I went to school with John Baptisit Roemer, and when we graduated from St Thomas, we were going to go to the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas as roomates. Well, I got sick, did not enroll in the middle semister with Jack (3 semisters in that time) and he did, after he was in school, I visited him and we talked to Col Dunn about getting into the band, Col Dunn said yes we could come in as roomates and he wouyld welcome us. Jack joined the Navy after his first semister and we talked just before he left...we would come back and be in the Band. I enrolled into school the next semister and and when I turned 17 I joined the Navy also, I came home in 1946 and called Jack to see where he was....so that we could go to school and be roomates. Jack was dead, he was killed on the day after the acton came to a close. A jap had stolen a zero and crashed dived into his ship in Tokyo bay and he was killed...officially the last Aggie killed in Action....he was also the last man to die in WW II. I went back to school, but did not join the band....just could not do it.....it would not have been right. His picture and purple heart is in a case at the Corps of Cadet building...the picture does not do him justice...he was one hell of a great person. But then, all of them were.
NOT AGGIE HISTORY BUT…
(Blue posted this one after a long thread concerning "The American Dream")
My, MY, My. Younger Ags talking about the American dream...Hell, I went thru the depression era. My Dad was working for Henke and Pillot at 14.00 a week. He worked from 7:oo am to 6:00pm monday thru friday. On saturday he went to work at 6:30 am and worked until 10:00 pm or later. On Sunday he went to work at 1:30 pm until 4:00Pm checking cash registers. He saved his money and he and Mom bought a house at 110 E 4th street in Houston for 800.00 bucks. He built a garage apt behind it and then rented it for 9.00 a month. My mother went to work for Shudde brothers as a seamstress. We were lucky, I cut yards with a push mowere for 20 cents a yard. sold papers on saturday nights, made 4 cents for each chronicle or houston post we sold. I saw men that could not get a job sitting on the curb and crying, I saw men kill themselves, jumping out of building or under a train. Men would rummage thru garbage cans looking for something to eat. The ladies in the neighborhood would make soup for these men and they were thankful for it. For entertainment, we would sit on the front poarch at night and listen to Jack Benny, Fibber Magee and Molly. GEORGE burns and gRACIE aLLEN, anda host of other radio shows. The Amos & Andy always came on at 9:00 p.m. mon thru friday. I love a mystery was also a popular program. Guys would make home brew in the attic and then break it out on sunday afternoon for a back yard party...grilling weiners and eating sour kraut. Man that was a time. No one in the neighborhood owned a car, we road the street car. coffee was 29 cents a lb for bright & early and you could re roast it for more coffee. Folgers was 33 cents, but only rich folks used that. I was coming home from work one evening and a man shot his wife and son, then killed himself on Heights blvd in the 200 block,...he was starving and could not get a job. He wrote a note and said that he was tired of seeing his family starve. Another gy jumped under switch engine 161 (SP) on easter sunday at the tracks where the train crosses heights blvd at center street. His wife died and he had no money and no job....I was waiting right next to him waiting for the engine to pass by, he folded hios coat, laid it on the ground and dove under the drive wheels. I raN HOME PUKING AND WET MY PANTS, I was about nine yrs old...will never forget that scene. Things were rough as hell during that time...no AC , no telephone (too expensive) wood stove to get heat in winter. no electric toaster or microwave as they had not been intented yet, nor were any of the other modern conveniences...had to heat water on the wood stove. We got gas installed in 1936. dangerous as hell I could go on and on, but you get the idea....you younger Ags are lucky and you should just take time out to smell the roses. Things are really great, just love your family, spend more time with your wife and kids. there are so many things you can do with the family and they will love you for it. What the hell, I am just an old fart that has to shoot off my mouth sometimes
AGGIE HISTORY NO. 1
Howdy: I will try to rewrite Aggie History # 1...may not be exact as the first one, but the facts are the same and the spelling will be just as bad.
You must put yourself back in time, before computors, cell phones, television.etc. this was the dark ages. Most of the students were farmers, poor kids from the big cities and every body was kinda dumb..not stupid just did not have any of the street smart of today. O.K. Here we go.
Freshmen (fish and frogs) wore bluelapels on a olive green wool blouse. A fish stripe around the left cuff which you always tried to hide with a coat draped over your left arm. All freshmen had to walk in the street in order for the upperclassmen to walk on the sidewalk unencumbered. All freshmen had to carry matches, but it was a freshman privledge to bum cigarettes from upperclassmen. Usually the first day was hell, as a smart a,,,P head would give you a handkercheif made into a parachute and detail you to jumo off Gathright Hall ( it was a cornorstone of the building about 20 inches high...the new freshman did not know this of course and he would be out of his mind, knowing full well that he was about to die. The P heads would hold their right hand over the heart and bow the head as the fish walked by, this was rubbing salt into the wound. When he finally found the building, and discoved the joke ....relief was in his face. Fish usually would drown out the P Heads with a wastepaper bucket during the night...water in the face at 3 AM is hell, especially if the bucket is also thrown. seniors could miss breakfast formation. Heck, seniors could do anything they wanted, Seniors wore boots only for evening formation..usually they wore pinks with kaki shirts and tie. white belt and BROWN shoes. Juniors could wear green serge slacks or pants, kaki shirt and tie. Pinks were reserv ed for Seniors only. Sophs wore same uniform as fish except no fish stripe. Most of the streets were gravel...Militry Walk was paved with asphalt and reached from Guion hall on the SOUTH AND WENT NORTH TO Sbisa dining hall in the north en end of the campus. There was formation for all meals, and family style dining was the norm. There was a jargon for food and if you did not know the names of the food, you just did not eat. cush was desert, bullneck was meat, gunwadding was bread etc. Students waited on tablers...each waiter had three tables to handle and he was treated with respect no matter his class. All fish had to whip out and meet the other members of the Corps. and had to caqll each person by his name. H had to know the name, city or town from which he came and his course of study...P heads really loved to play around with the fish on this subject. During the football games the fish would be down in the lower part of the seating area and the P heads would be among them, checking to see who was yelling and who needed some encouragement. Fish were always detailed to go to Georges cafe across from the New Area (quad) to pick up cokes, hamburgers and chips. Midnight Yell was held on the steps of the YMCA...it was a great time and tradition. behind the Y, was a cafe, named Caseys...students would go there for coffee aqnd doughnuts and also to meet upperclassmen to tell them what question were on the quiz they had just taken and the upperclassman was going to take next period. Usually English 103..killer course designed by cynical profs. who hated people especially students. Christmas parties were great for the freshmen who wanted a break from routine. every body would kick in 50 cents and get beer and spike it with old crow and sometimes southern comfort..it does have a kick. Fish had to know the inscription on Guion hall, the names on the Library, defination of a fish, the answere for not knowi g a question, names of the football team. and a mirade of other info reagarding campusology. Paintint the ball on top ot the water tower was a nightly affair. Yellow for the Jocks, red for the artillery, blue for the infantry etc. All hell broke out the night that the Cavalry painted the ball yellow and about two hours later the artillery went up to paint the ball red...well, the next morning we had a beautiful orange ball on the water tower...that really went over rather badly with the guys that were knee deep in leather...every body had a red butt after that . Thumbing a ride was the way to travel and people would look out for Ags so as to have a driver or someone to talk too. Final review was different...there was the first pass thru..then the senior would be called front and center and march to a line and then about face and then when the out fit passed by, they would step forward one step and salute. there was no break as is now. rather long...to be continued.
Aggie History- #2
Howdy Ags Back in the dark ages, the Corp would form the famous block "T" on Kyle Field. This half time tradition always was formed during the home game with TCU or SMU. You will remember that we had a single deck stdium with a press box about 30 feet long by 10 foot wide and 10 foot high. This press box was built on the back edge of the west stands. It on the roof of the press box that the head yell leader would direct the yells. The band would stay in the stands and play "Pop goes the weasel" (over and over during the formation of the "T")
The Corps would be formed into files of 4 men, arm in arm lock and the four would lead the way onto the field to form the T The T would stretch from the 20 to the 20 across the top and from the 40 to the 40 across the bottom and was almost from the side line to the sidelind tall, After the T was formed, the head yell leader would gie the first signal for the yell and then each yell was executed ending with 15 for team, farmers fight and call it a night. Then a loud wildcat was given for and explosion of dismissal. Everyone would scatter and go back to the stands. my favorite was "Ladies", Yes, I know we were dumb and old fashioned,,,,but I would love to do it again
Aggie History #3
Sorry Ags, but I became dizzy and fell out of my chair before I could finish the story..I blacked out for a few minujtes, but I feel OK now.
Rest of thge story: You find a seat, meet the Ag sitting there and you sort lean back and the next thing you hear the conductor...COLLEGE>>COLLEGE>>COLLEGE STATION, wake up Aggies we are 5 miles from school, He startes to shake the various guys that are still sleeping and tells every one that they should get the gear and make certain that you do not forget anything. Soon the train begins to slow down and you can see the byildings in the right side of the train windows. It is very dark, The train stopps and everyone gets off and the conductor yells out that someone left a bag,,,a very sleepy Ag runs back to the train and gets his bag from the conductor...we now swtart to walk back to the dorms, cold, damp and not in a good mood. You reach your dorm, and you try to be quite so as not to wake anyone HOWEVER, you notice that there are two guys in the shadows and you realize something is up or something is going to happen...right away you hurry to your room, open the door and all hell breaks loose...yep, it is a drown out by a feew people that have drowned out a pisshead who prides himself in being the meanest and baddest of the lot. You hear the scream, the wastpaper bucket hit the floor, water everywhere, the profanity is loud, the door is jammed so that the victim cannot get out of the room and catch you. Every one is now awake, and you are standing there in the middle of tghe whole mess, You see the guys who have thrown the water bucket and the water on the P head...and they are your buddies and classmates....waht to do...well, you just take off your uniform and wait for the shakedown by the upperclassmen...sophs and know that you will suffer with your buddies, that is all the people wearing fishstripes in the dorm. It is now 2:45 A>M> Roommate is now up and asking what happened and to whom, you tell him and he moans, knowing full well that the night will be busy, busy, busy. Yor room is invaded by a group of angry P heads demanding information and you just have to say you really do not know anything. Punishment is dealt to all the fish..Your butt is sore, your mind is sore from no sleep, you try to take a quick look at your notes, Try to study a bit to sharpen your wits, but you are just spinning your wheels, just can not concentrate, now 4 AM and you lay down and have a nightmare about flunking..hope to post 10 10. looking at mabe 20 9 and if only you can pass history. You hear a bugle, and it is time to get up. You get dressed, knowing full well that all of the P heads will be in an extra foul attitude about life and fish in particular. You eat breakfast get ready for the quiz, You start out for the Academic bldg, and Screamin Al...praying like you never prayed before, but you come to a conclusion that there is no God, How can there be a God. How could God allow a decent young innocent human such as your self to go thru all of this crap. There is no God, that you are certain of. You get to your classroom, go in and sit down waiting for the inevitable...nothing happens...no prof...all of a sudden you realize that every one is walking out of the classroom HOLY CRAP walking out means that there will be no quiz Screaming AL is home with the flu...THERE IS A GOD AND HE LOVES AGGIE FRESHMEN
Aggie History #4
Once upon a time, at a wonderful place called The Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas, the student body was all Corps. Everyone wore a uniform. We had the Corps which comprised the student body, the Day Ducks, which were non Military and did not really get involved with the daily routine of the Corps. These students wore a NM on the left collar of the shirt rathewr than the standard brass signifying the branch that the student was in...Cavalry was crossed sabres, Paddlefoot wore the crossed rifles and so on. I knew two students that were Day Ducks and they were attached to a NM company of sorts. Marched to chow, sat at the special section that they were assigned...they did not become involved in our routine...There were not too many, the exact number was small and I really did not pay too much attention to them, I never saw any of them receive any attention from the upperclassmen. I never knew of any of them becoming involved in our customs, traditions or society functions. They were just students and were never bothered. I think that most of the guys were local who went home after class, No one really thought about it anyway. We also had the 5th yr man and the 6th year man. These were seniors that had completed four years and still had to attend school to qualify for a degree...notably were the Vet students, they lived in the Corps. wore boots and had all the priviledges of a senior, but did not hold rank,,they usually were a bad influence on the seniors, but we did not have a civilian student section. Also, the architect students had a 5 yr requirement and thus they also were in the Corps. If they did not have the required number of hrs and grade points, they would stay in the Corps until they graduated. I had a good friend, Pat Patterson 25 who had flunked Physics and had to stay an additional year, He was the drum major in 1926 as a fifth yr senior. He told me about the first elephant walk, and gave me a lot of info about the band as we were (my wife and myself) getting our research for the Band Book and the 100th anniversary. I leasrned that the band had a lot of 5th yr men during the course of time. It was after the WWII veterans returned that a special company was formed to accomodate the students who had not completed Military Science, but had taken senior priviledge and still needed requirements to graduate. It was designated a senior company for seniors only....boy you taslk about a bunch of slobs...Man they looked like tobacco road reincarnated. I overheard Major Parsons (not related to Col Parsons '49) mutter that to think they will soon be commanding troops...Lord help the country. I guess the guys just got kind of tired being reg and just let themselves go. When it mattered, they could be sharp. To day, this is moot as this type of situation will never exist again. By the way, many seniors would sell their boots to a Jr. who did not have the money to buy new boots, several boots were worn by as many as 6 or 7 guys. I bought my boots from Duke Hobbs 47 and then sold them to Verb Parrish '50..they were beautiful and I sold them for 25.00. we did not have too much money in that period and I wanted Verb to have boots. He has since passed away.
Aggie History # 5
In 1972, I was with Coach Bellard on a scouting trip for football prospects. I was driving him around Houston, in a group with the coach. There were no professional scouting groups like now, and each coach had to fine his players himself. We did not have the reporting like now, inf was hard to get, unless you did it your self. OK, here we go. It was a friday night and we went to Jeppeson stadium to look at several so called blue chippers...they were nada, no speed, no size, no quality . We were sitting behind six or seven head coaches and assistants who were also looking at the same kids. On the Wheatley team, No 87, left end was a demon, fast as a speeding bullit, hit like a train gone wild and having a ball. This kid was fantastic. He was the fifth guy in the backfield and he messed up play after play. I pointed this out to Coach Bellard and kicked my leg and gave me a frown. I shut up. At half time, the other coaches all left, making nasty remarks about the whole group of kids. Coach Bellard agreed with them. We went down for cokes and made out like we were leaving also, BUT we did not. When the game was about over and all of the other coaches were gone. Coach Bellard said "that #87 is going to be an All American DB. He is the greatest I have seen. He is a keeper. Well, we did recruit him, no other school wanted him, until two weeks before signing date and SMU caught on, and worked like hell to get him. WE GOT HIM. He lettered 4 yrs. He made All American. He is a personality that his era will never forget...Quiz who was he...correct answer coming up in later of day.
Aggie History #6
The answer to the first question was too easy, yep it was Lester. Pat Thomas was put on the Fish Team.....last freshman team at school. My wife and I went to the early breakfast in the dorm and saw Carl and a couple of the other playeers. As we were going into the stadium for the game we saw Pat Thomas and asked him to join us. This was the SMU game, Pat was sort of in a funk that he was not suited out and was in a sort of a depression, Well my wife noted this and told Pat to cheer up as he would be starting next week,(she later told me that she was sorry that she said that but she felt so sorry for him as we were going home. I was pissed that she said that, because I just knew this would backfire) WELL, guess what. The next game Pat was put on the team and was starting at DB. I damn near had a stroke....Pat was as nervous as a cat out on thqat field. After the game, Pat said thanks to my wife, hell, she had nothing to do with it, Later that year, it was cold as hell and freezing in Houston, there was a knock on the door and Carl and Pat came to see us. Carl had on a letterman jacket from Smiley, but poor ol Pat did not have on acoat and was freezing to death. My wife felt sorry for Pat and went to the closet and pulled out my old hunting jacket and gave it to him and told him to wear that til he got his letter jacket...we then found out it had been stolen on a visit to a ertain school in the hill country. Well, my wife told him he would have to get revenge next year. It was a nice visit and when they were leaving...Pat said that my wife really had connections and then thanked her for the coat....I never did tell Carl or Pat the truth about starting......neither did my wife. These were two of the nicest kids I have ever known....pure class and makes me proud to be an AG.
Aggie History #7
We had a Corps trip to Ft. Worth and everybody was in town friday nite, we kind of took over the town and was waiting for mid night yell practice. The TCU people were there also to give us a hard time and the seniors were haveing a problem with some of the punks trying to scratch the boots, kicking and walking up behind and use a bottle cap to try to scratch the back of the boots. One kid tried it and a Ag yelled to watch out, well the senior turned around and accidentally kicked him in the jaw. Well some of the kids started yelling and about twenty of them ran over to find about forty Ags coming out of the Hotel we were going to stay at. They paused and started to back off and that kind of sparked a rather warm attitude between the Corp and the TCU people, We went to the yell practice site and waited and the crowd became really large. We had a good practice but we kinda knew tht there was going to be some social problems in Cowtown before the night was over. Some police started to show up and we went to the hotel where we were going to stay..Corps members would sleep in the lobby of hotels, the hotel managers would look the other way when guys would take over a chair for the night or a couple of guys would take over one of the big stuffed couches, some would sleep behind the couches on the carpet some could even sleep sitting in a cornor. there was a sign that the guys brought from school and hung it up in the lobby from the second floor, It was not a very friendly sign that the TCU kids could admire,,,as I recall, it was a horned toad being kicked in the butt by an Aggie boot and the wording was something like kick the lizard or stomp the lizard WELL, everyone saw the sign being hung up and laughing and no one of the hotel employees said anything....soooooo it stayed right there. At about 3 in the morning , everyone was sleeping and snoring and really soundly sleeping when the TCU kids snuck in the hotel and was in the process of taking it down when some Ag must have woke up and stgarted yelling The sign is being stolen...help help well that did it...not only was our sound sleep being disturbed, but they e\were starting something that gona ruin our night. A senior yelled not to damage the hotel, get those guys and take them out side(actually he used other words and mentioned that they may the offspring of a canine nature) well the fight started, did not last long as there were only about 39 of them and they were definately out numbered, The cops came and took about ten Ags an put them in the paddy wagon and then went inside the hotel get statements,,,while they were getting statement, another Ag let the guys out of the wagon and they put two TCU kids in and locked the door. Major Garrett showed up about that time and he was in the class 36 and he acted very proper and took over. He signed some paper for the cop and asked the cops how much the bail was gona be and where could he go to pick up the Ags that were in the wagon, not knowing that they had been released without bond...as the cops left Major Garrett told us to cool it as he did not want any of us in trouble...said that he would handle it. Here come the cops and they were pissed, wanted to know who let the Ags out of the wagon and who put the TCU guys in the wagon.....Major Garret turned around and said Does any body know who did this, I want to knoiw right now. Well there was a quite interlude and no one said anything and Major Garrett turned to the cops and said These men must be innocent and know nothing,Well the cops let the kids out and stayed at the hotel the rest of the night and we went back to sleep, knowing that the cops would protect us....problem is you had to be there to see the humor and enjoy the atmosphere.....Major Garrett was one hell of an Ag and officer. This happened in 1946
Aggie History #8
I am not a historian, nor do I qualify as a story teller. I do think that looking back on the period I am familiar with, I must say that the old "glory years" would be the period of 1930 thru 1942. You must remember that Aggie land was really starting up due to the depression and was really damaged due to WWII. Aggieland was really an Aggieland, home of poor boys and farmers off the farm. There was no parking problem as even the faculty did even own automobiles, they would ride bikes from home to the campus and there was even carpooled groups. It was not unusual to see several leave the Academic bldg and pile into a car driven by one of the wives, and the cars were old, no new autos here, All the streets were gravel and since the sidewalks were loaded with students, all fish had to walk in the streets. It was an upperclassman privledge to walk on the sidewalks. There were very few trees anywhere, there were some small trees planted around the Drill Field, about 4-4 foot high. There was no "NEW AREA" now known as the Quad...these bldgs did not come on until 1938-39. There were officer houses where the MSC now stands and the most beautiful bldg on the campus was Guion hall at the south end of Military Walk....the most historic street on the campus. The first thing a fish had to learn was the inscriptiuon on Guin hall ...IGNORANCE IS THE CURSE OF GOD, KNOWLEDGE THE WINGS BY WHICH WE FLY TO HEAVEN. The campus was rather small, Kyle Field and Pl Downs Naterterium were as far west as the campus went...if you don't count the train station, North Gate was really as far north you could go and the Post Office was an imposing bldg along with the largest dinning room in the country. We had a Cavalry Squadron with real horses...you used the blanket off your bed as a saddle blanket. When you were a fish you could get in the Cav and a hell of a lot of farm boys were really wanting to join the "Jocks",,hell that was fun riding around while the rest of the Corps was marching or cleaning equipment. Eating family style created a closeness and it created jobs for the waiters. The Jargon at mealtime also was something you had to learn or you did not eat. It was common to see fish bringing back fruit
BlueLapels Quote?:
"I lived in Marlin. Texas on Ball Hill Road where it cuts across Big Sandy....caught a lot of snakes there and My Uncle Ted would skin them and make belts. We did not play any games, but we picked a hell of a lot of cotton, We would just rest at night and look up at the stars. A black family lived across the road and they were awful nice...they raised sorgum and when it was time to cut the sorgum all of our family would go over there and help...cut sorgum, and thenstack it so it could be pressed for the juice...Poppa would take a small mule with us so he could walk the press whe the other mule got uppity or tired. When cotton pickin time came, they would come over and help us pick the cotton, hell I thought everybody in the whole world picked cotton. I would go with my uncles to cut the trees for the wood pile and then we would split the wood...from then on it was my job to keep enough wood in the box on the poarch for cookin and keeping warm. Ehen ever any body was bruised, cut or sore, Momma would put Johnsons salve on it and then we would heal. This stuff camein a red can and it was used for every thing . When my uncle John hit his foot with the ax(really messy and bloody) Poppa put his foot into a bucket of coal oil and them washed it off with well water and then put the salve on it and tied it up real tight,,,Uncle John said that it affected his dancing, but he got well and never seemed to be for the worst. he died when he was 96, dont know how long he would have lived if he never got that foot almost cut off. Uncle Joe was the beer drinker and he could make great home brew, kept Falls County wet through out Probition and well into 1936. He left the farm then and the quality of Home brew really fell. I never did get to play ball because we did not have any,,,we played tag. Hid and go seek...went hunting a lit and fishing and snake hunting. No cars at all, but we had a damn fine carriage and a big green wagon with red wheels for cotton and corn transfer and delivery for the gin in Marlin We drank water from the well, from the creek and beer from the cellar. We did not have electricty so we had to light the laterns and the light couild be improved if you put a large mirror behind it. We would make funny looking shadow figures on the wall with our hands and fingers. Really greatg home entertainment. There were no little leagues or teams as such,,but we did run races with our lace boots on and did jump across the creek....big deal. Did not have plumbing, but we did hjaver a outhouse about 100 yards from the house. Momma did not want that smell near the house...it was hell in the winter time and you had to go at 3 am and had to get warm for the jaunt over ice , mudand what ever came along. Momma and Poppa died (grandparents) and never got to see a TV or a microwave, never got to see some of the better inventions like a electric toaster, electric ice box ball point pen they were just old country folks. Gave 4 sons to the army and uncle Tony scarred the hell out of me when he wore that gas mask World War ! version he was in the Cavalry and wss shot off his horse...but he got well and came home..My other three uncle were WWII and they went in rather old, but made it back, ok...Poppa told them they had to go to protect the country and so they went and was glad to do it. Yep, Marlin was a nice place to live....it was Bremond that had some tough dudes....The sheriff there killed a number of bad asses and Dad said that he could really draw and shoot fast. Yep, the times have changed and really have no idea if it is for the best or whatever. I really do not think I will ever know."
4/10/08
Howdy Ags I have made a little money in my life and I will tell you of the first money make and then about the price of diesel I started a Limited Partnership back in th 70s, buying land just off memorial drive in Houston, We had 9 members and put in 10,000 per person. I had found a small island of cheap land on emorial drive in Houston behind DePelchin Faith home at the cornor of memorial and so shepherd. We bought the land at 3.00 a ft. at the end of our buying spree we had 14 lots with houses on them...we waited for the inflzation to hit good and then we sold the land ro 9.00 per foot...I had 4 Ags in thedeal and I had picked a lawyer, ainsurance agent a bookeeper with great moxie on taxes, a contractor a purchasing agent in the mix for cheap work...free. we later sold all the land with an average price of 11.00 per foot. If we had held this land wo could have sold for 18.00 ft. the land was on gibson feagin and the blocks around.
Now the next windfall will be food. Our vegetables, fruit will be coming from Mexice, Nicaraguaga (never could spell that damn country) Honduras and the surrounding countries and it will be brought in by truck...DIESEL engin trucks. these trucks are getting 3-7 miles range per gallon and if you check the milage and cost to bring that food stuff to Houston and/or Dallas plus the insurance costs and the labor costs. our food will cost twice as much in three years. My son in law have 78 citrus trees planted now and can sell all we produce...just got through talking to a big retailer in the highway vegetable type of market. We have just planted three avacoda trees and will plant another 50 by end of year...how many mexican cafe and resturants buy avacoda? the amount will astoung you...that is just one source of consumption and we can get somewhat of a market hold on that...already talked to a couple of owners and they would go for our produce since we would have no transportation costs we could cut the price and make a bundle...no peaches ss the shelf time is only 3 days, but oranges, grapefruit lemons and avacoda have a sufficient shelf life and consumption to show a good profit...pray for a increse in diesel. would like to see it go to 6.50 a gallon and I will be very happy. Hell OSU would have ol Corporate raider and Aggies would have me. Man wouldn"t that be great Welcome to Kyle - Bluelapels Field, Home of the Fightin Texas Aggies. P.S. I hope to put in at least 50 avacoda trees this year and then another 100 next year. Think about that Ags....you have to have a ship sailing in order for it to come in.
bluelapels
Post #266 Houston MyFanPage Add Buddy December 7, 1941 Reply
________________________________________ It was a beautiful morning on board the USS Tennessee which was moored on battleship row at Pearl Harbor. Charles McGuckin a yoeman striker was in the shower, getting ready for Mass and was talking to his buddies about what they were going to do that day. All of a sudden he heard a strange change in the atmosphere when the japs came in low and started to bome his ship along with the others tied along side. General quarters sounded and he ran from the shower to his battle station which was a gun tub w/ twin 40s. All hell had broken loose, he saw the planes as they came in low, he could see the faces of the pilots as they looked at him and tried to veer in for a bomb drop. He was firing for all he was worth.....shootin an cussin, crying and mad as hell...his ship was being hit hard and he saw some of his buddies falling by the tub...it was bedlam, loud as hell, confusion was rampant, he could see bodies of sailors in the water, some wounded, some dead and the water was a mess of oil, debris, and smoke. Chuck was in a daze as if everything was in slo motion and fast motion at the same time. men were screemin and dying. You tried to help, but you had to keep fireing as the planes kept coming..running out of ammo. reloading and fireing. jumping out of the tub to pull a buddy ot of danger and no place tp lay him down...sliding on the deck due to blood from the wounded. The bastards were really good at thier job....the japs had been trained well and performed to perfection. they came in quick, and were gone just as quick. screems of pain and pleas for help were everywhere.....sailors and marines worked fast and as if they were exhausted or in shock, they did not show it as there were men to help back onto boats out of the water...arms and legs to pick up with and place for removal...the dead were covered and chaplins would be prayin and cussin while assisting the injured. Ships were destroyed, sunk and dead were everywhere. All the battlewagons were sunk, damaged beyond recognition and the Arizona was now a national cemetery for all eternity. The japs left and as Chuck tried to walk to help a wounded buddy, he discoved that he was naked, no shoes or socks....he was blistered, his feet were a burned on the soles and he was unable to make it he was given a pair of shorts that were covered with blood and he put them on. He was helped ashore for some first aid and a cup of coffee....the rest is history.
12/25/08
It was the Christmas of 1933, the depression was in full swing, my Dad was an engineering officer on board a Texaco tanker which caried oil from Port Arthur to New York(was laid off when ship hit NY without pay for two mos work, he was given 10.00 and he was lucky to get that, he rode the rails and walked bach to Marlin, Texas..I did not recognize him when he came home) I was with my mom living back on the farm. It had snowed and ice was every where. My grandpa hitched up the small mule to a sled and my uncle Ted, went with us to cut a tree for Christmas...he had one staked out. It was real pretty and we cut it, placed it on the sled and brought it home. Pop corn was being made for tree ornaments and my aunts had to beat me to it because I was eating the pop corn. They made a stringer of pop corn and then cut strips of colored paper and made loops to add to the tree, some old ornaments were also put on the tree and it was beautuful. Well, my uncle always teased me and told me I was too young for Christmas and could not go into the living room....Although I was not allowed to speak or learn polish, I knew some cuss words and I used them, grandma was appaled and grandpa laughed. That night we gathered for Christmas, we sat around the tree and sang christmas songs in Polish, which I could not understand. Then sang in American, which I could understand. I was given a big red apple, which was the usual gift to children and it was the largest apple I have ever seen....It was a beauty. I put it on the kitchen table and just looked at it, touched it and held it occasionally, it was mine and I was going to keep it as long as I could. We had to go to church for mid night mass, and I really did not care to go to church, rather stay at home and look at my apple. Well, I lost out and went to church. We got back, went into the house and that apple had a slice taken out. When I saw that, the guvna (sh t) hit the latern and I was looking for unle Ted.....I knew he did it. and I was right....that rascal had another apple and had switched on me, I chased him around the house and 4 am, and it was cold, snowey and really bright. It was a beautiful night or morning. as I chased hin we went around the wood pile and holy guvna .....there it was, a beautiful wagon, he had made for me, I was stunned. my first toy or tool or whatever. Now I could pull the wagon full of fire wood to the house instead of having to carry it in. He became my favorite uncle again. I lived thru 81 Christmases, I guess that was the second best because the best was when I gave Patricia her engagement ring while she was visiting her Aunt in Schulenberg....I was wearing my senior boots and I thought I was the luckiest man in the world...I was in my boots engaged to the most beautiful girl from Teague, Texas...sixty years ago tonight. It will be a lonely Christmas tonight, but I have so many beautiful memories......Merry Christmas Ags, I am on my way to Hellotes to spend Christmas with my remaining family....I will say a prayer tonight for my beloved Aggieland and my extended family of Aggie everywhere.
Shared these with my family. Very much appreciated.
Posted on 12/26 1:11 AM | IP: Logged
Excellent.
While I was watching my two young boys open all their presents, I kept thinking about bluelapels "Red Apple" Christmas story.
Posted on 12/26 9:49 AM | IP: Logged
what a great storyteller and good Ag. Thanks Bluelapels. I have printed and will give to my 83-year old Dad to read the next time I see him.
It makes me think I need to hear more history from my Dad. Every now and then, he and Mom will talk about the Depression. He went to the war, then came back to Aggieland, but didn't like the whole corps scene after being in the Army. Left and went to Sam and met my Mom. I will try to find out more about his experience and maybe share here.
Yahoo! Sports
