|
When
I passed my 17th birthday, I decided to join the Navy. My folks had
to sign for me as I was not yet 18. For me to be in the military and
so far away from home was a very big thing, especially for my Mother
who always wrote me more than once a week. After several months I
wrote my Mother one letter telling her about my getting ready to go
overseas (to Hawaii). This was an extremely big event, especially
as my Mother saw it.
The farthest any of us had traveled before was always within a 30
or 40 mile radius around Tokio. (Other than one trip to Galveston
for my 'ear cure, which is another "unbelievable" story for another
time.) After my Mother told my Dad about my upcoming overseas orders,
my Dad spoke to 'Mary' on his next visit. She told him, "no, he will
not go to Hawaii that day, a storm will prevent this and he will go
sometime later". Mother's next letter related this to me. I mentioned
this to several of my bunkmates (Elton Earl Tipton of Houston, Frank
Petty and Bud Fuller who were also from Texas, I believe.) But rather
than let them know about 'Mary' I told them I knew some 'high brass'
that had told me we would not go to Hawaii on that day.
They laughed. And they laughed a lot more the morning we were packing
up to go to Hawaii at about 4:00 AM. And they laughed again as our
squadron was boarding the 12 planes. As we were approaching the 'point
of no return', (that is the halfway distance between the mainland
and Hawaii), I (as a Radioman) received the urgent message to abort
our trip and return immediately. I notified the Pilot, who had me
reconfirm the message because no other Radioman had received the same
message. After confirmation, he reluctantly gave the order to the
other planes and we all returned to base in Alameda, California.
You can not imagine the expression on those 5 or 6 buddies of mine
as we arrived back in Alameda. None of us knew why we had returned,
and they all suspected that I had made up the radio message, especially
since I was the only Radioman who had received it.
It wasn't until later that day we were told a huge storm near Hawaii
caused the return. We finally made the trip about 6 weeks later.
I will not bore you further with more 'Mary' stories at this time,
but I assure you there are many more. I wrote these in an attempt
to find others that may have known Mary. If you too had a 'Mary' exposure,
please send
me a note and tell me yours.
© Toney Urban from Tokio, Texas
(Wiggins, Texas now) |
Author's
Note: I wrote these in an attempt to find others that may have known
Mary. If you too had a 'Mary' exposure, please send
me a note and tell me yours. - Toney Urban
Forum
Subject: Toney Urban
I'd like to thank Toney Urban for his wonderful writeup on Mary!!!
You did a great job, Toney. Just facinating. I wish I'd gotten to
meet her. Do you have any more stories? I'd love to read them. - Best,
Diane, Williamson county, Texas, March 16, 2006 |
|
|
HOME
