Marriage Assignments 5-6 (1951-1953)

Bert packing the car, Kent, Bert's parents Lillian & Al S
(circa 1951 in Cincinnati, OH)

Hammy and Bert with Kent after church (July 1951)

Millie C, Kent, and Ruth H (circa 1951 in Wellsville, OH)

When Bert's orders involved an isolated 1 year tour of duty in Greenland, Kent and I spent the next 14 months in Wellsville.  My parents welcomed us with open arms.
We attended the Second Presbyterian Church where I had been a member and where Kent was baptized.  We were among many friends and had support from my loving parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Mother and dad were loving grandparents and provided the TLC that we needed at this traumatic stage of our married life.

Although separations are difficult for service people, it was a way of life which we accepted.  Both Bert and I were grateful for the love my parents gave us during those fourteen months.

"Thinking only of you, dearest"

Hammy, perhaps at a Kent State football game (circa 1952)

Kent and Hammy (awaiting Kim Michael) (circa 1951)

Nine months after Bert left us, we welcomed our dear son, Kim Michael, to join us with G’ma and G’pa H just about the proudest grandparents alive.  Kim, who later on decided the name Mike was more masculine, was a joy to all of us. 

Kim Michael and Kent (1952)

Kent and Kim Michael (1952)

Hammy with Kim Michael and Kent (1952)

Kent and Hammy with Kim Michael (1952)

We picniced in the park, attended church regularly, visited with relatives, and took trips to the Hirners’ truck farm.  They were introduced to baby calves, lambs, numerous cats and dogs as well as the fun of picking vegetables for market.
Grandma froze the vegetables, and made delicious pies with the fruit the Hirners couldn’t sell.  You couldn’t duplicate her pies if you tried, and I’ve tried!
During the time Bert spent overseas, the boys and I kept busy visiting the S grandparents, Aunt Dorothy + Uncle Paul, cousins Mary + Marianne, in addition to making three trips to Montreal to visit Bert.  He was the Procurement Officer - buying supplies for the base [in Greenland.]

Kent (December 1951 in Montreal)

Hammy and Kent (1951 in Montreal)

Kent and Hammy (1951 in Montreal)

Bert in Greenland (circa 1952)

Narsarsuaq Air Base in Greenland (circa 1952)

So, our fourteen months went by quickly, although at the time, it seemed forever waiting for daddy to come home.

Kent, Kim Michael, and Hammy (circa 1952)

Our assignment to the Pentagon was short lived.  We were settled into an apartment with new furniture we’d purchased at Sears and felt as though having our own "stuff" we’d finally made it "big time!"  To our surprise, Gen (Pres.) Eisenhower eliminated the Munitions Board and we were transferred back to Wright/Patterson in Dayton, Ohio.

1952 Christmas card photo

Kent and Kim Michael, Hammy
(circa 1953 in Arlington, VA)

That was a brief 9 month tour, and we knew we’d want to go back to visit Wash. when the boys were older so they could appreciate the nation's capital.

Married Life Assignments 1-4 (1948-1951)

We were married in the chapel at Ft. Sam with Bob + Gen being our only attendants.  Gen's family and girls from the rooming house where I’d recently moved, joined us for a reception afterwards and away we went on our honeymoon to Calif.!

Bob H, Bert & Hammy, Gen at the Post Chapel,
Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Newlyweds Bert & Hammy (12 June 1948)

Bert & Hammy (12 June 1948)

Hammy's wedding announcement (2 July 1948 in the Wellsville Press)

Was I beginning to see the world or what??  We drove in our unairconditioned car from 110 degrees Texas weather through the desert into Ariz., N. Mex., and into Blythe, Calif. where motel accommodations were sparse.

We were lucky to get rooms with hot showers, but we were enjoying the scenery and what a wonderful place to call home in beautiful Riverside, Calif.  The weather was cool with balmy breezes.  I thought I was in heaven.

We rented a small furnished home on Lime St. which we shared with another couple.  After two weeks, we were able to move into a beautiful estate which had originally been Richard Halliberton’s [Halliburton].  Five couples from the base had living quarters there where the maid’s quarters and chicken coop were renovated.  We had two rooms and two baths in the main house.  We had our own Olympic size pool, barbecue pit, and a Private Drive sign which fronted the Eucalyptus lined lane which led to the house.  The guys were home late afternoons to join in the fun at the pool, serving a few libations before barbecuing our dinner, then bridge.  What a life!

Hammy in wicker seat with others
by the pool (1948, Riverside, CA)

From our ostentatious beginning here with our friends, Bert received orders for Budget + Finance School at Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
The hat story occurred when we were transferred from March AF Base, Calif. to Denver, Colo.  We'd just been married a few months, and had very few household items, as we'd been living in a furnished apartment.  Everything we owned had been packed in the back seat, trunk and on top of our '48 Chevrolet coupe.
While driving through the desert, I casually mentioned “Oh look at the pretty hats flying through the air!”  Guess what, to my surprise, they were mine!  They were not securely tied to the roof of the car as we had thought.
Just six weeks of married bliss, and the real world scene appeared as we searched crazily for housing in Denver.
Our first "find" was with Stella, our owner of a rooming house where we had a furnished room and shared the kitchen + bath with eleven people!  From the sublime to the ridiculous!  It was the final blow when Stella appeared with one sheet for changing the bed.  We were told to remove the top sheet, and use the clean one for cover.  I broke out in tears + we moved the next day.

We found a lovely furnished efficiency in a large home with great owners.  We shared the bath with just one other couple.  Things were looking up with nice congenial people.  Bert was enjoying school and I hired on as a temp in a law firm.  My business skills were put to use as I typed eight hours a day using a dictaphone.  It was O.K. but I was happy to be trading winter clothes for sunny Calif. in Nov.

We rented two other furnished abodes before buying some furniture at Sears and "moving up in the world."

Our first winter in Calif. was disastrous.  We’d returned to Ohio to be with our folks over the holidays + to announce to both Bert's parents and mine that they would be grandparents in June + that was a most exciting time for all of us being together since they hadn’t been able to attend our wedding.

Not only did Bert + I have a treacherous drive back to Calif. from Ohio going through a snowstorm in the desert, but having no heat in our house when we got home was a shock.  There was so much snow, the propane truck couldn't make it to deliver fuel!  In addition to this dilemma, I was in the early stages of morning sickness + Bert came down with chicken pox.

We were warned by some of our AF friends to beware of sharing our home with another couple, but we did anyhow because neither of us had any children and felt there would be no friction.  However we each had a dog + they fought!  So much for sharing expenses in our first year of marriage.

Boots, the dog

We soon found another place to call home in time to welcome our dear baby Kent.

Hammy at the new place, expecting Kent

Baby Kent (1949)

He was just six weeks old when we were transferred to Wright/Patterson AF Base in Dayton.  Were we ever delighted to be able to share him with his S grandparents in Cincinnati and my H relatives in Wellsville, as well as other long time friends and relatives in Ohio.  At last we were home!

Bert & Ada with Kent, Ed & Dorothy A, Ruth & Ray H
(1949, in Wellsville, OH)

Hammy and Kent (1949)

Hammy and Kent (circa 1950)

Hammy and Kent (circa 1950)

Hammy with Kent (circa 1950)

Grandmother Leota H (circa 1950)

Grandparents George & Dorothy A, parents Ruth & Ray
(4 June 1950, Wellsville Sesquicentennial)

Grandparents George & Leota H and Dorothy & George A
(4 June 1950, Wellsville Sesquicentennial)

With our numerous moves our first year of marriage, we were off and running to see the world.  I was reminded by one of our dear friends, Helen S, that I should some day write a book titled "From Wellsville to the World,” travels of an AF family.
It now seems to be the opportune time since we’re comfortably situated in our comfortable abode at Azalea Trace, a lovely retirement home in Pensacola, Fl.  Living near relatives during the children's formative years has its advantages.
Our first year in Ohio proved to be a challenge for us.  Housing had not kept up with the demand from WWII returning vets.
The first partially furnished 3 room apartment address was 836-1/2 S. Limestone St. Rear in Springfield, Ohio which necessitated a 15 mile commute to the base.
Since we were a one car family, my time was spent entertaining a two month old baby playing games, reading stories, singing nursery songs, daily walks to the grocery, bonding with the other toddlers in the four-plex where we resided.  We coped pretty well with our environment until we found it inconvenient to go outside to the entrance to the basement to do the laundry.  House-hunting became our priority + luckily we found a beautifully furnished 7 room duplex with a gracious land lady living upstairs.  They readily adopted us and we became family.  Their daughter, her husband and year old daughter became life long friends.  We were sorry when Bert's 2 year assignment was over and we were on the move again.

Hammy and Kent (circa 1951)

Kent and Bert (circa 1951)

College

I was instilled in the Protestant Work Ethic and began working in the Sterling China Pottery the day I graduated from high school, doing typing + filing work, saving for college.
College was after WWII after working three years + attending business college.
I was always on the h. s. honor roll + I knew that teaching or business education would be my final call.
Scholarships were offered to graduating seniors who qualified academically, and I was encouraged to apply for one, but that was not of any interest to me at the time, even though I did graduate tying with another student for first place.  Valedictorians didn’t have to give speeches, but if I’d had to give one, it would have emphasized "Use your God given talents + have a purpose for life."
After spending several years in a no win situation with office jobs + no chance of advancement in Wellsville, it was time to move on to greener pastures!

Kent State University

It was Sept. ‘46, the war was over, time to get on with my studies, so I enrolled as a freshman at Kent State Univ.  About that time many veterans had enrolled and it was time to get acquainted.
In Oct. we welcomed everyone at a Freshman Hop + I was a Welcoming Hostess from my dorm.  A line of eight men with arms crossed in front of them looking over the girls, I encouraged them to get a gal + get on the dance floor.  The eigth man in line stepped forward + asked me if I cared to dance.  He was such a tall, dark, handsome, more mature man.  Could he possibly be a veteran, wanting to meet people?  His name?  Bert S from Cincinnati, returning from active duty in the Army Air Force.  Could this be the man I would some day marry?
It’s now 56 [65] years later, and "He’s da man!"  Now let me  begin to tell you some of the events that have occurred between then and now.

Hammy at Kent State (circa 1946)

Hammy, Bert, and Ginny B (circa 1946)

As a more mature freshman at the age of 21, I was housed in the dorm with five roommates in a 3 room suite.  My roommate, Lee, and I had both worked before attending college and felt as though we could advise our younger friends on studying, dating, etc.  She and I had similar backgrounds, were self-disciplined, and although we had fun dating, we were not as worldly as a few of our new found friends.  Our motherly advice was unheeded, and before the freshman year was completed, two of "our gang" left college for greener pastures.

10th Street house in Wellsville, OH

Uncle Wayne H at the 10th Street house in Wellsville

Father Ray (circa 1946 at the back
of the 10th Street house in Wellsville)

Unknown, Ada, unknown, Bert (circa 1947)

Bert S (circa 1947)

Hammy at Kent State Homecoming (1947)

Hammy at the passenger door (circa 1947)

During my sophomore year, Bert, whom I was dating, accepted a regular commission in the U.S. Air Force and left for an assignment at March Air Force Base, Calif.  It was a sad departure, but a wise decision on his part because he felt there were more opportunities in service than remaining as a junior in college, majoring in accounting along with hundreds of other returning veterans.
I continued studying business with a few education courses with the idea of teaching Bus. Ed. [Business Education].
After finishing my sophomore year, my brother, Bob, and sister-in-law Gen, asked me to spend a semester or two with them in San Antonio, where Bob was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston.
I was off again to explore the great beyond - taking the train from Wellsville to the great State of Texas.  How thrilling!

Hammy, sister-in-law Gen, mother Ruth (circa 1948)

I was able to get a civil service job for the Post Engineer at Ft. Sam and just when I was ready to take the exam for a permanent job with the government, Bert called me and proposed over the phone. Since he was calling from the Officers' Club with a lot of music + noise in the background, I wasn’t sure I was hearing him correctly, so I told him to put his request to have me as his bride in writing.  (I believe I have the letter somewhere but so far I haven't found it!)

High School

Postcard of Wellsville High School

Between the years of 1939-1943 while I was attending Wellsville High School all my social activities involved school.

Hammy in band uniform

I was active in Glee Club, National Honor Society, Band, Girl Reserves, + the Girls' Basketball team which was fun.  We practiced after school + one of my most memorable times was when Coach Bill S asked us to perform at half-time against a Girls' Pro Team from Akron + their star was Stella Walsh, an Olympic star.  It took all five of us to guard her.  At 4’ 11” [tall], I liked to brag that I could handle her myself because of my speed, but they outperformed us by a score of 43-5 and that was just a 15 minute show!

5'9" Stella Walsh

Hammy, mother Ruth, brother Bob, and father Ray (circa 1940)

Parents Ray & Ruth, Josephine & Edward A (circa 1940s)

Dan & Betty A, mother Ruth, Lawrence A, Josephine & Richardson,
                     maternal grandparents Dorothy & Edward A (circa late 1940s)

Maternal grandparents Edward and Dorothy A (circa late 1940s)

Maternal grandparents Edward & Dorothy A
(circa late 1940s in Gnadenhutten, OH)

Paternal grandmother Leota H (circa 1940s)

Hammy, mother Ruth, father Ray, brother Bob (circa 1942)

Many of the boys enlisted in the services during this time, and it was a sombering feeling seeing so many of our guys go on to serve our country.  Even sadder were the telegrams we received, telling us the sad news of casualties of our loved ones.  My brother, Bob [Robert Taylor H], was wounded shortly after being shipped overseas landing in St. Lô, France.  He was with the 83rd Infantry.  He later was wounded in Korea, receiving the Purple Heart.  [He continued his military career by switching from the US Army to the US Air Force.]  He served his country well, and I’m sorry to say, he passed away July 10, 2003 in San Antonio.  He was buried at Ft. Sam Houston with full military honors.

Mother Ruth, father Ray, Hammy, brother Bob (circa 1946)