This months newsletter is a little sparse!!! But fun all the same, so enjoy!
Grandma & Grandpa:
Family:
January 8,1952 was the date that I was formally inducted into the military service of the United States. This induction ceremony took place at Fort Douglas Utah and was exactly two months after Donna and I were sealed as husband and wife. After the ceremony we new inductees were bussed by the army to the train station in Salt Lake City where we boarded a train headed to Fort Lewis Washington. Even though I had traveled this route just over three months earlier in the reverse direction I didn’t consider it a sentimental journey; I was now headed away from my sweetheart.
I spent about two weeks at Fort Lewis, located near Tacoma, where I learned some of the expectations of the army during my period of service. We were issued army clothing, had our pictures taken (see above), filled out many documents and received fun assignments of cleaning and other worthwhile disciplines. Toward the end of January I along with several other of my fellow privates were placed on a two propeller plane and sent to Camp Roberts California to begin basic training which lasted eight weeks once it got started. Two weeks into basic training I was allowed to attend LDS church service on base. It had been several weeks since an association with anyone of like moral values so this brief hour was very welcome. During basic training I was asked to choose from several options. I could sign up to serve for an extended period in the army and attend OCS (Officer Candidate School) at Fort Benning Georgia or become an infantry soldier with sixteen weeks basic training or choose from several specialty courses. I chose radio-operators school which lasted another eight weeks there at Camp Roberts.
At the conclusion of basic training, I could live off base so Donna joined me and we rented a one-room apartment in Paso Robles near the Camp Roberts. I was permitted to leave base each day but had to be back for roll call at six am each morning. I was free at noon on Saturday till Monday morning at 6:00. Paso Robles had a small Branch of the Church consisting mostly of army personnel and wives. Weekends were wonderful.
All good things have a way of ending. The time came when I finished training at Camp Roberts and received orders to embark for the Far East Command which meant Korea at that time. Donna And I went home to Salt Lake for a two-week furlough before I left for overseas. I think it was sometime in July 1952 that I boarded a troopship near San Francisco and sailed for Korea with an overnight stop in Japan to receive battle equipment. Upon arriving in Inchon Korea we were placed on a train at night and headed for Seoul and on to our final destination in army trucks. My assignment was with the 5th RCT (Regimental Combat Team) as a headquarters radio operator. My delightful experiences in Korea over the next eleven months must wait for another occasion to be told. I arrived back home to Donna and Ron about a year after leaving and a good time was had by all.
It has been a wonderful life. This is your Genesis Story. Love ya.
Ron & Maud Mary Family:
Brent, Melissa & Boys:
We are all doing well! We enjoyed the Westover Reunion, although we need to work on Elf and camping. He didn’t have too much fun sleeping in a tent! Mom W and girls did a great job with the reunion and there was always something to do! We enjoyed the time away from home and the cooler weather!
Bear and Bug are excited to start school in a couple of weeks and we are all VERY excited that Elf’s adoption was finalized! YEA! We look forward to having him sealed to us this weekend!
Dan & Verna Family:
As you know, we have recently expanded our family and lost one of our family. Lacie moved to Price last week. She is living with a girlfriend in a trailer. It is small but adequate. I so miss her. The day she left, the girls all played switch it change it and Tanya is now the proud owner of Lacie's room, KaRanda is now in Tanya's old room, Kara is now in a room by herself, (some may call it the family room), Faith is by herself and Courtney is by herself. That leaves one room....MY OH MY...What shall we do? We can't have an empty room in our house, (enter Anthony) What a delightful little person Anthony is. Yes, he is in the empty bedroom. No, he doesn't take much space. He is our newest family member. He is 2 years old. Yes, two years old. We love him. He has totally and completely put all of us under his little two year old spell. The girls fight over who gets to take care of him except at night. That is mom's domain. He is a keeper!! The rest of us are getting ready for the trail back to school. We start on August 19. Courtney and Tanya will be in High School. KaRanda in 7th grade, Kara in 5th grade and Faith in 4th grade. Anthony will be in Jamie's daycare. Tanya just got her first part-time job. She is so excited. She will be at Stewart's Grocery store. So if anyone is in the area of Castle Dale, look her up. She is paying for a cell phone. YIPEE!! Dan is finishing up summer semester and will soon have a couple of weeks off from school. Happy Day! That's all folks! ((((SCREECH>>>>)
In case Robert doesn't send in info, Davey is on the Ferron Youth Council. Staying very busy. Tristan will be in all day Kindergarten this upcoming year. TyTy will be half day preschool. John and Liz have moved to Orem to live with her mom for a few months. Liz still has her good and bad days with her pregnancy. But seems to be doing better. We can't wait to find out if Sara Sibling is a boy or a girl. Stay tuned for next month. OK. That is all for now. Verna
Brandon, Suzanne & Keaton:
July was so crazy that we ended the month with colds. Brandon's work had a party at boondocks and Keaton rode in his first Go-kart and bumper boat (Keaton drove and Brandon was dizzy and soaked). Keaton also enjoyed playing wack-a-mole and miniature golf. He got scared at the end of the 18th hole when the lizard blew fire out of its mouth. He was very tired when we got home but wanted to play with all the toys he had won. He now plays a mean harmonica. On separate occasions, Brandon also got to enjoy some bowling and golfing with his co-workers.
Keaton and Brandon took their new found "kids craft time" at Lowes and built a cool looking dune-buggy. Keaton is very proud of the projects that they've completed. We also hit Lagoon for our annual Stake Lagoon day. The day would have been free if we didn't have to pay for $8 parking. Keaton loved music express and tilt-a-whirl. The merry-go-round though was something he could do without. We invited our next door neighbors and Keaton shared his snack with Hannah during the Broadway show.
We had a great time at the Family reunion. Keaton loved that he got to see Captain Hook. He enjoyed making swords, ice cream, churros, fishing for pirate treasure and shooting down Wendy-bird with bow and arrows. He collected a chestful of pirate coins to purchase trinkets. He loved jumping on the trampolines, being pushed on the swings and making a bottle rocket. Suzanne got to stretch her craft skills and we all enjoyed visiting with family.
In the last week of July, we spent time with Suzanne's brother's family visiting from Phoenix. We took family pictures, did a lot of chatting and went swimming. It was quite the busy month for us but we lived through it, now we are just trying to get Keaton's bedtime back to or close to what it was before July. We hope everyone is well and congrats to all those that are expecting.
Gary & Bev Family:
Gary And Bev have had a wonderful crazy month! The first week was spent with kids and grandkids in Park City. We had so much fun golfing, swimming, & shopping. Since it was the 4th of July, we went to the parade and watched fireworks. We were home for a week then met Kellen and Camille in Las Vegas to help them move down here. They are living with us now. Kellen will start law school on Aug 18. The last week in July we went to San Diego to a wedding. It was so good to be in San Diego were it was cool weather and to visit friends. Yes we have driven a lot of miles this month but things should settle down now.
Dwayne & Patty Family:
Hal & Diana Family:
