Property of the Watertown Historical Society watertownhistoricalsociety.org Xftmee Timely Cmemge Of News In The Fastest Growing Community In Litehfield County Vol. 43 No. 27 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $12,00 PER YEAR Car. Rt. P.S. PRICE 30' CENTS July 3ft: 1987 o JHative Seeing Country As Army Drivel- Trucker's Life, Meeting People Perfect Combination For Watertown's On-The-Road-Again Sgt Charles Lee By Tommy Valuckas craft carrier USS John F. Kennedy out of Norfolk. Va. Driving a 50-foot expandable tractor trailer rig across He lived in West Virginia for a year after getting out this big land 10 to II, months of the year might, not be of the Navy, and came back to Watertown for a short the ideal assignment most gung-ho Army recruits spell. He drove tracks, went, to school, and, managed would shoot for after enlisting. a home delivery, fuel, oil business- But for Watertown's Charles Lee, the challenge of He then decided to join the Army in August, 1981. inspiring, young people to "be all. they can, be" while "It's hard to make ends meet, sometimes," Sgt. Lee traveling the country's highways and byways' are op- said. "And the Army had what I was looking for." portunities he just couldn't pass up. Sent overseas to West Germany, Sgt.,,Lee operated And besides, when, you're one of only 44 out of out of Mannheim, with assignments for various coun- 800,000 U.S. soldiers doing what, you're doing, that tries that included driving a, Canadian colonel around. has to make you feel rather special. From, northern Turkey to Scandinavia, Sgt. Lee's trucks, "I'm; a trucker at heart,,"" said the 32-year-old Army ground the gravel between many a border'.. sergeant during a recent interview while on a short He re-enlisted while overseas, and became station- leave in, Watertown. "The military has taught me a lot ed with the 69th, Transportation Company in of patience, and taught me a lot of good things." Bremerhaven, West Germany, as a motor transport The son, of Mr. and. Mrs. James A. Lee, 182 operator (fclGS 64C). Woodruff Ave,.,, Sgt. Lee is assigned, to driving Cinema Sgt. Lee figures he got "to see a lot of Europe in Van 6, a mobile theater seating up to 30 people, around six years," racking up some 100,000 road miles as he the country in support of the Army Recruiting Com- criss-crossed the continent through, Germany, France, mand. He is headquartered, out of Cameron Station, Belgium, and, Denmark. He usually drove alone, haul- Alexandria, Va. ing anything from mail to ammunition in, his tractor The van contains exhibits and, a multi-screen slide • trailer. presentation with, audio. The overall presentation lasts ""When we'd go into Holland, we used to break down between 40 to 50 minutes, including time for questions on, purpose" to enjoy a slightly longer stay there in its by the inquisitive, spectators. nice hotels, Sgt. Lee said playfully. Sgt. Lee will conduct some 200' shows a year, mostly As part of the Army Exhibit Team, in, this country to high school students.' He said, anywhere from 75 to now, Sgt. Lee said usually he will make one presenta- 250 teenagers might view the program on any given tion per day at a school, although occasionally he will day. do two. In, some instances, such as a fair site in Califor- "Kids are, smart, today, but 'they don't know everything nia, the van will be set up for several, shows over a few US. ARMY EXHIBITOR Sgt. Charles Lee, a Watcrtown native, has there is to know out there," Sgt. Lee said. "So we have days. a good "handle on'his military career and where it is leading him. (U.S. them come in, and see what the (Army) program has At times he will work for three weeks in 75-mile Army Photo) • • • to offer." radiuses from a central, point. For example, if he sta- A 1973 graduate of Watertown High School. Sgt. Lee tions himself in say, Naugatuck, he will do shows as ironically arrived at his landbound job via the sea. In far away as Springfield, and other locations within that Democrats Meeting Tonight 1975. he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served four years area. as an aviation structural mechanic assigned to the air- (Continued on, page 21 To Pick Their Candidates Inside "There's plenty of room for The Democrat 'Town Committee Bethlehem News page 11 challenge." Mr. Vernovai observed AIDS-Is It Here ? What will meet today (Thursday) to vote Births 5, 7, 19, 22 * 23 over the Council race, saying the on candidates recommended by the Book Review. 16 Republicans "really haven't raised" party's screening committee for Is Being Done About It? Calendars............3 & 2,3 an;,' issues yet. Town Council and Board, of Educa- Churches ; 6 &. 7 •I don't share the feeling they've tion seals open in this November's (Ed. Note: This is tie first in a they are, moving along. I don't think, Classifieds..............,.. 26 election. series of reports that will deal people feel something like this Dining Out ...14 & 15 The meeting is slated for 8 p.m with the AIDS virus and how it could happen here,."" John Rowland / 7 in ihe Oakville Branch Library, 55 is being dealt with by the local Dr. Czarsty, who also is the Legal Notices 23 &. 27 Davis St. school, system and. officials.) school system physician, said he Letters ,., — 4 Michael J. Vernovai Sr., Dem- has not had any AIDS victims visit Music Notes..... 15 ocrat town chariman, declined to By 1991,270,000 'AIDS (Acquired his office, and he is not '"personal- Nancy Johnson. ,., 12 comment earlier this week on Immune Deficiency Syndrome) ca- ly aware of any in, the town. Newsbeat Briefs..., 7 whether a final list of choices had ses will be .reported and 179,000 •Statistically speaking, •though, there: Obituaries........... 4 & 7 been put together for nomination. people (66percent) are expected to has to be a few." Personals — 2 "For the party with all the incum- die. The School Department reported, Play Park 8 bancies, it's easier for them to do," there were no ""known" youngsters Realty News 27 Mr. Vernovai commented in refer- Last year, 290 cases of AIDS within the system, the past year with Scouting News ...... 14 ence to the Republican c?ucus July were reported in Connecticut the disease. Servicemen 16 23, which picked its slate for the Health officials expect another 263 Dr. Czarsty has seen people who Showcase .Of Homes.24 & 25 election. cases in 1987. Ecu)'many of those believe they may have been, expos- Sports .20' About 20 GOP members nomin- 553 people will die? ed to the disease. But those people •Waterfront Waves. .2/ ated incumbents Gordon James (the he refers to a hospital, where they chairman), John Candee, David By Kim. Harmon undergo a screening test and, IOUS. Dal ton, Jan Wi vested, and Stephen It's been six years since the first possibly,- the Western, Blot test. Dr. Czarsty agreed. "I think peo- Robey to run for Council, along cases of the disease were reported, According to the U.S. Surgeon ple feel, AIDS is an easy thing-to with Rosalie Loughran, who now in this country. Within those six General's office report:, AIDS is catch, like a cold," he said. "It; serves as chairwoman of the Police years the world has become well spread through sexual, contact and doesn't seem to be that way." • Commission. aware of the nightmare that is through the sharing of intravenous According to the Surgeon Gen- All nine seats on the Council will THE 'REV. JOHN NORMS, AIDS. , drag needles and. syringes used for eral's report, there is no known risk be up for grabs. Parties may pastor at. the Victory Independent While people die by the thous- injecting illicit drugs. of non-sexual infection in, most of nominate no more than six can- Baptist Church, 965 Litehfield. ands in immense cities like.New ' "AIDS' is an, infectious disease," the situations people encounter in didates, assuring a minority 'Road, has announced "Friend'Day" York, £an Francisco, and. Los An- said Surgeon General C. • Everett; their daily lives. Family members representation of at least three will, be celebrated at the church geles, here in. Watertown, a com- Koop, M.D.,\ScD'. "It is con- who have the .AIDS virus .do not members. Sunday, Aug. 2,,, beginning at 9:30 munity of some 20,000' people, dai- tagious, but "it cannot be spread in become infected except through The Republicans chose Incum- a.m.. "A Friend Loveth at. All ly events don't seem, to be fainted 'the same manner .as a common, cold. sexual con- fact. or measles or chicken, pox. bent George Mango, James Mullen, Times" will be the theme for the with the hysteria, that has gripped "There: Is no evidence of trans- and Cheryl Carley to run for three worship service and. occasion mark- the rest of the nation. "It is contagious in 'the same mission (spread) of AIDS vires by of the four, four-year terms open- ing the third anniversary of the "1 think the people here are way," he added, "that sexually .everyday contact," said. Dr. Koop, ing on the Board, of Education in church in the community. Nursery aware,," said Dr. Craig Czarsty of transmitted diseases, such as "even though these family members care will be provided. There, will be November.