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Hi,
June 6, 1944 - D Day. How well I remember that day!
I was in New York at the time, where my first late husband, Ernie Boyer, was in the Navy. He was assigned to a transportation ship that took servicemen to Europe during the war, and he'd be gone 3-4 weeks at a time, and then he'd be back in port for one to two weeks. We lived in an apartment at the time, and there were three other ladies that had husbands on the same ship and we used to get together while the ship was gone to see interesting sites in New York.
Some of us worked, but we were off that day (June 6), and we were downtown when we heard the news. So we went to a church, where a lot of people went that day and gathered to pray.
Ernie and I were married at the Navy base in Portsmouth, Va, about four months before. I worked as a chauffeur at the base, driving big trucks and big buses. But when his ship came back they went to New York harbor, so we moved to New York and lived there until the war was over. I got a job at the Army base there, where I was a tractor and fork-lift operator.
We met a lot of nice people at both places. There was an older couple in our group that we called "Mom" and "Pop." He was a baker on the ship, and she and I shared the same birthday, so he made a beautiful cake on our day.
After the war was over, they came and spent two days with us. They lived in San Jose, California, but they went to see their son, who lived in Virginia.
Another one of the people we got close to was Catherine Corello Schmidt, who was from West Frankfort. She came to see us a couple of times after we got home to Murphysboro.
I have a lot of good memories of the times I spent in New York and Virginia, and the people we met.
My gem... Money talks, but it usually says, "Good Bye."
Today I have a poem titled "Myself." I hope you enjoy it.
MYSELF
I have t live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always look to myself straight in the eye.
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I've done.
Hi,
June 6, 1944 - D Day. How well I remember that day!
I was in New York at the time, where my first late husband, Ernie Boyer, was in the Navy. He was assigned to a transportation ship that took servicemen to Europe during the war, and he'd be gone 3-4 weeks at a time, and then he'd be back in port for one to two weeks. We lived in an apartment at the time, and there were three other ladies that had husbands on the same ship and we used to get together while the ship was gone to see interesting sites in New York.
Some of us worked, but we were off that day (June 6), and we were downtown when we heard the news. So we went to a church, where a lot of people went that day and gathered to pray.
Ernie and I were married at the Navy base in Portsmouth, Va, about four months before. I worked as a chauffeur at the base, driving big trucks and big buses. But when his ship came back they went to New York harbor, so we moved to New York and lived there until the war was over. I got a job at the Army base there, where I was a tractor and fork-lift operator.
We met a lot of nice people at both places. There was an older couple in our group that we called "Mom" and "Pop." He was a baker on the ship, and she and I shared the same birthday, so he made a beautiful cake on our day.
After the war was over, they came and spent two days with us. They lived in San Jose, California, but they went to see their son, who lived in Virginia.
Another one of the people we got close to was Catherine Corello Schmidt, who was from West Frankfort. She came to see us a couple of times after we got home to Murphysboro.
I have a lot of good memories of the times I spent in New York and Virginia, and the people we met.
My gem... Money talks, but it usually says, "Good Bye."
Today I have a poem titled "Myself." I hope you enjoy it.
MYSELF
I have t live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always look to myself straight in the eye.
I don't want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I've done.
I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself.
And fool myself, as I come and go,
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of person I really am;
I don't want to dress up myself in sham.
I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men's respect;
But here in the struggle for fame and pelf
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know
That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.
I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see.
I know what others may never know;
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.
