NICE DAY!

A VERY NICE DAY!

Marie and I had a very enjoyable day today. Joan said that she had a “Day Off”, and wondered if she could take us someplace. Co-incidentally, she, and we, were both thinking of going over to San Rafael to see our old friends, Maggie and Steve. So Marie called over to see if they felt like having company. Fortunately, Maggie answered and said “Sure”. So, she called Joan, and told her that “all systems were go!”

Joan picked us up, and we arrived at their house about 11:30. Maggie’s and Steve’s home off San Lucas Drive is about 33 miles from our house in Vallejo. It sure was good to see both of them. We hadn’t seen each other for about a year, when Mary drove us over. (They seemed glad to see the three of us, too,) During the year, Maggie had been in Kaiser hospital after suffering a mild stroke. Steve was in the same hospital - twice - with pneumonia.
The five of us brought everyone up to date on what was going on in our families, and two hours whipped by. We enjoyed our visit very much and I hope that they felt likewise. We thanked Joan for taking us over there.

After leaving, we headed for the Wild Fox restaurant nearby. We got acquainted with this fine restaurant a year ago, with Mary. I asked Steve and Maggie to recommend a place to eat, nearby, and this was their suggestion. A very good choice. It is located on the west side of Highway 101- almost opposite from the old Hamilton Field Air Base. I spent some Reserve time here between WW II and the Korean War. I left from here on a C-54 (DC-6) for Okinawa in June 1945. Marie got a turkey -club sandwich, Joan a pizza, and I got a crab & shrimp sandwich. David was our server. He was very pleasant and accommodating. We had a nice dining experience.

While we arrived home weary, Joan still seemed “fresh”. As my Mother used to say, when she was my age, “a good-tired”.

Addendum to Previous Letter

ADDENDUM TO LETTER.
I met Arval in January, 1943, at our first base, in Cut Bank, Montana. He was a pilot in our 429th Bomb Squadron, of the 2nd Bomb Group (B-17’s). I was the bombardier on Ken Spinning’s crew (Skippy). Arval piloted “Redbird” (their bombardier’s nickname).
Arval was a very skilled pilot, and his crew really respected him. They all called him “Skipper’. Normally, I flew with the same crew. At first, my pilot was Ken Spinning. Later, Ken took over a new crew, ant their pilot became Ken’s co-pilot. Doug MacCarter, our co-pilot, then took over our crew, as pilot. After about my 25th mission, I occasionally, started flying as the “Lead” bombardier for either our Squadron, or the whole Group. Consequently, I started flying with other pilots, and their crews. Yet, I never flew with Arval.
Arval was a little older than I was . He graduated from The University of Utah before entering the Army Air Corps. He, also, had completed his two years of Missionary work for the Mormon Church. He and Julia were married on July 18, 1942 - before he went overseas.
Arval finished flying his 50 missions shortly after I did. Upon returning to the States, he returned to his old stomping grounds - Salt Lake city. He was a professor at the University of Utah - teaching German. He also volunteered at the Family History Library, and was a genealogy consultant, interpreting German -genealogy records.
On one of our first annual trips to Salt Lake City, I remembered Arval being from there. So, I looked him up in the phone book, and gave him a call. About every year after that, I would either call him, or visit him, when we were in Salt Lake. This is when I first met Julia. On one occasion, he came down to the Inn at Temple Square, where we were staying, and we did a lot of reminiscing. Both Arval and Julia are very nice people, and two of my favorite friends. I feel very fortunate that our paths crossed in this life.

Julia and Arval

Vallejo
July 28, 2007.
Dear Julia and Arval:
Thanks for your welcome letter, Julia. You write very well and interestingly. We enjoy reading them. Marie mentioned what nice handwriting you have, Julia. I told her if I didn’t know better, I would assume that you went to a Catholic school. That is what I attribute my legibility. I went to the second semester of the seventh grade, and the eighth grade, to St. Mary’s school in Berea, Ohio. Sister Edith was our teacher and principal of the grade school. She really drilled us in the Palmer method of writing. I must have dreamed of doing vertical lines and circles - freehand.
You both have good attitudes on “Life”! this good quality certainly makes coping with your aging a little easier. With your bad knees, Julia, you should tell people that you shouldn’t have been such a good athlete! Now, you are paying for it.
Your son, Larry, really received a valuable legacy with the family’s genealogy records. I have quite a bit of background data on my Dad’s family (French Huguenots) who came to this country around 1700. I got a lot of this great info from your Family History Library in Salt Lake City. What a beautiful resource for all of us. We haven’t been to Salt lake City for four years, I guess. It is difficult for Marie to sit for so long - even though it is only an hour and a half flight. We both would like to see what the area of the Inn looks like today. That’s progress, I guess. I sure miss those visits - and riding down to see you both.
We receive a lot of support ( meals, rides, visits etc) from our three daughters living in Fairfield - 15 miles North on I-80 - about 40 miles South of Sacramento.
We like Vallejo weather, too. We usually get the cool breeze off the Pacific, without too much fog, in the summer. In the winter, we have milder weather, too. It hits 100 degrees once or twice a year, and we seldom get a frost in the winter. We get most all of our rain( about 20 inches) during the six months - October-April.
Three years after I retired (1986), we moved here from our large house in the middle of the city. It was a very nice three-story home, but after our five daughters left home we didn’t want to maintain all the “dead” space and yard. But, as you know, it was hard to leave, as we lived there for 24 years - the longest tenure of any place. We have lived here for 21 years! It doesn’t seem possible. It was a smart move, because now we are on one level - three bedrooms and two baths. It is really convenient to get around. We walk out our kitchen/family room door right on to our patio in the back yard.
I don’t know if we are the oldest couple in our St. Dominic’s parish, but we are the second oldest of the service that we attend! So, we are close to it. Marie is 84 - last May, and I will be 89 in November! I assume that both your and Arval’s parents were long lived.
I think that we should be going into a Residential Care facility in Fairfield, where three of our daughters live. But, I can’t convince Marie that this is right for us. She thinks like you do, Julia -and I think that all women who treasure their home feel the same - that you will die at home in your sleep. This is not realistic. Statistically, this just doesn’t happen. It is not the case. While such a facility is very expensive (probably $5,000 a month for the two of us), you certainly would have peace of mind with the 24 hour care. Either alternative has its advantages and disadvantages, like all options have. The best solution is where you are ambulatory - going in - and can stay in the same facility - as you require more care right on to the final stage. These places usually require a substantial up-front payment. Do you have any plans for your next move?
At this stage, we don’t have too many friends left. Some live at a distance, and we communicate by e-mail, letter or phone. While we used to visit each other, those days are gone. We have two very close friends, that we have known for over 60 years. They live in Marin County - about an hours drive. We used to meet, at least once a month, at a restaurant for lunch, but don’t do this anymore. She is practically house-bound because of blindness and ALS symptoms. She had a mild stroke about six months ago. Her husband (his brother married my sister) provides her care. While he still drives and does the shopping and cooking, his health is deteriorating like it is for the rest of us. He wears a hearing aid, and has congestive heart failure (like I do.). He is also a diabetic. He is still recovering from pneumonia (in the hospital twice). It is ironic. They moved up here from their nice home in Montecito (adjacent to Santa Barbara) to be closer to some of their \kids and friends. We had many nice years sharing each others company, anyway.
What is so great is that we have very good friends who live only 15 miles away in Concord. He and I used to work in the same office at California and Hawaiian Sugar Company. We have been friends for 43 years! What is so amazing is that they are 20 years younger! We are very compatible with many same interests - which you need in such a case. They are very good to us, and thoughtful. They do al the driving and pick us up for our lunches together, trips to museums etc. They even invited us to accompany them on a drive down to Los Angeles - which we enthusiastically accepted. We saw the fairly new Getty Museum, and really had a nice time. So, we tell our younger acquaintances to be sure and develop some younger friends, to prevent loneliness, if their older friends die first. We also tell younger people to be sure and do your traveling when you are younger - even if you have to borrow the money. For if you wait until retirement, you might not be able to do it. It has really worked well for us. We are very thankful!
About it, I guess Afraid that I will get carpal tunnel syndrome!
All of our love,
Marie and Ray.
Dear Julia & Arval;
It looks like Ray has given you all our news. But, I want to say “Hello’ & that we think of you often.
Love,
Marie.

NICE LUNCH

NICE LUNCH.
We had a nice lunch yesterday with our youngest daughter, Sue. She came down from Fairfield, and we went to our favorite café - The Galley - on the Glen Cove harbor. A very nice day, and a beautiful setting. We decided to eat outside. The harbor was filled with expensive yachts. I would guess that we were looking at investments totaling over ten million dollars! Looking beyond the yachts, I could see the Carquinez Straight, and the California and Hawaiian Sugar Company refinery lining the opposite shore. I spent seven years working there before transferring to the corporate office in San Francisco. So, I had a vested interest in the view! Steam was coming out of the plant. This meant that the plant was operating. Hopefully, my pension is still funded - after 24 years of retirement.
The small café is cozy and has a lot of atmosphere. The owner-operators are Liz and Butch. They know how to please their customers. They are friendly and always welcome us. Marie and I split an order. She took the half-tuna sandwich, while I martyred, and took the bowl of chili. I was telling Butch how good it was, and he claimed to be the creator. Sue got a tuna sandwich.
While we were waiting for our order, we were admiring all the beautiful boats. A fellow was washing off the stern of a very nice one moored nearby. We were guessing it’s size. So, Sue and I went over near the rear of the boat. I hollered to the “crewman”, asking him the size. No response to my question - he just kept hosing away. I shouted my question a couple more times each time increasing the volume. Fortunately, a couple of men came around the corner, and told me that if I wanted an answer I would have to ask him in Spanish. Then, he volunteered that it was 46 feet. Sue asked him if he was the owner and he said, “yes”. I don’t know anything about yachts, but if John Madden’s new bus cost $700,000, this baby must have cost that much, too. The reason the size came up is that Nick Gibbens (a friend of the family; and Sue and Nick used to work at the same company in San Francisco.) has a 27 foot sail boat that he races on San Francisco Bay - with a crew of five. I asked the owner how big a crew he needed. He said, “My wife and I, and a “six pack”. He had an accent and Sue thought that he might be Australian. I would have liked to have chatted longer with him, but Butch was bringing our order.
We hated to leave the harbor. Sue is always good company and we enjoy her visits . She is “bubbly” and upbeat, with a heck of a memory. We always enjoy being with her.

Wedding Anniversary June 19, 1917 - June 19, 2007

My Mother (Elizabeth Mary Flood) and Raymond Marks L’Amoreaux were married. on Tuesday, June 19, 1917 - 90 years ago. Father Richard Grace married them in the rectory of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, in Hillsdale, Michigan. The reason that they weren’t married in the church was because my Dad was a Baptist. About 20 years later, he became a convert. They met while working in the Freight office of the New York Central Railroad in Hillsdale, Michigan.
I never thought about it before, but recently, I checked a “perpetual” calendar, and June 19, 1917, fell on a Tuesday. I only wish that I had known before, and I would have asked my Mother why they were married ona Tuesday, rather than a Saturday? I used to tell people that my parents were married in June, and I was born in November! Then, when my Mother got all flustered, I would add - “A year later.”.
I wish that I had talked to my Mother about the flu pandemic of 1918 - during the year that my Mother was pregnant, and I was born. Apparently, it was the Good Lord’s call - to spare the two of us, when so many others died.
A note of interest. Recently, Bill Parr - who is very interested in genealogy, forwarded a copy of my Dad’s registration for the World War I draft, to my granddaughter Melissa. She then sent the copy on to me. The date that he registered was June 5, 1917 - two weeks before he was to be married! He didn’t claim an exemption, yet, he wasn’t drafted. Again, I only wish that I had known this many years ago, and I would have asked him about it.

Ball Parks

BALLPARKS
I was watching the Oakland A’s - Chicago White Sox game on TV last night, coming from Chicago. For some reason, I had a flashback to when I saw Comiskey Park. It is one of the few vintage ballparks left. I can only think of two others - Wrigley Field (also in Chicago), and Fenway Park in Boston.
While I never saw a ball game in Comiskey, I did get to see the outside of the stadium.. The year was circa 1926, and I was 7 years old. I remember my Mother’s Aunt Nellie pointing it out to me, as we rode by on the street car, on the South side of Chicago. I don’t remember whether we were on our way to Lincoln Park, or whether she had just met me at the New York Central Englewood- railroad station.
This memory created more memories - a domino effect! I had a flashback to other Major League ballparks that I had either just seen from the outside, or actually saw a ball game within them:-
Navin Field, Briggs Stadium and Tiger Stadium - all in the same location in Detroit. Living in Michigan at the time, I saw games in all three of them. My Dad took me to my first major league game to Navin Field in 1928, and I was 9 years old. I remember seeing Charlie Gehringer, the Tigers 2nd baseman, Mickey Cochran, their great catcher and
While living in Berea, Ohio, I attended the Indian’s games in old League Park in Cleveland. I saw Bob Feller, the Indian’s great pitcher. He made his first start when he was 17 years old - having just graduated from high school. As I remember, he struck out 17 of the opposing batters. (I can’t remember the team). He was the hardest thrower that I have ever seen. They didn’t have the speed gun on the pitchers back then, but I am sure they would have clocked him at 100mph! It doesn’t sound too fast today, but back then it was fast. The batters couldn’t hit what they couldn’t see. I wonder if the umpires even saw all of his pitches. I remember getting free tickets to the Indians games during the summers of the early 1930’s. I can’t recall whether I got them at school, Scouting or where. I know that I appreciated the tickets and enjoyed going to the games. I don’t remember how I got to the games. But, I do remember the gate where the players would enter and leave the park. It was part of the left field fence. The Indians had an attendant posted at the gate to keep the “gate crashers” out. We not only got to see the players very close, but we could very easily get their autographs.
I also saw games (both baseball and football) in the successor to League Park - the Municipal Stadium on Lake Erie. Both the Cleveland Indians and Browns played there. It was a huge facility - holding 70,000 people. I saw Red Grange - a football legend - play there. For the Indians - besides Bob Feller, there were Earl Averill in center field and Willie Kamm at third base.
While I haven’t been inside the Cleveland Indian’s fairly new and beautiful - Jacobs Field, I have seen it from the outside My friends, Kathleen and Grady Dorsey drove me all around downtown Cleveland - including “The Flats”, when I was visiting Berea during one of my high school class reunions. I saw many changes from the days of 70 years earlier, when I lived in Berea.


I have seen many-many baseball game at the Oakland Coliseum, as I had a partial-season ticket for the Oakland Athletic games for about 15 years. I also saw an Oakland Raider’s football game in the Coliseum. I saw one game in the beautiful new waterfront -stadium in San Francisco, as well as many football and baseball game at the old Candlestick Point stadium, South of San Francisco. Before this, I even saw San Francisco - 49’er games at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.
I saw the Minnesota Twins play baseball in the old Metropolitan Stadium, in Bloomington. I used to stay at the Marriott Hotel which was adjacent to the ball park, and an easy walk I also saw the Twins play in their newer -covered Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. Then, I stayed at a hotel close by where I could still walk to the park.
I have attended events in both Soldier Field on Lake Michigan in Chicago, the Los Angeles Coliseum, and the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia’s Memorial stadium. It was the fall of 1943, and I had just returned from flying 50 missions in North Africa. I was stationed at Atlantic City for R & R. They gave us tickets to the game, so we rode the train over to Philadelphia and back to Atlantic City. I attended a professional basketball game in the Kingdome in Seattle.
I have seen the Angels play in their stadium in Anaheim - next to Disneyland. I have seen these facilities from the outside:-Fenway Park, in Boston; Busch Stadium in St. Louis and Coors Field in Denver.
RCL - 5/22/07; rev. - 6/5/07.

Friday, July 23,1943. Mission No.36-Leverano, Italy.

(The following is from my “Life in the Service - Calendar of Events.”)
Friday, July 23, 1943. Mission No. 37. - Leverano, Italy.
Briefing this morning on a 10 minute notice. Ken had trouble starting our #2 engine, which delayed our take-off. We finally caught the rest of the Group at the Rendezvous Point. This is our longest mission so far - in the heel of the boot.
Our prop on the #2 engine “ran away” over Cape Rosa. Ken “feathered” the prop, and we returned early to base on three engines. We landed on three engines with our full- twelve 500 pound bombs still on board. Time of mission - 02:30.
Our Squadron was jumped by one hundred FW-190’s and ME 109’s, and the planes were riddled with holes. Ken’s and Capt. Mayer’s ball-turret men were both killed by German 20 mm’s. Sgt. Eye (ball -turret gunner) was wounded with a compound fracture of his arm. Four other crewmen were wounded.
Maintenance will change the No. 2 engine on #133.

Ferry Trip

FERRY BUILDING
Friday, July 20, 2007.
Today, Mary, Joan and Manny, Sue, and Marie and I had a great outing. We met at the Vallejo ferry Terminal, and took the ten A.M. ferry into San Francisco. We pushed back from the dock right on time, and headed South to San Francisco - some 25 miles away. The trip used to take 50 minutes, which was 10 minutes faster than the first ferry put in service about ten years ago. Due to increased fuel costs, they have slowed the boat down, and now it takes an hour - just like it used to.
This is a catamaran- type ferry (twin hulls), and gets its high speed by hydroplaning over the water. It gives a smoother ride, too. Our boat is named “Solano” - after our county. The capacity is about 300 passengers. I asked one of the crew how many were aboard and he said 200. I also asked him what the “break-even” number was. He said that he didn’t know, but he was sure that someone in management had calculated it.
We cruise along the Mare Island channel at five knots, in order to minimize any wake damage along the nearby shores. Have a close-up view of the eastern waterfront of Mare Island. It is a smooth ride. It is a little windy, but no whitecaps. We are sitting in the front row, so have a good view ahead. Can see the sun bouncing off the cars crossing on the Coquinas bridge. In the distance I can see Mt. Mamalis. I can see the oil tankers at the pier of Phillips Petroleum in Rodeo, and the refinery in the distance. We pass beneath the Richmond-San Rafael bridge (Highway 580). As we pass South of Angel Island, I can see both the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. We arrive at the Ferry Building dock at 11 o’clock - right on time. Most of the passengers stayed on board, as the ferry would go up to Fisherman’s Wharf/ Pier 39, before returning to Vallejo.
We split up and browse among the many nice shops inside the terminal. The terminal survived the big earthquake of 1906. It was a busy place before the Bay bridge was completed in 1937. The only way to get to San Francisco back then (other than a long circuitous route over land) was by ferry.
We met for lunch together - what a great invention - the cell phone! Then we sat on the waterfront for about an hour and ” people watched” until our ferry came in for our 3:30 return to Vallejo. Our return trip on the “Mare Island” was uneventful, and we saw the same scenery that we saw coming down. It was a beautiful day, and I hated to see the end of our delightful day jaunt.

To Bill

You are very intuitive! I used to drink scotch and soda's, but with my congestive heart failure meds, I don't want to mix the two.

I really do like music - primarily from the 30's and 40's. It's in my genes (speaking of genealogy!), I guess. My Dad was one of nine kids. They all played a musical instrument - some of them played two! My Dad played the e-flat alto horn, and the violin. He played the horn in community bands. He had his own dance group, and played the fiddle in that. They played at the local lakes in Michigan, for square dances.

I used his horn when I played in my Berea high school band.

(For much more musical detail, ask Melissa to forward a copy of "Music Appreciation" - page 25 in my book.)

MY BROTHER BOB

JULY 15, 2007.

I try to recall anything of significance that happened on each day, This is part of my daily routine. On this particular date, I remember my brother, Bob. He was nearly four years younger, but we were very close. Today is his birthday. He would have been 85!
While he and his wife, Jackie, raised their nine children, his short life ended with much suffering and sadness. He died on May 31, 1984 at home in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was only 63! Bob served with the Coast Guard during World War II, and received his honorable discharge in December, 1945.
A month later - January, 1946 - he was critically injured in a late Saturday night auto crash. The drunk driver who hit their car was killed. Bob and his girl friend were riding in the back seat of the car. She received a severe leg injury that required surgery. While they were able to save her leg, it ended up shorter than her other one. I often have wondered if seat belts and air bags, were available back then, would have made any difference?
Bob received a broken neck, an almost severed leg and internal injuries. St. Joseph’s hospital, in Ann Arbor, listed his condition as critical, and they did not expect him to live. They had to amputate his severed leg when the couldn’t establish circulation. He remained in their Intensive Care unit for six weeks - with around the clock nursing care! Bob eventually recovered enough to be released by the hospital, to recover at home, with our parents care. Bob didn’t have any medical coverage - it was non-existent or very rare 60 years ago. Our Mom and Dad cashed in all their War Bonds (their life-savings) to pay for Bob’s medical expenses.
Years later, Bob confided in me that “there never was a day, when he didn’t have a headache. Yet, he returned to work at Ford Motor Company in Ypsilanti.
Bob has been dead for over 23 years now, and I still think about him often, and miss him very much.

BASTILLE DAY - JULY 14.

I acknowledge this French holiday every year, with a nod and bow. This interest comes from my French ancestors. Andre’ Lamoureux, and his wife, Suzanne LaTour, came to this country around 1700, from Bristol, England. They were with a contingent of fellow Huguenots (protestants), who left Rochelle, France because of religious persecution. This cadre settled near New Amsterdam (now, New York City). They named their new village NEW Rochelle!
The following is from Wikipedia:
Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is called “Fete Nationale” (National Holiday), or more commonly “quatorze juillet” (“14th of July”). It commemorates the 1790 Fete de la Federation, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July, 1789; the storming of the Bastille was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern French “nation’, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution.

MY FIRST BLOG!

July 19, 2007.

Greetings!

This is my first attempt at “Blogging”. I am soloing today! This effort was suggested by my daughter Joan, and Joan’s and Manny’s daughter, Melissa. The thrill and excitement are similar to the same emotions that I remember having back in May, 1945, on my first solo flight in a Stearman PT-17 - a bi-plane workhorse. This ride took place at Rankin Field (Tulare) during my Primary- Flight Training. It was here where I met my wife to be - Marie Jaynes.