One week SAM and ME have been house guests of DALLAS LOVEJOY in the city of HURRICANE, West Virginia. I have had the pleasure to work with DALLAS manicuring his and his (recently deceased) Wife's home gardens and lawns, including adjacent West Virginia DOT (Department of Transportation) property - part of Interstate I-64.
DALLAS has a daily routine, which includes eating lunch at the Senior Center and evening dinner at the local ARBY's ( which restaurant has hands down the best quality and nurishing menu of any Fast Food competitors.
DALLAS has included me in visits with local family, Church events, and two local dances...Western Style. Our taste in TV options, however, is a bit apart.
Route 60 traveling through the local city of NITRO...at one time after World War I, perhaps the largest gun-powder manufacturing plant in the world. Putting NITRO in an historical setting, it could be compared to the Japanese City of KOKURA...KOKURA was the PRIMARY Target of BOCKSCAR, the B-29 which instead Atom Bombed NAGASAKI during World War II. During the KOREAN WAR, I spent considerable time in both KOKURA (Japan's primary munitions manufacturing location) and NAGASAKI. Two days ago, DALLAS and I received a guided tour of NITRO's Museum of World War I and World War II activities centered in and around NITRO.
US Army Air Force GLIDER used to land BEHIND German D-Day defended Beaches. A friend of DALLAS, JAMES STANDARD, was on board this Glider on D-Day and later also landing in Holland.
NITRO as it looked in the year 1918.
NITRO City Water Pipes were constructed from WOOD. No longer in use, the pipeS remain buryed and are maintained by the local Water District.
World War I NURSE in uniform.
D-DAY Invasion Beaches. America was assigned UTAH and OMAHA Beaches.
The glider of JAMES STANDARD landed to the East (behind German Defenses) of the French city of STE. MARIE DU MONT ...and, his landing was BEFORE the Allies set foot on the beaches. JAMES, today 96 years old, was tasked to set up communications in advance of the actual fighting. JAMES also landed in a glider in HOLLAND before arriving in the Boot of Italy, leading the way to NAPLES, Italy and Northward.
Please say HELLO to JAMES STANDARD...a true American hero. JAMES told me he wants to return to Europe to revisit those places for which he played such an important part.
JAMES' actual glider,,,having come to a stop by running into a French Apple Tree.
JAMES and the NITRO Museum Curator. Thank you for the time with DALLAS and ME.
101st AIRBORNE during World War II. JAMES is standing a bit left of center on the top row.
GERMAN EAGLE atop the SWASTIKA
A famous World War II Poster depicting ROSIE THE RIVETER...builders of American War Planes. Historical Note...my Mother, LEONA PEARL (Brockman) MAYNARD worked from 1941 through 1945 at the Seattle BOEING Aircraft Plant, building the famous B-17 FLYING FORTRESS.
In 1942, I, 7 years old, visited Mother's workplace, admiring B-17 Number 500,,,painted with thousands of worker's names on the fuselage. Mother's name was next to the starboard Side Gunner's position...yes, I stood admiring the airplane, got separated, strolled around for a while, fascinated, before walking to Grandma (MOM) Brockman's home in ALLENTOWN some miles South of the Boeing Plant.
DALLAS introducing me to many of his friends at the first of two Western Daces.
Please say HELLO to DALLAS and his Sister In Law, FLORA LOVEJOY...with whom I did a few turns around the dance floor.
Please say HELLO to the VOCALIST of the Western Dance Band.
Home of "BUTCH", DALLAS' Cousin.
Viewing local wild Deer from the front porch of BUTCH.
Please say HELLO to BUTCH...taking aim with his powerful CROSS BOW, With his Prosthetic Leg, BUTCH does all manner of things - alone - keeping his property in pristine condition...
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I have settled in nicely here in the home of DALLAS in the city of HURRICANE, West Virginia. It will be doubly difficult to say Good Bye when that moment arrives.
