03/29/2024
Thoughts While Shaving
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Thoughts While ShavingCorrection, the Shriner’s Fish Fry is not today, as I stated yesterday, it’s a week from today.  After a week of turkey and ham, fish next Wednesday will be wonderful.  Plan now to attend.  Proceeds benefit cripple children.

We celebrate many occasions related to sacrifices by of our military, and all are very deserving, but, I have been thinking about a monument off NC 210 near Ivanhoe, in Bladen County that was erected by residents of the area in memory of four World War II Aviators killed in a nearby crash, and we hear little about them.  (Diagram that sentence, if you can).  The inscription:

” In memory of:

Lt. Richard G. Shipley, age 23, Fresno, Cal.

Lt. Howard R. Johnson, Jr., Age 23, Sheffield, Tex.

Sgt. Robert M. Anderson, Age 23, San Ysidro, Cal.

Sgt. Roger H. Knowlton, Age 22, Rochester, N.Y.

Troop Carrier Command of the United States Army Air Corps, who were killed in the line of duty when the army airplane in which they were flying crashed on the night of August 27, 1943, two and one half miles west of this point.”

The monument is near the intersection of 210 and Old Whitehall Road and may be seen from the highway when there is little vegetation, if my memory is not playing games.  From E-town, travel NC 41 past White Lake, turn right on NC 210 and look to the right, not sure how far down.

My maternal grand mom was from the area and we were made aware of it when we visited kinfolk.

Remember when nuts and hard candy were a necessary part of Christmas stocking stuffers.  Brazilian nuts, English walnuts, peppermint candy and there were more, all used to fill stockings hanging from the mantle.  Under the tree could be an orange, tangerine, and maybe an apple, a home made baseball bat or maybe a ball made from twine left over from harvesting tobacco.

Good ole’ days????

“We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.”  Winston S. Churchill

“It is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it.”  Gen. Douglas MacArthur

“Lead me, follow me, or get h— out of my way”   Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.

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