:22,570 --> 00:25:24,430
it would slide down to the
other end and you have

604
00:25:24,430 --> 00:25:26,515
to chase it and bring it back.

605
00:25:26,515 --> 00:25:28,795
And that would make you sicker.

606
00:25:28,795 --> 00:25:33,190
But I kept my cookies,
but I was sick.

607
00:25:33,190 --> 00:25:37,240
But another experience
was the latrine.

608
00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:39,460
Now, for those that don't
know what the latrine was,

609
00:25:39,460 --> 00:25:41,635
that was a restroom bathroom,

610
00:25:41,635 --> 00:25:43,480
and all it was consistent was

611
00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,050
a big trough with
two by fours across,

612
00:25:47,050 --> 00:25:49,405
and you sat on
those two by fours.

613
00:25:49,405 --> 00:25:52,750
And I think that's why I
learned to get up early.

614
00:25:52,750 --> 00:25:55,120
I always got up early
before the rest of

615
00:25:55,120 --> 00:25:58,450
them and no sense in
having this stuff.

616
00:25:58,450 --> 00:26:01,270
I'll go up past you as
you're sitting there.

617
00:26:01,270 --> 00:26:05,080
But that was it and then we'd
wash some of our clothes,

618
00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,030
we put them on a
line and throw them

619
00:26:07,030 --> 00:26:09,580
overboard and let the
waves beat them clean.

620
00:26:09,580 --> 00:26:11,470
And then we'd pull them up

621
00:26:11,470 --> 00:26:14,830
and that's how we washed
our clothes a little salty,

622
00:26:14,830 --> 00:26:17,290
but they were okay. [LAUGHTER]

623
00:26:17,290 --> 00:26:19,555
>> So where did you land first?

624
00:26:19,555 --> 00:26:23,140
>> Saipan. We landed in
the middle of the night.

625
00:26:23,140 --> 00:26:25,330
I don't know what
exact time was it,

626
00:26:25,330 --> 00:26:27,430
but we had to avoid some mines

627
00:26:27,430 --> 00:26:30,085
that were still in the bay.

628
00:26:30,085 --> 00:26:33,430
So we slept on the ship
that night and then

629
00:26:33,430 --> 00:26:34,630
in the morning we had to take

630
00:26:34,630 --> 00:26:36,565
landing craft onto the shore.

631
00:26:36,565 --> 00:26:39,310
And then we got ashore and

632
00:26:39,310 --> 00:26:43,105
they had some jeeps and
trucks waiting for us.

633
00:26:43,105 --> 00:26:44,920
And then they took
us to our base

634
00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:46,480
where we're going
to be stationed.

635
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:48,610
>> What did the island
look like because I

636
00:26:48,610 --> 00:26:50,830
assume this is after
the battle was on.

637
00:26:50,830 --> 00:26:52,570
>> Yes. Saipan was one

638
00:26:52,570 --> 00:26:54,925
over some quite a
few months before.

639
00:26:54,925 --> 00:26:57,340
There was a lot of
Japs still running

640
00:26:57,340 --> 00:27:01,090
around and they took
us to the base.

641
00:27:01,090 --> 00:27:06,850
We had our carbin rifles
and our 485 pistols.

642
00:27:06,850 --> 00:27:09,700
And they took us to our tents.

643
00:27:09,700 --> 00:27:11,680
We had four men in a tent

644
00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,920
and we got used to the
monkeys that were there.

645
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,740
They used to sneak in our tent.

646
00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:20,125
If we had any gum or
anything, they'd steal it.

647
00:27:20,125 --> 00:27:23,110
Or if we'd hang out our
wash on a line by the tree,

648
00:27:23,110 --> 00:27:24,850
they'd slide down it
and get it all dirty,

649
00:27:24,850 --> 00:27:26,275
again, we had to rewash it.

650
00:27:26,275 --> 00:27:27,910
So we didn't like those monkeys.

651
00:27:27,910 --> 00:27:29,905
They got us aggravated.

652
00:27:29,905 --> 00:27:34,720
But I was a rebel because we got

653
00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:39,655
our sea rations and they'd
service beer and cigarettes,

654
00:27:39,655 --> 00:27:41,050
which I was against.

655
00:27:41,050 --> 00:27:44,860
I was raised up against
that and fellas would

656
00:27:44,860 --> 00:27:46,300
get mad at me because I'd dump

657
00:27:46,300 --> 00:27:48,805
my beer out and
crush my cigarettes.

658
00:27:48,805 --> 00:27:51,595
They said, oh, they
were getting mad at me.

659
00:27:51,595 --> 00:27:53,110
I said, well, if it's poison

660
00:27:53,110 --> 00:27:54,445
for me, it's poison for you.

661
00:27:54,445 --> 00:27:56,560
By the way, my dad
died of lung cancer

662
00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,930
from smoking at 53 years old.

663
00:28:00,990 --> 00:28:03,940
But I got along pretty
good and I made

664
00:28:03,940 --> 00:28:08,590
my own bed there out
of two by six lumber.

665
00:28:08,590 --> 00:28:09,670
They have wood all around.

666
00:28:09,670 --> 00:28:13,900
We could use that and I
put B 29 inner tubes.

667
00:28:13,900 --> 00:28:16,720
We cut them in strips and made

668
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,465
a cross like this and

669
00:28:19,465 --> 00:28:21,145
made our bed out of that with

670
00:28:21,145 --> 00:28:23,410
bottle caps to
hold the nails in.

671
00:28:23,410 --> 00:28:25,810
And that was where we
laid our mattress.

672
00:28:25,810 --> 00:28:28,990
They gave us a mattress on
there. And that was our bed.

673
00:28:28,990 --> 00:28:33,070
And then I made a lounge
here out of an army cot.

674
00:28:33,070 --> 00:28:36,460
And we did a lot of things
on side bend and at

675
00:28:36,460 --> 00:28:37,810
Christmas time that was

676
00:28:37,810 --> 00:28:40,910
my first Christmas
away from home.

677
00:28:40,910 --> 00:28:43,710
We had an old pump
organ that was there.

678
00:28:43,710 --> 00:28:45,585
I don't know where it came from.

679
00:28:45,585 --> 00:28:47,880
There was a vacuum sweeper,

680
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,070
and I played the piano organ,

681
00:28:50,070 --> 00:28:51,690
so I didn't know how

682
00:28:51,690 --> 00:28:54,285
we could play that
organ the bellows,

683
00:28:54,285 --> 00:28:56,850
you couldn't work them too well.

684
00:28:56,850 --> 00:28:59,640
We hooked up this vacuum
sweeper and hooked

685
00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,310
a hose up to the bellows
and put the vacuum sweeper

686
00:29:02,310 --> 00:29:06,180
underneath the wood floor
of our tent and that would

687
00:29:06,180 --> 00:29:07,635
blow the air and I play

688
00:29:07,635 --> 00:29:10,410
Christmas Carols
on the old organ,

689
00:29:10,410 --> 00:29:14,520
and that was our experience
there on that tent.

690
00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:16,290
>> You knew a lot of

691
00:29:16,290 --> 00:29:19,140
Christmas Carols and
other songs from memory?

692
00:29:19,140 --> 00:29:21,060
>> Yes, I do know other
songs because when I go to

693
00:29:21,060 --> 00:29:23,670
the PX they had a piano
there and they said,

694
00:29:23,670 --> 00:29:25,575
Webber, play some songs for us.

695
00:29:25,575 --> 00:29:28,440
I'd play the Old Rugged Cross,

696
00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,815
don't you know I said
I only know hymns.

697
00:29:31,815 --> 00:29:34,215
They start singing the hymns.

698
00:29:34,215 --> 00:29:36,030
But I'd play by ear

699
00:29:36,030 --> 00:29:38,115
because I didn't have
any piano lessons.

700
00:29:38,115 --> 00:29:41,085
But they enjoyed
it and I did too.

701
00:29:41,085 --> 00:29:43,785
>> What was your
assignment on Saipan?

702
00:29:43,785 --> 00:29:45,240
>> On Saipan,

703
00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,985
they needed teletype
operators, no mechanics.

704
00:29:48,985 --> 00:29:53,480
Because the the bigger base
was tinon right next to us.

705
00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:57,030
That's where they took off
with the atomic bomb and

706
00:29:57,030 --> 00:30:01,305
they got it to B_29 so it
was late to put the bomb in.

707
00:30:01,305 --> 00:30:03,555
But they put me in
the radio station,

708
00:30:03,555 --> 00:30:06,240
which was 10CW operators,

709
00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,070
which was Morris code.

710
00:30:08,070 --> 00:30:10,290
And then I never did learn that.

711
00:30:10,290 --> 00:30:13,395
Then they had 10 radio
teletype operators

712
00:30:13,395 --> 00:30:15,945
and 10 landline operators.

713
00:30:15,945 --> 00:30:17,970
The landline
operators, who typed

714
00:30:17,970 --> 00:30:22,035
the message and it went
directly to where you're going.

715
00:30:22,035 --> 00:30:25,845
The radiotype you type tapes
and sent them by tape.

716
00:30:25,845 --> 00:30:27,495
I know at Christmas time

717
00:30:27,495 --> 00:30:28,800
and you could see
what you're doing.

718
00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,215
I would make a Christmas tree

719
00:30:31,215 --> 00:30:33,600
and send it to Wake Island or
some of the other islands,

720
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,295
wish them Merry Christmas.

721
00:30:35,295 --> 00:30:37,425
That's what we did for teletype.

722
00:30:37,425 --> 00:30:38,940
>> When you say you sent
them a Christmas tree,

723
00:30:38,940 --> 00:30:39,750
what do you mean?

724
00:30:39,750 --> 00:30:42,900
>> On the teletype.
It was yellow paper

725
00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:44,580
and they would receive it on

726
00:30:44,580 --> 00:30:46,950
yellow paper on
the other island.

727
00:30:46,950 --> 00:30:48,915
That was called radio teletype.

728
00:30:48,915 --> 00:30:50,715
Landline was a little different.

729
00:30:50,715 --> 00:30:53,580
So anyway, they've received
that night answer me

730
00:30:53,580 --> 00:30:57,105
back and I do that to
the various islands.

731
00:30:57,105 --> 00:30:57,990
And then of course,

732
00:30:57,990 --> 00:31:02,460
I got my private then
corporal stripes.

733
00:31:02,460 --> 00:31:04,995
And then after,

734
00:31:04,995 --> 00:31:07,035
I'll tell you that later.

735
00:31:07,035 --> 00:31:10,470
>> What did the teletype
office look like?

736
00:31:10,470 --> 00:31:12,345
>> It was like a barracks,

737
00:31:12,345 --> 00:31:14,130
if you know what a
barracks would be,

738
00:31:14,130 --> 00:31:16,680
and they had little booths where

739
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,230
the CW operators were
all along that wall.

740
00:31:19,230 --> 00:31:21,250
I can still see them.

741
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,360
Then over here was

742
00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,200
the landline and radio
teletype operators.

743
00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,870
Then there was a desk
over here that later on,

744
00:31:30,870 --> 00:31:33,960
I used as a office type when

745
00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,425
I was promoted and I didn't
do the teletype after that.

746
00:31:37,425 --> 00:31:41,280
>> I would imagine
that you may have had

747
00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,785
more communication
with the states

748
00:31:43,785 --> 00:31:45,090
back home in this position.

749
00:31:45,090 --> 00:31:46,545
Is that wrong or right?

750
00:31:46,545 --> 00:31:49,185
>> No. Mostly on the islands.

751
00:31:49,185 --> 00:31:52,380
And then we had a
cryptography machine

752
00:31:52,380 --> 00:31:55,260
which served as a
decoding machine,

753
00:31:55,260 --> 00:31:58,830
and we had a little
incinerary thing

754
00:31:58,830 --> 00:32:01,245
that if the jats would
come near anything,

755
00:32:01,245 --> 00:32:05,295
you had to put that on and
to integrate that machine.

756
00:32:05,295 --> 00:32:08,190
But I never had to use that.

757
00:32:08,190 --> 00:32:10,530
And then in my tent,

758
00:32:10,530 --> 00:32:15,240
they captured 30 Japanese one
morning before breakfast.

759
00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:20,205
Then another time I met a
friend there, Elsa Milner.

760
00:32:20,205 --> 00:32:22,485
He was from Chicago,

761
00:32:22,485 --> 00:32:24,900
and he was a good
Christian fellow and we

762
00:32:24,900 --> 00:32:27,300
had good Bible study
and prayer together,

763
00:32:27,300 --> 00:32:30,090
and we went up into
the hills to had

764
00:32:30,090 --> 00:32:33,900
prayer one afternoon and
while we were praying,

765
00:32:33,900 --> 00:32:38,010
we saw the sign stay
out, beware of Japs.

766
00:32:38,010 --> 00:32:41,460
We left then after we prayed.

767
00:32:41,460 --> 00:32:44,160
But of course, the
war was over at

768
00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:47,535
that time and it just
work came to an end.

769
00:32:47,535 --> 00:32:49,290
>> But tell me about

770
00:32:49,290 --> 00:32:52,410
those Japanese that were
captured near your tent.

771
00:32:52,410 --> 00:32:53,895
Explain that situation.

772
00:32:53,895 --> 00:32:55,740
>> We don't know what
happened to them

773
00:32:55,740 --> 00:32:59,010
because we weren't even
dressed. They took them away.

774
00:32:59,010 --> 00:33:02,220
But when they were to surrender,

775
00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:03,735
a lot of the Japanese,

776
00:33:03,735 --> 00:33:05,220
they call bloody hill.

777
00:33:05,220 --> 00:33:06,735
They call it bloody hill because

778
00:33:06,735 --> 00:33:09,270
37,000 Japanese committed

779
00:33:09,270 --> 00:33:11,520
suicide over that
hill and dropped down

780
00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,860
to the rocks below
whole families,

781
00:33:13,860 --> 00:33:15,900
children and all, and they call

782
00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:18,030
that bloody hill where
we took off on with

783
00:33:18,030 --> 00:33:22,445
our airplanes from that
bloody hill off that hill.

784
00:33:22,445 --> 00:33:23,630
>> So that was on Saipan?

785
00:33:23,630 --> 00:33:25,285
>> That was on Saipan.

786
00:33:25,285 --> 00:33:28,680
>> Was that mass
suicide during the war?

787
00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:30,585
>> After the war.

788
00:33:30,585 --> 00:33:34,155
In fact, some Japanese just

789
00:33:34,155 --> 00:33:37,965
surrendered just a couple of
years ago, all those years.

790
00:33:37,965 --> 00:33:39,510
They were hidden caves,

791
00:33:39,510 --> 00:33:41,475
they just didn't surrender.

792
00:33:41,475 --> 00:33:46,800
>> So your post was changed,

793
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,750
you had been on Saipan and

794
00:33:48,750 --> 00:33:50,970
then you were next
posted on Marcus island?

795
00:33:50,970 --> 00:33:52,335
>> Yes. We flew off to Marcus,

796
00:33:52,335 --> 00:33:54,465
we got onto a navy plane.

797
00:33:54,465 --> 00:33:56,250
That was the first
airplane ride I had,

798
00:33:56,250 --> 00:33:58,440
by the way, being
in the Air Force.

799
00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,075
I thought I'd have
more rides than that.

800
00:34:00,075 --> 00:34:01,710
But we got on this Navy plane,

801
00:34:01,710 --> 00:34:03,480
a little two engine plane.

802
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,355
All planes were propped then.

803
00:34:05,355 --> 00:34:08,055
They didn't have jets then.

804
00:34:08,055 --> 00:34:09,645
So when we got on,

805
00:34:09,645 --> 00:34:12,435
it was a smaller
plane and the pilot,

806
00:34:12,435 --> 00:34:15,750
he forgot his watch and I
had my watch on and he said,

807
00:34:15,750 --> 00:34:18,600
it they had no co
pilot with them.

808
00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:19,950
So he said, would
you come up and

809
00:34:19,950 --> 00:34:21,435
sit in the copilot seat,

810
00:34:21,435 --> 00:34:22,665
and then you have your watch?

811
00:34:22,665 --> 00:34:24,450
I said, Okay, so I enjoyed that.

812
00:34:24,450 --> 00:34:26,580
But as we were
ready to take off,

813
00:34:26,580 --> 00:34:28,155
the tail end when lift, he said,

814
00:34:28,155 --> 00:34:30,030
throw some of that bags
toward the front so

815
00:34:30,030 --> 00:34:31,620
the tail lifts and we

816
00:34:31,620 --> 00:34:33,480
were heading at the end
of the bloody ridge,

817
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,235
but we got up okay.

818
00:34:35,235 --> 00:34:38,070
And we flew to Marcus
island and I didn't

819
00:34:38,070 --> 00:34:40,995
know where Marcus island
was from any place.

820
00:34:40,995 --> 00:34:44,130
And he said we're arriving
at the Marcus island.

821
00:34:44,130 --> 00:34:46,395
We looked down and I
said, where is it I was

822
00:34:46,395 --> 00:34:48,720
East of Wajima It was

823
00:34:48,720 --> 00:34:50,520
an island a mile long and

824
00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,445
three quarters a mile wide
without a tree on it.

825
00:34:53,445 --> 00:34:56,055
It was white coral
rock with bushes.

826
00:34:56,055 --> 00:35:00,030
We came and landed, there
was a tower there where the

827
00:35:00,030 --> 00:35:04,035
Kamkoski twins from Buffalo
I met on that island,

828
00:35:04,035 --> 00:35:06,480
they were from Buffalo,
they were twins.

829
00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,490
I was just a short distance in

830
00:35:08,490 --> 00:35:12,670
the radio room when they
were up in the tower.

831
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:18,190
We lived in a tent there also.

832
00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:21,270
I was there for only
a couple of months.

833
00:35:21,270 --> 00:35:22,590
>> Duties in the radio room?

834
00:35:22,590 --> 00:35:24,150
>> In the radio room. Of course,

835
00:35:24,150 --> 00:35:26,655
I did more teletype.

836
00:35:26,655 --> 00:35:29,610
That was my main job.

837
00:35:29,610 --> 00:35:31,995
Then I also was a clerk

838
00:35:31,995 --> 00:35:35,430
taking teletype messages and
sorting them and putting

839
00:35:35,430 --> 00:35:37,800
them in different stalls where

840
00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:40,080
the lieutenant would come in

841
00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,960
and take some of them and
read them and so forth,

842
00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,285
and maybe give me an
assignment to send something

843
00:35:45,285 --> 00:35:48,060
out over the teletype.
So they'd come in.

844
00:35:48,060 --> 00:35:51,540
>> Do you remember any
particularly significant messages?

845
00:35:51,540 --> 00:35:53,745
>> No. I don't remember that.

846
00:35:53,745 --> 00:35:57,240
Only those that I sent
at Christmas time,

847
00:35:57,240 --> 00:36:00,990
but mainly and then there
was some weather reports,

848
00:36:00,990 --> 00:36:02,640
we would see what was going on,

849
00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:04,140
we'd send those out.

850
00:36:04,140 --> 00:36:10,620
>> So you recovered a Japanese
Bayonet on Marcus island.

851
00:36:10,620 --> 00:36:13,320
>> Yes, on Marcus Island.

852
00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:18,525
The island was about
one story deep.

853
00:36:18,525 --> 00:36:20,040
I think it was one story deep.

854
00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:21,330
They had hollowed out into

855
00:36:21,330 --> 00:36:23,340
the white coral rock
and down there was

856
00:36:23,340 --> 00:36:25,260
their radio room and

857
00:36:25,260 --> 00:36:26,865
their equipment was
still down there,

858
00:36:26,865 --> 00:36:30,225
and I saw this Bayonet and
I picked it up and I said,

859
00:36:30,225 --> 00:36:32,400
I'm going to take
that home with me and

860
00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:35,175
nobody opposed me doing it.

861
00:36:35,175 --> 00:36:37,305
So I took that into my tent

862
00:36:37,305 --> 00:36:39,555
but they had a radio
room down there.

863
00:36:39,555 --> 00:36:43,980
And I remember on Marcus Island.

864
00:36:43,980 --> 00:36:46,680
I was lying on my
bunk one night,

865
00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,160
memorizing scripture
verses and all of

866
00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,940
a sudden shots went over
my tent and I said wow.

867
00:36:53,940 --> 00:36:55,290
I rolled off onto the floor.

868
00:36:55,290 --> 00:36:57,430
I didn't know what
was coming off.

869
00:36:57,470 --> 00:37:00,795
Even though the war
was over at that time,

870
00:37:00,795 --> 00:37:04,110
they still had to
obey the orders.

871
00:37:04,110 --> 00:37:07,530
And the fellow
that was on guard,

872
00:37:07,530 --> 00:37:09,300
when you got near him,

873
00:37:09,300 --> 00:37:11,535
you'd say advance and
he had recognized.

874
00:37:11,535 --> 00:37:14,025
And this fellow
didn't say anything.

875
00:37:14,025 --> 00:37:17,070
He just kept coming and
he was shot by our guard.

876
00:37:17,070 --> 00:37:18,720
And we watched them operate on

877
00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:21,240
him and they were
running out of blood,

878
00:37:21,240 --> 00:37:22,380
so they flew him out
and I don't know

879
00:37:22,380 --> 00:37:23,925
what happened to him from there.

880
00:37:23,925 --> 00:37:25,560
But we were only there
a couple of months

881
00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:27,840
and then we flew to Guam.

882
00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,875
>> And before we
talk about Guam,

883
00:37:31,875 --> 00:37:34,110
can you tell me where were

884
00:37:34,110 --> 00:37:39,310
you when the atomic
bomb was dropped?

885
00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:44,190
>> I was still on
my way to Saipan.

886
00:37:44,190 --> 00:37:46,170
>> So that was in
that 17-day period.

887
00:37:46,170 --> 00:37:49,140
>> Well, it was right almost
when I got to Saipan.

888
00:37:49,140 --> 00:37:52,380
>> And do you remember
hearing the news of that?

889
00:37:52,380 --> 00:37:56,085
>> Yes. I heard it
from our officers.

890
00:37:56,085 --> 00:37:57,630
They told us about it.

891
00:37:57,630 --> 00:37:59,745
We didn't hear it otherwise.

892
00:37:59,745 --> 00:38:03,660
>> And what about the
end of the war, V-J Day?

893
00:38:03,660 --> 00:38:05,980
>> The end of the war.

894
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,005
Let's see, I was on Guam

895
00:38:10,005 --> 00:38:14,490
when MacArthur signed it

896
00:38:14,490 --> 00:38:18,480
on the truce,
that's where I was.

897
00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,610
So we didn't think much of that,

898
00:38:20,610 --> 00:38:21,900
but we were happy for it

899
00:38:21,900 --> 00:38:24,330
because we didn't
have to go to Japan.

900
00:38:24,330 --> 00:38:27,540
>> So then you were
moved to Guam and

901
00:38:27,540 --> 00:38:30,060
tell me about what
you did there,

902
00:38:30,060 --> 00:38:31,215
what you found on Guam.

903
00:38:31,215 --> 00:38:32,280
>> There on Guam,

904
00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:34,350
they took us to the
radio station again.

905
00:38:34,350 --> 00:38:37,450
Of course, we lived in,

906
00:38:37,490 --> 00:38:40,275
well, they were like barracks.

907
00:38:40,275 --> 00:38:43,050
They weren't actually tents.

908
00:38:43,050 --> 00:38:45,195
But anyway, we lived there

909
00:38:45,195 --> 00:38:47,970
four or five of us
in a in a group.

910
00:38:47,970 --> 00:38:51,795
And we went to the radio room,

911
00:38:51,795 --> 00:38:55,575
and there I was in charge
of the radio station.

912
00:38:55,575 --> 00:38:58,890
I got my sergeant
stripes and so I was in

913
00:38:58,890 --> 00:39:02,385
charge of all the workers
in there and I had a desk.

914
00:39:02,385 --> 00:39:03,870
Well, it was a thing

915
00:39:03,870 --> 00:39:08,355
with shelves that you put
different messages in.

916
00:39:08,355 --> 00:39:10,380
And I was called a message clerk

917
00:39:10,380 --> 00:39:13,365
for the whole room there.

918
00:39:13,365 --> 00:39:16,770
And so that was my
job there receiving

919
00:39:16,770 --> 00:39:18,000
messages and checking them

920
00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,340
and putting them in
different slots.

921
00:39:20,340 --> 00:39:22,455
>> How many men did you oversee?

922
00:39:22,455 --> 00:39:25,155
>> I'd say there was
around 30 in that room,

923
00:39:25,155 --> 00:39:31,785
10 each of CW and that
landline and radio teletype.

924
00:39:31,785 --> 00:39:35,100
>> And how long did
this posting last?

925
00:39:35,100 --> 00:39:37,450
>> That lasted,

926
00:39:38,300 --> 00:39:41,760
let's see, I got out in August.

927
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,420
I got there. It lasted
about three months.

928
00:39:45,420 --> 00:39:49,740
And then I was up for
staff sergeant promotion.

929
00:39:49,740 --> 00:39:52,350
But then we also got
orders that same

930
00:39:52,350 --> 00:39:56,040
day that my group was
going to ship home.

931
00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:58,290
I said, boy, I'm
not going to wait

932
00:39:58,290 --> 00:40:00,570
three weeks for staff
sergeant stripes.

933
00:40:00,570 --> 00:40:02,445
I want to go home
with my fellows.

934
00:40:02,445 --> 00:40:05,010
So we shipped back to Saipan,

935
00:40:05,010 --> 00:40:09,510
and then Saipan to Hawaii
and Hawaii to San Francisco.

936
00:40:09,510 --> 00:40:13,185
So that was our journey
on the USS Mendocino.

937
00:40:13,185 --> 00:40:15,840
>> And can you
describe the return

938
00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,230
into the San Francisco harbor?

939
00:40:19,230 --> 00:40:21,390
>> When we were coming in,

940
00:40:21,390 --> 00:40:24,060
of course, all of us, I have
pictures of it at home,

941
00:40:24,060 --> 00:40:26,445
I was on the gun tour

942
00:40:26,445 --> 00:40:28,380
with a bunch of fellows looking

943
00:40:28,380 --> 00:40:29,790
over the side of the ship.

944
00:40:29,790 --> 00:40:31,170
And as we were approaching

945
00:40:31,170 --> 00:40:34,365
San Francisco, we
passed Alcatraz.

946
00:40:34,365 --> 00:40:38,055
And then as we went under
the Golden Gate Bridge,

947
00:40:38,055 --> 00:40:40,080
then we got to the harbor at

948
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:41,910
San Francisco and it was

949
00:40:41,910 --> 00:40:44,400
crowded with people
welcoming us home.

950
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,515
And, of course, we
didn't have anybody

951
00:40:46,515 --> 00:40:47,910
welcome us home as far as

952
00:40:47,910 --> 00:40:49,860
family because they're
on the other coast.

953
00:40:49,860 --> 00:40:54,840
But anyway, we took
our baggage over

954
00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,420
our shoulders and walked
down the gangplank

955
00:40:57,420 --> 00:41:00,420
and there were all the
hugs and the hurrahs.

956
00:41:00,420 --> 00:41:02,730
It was exciting to be

957
00:41:02,730 --> 00:41:05,430
back in the good,
old USA. [LAUGHTER]

958
00:41:05,430 --> 00:41:07,470
>> Let me go back real quickly.

959
00:41:07,470 --> 00:41:10,380
So you said on Guam,

960
00:41:10,380 --> 00:41:12,105
you were the clerk in charge of

961
00:41:12,105 --> 00:41:14,340
cryptography there as well?

962
00:41:14,340 --> 00:41:15,885
>> No, not there.

963
00:41:15,885 --> 00:41:18,675
>> So that was only
[OVERLAPPING] back in Saipan.

964
00:41:18,675 --> 00:41:21,915
Could you describe cryptography?

965
00:41:21,915 --> 00:41:26,415
>> Cryptography was they
would send decoded messages.

966
00:41:26,415 --> 00:41:28,845
And of course, we would
have to send those

967
00:41:28,845 --> 00:41:31,875
unto whoever it was posted to,

968
00:41:31,875 --> 00:41:33,390
but we never knew
what the message

969
00:41:33,390 --> 00:41:37,485
was because that
was taboo for us.

970
00:41:37,485 --> 00:41:40,140
My mother got several letters

971
00:41:40,140 --> 00:41:42,750
from me with holes punched out.

972
00:41:42,750 --> 00:41:44,250
I wish she would have kept them.

973
00:41:44,250 --> 00:41:46,140
[LAUGHTER] I wanted to

974
00:41:46,140 --> 00:41:48,210
find out what I said that
I shouldn't have said.

975
00:41:48,210 --> 00:41:49,560
[LAUGHTER]

976
00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:51,840
>> So they had been censored?

977
00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:54,420
>> Yeah. They censored
all our mail.

978
00:41:54,420 --> 00:41:56,025
>> And who did the censoring?

979
00:41:56,025 --> 00:41:59,505
>> I don't know. It was
through the mail room.

980
00:41:59,505 --> 00:42:01,395
They just called us
to the mail room

981
00:42:01,395 --> 00:42:03,690
and we'd be outside
and they'd stand

982
00:42:03,690 --> 00:42:08,755
on a platform and yell out
our names if we had mail.

983
00:42:08,755 --> 00:42:11,075
And that's as far as we
got into the mail room.

984
00:42:11,075 --> 00:42:13,015
So I don't know who
did the censoring.

985
00:42:13,015 --> 00:42:14,550
>> Do you have any
idea of how long

986
00:42:14,550 --> 00:42:16,155
those letters took
to make it to you?

987
00:42:16,155 --> 00:42:19,470
>> No, because I got
letters quite frequently.

988
00:42:19,470 --> 00:42:26,940
And I got several
packages my mother sent.

989
00:42:26,940 --> 00:42:28,290
She didn't know any better and I

990
00:42:28,290 --> 00:42:30,450
didn't either in the heat.

991
00:42:30,450 --> 00:42:31,830
There was chocolates in it,

992
00:42:31,830 --> 00:42:33,900
and it was all stuck together,

993
00:42:33,900 --> 00:42:36,810
especially at Easter time
she had Easter stuffing.

994
00:42:36,810 --> 00:42:37,980
Whenever I got a package,

995
00:42:37,980 --> 00:42:39,840
the guys would all
gather around my bed.

996
00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:41,655
It didn't last long
in the package.

997
00:42:41,655 --> 00:42:43,590
We all delved into it and they

998
00:42:43,590 --> 00:42:45,600
had cookies with me
and whatever she

999
00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,550
had in there and
separate the chocolate

1000
00:42:47,550 --> 00:42:49,920
from the straw she hid in there.

1001
00:42:49,920 --> 00:42:55,080
[LAUGHTER] But that's what
we received our packages.

1002
00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:58,230
>> What news did your
mother report from home?

1003
00:42:58,230 --> 00:43:00,105
>> She'd just tell
what they were doing,

1004
00:43:00,105 --> 00:43:03,450
talk about the garden and
church and the family,

1005
00:43:03,450 --> 00:43:06,765
and then I just told
her what I was doing.

1006
00:43:06,765 --> 00:43:08,790
Maybe I shouldn't have
told her what I was doing.

1007
00:43:08,790 --> 00:43:11,070
I don't know, but I
never saw what she got.

1008
00:43:11,070 --> 00:43:12,630
[LAUGHTER]

1009
00:43:12,630 --> 00:43:15,150
>> So what camaraderie

1010
00:43:15,150 --> 00:43:18,000
developed between you
and these other fellows,

1011
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:19,305
the guys working for you?

1012
00:43:19,305 --> 00:43:25,275
>> Well, being a
Christian at the time,

1013
00:43:25,275 --> 00:43:27,750
I got a lot of razzing.

1014
00:43:27,750 --> 00:43:31,155
And I remember one day,

1015
00:43:31,155 --> 00:43:33,870
I had my Bible on

1016
00:43:33,870 --> 00:43:39,345
my bed and some of the
guys were jazzing me.

1017
00:43:39,345 --> 00:43:41,625
And there was a big
fellow from Texas,

1018
00:43:41,625 --> 00:43:42,840
I forget his name,

1019
00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:44,445
but he came to my rescue.

1020
00:43:44,445 --> 00:43:47,145
He said, "Did you read
that book he's reading?"

1021
00:43:47,145 --> 00:43:50,025
No. "Well, what are
you razzing him about?

1022
00:43:50,025 --> 00:43:52,620
Let him alone." Big fellow.

1023
00:43:52,620 --> 00:43:55,410
And then they knew I
didn't like gambling.

1024
00:43:55,410 --> 00:43:58,230
And one night, I was on

1025
00:43:58,230 --> 00:44:02,055
my upper bunk and we
had floors and lights,

1026
00:44:02,055 --> 00:44:05,145
I remember that, and they were

1027
00:44:05,145 --> 00:44:07,890
shooting dice and gambling on

1028
00:44:07,890 --> 00:44:10,620
the lower bunk and
it was bedtime.

1029
00:44:10,620 --> 00:44:12,780
I wanted to go to
sleep. And I got mad.

1030
00:44:12,780 --> 00:44:15,045
I took one of those
tubes out and I said,

1031
00:44:15,045 --> 00:44:16,605
"Guys, get out of here."

1032
00:44:16,605 --> 00:44:18,900
And that was a poor
witness as a Christian.

1033
00:44:18,900 --> 00:44:22,440
[LAUGHTER] And I put
the bulb back in.

1034
00:44:22,440 --> 00:44:25,785
I said I'm sorry and I went
to bed and they dispersed.

1035
00:44:25,785 --> 00:44:30,255
But some of those things
happened while I was there.

1036
00:44:30,255 --> 00:44:33,180
And then another time
on Marcus Island,

1037
00:44:33,180 --> 00:44:36,450
I was memorizing
scripture verses

1038
00:44:36,450 --> 00:44:38,220
and some of the guys they said,

1039
00:44:38,220 --> 00:44:39,660
"Webber, you're going
to go to the theater

1040
00:44:39,660 --> 00:44:40,890
whether you like it or not."

1041
00:44:40,890 --> 00:44:42,360
And the four of
them picked me up

1042
00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:44,415
bodily and carried me out.

1043
00:44:44,415 --> 00:44:45,705
And while they were doing, I

1044
00:44:45,705 --> 00:44:46,935
had my scripture verse said,

1045
00:44:46,935 --> 00:44:48,360
"While there hath no temptation

1046
00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:49,950
taken you but such
as is common to man,

1047
00:44:49,950 --> 00:44:51,600
but God is faithful,
who will not suffer

1048
00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:53,400
you to be tempted above
that you're able,

1049
00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:54,870
but will make a way to escape

1050
00:44:54,870 --> 00:44:56,280
that ye may be able to bear it."

1051
00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:58,140
And they dropped me
like a hot potato.

1052
00:44:58,140 --> 00:45:01,815
I wasn't any fun [LAUGHTER]
because I didn't resist.

1053
00:45:01,815 --> 00:45:03,465
They thought I would resist.

1054
00:45:03,465 --> 00:45:06,795
>> Well, so this calling
that you experienced,

1055
00:45:06,795 --> 00:45:08,370
was that derived from

1056
00:45:08,370 --> 00:45:11,145
childhood or did it
happen suddenly?

1057
00:45:11,145 --> 00:45:13,140
>> I should have
told you that when I

1058
00:45:13,140 --> 00:45:15,330
was in Shepherd Field, Texas.

1059
00:45:15,330 --> 00:45:17,190
Of course, we were taught to

1060
00:45:17,190 --> 00:45:19,065
witness to people
about the Lord,

1061
00:45:19,065 --> 00:45:21,570
but I was fresh,

1062
00:45:21,570 --> 00:45:23,190
only three years a Christian.

1063
00:45:23,190 --> 00:45:24,840
So I read my Bible when

1064
00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:27,300
no one was around and
prayed when no one saw me.

1065
00:45:27,300 --> 00:45:29,235
Real witness.

1066
00:45:29,235 --> 00:45:31,140
But the barracks
was empty one day,

1067
00:45:31,140 --> 00:45:32,730
so I went upstairs into

1068
00:45:32,730 --> 00:45:35,715
an upper room that had old
mattresses and springs,

1069
00:45:35,715 --> 00:45:38,565
and I was up there with
the Lord for three hours.

1070
00:45:38,565 --> 00:45:41,640
And while I was praying and
having my do with the Lord

1071
00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:45,210
and my condemnation
for not witnessing,

1072
00:45:45,210 --> 00:45:49,500
the Lord said, "I want you
to go into the ministry."

1073
00:45:49,500 --> 00:45:52,365
I said, "Lord, I only had
two years of high school.

1074
00:45:52,365 --> 00:45:53,640
I quit high school.

1075
00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:55,125
What if I do my schooling?"

1076
00:45:55,125 --> 00:45:57,165
I was talking to hhim
just like He was there.

1077
00:45:57,165 --> 00:45:58,560
And he said, "Don't worry

1078
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:00,240
about that, I'll
take care of that."

1079
00:46:00,240 --> 00:46:02,250
So that's where I got
my calling to go to

1080
00:46:02,250 --> 00:46:04,275
preach while I was
in that upper room.

1081
00:46:04,275 --> 00:46:06,690
And from that time, I was
singing going down the stairs,

1082
00:46:06,690 --> 00:46:08,325
I didn't care who heard me.

1083
00:46:08,325 --> 00:46:11,790
And from there I was a witness.

1084
00:46:11,790 --> 00:46:14,550
>> And that continued all
through your time overseas?

1085
00:46:14,550 --> 00:46:15,600
>> Right. In fact,

1086
00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:17,985
when I was overseas in Saipan,

1087
00:46:17,985 --> 00:46:21,015
I think I told you
I was whistling

1088
00:46:21,015 --> 00:46:22,710
that song and I met

1089
00:46:22,710 --> 00:46:25,920
the sergeant and he
was a Christian too,

1090
00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:27,210
and so we had Bible studies

1091
00:46:27,210 --> 00:46:30,660
together from then on
while he was there.

1092
00:46:30,660 --> 00:46:33,885
>> So tell me about the
chaplains that were there.

1093
00:46:33,885 --> 00:46:37,395
What was the religion generally?

1094
00:46:37,395 --> 00:46:41,170
>> Well, one chaplain I
had was a presbyterian.

1095
00:46:41,900 --> 00:46:44,880
At first, I was going to
be assistant chaplain,

1096
00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:46,665
but I didn't want to do that.

1097
00:46:46,665 --> 00:46:48,540
And I couldn't officially

1098
00:46:48,540 --> 00:46:51,960
anyway because of my lack
of education for that.

1099
00:46:51,960 --> 00:46:55,590
But we had nice services.
They were formal.

1100
00:46:55,590 --> 00:46:57,705
And even on the ship,

1101
00:46:57,705 --> 00:46:59,640
I got a picture of us

1102
00:46:59,640 --> 00:47:01,350
all gathered on top
of the deck with

1103
00:47:01,350 --> 00:47:03,300
the chaplain and
they had one for the

1104
00:47:03,300 --> 00:47:04,740
Jewish and one for the Catholic

1105
00:47:04,740 --> 00:47:06,165
and one for the Protestants.

1106
00:47:06,165 --> 00:47:08,730
And, of course, they
had on our dog tags,

1107
00:47:08,730 --> 00:47:10,320
P for Protestants,

1108
00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:13,080
and then our blood
tag a blood type

1109
00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:16,815
O that was on dog tags too.

1110
00:47:16,815 --> 00:47:20,535
But we had a good relationship
with our chaplains.

1111
00:47:20,535 --> 00:47:23,200
They had it wherever we were.

1112
00:47:23,740 --> 00:47:28,550
They held a lot of
the places on Saipan.

1113
00:47:28,550 --> 00:47:30,710
Now they held our services in

1114
00:47:30,710 --> 00:47:33,260
the open-air theater
was nice and warm,

1115
00:47:33,260 --> 00:47:36,460
so we had them there for
a lot of our services.

1116
00:47:36,460 --> 00:47:39,030
>> So you were talking about
the entertainment like

1117
00:47:39,030 --> 00:47:42,100
going to watch the movie.

1118
00:47:42,590 --> 00:47:44,910
What were some of
the other types of

1119
00:47:44,910 --> 00:47:46,980
entertainment that were
available for service?

1120
00:47:46,980 --> 00:47:51,750
>> Most of the guys were
shooting dice and betting

1121
00:47:51,750 --> 00:47:53,910
on one another and some

1122
00:47:53,910 --> 00:47:56,730
for cigarettes and some for
this and some for that,

1123
00:47:56,730 --> 00:47:58,320
which I wasn't interested in.

1124
00:47:58,320 --> 00:47:59,610
And then, of course,
when we were in

1125
00:47:59,610 --> 00:48:01,200
the States, we'd go into town.

1126
00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,885
And I went to the
Victory Center always,

1127
00:48:03,885 --> 00:48:05,730
which was a Christian
place where

1128
00:48:05,730 --> 00:48:08,925
the other guys lived it
up in town and I didn't.

1129
00:48:08,925 --> 00:48:11,355
So I was the oddball.

1130
00:48:11,355 --> 00:48:16,149
But I didn't care. I was a
bullheaded German. [LAUGHTER]

1131
00:48:16,149 --> 00:48:20,075
So when were you discharged?

1132
00:48:20,075 --> 00:48:22,580
>> This was in August.

1133
00:48:22,580 --> 00:48:24,110
I don't know the exact date,

1134
00:48:24,110 --> 00:48:28,445
but it was the latter
part of August of 1946.

1135
00:48:28,445 --> 00:48:33,050
And they took me
back to Trenton,

1136
00:48:33,050 --> 00:48:36,155
New Jersey, for our discharge.

1137
00:48:36,155 --> 00:48:42,050
When we first hit shore in San
Francisco, we were cruddy.

1138
00:48:42,050 --> 00:48:43,880
And so we went to
the barber shop,

1139
00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:45,785
we told him, give us the works.

1140
00:48:45,785 --> 00:48:47,630
So they gave us a manicure,

1141
00:48:47,630 --> 00:48:50,300
they washed our hair,
and did everything.

1142
00:48:50,300 --> 00:48:51,755
We said, give us the works.

1143
00:48:51,755 --> 00:48:55,490
And then I think

1144
00:48:55,490 --> 00:48:58,235
we took a train back to
Trenton, New Jersey.

1145
00:48:58,235 --> 00:49:00,635
And then there we got
our honorable discharge,

1146
00:49:00,635 --> 00:49:03,650
and then I took a train
to Buffalo and we arrived

1147
00:49:03,650 --> 00:49:07,460
at the New York Central Station
at 3:00 in the morning.

1148
00:49:07,460 --> 00:49:09,860
And it was too early to go home,

1149
00:49:09,860 --> 00:49:12,560
so I laid on the bench
and slept a little bit.

1150
00:49:12,560 --> 00:49:15,200
At about 5:00, I
woke up and called

1151
00:49:15,200 --> 00:49:19,115
a taxi and headed for
Cheektowaga to our home,

1152
00:49:19,115 --> 00:49:24,125
and I got off the taxi out
of the taxi on that morning,

1153
00:49:24,125 --> 00:49:26,180
I forget what day it was.

1154
00:49:26,180 --> 00:49:28,370
But it was a nice day.

1155
00:49:28,370 --> 00:49:30,710
And I looked over at the garden,

1156
00:49:30,710 --> 00:49:32,075
it was beautifully kept.

1157
00:49:32,075 --> 00:49:34,340
My dad was particularly
nice garden

1158
00:49:34,340 --> 00:49:37,325
there and the sign in the
window, welcome home, Dick.

1159
00:49:37,325 --> 00:49:39,035
And they knew I was coming home.

1160
00:49:39,035 --> 00:49:41,060
And so I walked in
the driveway and as

1161
00:49:41,060 --> 00:49:43,220
I got looking at the garden,

1162
00:49:43,220 --> 00:49:44,540
by the door flew open,

1163
00:49:44,540 --> 00:49:48,560
my mother came out in her
robe and she, "Welcome home."

1164
00:49:48,560 --> 00:49:50,300
And then the rest of the family,

1165
00:49:50,300 --> 00:49:52,595
my dad and brother and sister.

1166
00:49:52,595 --> 00:49:56,540
And that was my welcome
home. Wonderful.

1167
00:49:56,540 --> 00:49:59,120
>> Yes. So tell me about

1168
00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:02,705
completing high
school in New York.

1169
00:50:02,705 --> 00:50:06,815
>> I know I had to do something
about my high school.

1170
00:50:06,815 --> 00:50:10,250
I went to the Def High School
afterwards and I said,

1171
00:50:10,250 --> 00:50:13,145
"What can I do to finish
my last two years?"

1172
00:50:13,145 --> 00:50:16,880
And they said, "Well, New
York State Regions Board

1173
00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:20,240
has a special program
for veterans returning,

1174
00:50:20,240 --> 00:50:22,250
and it's a four months period,

1175
00:50:22,250 --> 00:50:25,460
and you go to Buffalo to
the school and they give

1176
00:50:25,460 --> 00:50:28,775
you credit for your
phys ed credits,

1177
00:50:28,775 --> 00:50:31,700
three credits for your basic
training and so forth."

1178
00:50:31,700 --> 00:50:33,425
Then for your travels,

1179
00:50:33,425 --> 00:50:37,580
they had a regions program,

1180
00:50:37,580 --> 00:50:40,160
world history and
American background.

1181
00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:42,530
When you took that,
and if you pass that,

1182
00:50:42,530 --> 00:50:45,020
they gave you three credits
for that because of

1183
00:50:45,020 --> 00:50:47,705
travels and so forth
and passing the test.

1184
00:50:47,705 --> 00:50:49,580
Then they had English,

1185
00:50:49,580 --> 00:50:51,470
third and fourth English test,

1186
00:50:51,470 --> 00:50:53,390
that if you pass
that, you got that.

1187
00:50:53,390 --> 00:50:57,095
You had to have 19 credits
to graduate. I had 20.

1188
00:50:57,095 --> 00:51:00,140
So I graduated, but

1189
00:51:00,140 --> 00:51:02,150
I was going to go
to Moody Bilens

1190
00:51:02,150 --> 00:51:04,205
because of my friend
that was there.

1191
00:51:04,205 --> 00:51:06,980
I went there, took
my folks with me,

1192
00:51:06,980 --> 00:51:09,095
and I was going to enroll,

1193
00:51:09,095 --> 00:51:11,735
five bucks to enroll.

1194
00:51:11,735 --> 00:51:15,020
Well, I got home and a
preacher friend of mine said,

1195
00:51:15,020 --> 00:51:17,000
"Well, why don't you go to
Roberts Weslyan College,

1196
00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:20,270
it's only 50 miles
instead of 500 miles

1197
00:51:20,270 --> 00:51:23,885
and you get a degree instead
of a Bible certificate."

1198
00:51:23,885 --> 00:51:25,820
I said, "Oh, that sounds good."

1199
00:51:25,820 --> 00:51:28,790
So I went to Roberts
Junior College, it was.

1200
00:51:28,790 --> 00:51:30,860
So I went there and they said,

1201
00:51:30,860 --> 00:51:32,060
"Well, we'll accept you,

1202
00:51:32,060 --> 00:51:33,350
but you got to

1203
00:51:33,350 --> 00:51:39,875
take math and you've got to
take language more of that,

1204
00:51:39,875 --> 00:51:42,740
not enough of it
with your college."

1205
00:51:42,740 --> 00:51:45,020
So my first year at
college was rough.

1206
00:51:45,020 --> 00:51:48,650
I had rough because I
traveled with a quartet.

1207
00:51:48,650 --> 00:51:53,045
I was in a school quartet
called the Evangels,

1208
00:51:53,045 --> 00:51:56,330
so I was gone every weekend
and hit 30 camp meetings

1209
00:51:56,330 --> 00:52:00,455
one summer and trying to do
my homework at the same time.

1210
00:52:00,455 --> 00:52:02,000
So my first year wasn't good.

1211
00:52:02,000 --> 00:52:03,545
It wasn't an A year,

1212
00:52:03,545 --> 00:52:06,185
and it wasn't a
full B year either,

1213
00:52:06,185 --> 00:52:08,315
but I got through it.

1214
00:52:08,315 --> 00:52:11,135
Then the second year was better,

1215
00:52:11,135 --> 00:52:12,785
and then at school,

1216
00:52:12,785 --> 00:52:15,380
I got involved with
the ministerial.

1217
00:52:15,380 --> 00:52:19,205
I got involved with
the radio program.

1218
00:52:19,205 --> 00:52:21,530
I was a disc jockey for a while.

1219
00:52:21,530 --> 00:52:24,710
I did lots of things
at the college.

1220
00:52:24,710 --> 00:52:27,485
And then the second
year was better,

1221
00:52:27,485 --> 00:52:29,270
I was President of Ministerial,

1222
00:52:29,270 --> 00:52:33,935
amd then we preached
outside of Roberts,

1223
00:52:33,935 --> 00:52:35,405
the missions and so forth.

1224
00:52:35,405 --> 00:52:37,400
And then the second year,

1225
00:52:37,400 --> 00:52:40,835
I graduated from
Roberts Junior College.

1226
00:52:40,835 --> 00:52:42,380
Well, I didn't know
what I was going to do,

1227
00:52:42,380 --> 00:52:43,865
but New York State

1228
00:52:43,865 --> 00:52:46,505
allowed Roberts to put
on their third year,

1229
00:52:46,505 --> 00:52:49,085
so I went the third
year at Roberts,

1230
00:52:49,085 --> 00:52:51,260
and then they added
the fourth year.

1231
00:52:51,260 --> 00:52:53,540
So I was able to go four years.

1232
00:52:53,540 --> 00:52:57,230
But on graduation, Roberts
was not able to give us

1233
00:52:57,230 --> 00:52:59,030
our degree unless they

1234
00:52:59,030 --> 00:53:01,910
were a four-year
college for five years,

1235
00:53:01,910 --> 00:53:05,375
so I got my degree from the
University of New York,

1236
00:53:05,375 --> 00:53:07,145
which was better, really.

1237
00:53:07,145 --> 00:53:10,820
Then from there, I went home and

1238
00:53:10,820 --> 00:53:12,275
continued a little church that

1239
00:53:12,275 --> 00:53:14,600
we had started at
my aunt's basement.

1240
00:53:14,600 --> 00:53:18,080
And then, of course, during
the course of my ministry,

1241
00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:21,455
I got two honorary
doctor's degrees,

1242
00:53:21,455 --> 00:53:24,500
one from Worldwide
Accrediting from Richmond,

1243
00:53:24,500 --> 00:53:27,650
Virginia, and another one

1244
00:53:27,650 --> 00:53:30,425
from the Atlantic
Bible Seminary.

1245
00:53:30,425 --> 00:53:32,450
>> Go back to starting

1246
00:53:32,450 --> 00:53:34,010
that church in your
aunt's basement.

1247
00:53:34,010 --> 00:53:36,020
Tell me that from its beginning.

1248
00:53:36,020 --> 00:53:37,700
>> Well, a preacher friend

1249
00:53:37,700 --> 00:53:39,230
that got me to go to Roberts,

1250
00:53:39,230 --> 00:53:43,310
he helped my aunt start a
school in my aunt's basement.

1251
00:53:43,310 --> 00:53:45,740
And her basement when
she built her house,

1252
00:53:45,740 --> 00:53:48,320
it wasn't high enough
for the floor,

1253
00:53:48,320 --> 00:53:49,895
so they had to fill in

1254
00:53:49,895 --> 00:53:52,310
causing the basement
to be real short.

1255
00:53:52,310 --> 00:53:53,630
So when I preached,

1256
00:53:53,630 --> 00:53:55,790
I had to preach
between the rafters,

1257
00:53:55,790 --> 00:53:57,500
and if I got excited,

1258
00:53:57,500 --> 00:53:58,880
I bumped the rafters.

1259
00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:00,710
And I played a Hawaiian guitar.

1260
00:54:00,710 --> 00:54:02,315
My mother liked Hawaiian music,

1261
00:54:02,315 --> 00:54:04,220
so I played Hawaiian guitar,

1262
00:54:04,220 --> 00:54:06,080
and to play it in
that damp basement,

1263
00:54:06,080 --> 00:54:07,160
I had to put rubbers on,

1264
00:54:07,160 --> 00:54:09,305
otherwise, I would get a shock.

1265
00:54:09,305 --> 00:54:12,470
And we had a couple of other
orchestra fellas in there.

1266
00:54:12,470 --> 00:54:14,825
And we had an old pump
organ that we used,

1267
00:54:14,825 --> 00:54:16,670
somebody played the pump organ.

1268
00:54:16,670 --> 00:54:19,940
And we stayed in her basement
till we reached about 80.

1269
00:54:19,940 --> 00:54:21,380
And then we found out about

1270
00:54:21,380 --> 00:54:23,930
this United Brethren
Church called Blossom,

1271
00:54:23,930 --> 00:54:26,255
New York, not too far from us.

1272
00:54:26,255 --> 00:54:28,325
They wanted to
sell their church.

1273
00:54:28,325 --> 00:54:30,245
So we asked how much
they wanted for it.

1274
00:54:30,245 --> 00:54:32,240
Well, the Lutheran Church across

1275
00:54:32,240 --> 00:54:34,655
the street wanted to buy
it for another purpose,

1276
00:54:34,655 --> 00:54:36,440
and they offered them 4,000.

1277
00:54:36,440 --> 00:54:38,990
It was an old church
with a high steeple,

1278
00:54:38,990 --> 00:54:41,585
seated about 150 people.

1279
00:54:41,585 --> 00:54:45,305
And we offered them
$2,000 or $3,000.

1280
00:54:45,305 --> 00:54:47,510
And they wanted to keep
it open for the gospel,

1281
00:54:47,510 --> 00:54:49,115
so they sold it to us.

1282
00:54:49,115 --> 00:54:51,080
So we moved there with

1283
00:54:51,080 --> 00:54:53,510
our little group and
we were there for

1284
00:54:53,510 --> 00:54:55,580
five years and we did a lot of

1285
00:54:55,580 --> 00:54:58,280
crazy things as a
first time pastor,

1286
00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:00,770
and we dropped leaflets
from an airplane.

1287
00:55:00,770 --> 00:55:03,680
One of our members was a pilot
and he had his own plane,

1288
00:55:03,680 --> 00:55:06,245
so I went up after service
and we dropped leaflets.

1289
00:55:06,245 --> 00:55:12,335
We held a parade to advertise
our Sunday school contest.

1290
00:55:12,335 --> 00:55:15,350
And so we had the police
escort with an open truck with

1291
00:55:15,350 --> 00:55:16,775
our orchestra in
it and we marched

1292
00:55:16,775 --> 00:55:19,385
behind it and I drove the
school bus behind it.

1293
00:55:19,385 --> 00:55:22,910
We did that and then we released

1294
00:55:22,910 --> 00:55:25,910
homing pigeons one
Sunday with messages on

1295
00:55:25,910 --> 00:55:28,745
them to advertise the church.

1296
00:55:28,745 --> 00:55:31,985
We did a lot of crazy things
as a first time pastor.

1297
00:55:31,985 --> 00:55:33,560
But we grew, and then we got

1298
00:55:33,560 --> 00:55:37,685
a full page spread in the
Christian Life magazine,

1299
00:55:37,685 --> 00:55:39,500
it was a national magazine,

1300
00:55:39,500 --> 00:55:42,485
with a picture of our contest.

1301
00:55:42,485 --> 00:55:44,675
We got interested for that.

1302
00:55:44,675 --> 00:55:46,520
So that was our first church.

1303
00:55:46,520 --> 00:55:48,650
>> Tell me about
meeting your wife.

1304
00:55:48,650 --> 00:55:51,490
>> All right. While
I was at Roberts.

1305
00:55:51,490 --> 00:55:54,330
Of course, in the parlors,

1306
00:55:54,330 --> 00:55:55,440
they called it the parlors,

1307
00:55:55,440 --> 00:55:56,820
it was in the girls' dorm,

1308
00:55:56,820 --> 00:55:58,695
but it was a parlor
for everybody,

1309
00:55:58,695 --> 00:56:00,180
and there was a
piano in there and

1310
00:56:00,180 --> 00:56:02,130
we'd gather around
singing around the piano.

1311
00:56:02,130 --> 00:56:04,635
So Faith's sister was

1312
00:56:04,635 --> 00:56:09,070
at the school and her brother
was in my class, Paul.

1313
00:56:15,380 --> 00:56:20,250
He stayed in the
barracks with me

1314
00:56:20,250 --> 00:56:26,190
and his sister was in
the school and mayday,

1315
00:56:26,190 --> 00:56:27,945
and Faith came to visit.

1316
00:56:27,945 --> 00:56:29,940
And I was playing the piano,

1317
00:56:29,940 --> 00:56:31,260
and Joy and her were

1318
00:56:31,260 --> 00:56:33,255
watching me play and
then they asked,

1319
00:56:33,255 --> 00:56:34,725
Well, where did he take lessons?

1320
00:56:34,725 --> 00:56:37,905
I said, Eastman School of
Music, just to pass it out.

1321
00:56:37,905 --> 00:56:40,800
I never took lessons
and her sister said,

1322
00:56:40,800 --> 00:56:43,065
why that [inaudible] he
never took any lessons.

1323
00:56:43,065 --> 00:56:44,790
That's how I met faith.

1324
00:56:44,790 --> 00:56:48,315
Then we wrote letters and
then our letters crossed.

1325
00:56:48,315 --> 00:56:49,860
Then she sent me a picture which

1326
00:56:49,860 --> 00:56:51,270
he brother used
to take away from

1327
00:56:51,270 --> 00:56:54,270
me all the time and I'd have
to get it from his room,

1328
00:56:54,270 --> 00:56:55,695
but that's how I met faith.

1329
00:56:55,695 --> 00:56:58,800
And she had a sister
Joy, Grace, Hope,

1330
00:56:58,800 --> 00:57:01,140
and hers was Faith,
and one brother Paul,

1331
00:57:01,140 --> 00:57:03,705
who they showed charity to.

1332
00:57:03,705 --> 00:57:07,930
>> So when did you marry?

1333
00:57:08,330 --> 00:57:11,910
>> Let's see. I
graduated in '51.

1334
00:57:11,910 --> 00:57:14,580
And then I pastored
for a year before

1335
00:57:14,580 --> 00:57:17,385
we met and so we married in '52,

1336
00:57:17,385 --> 00:57:20,760
June 14, 1952, and every year,

1337
00:57:20,760 --> 00:57:24,405
the nation puts flags
out for our anniversary.

1338
00:57:24,405 --> 00:57:26,640
>> So was she involved with

1339
00:57:26,640 --> 00:57:28,740
the church that you [inaudible]?

1340
00:57:28,740 --> 00:57:31,485
>> Yes. She was the
pianist for a while.

1341
00:57:31,485 --> 00:57:34,380
And then she taught
class and worked with

1342
00:57:34,380 --> 00:57:35,610
the young people and

1343
00:57:35,610 --> 00:57:38,580
the juniors and so forth.
She was very busy.

1344
00:57:38,580 --> 00:57:41,775
>> Now, tell me about
moving to Florida.

1345
00:57:41,775 --> 00:57:44,520
>> Okay. After our
second church,

1346
00:57:44,520 --> 00:57:47,595
it was in the
outside of Dunkirk.

1347
00:57:47,595 --> 00:57:49,635
It was so cold.

1348
00:57:49,635 --> 00:57:53,160
Our phone number was
called was Yukon.

1349
00:57:53,160 --> 00:57:57,420
That was the number
before the letters.

1350
00:57:57,420 --> 00:57:59,775
It got so bad the snow,

1351
00:57:59,775 --> 00:58:03,695
you couldn't even see
the school bus come by.

1352
00:58:03,695 --> 00:58:06,920
And I drove school
bus and we have

1353
00:58:06,920 --> 00:58:10,295
to duck underneath the
telegraph wires to get milk.

1354
00:58:10,295 --> 00:58:12,140
It was a farm church and

1355
00:58:12,140 --> 00:58:14,545
we got raw milk
from the farmers.

1356
00:58:14,545 --> 00:58:16,500
And I got pictures of it

1357
00:58:16,500 --> 00:58:19,500
where a speaker was
coming to our church one

1358
00:58:19,500 --> 00:58:23,100
Sunday and he got to our
church on Saturday morning

1359
00:58:23,100 --> 00:58:25,080
and parked the car
in the front of

1360
00:58:25,080 --> 00:58:27,615
our parsonage and
Sunday morning,

1361
00:58:27,615 --> 00:58:29,850
all you could see
was 6" of his car.

1362
00:58:29,850 --> 00:58:31,740
It was covered. Of course,

1363
00:58:31,740 --> 00:58:33,375
we had no church that Sunday.

1364
00:58:33,375 --> 00:58:36,000
But we were there
for three years,

1365
00:58:36,000 --> 00:58:40,395
and I had bad sinus
in that region.

1366
00:58:40,395 --> 00:58:41,610
So we left there,

1367
00:58:41,610 --> 00:58:44,535
and then I taught school
several years in Buffalo.

1368
00:58:44,535 --> 00:58:46,605
And then we had friends,

1369
00:58:46,605 --> 00:58:48,165
relatives lived in Florida,

1370
00:58:48,165 --> 00:58:49,755
Newport Richey, Florida.

1371
00:58:49,755 --> 00:58:53,055
Well, that was actually
Holly Springs where he was.

1372
00:58:53,055 --> 00:58:54,750
They said, come on
down to Florida.

1373
00:58:54,750 --> 00:58:55,800
Then I thought, well,

1374
00:58:55,800 --> 00:58:57,630
I'll try to teach
at the Bible school

1375
00:58:57,630 --> 00:58:58,755
at Dunedin, Florida.

1376
00:58:58,755 --> 00:59:02,220
So I flew down there and
met with the president,

1377
00:59:02,220 --> 00:59:04,530
picked me up at the
airport and he said,

1378
00:59:04,530 --> 00:59:06,450
we'd like to have you
teach at our Bible school,

1379
00:59:06,450 --> 00:59:08,475
but you have three children.

1380
00:59:08,475 --> 00:59:10,200
And you'd have to
have another job.

1381
00:59:10,200 --> 00:59:11,775
We couldn't pay you enough.

1382
00:59:11,775 --> 00:59:13,260
So that was out.

1383
00:59:13,260 --> 00:59:16,530
So I rented a car and
went to Newport Richey,

1384
00:59:16,530 --> 00:59:18,825
and looked it over and
went to the school.

1385
00:59:18,825 --> 00:59:20,505
They had no vacancy there.

1386
00:59:20,505 --> 00:59:22,035
I was going to teach there.

1387
00:59:22,035 --> 00:59:26,640
So then I flew home without
a promise of a job.

1388
00:59:26,640 --> 00:59:29,340
So I kept teaching in
Buffalo and Faith was doing

1389
00:59:29,340 --> 00:59:31,260
nursing in Buffalo for

1390
00:59:31,260 --> 00:59:34,320
those two years and I was
preaching on the side.

1391
00:59:34,320 --> 00:59:38,490
So then we decided we're going
to go to Florida anyway.

1392
00:59:38,490 --> 00:59:41,325
We're going to build a home.

1393
00:59:41,325 --> 00:59:43,290
So I saved my tithe money,

1394
00:59:43,290 --> 00:59:44,610
bought some song
books, I was going to

1395
00:59:44,610 --> 00:59:46,740
start a church down
in Newport Richey.

1396
00:59:46,740 --> 00:59:48,510
So we drove down there,

1397
00:59:48,510 --> 00:59:50,940
we left in June and we

1398
00:59:50,940 --> 00:59:54,135
had no paycheck from
June until October.

1399
00:59:54,135 --> 00:59:56,340
And so we live by faith.

1400
00:59:56,340 --> 00:59:58,950
And I took Genesis
15 when Abraham

1401
00:59:58,950 --> 01:00:01,770
was told by the Lord
to leave your family

1402
01:00:01,770 --> 01:00:03,660
and friends and go to

1403
01:00:03,660 --> 01:00:07,305
another country and I'll
be a blessing to you,

1404
01:00:07,305 --> 01:00:09,540
but you have to be a
blessing to others.

1405
01:00:09,540 --> 01:00:14,250
So I took that verse and
Genesis 12: 1, 2, and 3.

1406
01:00:14,250 --> 01:00:17,820
So we went to Florida and
our house wasn't finished,

1407
01:00:17,820 --> 01:00:19,440
that we were building,
so we stayed

1408
01:00:19,440 --> 01:00:21,150
with the builders' shack.

1409
01:00:21,150 --> 01:00:23,550
It was so filled with
bugs, it wasn't funny.

1410
01:00:23,550 --> 01:00:25,155
But we stayed there for a

1411
01:00:25,155 --> 01:00:27,540
for a month or so and
then went into our house.

1412
01:00:27,540 --> 01:00:28,680
Then we started to go to

1413
01:00:28,680 --> 01:00:31,755
this Boulevard Bible
church that had a split.

1414
01:00:31,755 --> 01:00:33,150
They didn't have a
church, but they had

1415
01:00:33,150 --> 01:00:34,710
a Sunday school building that

1416
01:00:34,710 --> 01:00:36,540
seated about 100 and something.

1417
01:00:36,540 --> 01:00:39,360
So we started there with our
children and then started

1418
01:00:39,360 --> 01:00:42,150
prayer meeting at our home and

1419
01:00:42,150 --> 01:00:44,850
then we needed a place
to have a church

1420
01:00:44,850 --> 01:00:48,060
so we looked and we found a
place at the police station.

1421
01:00:48,060 --> 01:00:49,560
It had a room in there, it seat

1422
01:00:49,560 --> 01:00:51,600
125 people with a

1423
01:00:51,600 --> 01:00:54,360
[inaudible] in it and they
gave it to us for free.

1424
01:00:54,360 --> 01:00:56,280
So the first Sunday,

1425
01:00:56,280 --> 01:00:58,020
I put a sign and we
had a sign made,

1426
01:00:58,020 --> 01:01:01,080
I put it on the sidewalk
and a lady came

1427
01:01:01,080 --> 01:01:05,290
in and was converted to the
Lord that first Sunday.

1428
01:01:05,510 --> 01:01:09,795
That was in November and
then just before Christmas,

1429
01:01:09,795 --> 01:01:13,380
the trustees from
Boulevard Bible Church

1430
01:01:13,380 --> 01:01:14,430
came to our house.

1431
01:01:14,430 --> 01:01:16,195
He said, Brother Webber,

1432
01:01:16,195 --> 01:01:17,555
we need a preacher.

1433
01:01:17,555 --> 01:01:19,490
You need a church.
How much calling

1434
01:01:19,490 --> 01:01:21,910
would you do for $30 a week?

1435
01:01:21,910 --> 01:01:23,520
And I said, Well, last week,

1436
01:01:23,520 --> 01:01:26,010
I made 60-something
calls without any pay.

1437
01:01:26,010 --> 01:01:29,220
So I said, We'll pray
about it. So we did.

1438
01:01:29,220 --> 01:01:30,810
So then they had
me preached and I

1439
01:01:30,810 --> 01:01:32,730
preached several times
for them before.

1440
01:01:32,730 --> 01:01:36,345
So January, they took
me in as their pastor.

1441
01:01:36,345 --> 01:01:37,395
>> What church was that?

1442
01:01:37,395 --> 01:01:38,910
>> Boulevard Bible Church.

1443
01:01:38,910 --> 01:01:40,620
So then I became their pastor.

1444
01:01:40,620 --> 01:01:43,515
They only had 19 members
and 35 in Sunday school.

1445
01:01:43,515 --> 01:01:51,870
But then I was assistant
teaching at the high school.

1446
01:01:51,870 --> 01:01:55,905
But then one day while I
was teaching in September,

1447
01:01:55,905 --> 01:01:57,540
the teacher was out and I

1448
01:01:57,540 --> 01:01:59,370
had to go to get
his lesson plans,

1449
01:01:59,370 --> 01:02:00,510
and when I went to his house,

1450
01:02:00,510 --> 01:02:02,550
he was shooting
drugs up his arm.

1451
01:02:02,550 --> 01:02:06,240
So I had to report that to
the principal and they said,

1452
01:02:06,240 --> 01:02:07,500
Mr. Webber, would you take

1453
01:02:07,500 --> 01:02:10,185
his job permanently
for this year?

1454
01:02:10,185 --> 01:02:13,170
So then I taught ninth
and tenth grade English

1455
01:02:13,170 --> 01:02:14,670
at Gulf High School.

1456
01:02:14,670 --> 01:02:19,755
So that supplemented
my $30 a week.

1457
01:02:19,755 --> 01:02:22,440
>> So you're saying that you had

1458
01:02:22,440 --> 01:02:24,960
to teach school to
make ends meet?

1459
01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:28,215
>> Yes. I was
substituting before that,

1460
01:02:28,215 --> 01:02:31,260
filling in different schools
but then they asked me to

1461
01:02:31,260 --> 01:02:32,730
take it permanent
when we found this

1462
01:02:32,730 --> 01:02:34,275
and then I got this lesson pass.

1463
01:02:34,275 --> 01:02:37,455
So I taught there for a
year and then of course,

1464
01:02:37,455 --> 01:02:38,910
after the first year,

1465
01:02:38,910 --> 01:02:40,320
we packed that building out.

1466
01:02:40,320 --> 01:02:42,270
There was no room for
anybody so I told

1467
01:02:42,270 --> 01:02:43,230
them we're going
to have to build

1468
01:02:43,230 --> 01:02:44,340
and some didn't want to I said,

1469
01:02:44,340 --> 01:02:45,480
well, if you don't
want to build,

1470
01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:47,175
you got the wrong preacher.

1471
01:02:47,175 --> 01:02:49,785
But they were willing to build.

1472
01:02:49,785 --> 01:02:52,560
So we build a nice
church, seat 400.

1473
01:02:52,560 --> 01:02:55,155
And when we left after

1474
01:02:55,155 --> 01:03:01,815
almost six years we
were running 02-400.

1475
01:03:01,815 --> 01:03:04,170
So when did you
start working for

1476
01:03:04,170 --> 01:03:06,585
the Oriental missionary society?

1477
01:03:06,585 --> 01:03:07,905
>> While we were passing at

1478
01:03:07,905 --> 01:03:11,955
the Boulevard Bible Church
we had missions conferences.

1479
01:03:11,955 --> 01:03:14,100
And so we had the
OMS come in for

1480
01:03:14,100 --> 01:03:16,365
our missionary conference
in different missionaries,

1481
01:03:16,365 --> 01:03:18,360
and one of them
was Ernest Kilborn

1482
01:03:18,360 --> 01:03:22,605
whose grandfather was
co-founder of OMS back in 1904.

1483
01:03:22,605 --> 01:03:26,280
And so he called one
night and he said,

1484
01:03:26,280 --> 01:03:27,495
Do you have a place for

1485
01:03:27,495 --> 01:03:29,760
a little old missionary
to lay his head tonight?

1486
01:03:29,760 --> 01:03:30,900
This was on a Sunday night.

1487
01:03:30,900 --> 01:03:33,150
Come on in Ernie. He
was there before.

1488
01:03:33,150 --> 01:03:34,470
So he came in and he sat around

1489
01:03:34,470 --> 01:03:36,810
the table having
refreshments and he said,

1490
01:03:36,810 --> 01:03:38,220
No Dick, I want you to take

1491
01:03:38,220 --> 01:03:40,335
the regional office
in Atlanta, Georgia.

1492
01:03:40,335 --> 01:03:42,615
It involves eight
Southern states.

1493
01:03:42,615 --> 01:03:44,805
We want you to be in charge of.

1494
01:03:44,805 --> 01:03:46,170
I said, No, I'd like to preach.

1495
01:03:46,170 --> 01:03:48,915
I'm called to preach not
to be a regional man.

1496
01:03:48,915 --> 01:03:50,520
They say, you can
preach all you want,

1497
01:03:50,520 --> 01:03:52,410
but you're going to hold
missionary conferences.

1498
01:03:52,410 --> 01:03:54,405
I said No, I don't think so.

1499
01:03:54,405 --> 01:03:57,870
So we went to bed and
next day he left,

1500
01:03:57,870 --> 01:03:59,160
he said, Well, I'm going to send

1501
01:03:59,160 --> 01:04:01,005
you an application anyway.

1502
01:04:01,005 --> 01:04:03,030
Sure enough, an application came

1503
01:04:03,030 --> 01:04:05,220
from headquarters,
Greenwood, Indiana.

1504
01:04:05,220 --> 01:04:07,110
So we looked at that and we

1505
01:04:07,110 --> 01:04:09,195
hadn't prayed about
it for one thing,

1506
01:04:09,195 --> 01:04:11,940
so we got the application,
we read it over,

1507
01:04:11,940 --> 01:04:13,170
we prayed about it and we said,

1508
01:04:13,170 --> 01:04:14,955
Well, we'll fill
out and send it in.

1509
01:04:14,955 --> 01:04:16,485
Well, they accepted us.

1510
01:04:16,485 --> 01:04:22,350
So that was in May of 68.

1511
01:04:22,350 --> 01:04:25,260
And then I preached
the rest of the year,

1512
01:04:25,260 --> 01:04:28,470
and I gave a last
sermon December of 68,

1513
01:04:28,470 --> 01:04:31,935
and then we joined
OMS January 69.

1514
01:04:31,935 --> 01:04:33,825
>> So that brought
you to Georgia?

1515
01:04:33,825 --> 01:04:35,655
>> That brought us to Georgia.

1516
01:04:35,655 --> 01:04:37,410
That's where the office was.

1517
01:04:37,410 --> 01:04:38,910
>> Where did you
settle in Georgia?

1518
01:04:38,910 --> 01:04:41,730
>> In Greenberg down

1519
01:04:41,730 --> 01:04:44,985
in South Georgia near
Greenbriar Mall,

1520
01:04:44,985 --> 01:04:47,655
down in that section.
So we were there.

1521
01:04:47,655 --> 01:04:49,980
Let's see 69, 70,

1522
01:04:49,980 --> 01:04:53,220
and then 71, it got
bad down there.

1523
01:04:53,220 --> 01:04:55,770
The police were there and we

1524
01:04:55,770 --> 01:04:58,290
had cars come in and
hit our car harp port

1525
01:04:58,290 --> 01:05:03,345
and purses that were
stolen from the mall.

1526
01:05:03,345 --> 01:05:06,600
Police were in the
parking lot shooting it

1527
01:05:06,600 --> 01:05:10,035
out with and so they moved
us to Marietta then.

1528
01:05:10,035 --> 01:05:12,915
And that's where we were
there for a couple of years.

1529
01:05:12,915 --> 01:05:18,045
And then we moved
to Canton in 76,

1530
01:05:18,045 --> 01:05:22,065
I think it was. Yeah, 1976.

1531
01:05:22,065 --> 01:05:23,850
>> How many children
do you have?

1532
01:05:23,850 --> 01:05:25,050
>> We have three children.

1533
01:05:25,050 --> 01:05:26,385
Daniel is the oldest.

1534
01:05:26,385 --> 01:05:30,110
He's 62, going to be 63 in

1535
01:05:30,110 --> 01:05:33,410
July 30th and then

1536
01:05:33,410 --> 01:05:35,900
Darryl was our second
one. He's in Vermont.

1537
01:05:35,900 --> 01:05:39,365
He'll be 62. And then Dawn,

1538
01:05:39,365 --> 01:05:42,725
six seven years later, she's 54.

1539
01:05:42,725 --> 01:05:44,500
She lives in Kinasa.

1540
01:05:44,500 --> 01:05:48,420
Dan went to Asbury College,

1541
01:05:48,420 --> 01:05:50,640
and then he got his masters

1542
01:05:50,640 --> 01:05:55,050
at Cincinnati
Conservatory in music.

1543
01:05:55,050 --> 01:05:57,540
He taught two years in Iowa,

1544
01:05:57,540 --> 01:06:00,840
got a full scholarship at
Cincinnati Conservatory.

1545
01:06:00,840 --> 01:06:03,480
And he said, if you want to
major in music for a living,

1546
01:06:03,480 --> 01:06:05,370
make sure you have food stamps.

1547
01:06:05,370 --> 01:06:12,750
So he got a job with Warner
Brothers at a radio station,

1548
01:06:12,750 --> 01:06:19,065
and he interviewed
intellectuals on TV.

1549
01:06:19,065 --> 01:06:24,495
But then he heard of this
job at, what was it face?

1550
01:06:24,495 --> 01:06:28,480
Anyway, he got a job doing.

1551
01:06:34,550 --> 01:06:35,650
>> [inaudible]

1552
01:06:35,650 --> 01:06:36,630
>> I can't think of it now.

1553
01:06:36,630 --> 01:06:38,220
But I blame it on my age.

1554
01:06:38,220 --> 01:06:39,510
I forget so much.

1555
01:06:39,510 --> 01:06:41,460
But he was financial advisor.

1556
01:06:41,460 --> 01:06:42,285
>> I see.

1557
01:06:42,285 --> 01:06:44,280
>> And so he's been
there ever since.

1558
01:06:44,280 --> 01:06:45,975
He's the first vice president

1559
01:06:45,975 --> 01:06:49,290
now and in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1560
01:06:49,290 --> 01:06:52,755
And he took his son in
this year as co-partner.

1561
01:06:52,755 --> 01:06:56,430
So that's his job and
now Darryl in Vermont.

1562
01:06:56,430 --> 01:06:59,940
He's in finances also
through overseas.

1563
01:06:59,940 --> 01:07:01,485
He does a lot of computer work.

1564
01:07:01,485 --> 01:07:04,560
And then our daughters in
Kinasa teaching in school.

1565
01:07:04,560 --> 01:07:06,375
>> So are you still preaching?

1566
01:07:06,375 --> 01:07:08,040
>> Yes, and not steady,

1567
01:07:08,040 --> 01:07:09,930
but wherever I get called,

1568
01:07:09,930 --> 01:07:12,105
I preach at our
church in Marietta,

1569
01:07:12,105 --> 01:07:14,265
Canton, Cartersville,

1570
01:07:14,265 --> 01:07:16,650
and then I teach Sunday school
class when I get a chance.

1571
01:07:16,650 --> 01:07:19,230
So wherever I can, I fill in.

1572
01:07:19,230 --> 01:07:22,020
>> So I want to refer to
something we talked about

1573
01:07:22,020 --> 01:07:25,185
earlier in the interview.

1574
01:07:25,185 --> 01:07:27,105
You said that at Bootcamp,

1575
01:07:27,105 --> 01:07:29,595
you were there with two fellows

1576
01:07:29,595 --> 01:07:31,920
from New York. Guys
that you knew.

1577
01:07:31,920 --> 01:07:32,220
>> Yes.

1578
01:07:32,220 --> 01:07:33,330
>> Can you tell me about this?

1579
01:07:33,330 --> 01:07:37,305
>> All right. When I
flew to Marcus Island,

1580
01:07:37,305 --> 01:07:40,410
I met these two fellas
on Marcus Island.

1581
01:07:40,410 --> 01:07:42,060
They were tower operators.

1582
01:07:42,060 --> 01:07:48,720
And one was Walter and well,

1583
01:07:48,720 --> 01:07:50,460
anyway, two of the fellas,

1584
01:07:50,460 --> 01:07:54,225
and they were from
Buffalo and twins,

1585
01:07:54,225 --> 01:07:56,430
and we got to a
nice relationship.

1586
01:07:56,430 --> 01:07:58,410
In fact, we had such
a good relationship.

1587
01:07:58,410 --> 01:08:00,390
While they worked in
the tower at night,

1588
01:08:00,390 --> 01:08:04,755
we had access to
the dining hall,

1589
01:08:04,755 --> 01:08:08,760
and I'd go over and go
up into the tower and we

1590
01:08:08,760 --> 01:08:10,680
had nice juicy steaks

1591
01:08:10,680 --> 01:08:13,665
fried in butter up
there in the tower.

1592
01:08:13,665 --> 01:08:17,505
We do that during the night
while we were together.

1593
01:08:17,505 --> 01:08:20,595
>> What about the two
guys at Bootcamp?

1594
01:08:20,595 --> 01:08:24,390
There was one that
went into Navy.

1595
01:08:24,390 --> 01:08:26,010
>> Well, they went
to separate camps.

1596
01:08:26,010 --> 01:08:27,360
They didn't go to
the same camp as I

1597
01:08:27,360 --> 01:08:29,490
did because I went
to the Air Force.

1598
01:08:29,490 --> 01:08:31,620
>> So tell me about them,
you were in line with

1599
01:08:31,620 --> 01:08:33,630
them and what happened to
them later in the war?

1600
01:08:33,630 --> 01:08:37,770
>> Well, all I know is that
they didn't come back.

1601
01:08:37,770 --> 01:08:39,210
One was in the Army,

1602
01:08:39,210 --> 01:08:40,410
one was in the Navy.

1603
01:08:40,410 --> 01:08:44,235
I never heard anything from
them from the time we left.

1604
01:08:44,235 --> 01:08:46,125
So that's the last
I heard of them.

1605
01:08:46,125 --> 01:08:47,700
>> And they were from
your [OVERLAPPING].

1606
01:08:47,700 --> 01:08:50,295
>> They were right from
my hometown, Cheektowaga.

1607
01:08:50,295 --> 01:08:52,860
In fact, it was his
pond that we used to

1608
01:08:52,860 --> 01:08:55,845
skate on. Brown's Pond.

1609
01:08:55,845 --> 01:08:58,380
>> So Mr. Webber,

1610
01:08:58,380 --> 01:09:01,575
what does your military
service mean to you today?

1611
01:09:01,575 --> 01:09:04,635
>> Well, for me, it's an honor.

1612
01:09:04,635 --> 01:09:07,455
It was an honor. It's so
different than the other.

1613
01:09:07,455 --> 01:09:09,660
When the Vietnam war
was breaking out,

1614
01:09:09,660 --> 01:09:15,705
there was such a war that
wasn't there to win.

1615
01:09:15,705 --> 01:09:18,525
And our war everybody
was together.

1616
01:09:18,525 --> 01:09:19,905
There was real unity.

1617
01:09:19,905 --> 01:09:24,270
Everybody was for us and
they treated us like heroes.

1618
01:09:24,270 --> 01:09:25,815
It was just wonderful.

1619
01:09:25,815 --> 01:09:27,270
We actually felt we didn't

1620
01:09:27,270 --> 01:09:30,510
deserve all the blessings
that they bestowed upon us.

1621
01:09:30,510 --> 01:09:32,370
And even to this day,

1622
01:09:32,370 --> 01:09:34,335
they're so good to us

1623
01:09:34,335 --> 01:09:37,260
and then when they see
a World War II veteran,

1624
01:09:37,260 --> 01:09:39,675
well, there's a few of us left.

1625
01:09:39,675 --> 01:09:42,120
But I'll just give
you an example.

1626
01:09:42,120 --> 01:09:45,780
I was at Costco one day and
I had this hat on and I

1627
01:09:45,780 --> 01:09:50,565
only had two items in my hand
and they were about $40.

1628
01:09:50,565 --> 01:09:53,220
There was a big line and
I went friend I said,

1629
01:09:53,220 --> 01:09:54,840
would you mind if I got ahead

1630
01:09:54,840 --> 01:09:56,670
of you with these two items?

1631
01:09:56,670 --> 01:09:58,110
He said go right ahead.

1632
01:09:58,110 --> 01:10:00,120
So I got waited

1633
01:10:00,120 --> 01:10:02,040
on and the lady that I
left behind she said,

1634
01:10:02,040 --> 01:10:05,955
now put that on my
bill. She paid for it.

1635
01:10:05,955 --> 01:10:08,265
They were so gracious,

1636
01:10:08,265 --> 01:10:11,010
and we find that that's
true wherever we go.

1637
01:10:11,010 --> 01:10:13,740
They're very very cordial to us.

1638
01:10:13,740 --> 01:10:15,795
So I feel it was a real honor.

1639
01:10:15,795 --> 01:10:18,480
Now, my brother, he
was supposed to go in,

1640
01:10:18,480 --> 01:10:20,685
but he had a heart problem,

1641
01:10:20,685 --> 01:10:22,800
and so he was classified as 4F,

1642
01:10:22,800 --> 01:10:24,510
so he never went in,

1643
01:10:24,510 --> 01:10:27,075
but he's had a heart
problem ever since.

1644
01:10:27,075 --> 01:10:28,890
>> And you're a
member of the VFW?

1645
01:10:28,890 --> 01:10:31,740
>> VFW, and the American legion.

1646
01:10:31,740 --> 01:10:34,410
>> And tell me about
those organizations.

1647
01:10:34,410 --> 01:10:36,285
>> Well, the American
Legion, of course,

1648
01:10:36,285 --> 01:10:38,985
you have to be in the service

1649
01:10:38,985 --> 01:10:42,360
and have served so much time.

1650
01:10:42,360 --> 01:10:45,345
But with the VFW you
had to serve overseas.

1651
01:10:45,345 --> 01:10:49,890
They won't accept anybody that
wasn't overseas or was in.

1652
01:10:49,890 --> 01:10:52,410
They want you to be
in that you been

1653
01:10:52,410 --> 01:10:55,110
in during the war, if possible.

1654
01:10:55,110 --> 01:10:57,540
But they've changed somewhat,

1655
01:10:57,540 --> 01:11:04,320
but I went to the VFW
because I didn't like

1656
01:11:04,320 --> 01:11:07,390
the VFW in Akron

1657
01:11:07,670 --> 01:11:11,280
Georgia because they I

1658
01:11:11,280 --> 01:11:12,780
don't like it when
they have a bar in it.

1659
01:11:12,780 --> 01:11:13,890
It smells terrible.

1660
01:11:13,890 --> 01:11:16,245
I don't like the smell
of the booze in it,

1661
01:11:16,245 --> 01:11:18,585
and the one where I go and
Marietta don't have it.

1662
01:11:18,585 --> 01:11:20,130
And so that's why I'm there.

1663
01:11:20,130 --> 01:11:23,010
And I had friends from the
American Legion members

1664
01:11:23,010 --> 01:11:24,570
there that got us in there.

1665
01:11:24,570 --> 01:11:26,535
So that's why I go there. We go

1666
01:11:26,535 --> 01:11:29,190
the first Thursday
of every month.

1667
01:11:29,190 --> 01:11:31,530
>> So is there anything
else you'd like to add?

1668
01:11:31,530 --> 01:11:33,120
>> No, but I appreciate

1669
01:11:33,120 --> 01:11:36,810
your kindness and
appreciate your asking us.

1670
01:11:36,810 --> 01:11:38,925
This is the first
interview I've done

1671
01:11:38,925 --> 01:11:41,850
in such an extreme manner.

1672
01:11:41,850 --> 01:11:45,000
But you've been very gracious
and so is everybody else,

1673
01:11:45,000 --> 01:11:46,260
and we thank you for it.

1674
01:11:46,260 --> 01:11:47,505
>> Well, thank you so much,

1675
01:11:47,505 --> 01:11:49,665
Richard Webber, and
we'll end there.

1676
01:11:49,665 --> 01:11:51,400
>> Thank you.