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w Page 2--January 1988-Solares Hill Solares Hill-January 1988-Page 3 EDITORIAL Also in January's issue we have Elliot Baron's follow-up article on leases on Bill Westray: Fighting the Good Fight Happy 1989- city-owned properties--what they are and The Story of a Man, a Woman and Commitment A ne\y year, a clean slate. With the what they could be. Bud Jacobson reports holidays over we can shake unwanted that political chattering is slow, still it never perceptions and ideas and take a fresh look completely stops. by George Halloran All of us knew that Bill is seriously ill at the world. Evidently some new In the fiction department Solares Hill is with cancer. But no one made a big deal out approaches are in order. For all our running "The Origins of Blamelessness," a of it — Bill, because he still has a lot to do technological, commercial and industrial strong and important poem by George IVl arge Westray would rather this and is intent upon doing it; Marge, because sophistication we still haven't solved basic Murphy and On South Beach, June Keith's wasn't being written. It may well be true she's been there before with both her problems like what to do about the powerful short story. Writer Al McKee, that her husband Bill is an irreplaceable parents and she's not one to complain about homeless, where to put our trash and how incidently, had a poem accepted last month resource, a tireless worker and an her lot. If it were up to Marge, Bill's to manage the reef. by Five A.M.--& literary quarterly that inspiration to those who actively defend our condition would be a family secret. Don't Head North publishes work "too touchy for other natural resources. But Marge would rather But take a look at the nature of these Bill and Marge met on a blind date while problems and it becomes obvious why they literary publications to handle." not say so in public. Without Them! Congratulations. she was a student a Lindenberg College in aren't solved. Who's problems are they? She and Bill will have been married 50 St. Charles, Missouri and he was a young Accepting that they are oMra—instead of Remember the Key West Literary Seminar years this June. And for all .that time she civilian pilot working for the Navy at a sending them down the pike-is a first and the Arts Explo Craft Show take place has been the solid, quiet foundation for a nearby base in St. Louis. She told me that step.But then what? this month. The seminar offers fine films man so outspoken in favor of the at first she "didn't like him at all." All responsibility requires one common and readings by seminar speakers at the environment that he has been sued, commitment-time. If every person in Key library without charge. And, of course, the harrassed in public, and threatened in But Bill was impressed enough to buzz West devoted, say, two hours a month to craft show is always free. See pages 11 and private. the campus in his biplane, being careful to help solve any one of our problems, what 32 for details. And while Bill will happily run on about fly sideways so the headmaster couldn't would be the effect? We don't know—yet. Solares Hill wishes everybody a warm, his latest battles to help save Key West or catch his numbers and turn him in. In his profile of Bill Westray, writer wonderful and healthy 1989. Let's make some incident from his past, you have to Eventually the fly-overs had an effect, and George Halloran estimates that the this year the best of the decade. pry information from Marge bit by bit. after a year of courtship Marge agreed to environmental activist has spent over 1000 Until next month- She's not timid. But she is a very private marriage. hours in meetings. That doesn't include the Ann Boese woman. At the time, Bill was an aeronautical countless days, nights and weekends That's how it was a few weeks ago jack-of-all-trades. He had started as a devoted to research, phone calls, reading, when I visited the Westrays in their modest volunteer apprentice seaman in 1937, and notes. Key West can't expect one person to Sunset Drive home. They bought it in 1954 began tinkering with airplanes almost carry that load forever. It just won't happen. Our cover artist this month is Ann and have lived there ever since. Both say it ...footprints Read "Bill Westray: Fighting the Good Irvine. An extremely popular Key With a copy of the Bill Westray Day Proclamation in hand, immediately. was "the best thing we ever did." the honored environmentalist stands with City Commissioner "I did all the routine engine maintenance, 610 Duval Street Old Town Fight" and find out more about this truly West artist, Ann exhibits her work Harry Powell. Photo by Doyle Bush. remarkable man and his wife and friend, at Guild Hall Gallery on Duval and made any repairs to the air-frame which Marge. Street. W hen I walked in, Bill sat at a table nearby, ready to help if she saw fit, but in those days was linen stretched over with a stack of papers and the telephone. happy to be playing second fiddle to a man wood," Bill recalled. He also learned to Marge was washing windows and hovering accustomed to leading the band. sew, and began repairing, testing and il SUBSCRIBE dburci Key'West's Solares Hill is a community newspaper published monthly on the slopes of Key West's highest point by Solares Hill sotoreslhlll Publications, 930-C Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040.Telephone: 294-3602. Editor & Publisher ••- BillHuckel Managing Editor Coupon Must Be Presented With Film Ann Boese COLOR PROCESSING ONLY Art Director 1 Marko Fields iLJi OPEN 7 DAYS - 9 A.M.-9 P.M. s ! Art Assistant Si Kevin Kelly Advertising •I! ai Production Manager a sunglass emporium George Leidal If || Contributing Photographer l|| $10.00 OFF WITH THIS AD joj Richard Watherwax Typesetting TrncCtttonaC 7*'Schooner Ni«! 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DeveJopirig Free Developing Free De Page 4--January 1988-Solares Hill Solares Hill-January 1988-Page 5 packing parachutes, receiving $3 for each "In 1942 I was sent back to Lakehurst, "Instead they sent me to Pensacola to fly Bill, they began two decades of assignments chute packed. and a week after I arrived, the Japanese submarine patrols," Bill said. "We flew the all over the world. In November of 1941, Skip, the first of attacked Pearl Harbor. I decided then to East Coast, the Florida Straits, San Juan, During the late '40s they were in and out three children, was born. make the Navy my career, and applied to the Jamaica •— all over the place. For the first of Key West several times. "Key West was "Bill had earned $54 that month packing Naval Reserve as an aviator." time I got to see Key West. the center for all anti-sub training," Bill parachutes, and I remember the hospital "This was 1944-45 and we had been •*•*•****•**•••******•••*••* explained. "We flew from here to Trinidad costs for the baby came to $51," Marge said losing a ship a day. We spent a lot of time on training missions." with a smile. out there following oil tankers and when we One such mission, out of San Juan on "You had to pack your own were in the air they were safe. The subs May 2, 1950, nearly ended in disaster. Bill B>y this time Westray was a certified chute and then trust your own were no match for aircraft." and his 10-man crew had just located the commercial pilot on active duty in the Naval work on the way down." Bill said his crew spotted the enemy a "enemy forces" during midnight maneuvers Reserve as "station-keeper" at the tiny St. few times and dropped depth bombs. But about 400 miles from port when one engine Louis airbase. He taught parachuting and ••**•••*•••**•••**•••••••••• most of his wartime duties consisted of on their huge seaplane quit. survival to about 50 to 75 pilots a month "boring holes in the sky, day and night, "We were flying against the wind trying and had been to survival training school Bill received a direct commission and sometimes flying 10 to 15 hours in a day." to work our way back to shore, but the himself in Lakehurst, New Jersey — the went to New Orleans for flight instruction. The most dangerous times were during plane wouldn't stay up so we had to ditch," blimp base where the Hindenberg burned. He trained in the same class as actor Robert flights with student pilots.

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