Page 2 385th BGMA NEWSLETTER AUGUST 1992 i . > ■ Clovis McWilliams, 83, St. Joseph, that college. died Monday, May 25, 1992, at a lo­ Mr. McWilliams was a member of CHAPLAIN JIM SEZ: cal hospital following a short illness. the First Baptist Church; past presi­ Mr. McWilliams was a partner of dent and member of the board of the the McWilliams, Burnham, Dickens Pony Express Council, Boy Scouts of I am writing this the last part of June, 1992 and can you and Fiquet Insurance Agency for 38 Arherica; was an Eagle Scout; years, retiring in 1971. Chieftain of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, believe it is hot - dry - dry and hot in Seattle (Bellevue). We honor camping society of Camp are experiencing water rationing and it is hard to get used to Active .in Democratic politics, he Geiger; and a recipient of the Silver saving every drop. had served on the St. Joseph City Beaver Award. Council, the first Mr. McWilliams also was a mem­ and second City ber of Macdonald-Dugger-Duncan How grateful I am that God never withholds his love. Even Charter commis­ American Legion Post No. 11, past though we all experience "Spiritual Dry" spells now and sions and as president of St. Joseph Area Cham­ then, as we are here with the lack of water, we still know chairman of sev­ ber of Commerce, past president of that God never turns His back on us. eral city and St. Joseph Downtown Optimist Club, county cam­ past president and general cam­ paigns. paign chairman of the United Way, Our lives can become dry, spiritually, when we neglect let­ A native of and a former member of the board of ting God shower His grace on us. In the Psalms 1:1-3 this Clarksdale, Mo., the Elks Lodge No. 40, B.P.O.E. He truth is given us. Mr. McWilliams was a charter member of the Y-Fry 'Blessed is the man (woman) who walks not in the coun­ had lived most of Mr. McWilliams Club Class No. 1, of which he was his life in St. Jo- ' currently vice president; and was a sel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits seph. He was graduated from Cen­ member of the St. Joseph Country in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the tral High School of St. Joseph and, Club. Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. William Jewell College at Liberty, During World War II, he served as He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its Mo., where he received a bachelor; a major in the Army Air Corps In­ of science degree. fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that telligence, 385th Bomb Group of the He was past president of the 8th Air Force in England. he does, he prospers. Alumni Association at William Jew­ In 1938, he married the former Mil- ell and received the Citation of; dred G. Giller. She survives of the We all can grow and prosper in living when we do not Achievement Award in 1956 from1 home. neglect God's Spiritual input. Love, Chaplain Jim Personnel who served at Lewistown, Montana ★ ★ ★ ★ LIFE MEMBERS ★ ★ ★ ★ Army Airfield B-17 training base will hold a fiftieth­ anniversary reunion September 12-13. This includes the 548th Bomb Sq., 385th BG; a former bombardier of 401st Paul N. Grilliot BG will open the bombsight vault. He may have been the last to shut and lock it when they left for England in 1943. This is part of Lewistown's Chokecherry Festival. Anyone available to go, write: Jack Milburn Giltedge State Lewistown, Montana 59457 NOTICE If you would like extra copies of the 50th anniversary reunion insert, please sent $1.00 for postage to: Ed Stern Box 2187 Fargo, ND 58108 AUGUST 1992 385th BGMA NEWSLETTER Page 3 LIST OF 99 MEMBERS TRAVELING TO EDITOR'S NOTE: In addition, the following joined us for ENGLAND FOR THE REUNION part of the Tour. Gordon Stead George and Alice Salvador Charles an Blanche Brackett Herbert and Mary Macy Emery and May Blanchette Jessie and Marion Brown George and Marie Menkoff Westley and Mary-Ellen Brown Edward Metcalf Bob Valliere Mrs. Connie Gombert & grandson Barney and Ila Coble Edward and Bevery McElroy Roy and Betty Batey Sydney and Lena Colthorpe Robert and Constance McNeilly Thomas and Margaret Conway Richard and Mary-Jane Molzhan Ty Winton Roy and Margaret Courtney Karl and Marguerite Moravek Nancy Moran Thomas and Darla Newton THANK YOU David Smith John and Ruth Pettenger Bartlett and Ruth Dickey John and Joanne Pickett A special "Thank You" to these wonderful Great Ashfield Henry and Druisila Dworshak Charles and Mary Price people who hosted us at "lunch" as they termed the sum­ Clarence Fauber Juan and Mary Provencio ptuous meals we enjoyed on Saturday after the dedication Charles and Eunice Flynn Willard and Vivian Richards of the stained glass window. It was an opportunity to get Francis and Oliver Fuller Daniel Riva better acquainted with them. Leon and Barbara Lamoureaux Kay Waseleski Michael and Marian Gallagher Clark and Margaret Rollins Beatty Orford and Robert Miles. Jack Gesser Col. Bob Smith David Johnson Drue and Pam Gillis Charles and Peggy Smith Rowley and Angela Miles Bill and Barbara Grodi Chuck and Beth Smith Dennis and Angela Dyball Robert and Elizabeth Hach Ed and Richard Stern Fred Purcell Willard and Lance Hagman Susan Fineman Stephen & Petrina Miles Terry Sylvester Robert and Lois Taylor Mr and Mrs. Hamilton Barbara Byler Robert and Jennie Vandiver John Clarke Debra Janzen Sam Vandiver Stan Fulham Thomas and Norma Hair William and Louise Varnedoe Eric & Ella Barker William Hausman Rolland and Arlene Vencill Roy and Di Barker Henry and Martha Jones Robert and Coralie Wilson Stuart and Shirley Cannell Robert Jones William and Kate Wray Spencer Symonds Robert and Marietta Long Steve Zaputil Mrs. Irwin Clifford and Shirley Lybeck Joseph and Phyllis Zwick William Black H. Gemmill Peter & Jane Bullivant Bob and Linda Orford Thanks to the 401st Bomb Group Newsletter for this good advice on planning your moves. DON'T LET GO OF THE ROPE Approximately the same time, The following letter to an however, the barrel of bricks insurance company clearly the brick into it. Then I went hit the ground... and the bottom describes the consequences of back to the ground and untied fell out of the barrel. Devoid making unplanned moves. the rope, holding it tightly to of the weight of the bricks, the insure a slow decent of the 500 barrel now weighed approximately In his latter the bricklayer pounds of bricks. You will note 50 pounds. wrote: "In response to your in block number eleven of the request for additional accident reporting form that I I refer you again to my weight information in block number 3 of weigh 135 pounds. in block number 11. As you the accident reporting form, I might imagine, I began a rapid put "Poor Planning" as the cause Due to my surprise at being descent down the side of the of my accident. You said in jerked off the ground so building. your letter that I should suddenly, I lor.t my presence of explain more fully and I trust mind and forgot to let go of the In the vicinity of the third that the following details will rope. Needless to say, I floor, met the barrel coming up. be sufficient. proceeded at a rather rapid rate This accounts for the two up the side of the building. fractured ankles and the I am a bricklayer by trade. On lacerations Of my legs and lower the day of the accident I was In the vicinity of the third body. working alone on the roof of a floor, I net the barrel coming new six-story building. When I down. This explains the The encounter with the barrel completed my work, I discovered fractured skull and broken slowed me enough to lessen my that I had about 500 pounds of collarbone. injuries when I fell onto the bricks left over. Rather than pile of bricks, and fortunately, carry the brick down by hand, I Slowing only slightly, I only three vertebrae were decided to lower them in a continued my rapid ascent, not cracked. barrel by using a pulley which stopping until the fingers of my fortunately was attached to the right hand were two knuckles I am sorry to report, however, side of the building, at the deep in the pulley. that as I lay there on the sixth floor. bricks — in pain, unable to Fortunately, by that time I had stand and watching the empty Securing the rope at ground regained my presence of mind and barrel six stories above me — I level, I went up on the roof, able to hold tightly to the rope again lost ray presence of mir.d. swung the barrel out and loaded in spite of my pain. I let go of the rope! Page 4 385th BGMA NEWSLETTER AUGUST 1992 385th BOMB GROUP If you can spare an extra week or two, a 5 day tour of the 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION Canadian Rockies, an Alaskan cruise, a visit to Glacier Park, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON Yellowstone Park, the Grand Tetons-any number of suggestions are available (Call Group Coordinators at 509- AUGUST 25-29,1993 455-4354 for complete information, brochures, etc). Spokane has a wonderful Convention and Tourist Bureau We'll be back to our roots-where we formed in 1943-for you can reach at 1 -800-248-3230.