1951
Back in the Service
We were getting along comfortably on our income, and things were going smoothly. We felt we were having just about our nicest Christmas ever. Then, the day after Christmas, Bob opened that letter received that day that began . . ."Greetings. . ." He was being called up for active duty with his specialized training, this time during the Korean War. He had to report once again to Bainbridge Island -- this time to learn Russian characters on the typewriter while he copied from the code.
Opal and Bill with their children, Kristi and now Ricky were living in Mom and George's house next to us, and the first part of January, Kristi said to Barry, "Scratch my back for me?" He did, and she came down with a case of chicken pox the next day! Of course, we knew it soon would be Barry's turn for chicken pox.
Getting things squared away, Bob reported to Port Blakely. There he met another sailor from Spokane, Bob Lowell. The two fellows came to Spokane to get their families, and return with us to the Island. On January 28, 1951, we all piled into our old Plymouth and headed out. There were eight of us; the two Bobs, Betty Lowell, their two little boys, Barry, Nikki, and me. We were so crowded we could hardly breathe!
We got as far as Moses Lake (1/3 of the way there) and the car broke down. The men had to leave us in order to get back to the base. Betty and I and our four children got a motel for overnight and had the car repaired and ready to go the next day. Now, we thought we would get into Bainbridge that day.
Ellensburg was as far as we got (2/3 of the way this time) and the car broke down again! One more night in a motel, some more repairs, and Barry broke out with chicken pox! Betty graciously said, "Oh, well, we're all of us in the same boat together!" True, we lived together until the men finished their training . . . and her boys came down with chicken pox!
It was a harrowing experience driving Snoqualmie Pass in the winter. We had to put on chains in order to be allowed to continue. (A driver stopped to help us.)
Vividly, I remember feeling the car slipping out of control as we rounded a curve while descending on the snow-packed road of the pass, meeting a huge semi truck coming up. I was sliding into his lane. Just off the shoulder, the mountain went straight down. Luckily, the truck driver stayed a straight course in his own lane, for I just was able to straighten my car back into my lane and we were able to pass each other. A close call!
Mom and George moved into our house to "housesit" for us while we were gone. We were glad they could live there to keep the heat on and other utilities going. Opal and Bill were at that time living in Mom and George's house.
This time on Bainbridge Island we rented a pleasant place and our two families lived together for about two months. Betty wanted to get back to her home in Spokane so she could see her own doctor, as she was six-months' pregnant, and due in June. She left before the men were through with their training.
The former occupant of our rented house had suffered a mental breakdown and her family rented out her house until she could recover. She had been a teacher, and I discovered some wonderful childrens books. Winnie the Pooh, Thornton Burgess stories, and a first grade reader, Fun with Dick and Jane. Somehow, the Dick and Jane book got mixed in with our belongings when we moved back home. Barry learned to read the whole book before he began Kindergarten.
Betty left for Spokane and I was patiently waiting until Bob finished his training. He was either going to be sent to Guam or Casablanca. I read to Barry and Nikki, made lots of popcorn, carved a boat out of a piece of wood, listened to the March wind, and wondered where Bob would be sent, and how our lives would be changed while we were apart.
On April 20, Bob and Bob Lowell were off for Guam. They flew there and were to be stationed on Guam for 18 months. Then after six months, arrangements could be made for thier wives to join them there.
On Guam, Bob met Gene Westfall, a sailor who was from Spokane. They became very good friends years later when they happened to meet in a radio shop in Spokane. Gene, of course became a radio amateur too (K7EUA). Bob and Gene were considerably better and faster in copying International Code than most of the "ham" operators because of their Naval training.
 Bob Nance
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On Guam, the living quarters were in quonset huts. The fellows spent a lot of time watching movies and swimming. They referred to western pictures as "Horse Sh-- and Gunsmoke" movies. They went swimming at a place commonly known as "Bare |
Back in Spokane, Betty had her baby at Fairchild Hospital. Another boy. I was on hand to bring her home, and got arrested. When I was being pulled over by the policeman, I had no idea what I was being stopped for. He told me I had faulty equipment, must pay the ticket and pay to get the old car repaired.
One night I was driving the kids to a movie and Barry said "That car ahead of us has two tail lights." I asked him, "Well, doesn't ours have two tail lights?" He told me, "I don't know if you knew it, Mom, but ours is an old kind of a car!"
Bob Lowell was understandibly itching to get out of the service. Because of his two children, and a baby due, he had been applying for a hardship discharge. After the birth of the third child, he finally got the discharge. The first part of July, he left Guam by ship and headed for the long haul to San Francisco for his separation.
Meanwhile, Bob had been expecting to stay on Guam another 15 months. While on duty and copying an incoming message called an ALNAV, he almost fell over as he read:
He got the processes rolling, and was soon on a plane for San Francisco.
Walking into the separation center. "The very first person I saw was Bob Lowell, and he looked at me as though he had seen a ghost!" After all, Bob Lowell had tried his darndest to get out of the Navy and never had he thought that Bob would beat him to a discharge!
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