The Liberty Vindicator from Liberty, Texas • Page 4

December 21, 1944 The Liberty With Liberty County News ERNEST WALDROP PICKS UP NEW NAME IN SOUTH PACIFIC Mu oh -decorated Lt. Leonard Ernest Waldrop is in Liberty on leave after making a new name for himself down in the South Pacific, For 10 months he made strikes with his Grumman torpedo bomber, and such accurate strikes that Wave of was the title that his fellow navymen tacked onto him. Until January 11, 1945, when the navy pilot reports to Seattle, Wash he'll be in Liberty with his parents, Mr, and Mrs. Leonard Waldrop, and around pretty close. glad to be in his hometown for a while.

Sans mustache and chin whiskers which he wore in the South Pacific, Lieutenant Waldrop is definitely greatest hero of the greatest naval battle in history" to his home-towners. Perhaps he was more dashing in the did a lot of dashing in and out down in the Pacific islands from the aircraft carrier St, Lo, which was sunk in the battle off Leyte October 25. Earlier there were strikes on Saipan, Tianan, Guam, Rota and others in the Marianas the invasion of Morotai in the Dutch East Indies air strikes on Halmahera in the Indies and then came Leyte and other islands of the Philippines. Altogether his missions total 110. The description hero of the greatest naval battle" was civen Liberty's Lieutenant Waldrop by the commander of the aircraft carrier which he saved by exploding two torpedoes that were GREETINGS to the friends in Lib erty and Liberty County and to the thousands of others who eat and drink at A HAPPY NEW YEAR, TOO! We Will Close CHRISTMAS DAY Re-open Tuesday and We Will Also lie Open WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27 Layl's Liberty headed straight into her off Samar Island in the Philippines.

Incidentally, Lt. Cmdr. Rufus D. Hayes, who spent last week-end in Liberty with his brother, S. B.

Hayes, was air combat intelligence officer aboard the carrier that was saved by the quick work of the navy bomber pilot. Lieutenant Waldrop took off from the St. Lo when his task force of escort built or equipped for surface engagements, he attacked by four Japanese battleships, eight cruisers and 11 destroyers. With a load of light bombs he made eight lone attacks on the enemy ships in the midst of antiaircraft fire. Those attacks plain his Distinguished Flying Cross.

After that, he dived and hit the torpedoes rushing toward the 200 yards from the target and the other 30 seconds later. For his heroic action he has been awarded the Navy Cross. His accomplishments before the St. Lo went down earned Lieutenant Waldrop the unrestrained praise of Adm. Chester W.

Nimitz. Four hours from the beginning of the fight, the flier landed on the carrier just before she was torpedoed and sunk. He was among the last five men to take to the water, and he swam for two hours and 45 minutes before a destroyer picked him up It was at Saipan and Tinian that Lieutenant Waldrop picked up his Wave of title, one one-man anti-submarine missions. He disregarded regulations there, flying over Jap anese-held territory, bombing targets of his own picking. His superiors first frowned on the un authorized bombings, but later admitted that he did of Each of the six planes the Liberty pilot has had shot up under him, Lieutenant Waldrop called Sunoco." He formerly was an engineer for the Sun Oil Company in his hometown, and his father has worked for the company for years.

Graduate of Liberty High School and Lamar Junior College, Beaumont. the navy officer also attended the University of Oklahoma at Norman. He volunteered in March. 1942. His three brothers serving overseas are Sgt.

Claude Waldrop, tank corpsman, Raymond Waldrop, army engineer, both in France, and Mate Nelson Waldrop, who is in the Pacific. Great Christmas Carafe Work of Inspired Clergy Pilot Club Adds Toys to Fireman Yule Collection Pilot Club's annual Christmas party last Thursday night at city hall was attended by 25 persons. who took to party to go into collection of gifts for the unfortunate children Christmas Eve. Feature of the dinner program was a Chriit- mas talk by Rev. Karl Bayer.

Methodist pastor. A lighted Christmas tree decorated tiie room, and attendants answered roil call by reading Yule greetings on their piacecards. Charades, carol singing and special numbers by Mrs. Helen Tillman. Miss Ellen Virginia Daniel.

Miss Flo Fisher and Mrs. Velma Poole completed the program. Members of the program committee were Miss Fisher, Mrs. Tillman, Mrs, Vera Jones. Irene Meier and Miss Jennie Stovall, Since that first Christmas when the angels sang "Glory to God in the music has been a vital part of the holiday season, schools, churches and homes ring with joyous hymns and songs.

The flrst singing of carols in the streets, we are told, was in the year 1224. When we think of Christmas we think tit the pictures you see on Christmas cards of houses almost buried in snow, candles burning In windows, and carolers grouped around a doorway, singing with alf their hearts to the distant peal of church bells. Christmas must have been picturesque in those days, no automobiles whizxing by, just the merry jingle of sleigh bells. the Herald Angels was written in 1730 by Charles Wesley. younger brother of John Wesley, who founded the Methodist denomination.

but was not published until 1856. Inspiration for the poem came to Wesley as he walked to church one Christmas morning. Bishop Phillip Brooks, rector of the Holy Trinity church in Philadelphia, was asked by his Sunday school children to write a Christmas song, so in 1868 he produced Lit- Ue Town of After writing the hymn, he went to the church organist and asked him to furnish a tune. The organist. Lewis H.

Redner, the air came to him in a Christmas dream, and it was finished for the next services. Origin of But most beloved of all Christmas music is Night, Holy written, we are told, by Father Josef Mohr, who found himself without means of music for the Christmas services because mice had eaten the bellows of the church organ. Father Josef was greatly troubled over the calamity, and as he returned from administering lites to a dying woman he stood on a hilltop, at midnight. and it came to him that it must have been just such a silent night that the Christ child was born, so he went home and composed the words to our famous Christmas hymn. Then, of course, it needed music, so he went to his old schoolmaster, Franz Gruber.

And so Franz played his guitar and Father Josef sang a Christmas hymn that will never die. Few think of this lovely hymn without remembering how we watched our radio dial at Christmas time for its rendition by one of the most beloved of singers. Madame Schumann-Heink Oh, those were days of simplicity, when rectors casting about for suitable Christmas programs turned poets. and organists turned composers to furnish the music, music that goes on forever. They would, indeed, be gratified if they could hear our present Christmas day programs, pouring out of a little cabinet in the corner, their labors of love have come a long way that steel guitar and a gentle voice replacing a nibbled bellows, the; be surprised to learn their flock now does- its Christmas shopping to their inspirational tunes.

War Dads Select Officers, Committeemen J. P. Richardson was elected president of the Hull-Daisetta chapter of the American War Dads at a meeiing Friday night. The new officers will serve during 1945. Installation for the leaders is set for January 5, 1945, when a speaker from the national committee will be present.

Bob Gary of Beaumont will be installing officer. meeting has been announced for December 26 at the Hull Methodist Church. A secretary will be elected, and the eight vice presidents will choose four committeemen to serve through the year. C. O.

Dale will be host for the meeting. The new vice presidents and the committee each will head are as follows: E. E. Getaz, fidelity; G. C.

Gardner, service; W. C. Morgan, governmental; Hale Johnson, program; C. O. Dale, finance; Otto Koehler, membership; Clyde Pedigo.

social; J. T. Sterling, publicity. Other officers elected at last meeting include J. R.

Reid, chaplain; J. C. Parker, sergeant- at-arms; and J. H. Davis, treasurer.

FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN CALLIHAN Orville (Red) Callihan, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. Callihan of Devers, is now 8 ewhere in the Pacific war area assigned to land duty with a marine hospital at a bomber base. His rank is hospital attendant first class, and he is one of four in his family attached to hospitals in this wartime.

One brother is Sgt. James Callihan of the army medical corps, on duty at the U. S. Army-Navy Hospital. Hot Springs, Ark.

Two of his sisters are nurses. Callihan enlisted with his parents consent at the age of 17. He trained at Seattle. and at California bases. He is a 1943 graduate of Devers High School, where he played football and served as president of his senior class.

Funeral Slated At Daisetta for Silsbee Woman Mrs. Daisy Childress, 74, of Silsbee died at Mercy hospital Wednesday morning of a heart ailment. She hed been in the Liberty hospital since she was injured in an automobile accident a month ago. Former resident of Daisetta, Mrs. Childress is a native of Montgomery County.

Her husband, W. B. Childress, mployee of the Republic Oil Company, died at Daisetta four years ago. Funeral services will be held at the ht me of her daughter, Mrs. G.

C. Montingh, at Daisetta Thursday afternoon at 1:30, with the Rev. E. P. Hardin officiating.

Burial in Rosewood Park Cemetery, Humble, will be directed by Roper Fumral Home, Liberty. Rev. Rayford Harris will assist with the service. Survivors are four sons, W. C.

Childress of Houston, W. F. Childress of Daisetta. Eldon Childress of Silsbfe, R. Childress of Mont Belvieu; three daughters, Mrs.

F. L. Swarthout of Alice, Mrs. tingh. Mrs.

C. E. Lange of Centralia, 17 grandchildren and five great-grandehildre n. Serving as pallbearers will tie Vernon Hubert Taylor, Bill Taylor. Jim Best.

Riley McCormick and Pete Raillio. Pfc. Alvis Clark, air force ordnance, has returned to his home at Daisetta after spending 33 months overseas in the India-Burma-China theatre of operations. Private Clark arrived at Fort Sam Houston on December 14 and is now spending his 20-day rotation furlough with his wife at Daisetta. He will report to Miami, for orders.

The Liberty Countian is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Felix I of my jacket. Purple Heart to James R. Canter In France Action The Purple Meart has been warded to Cpl.

James R. Canter of Liberty, who was wounded in action in France on November 17. His back inquries, caused by shrapnel, were not serious, the army man has written his wife, who lives in Liberty. His mother, Mrs. Rhola Canter, also lives here.

In the field artillery. Corporal Canter has been overseas since February 1 and in service two years. He formerly was employed by the Sun Oil Company. was in a party that went forward on reconnaissance, as I nearly always am, when I was hit just two inches from my spine by shrapnel from artillery Corporal Canter wrote Mrs. Canter.

Heinies had been shelling a road junction and bridge, so we went up after them. We finished our business and got back past the junction, but we were compelled to dismount while waiting for a stalled jeep to move off the bridge. had just started to get back on the truck, wrhen the first round came over, striking me in the back. Had I been on the ground it would have missed. The next round found us in the ditch, head to feet in about six inches of water.

The shrapnel, a small piece but very sharp, was wrapped up in thread. It went through eieht layers of cloth, counting the lining ON RADIO PROGRAM Mrs. Mae Warfield of Liberty was introduced Monday morning on.the Breakfast at radio program from Hollywood, Calif. Mrs. Warfield is on the West coast with her husband, William F.

Warfield, first class petty officer in the Seabees. The two are living in Oxnard. Buy another War Bond today TO MY FRIENDS IN DAYTON-LIBERTY If I fail to get to your work at once, please be patient. The recent burning of my home put me behind with several jobs. THE Phone Clark of Angelina County, and he attended school at Huntington.

He trained at Ellington Field and shipped overseas from the East coast. From Hull-Daisetta War sent to hometown men and women in service, comes an interesting item concerning Cpl. Horace Moore, son of i Mr. and Mrs. J.

Moore, who has been home since he returned from overseas duty on Pacific Islands. virtue of landing a big sailfish, the only one landed by 20 fishermen on a boat at Miami, Fla last week, Horace was elected to the Miami sailfish Club and given a gold-embossed membership cer- tificate. His name, hometown and service record will become a part of the club's Corporal Moore has been assigned to Chaffee Field, Ark. had a hard time getting away from the infantry medic, who wanted to send me to a clearing station. The battalion surgeon worked on me wfith one hand and handed me the Purple Heart with the other.

I only missed guard duty one Buy Sixth War Loan Bonds Now and a New Year of Cheer and Happiness BIRI) ROOFING AND SIDING Fred L. Harris Liberty Save your waste paper WE salute all our men and women in service! We welcome those home for the holidays; as heartily as we will welcome all, upon that glorious day when they come to GREETINGS FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT MASON MOTOR CO. and CAFE DAYTON St. Nick Shied From Attention for 11 is Gifts The stocking custom is said to have started with St. Nicholas, original of Santa Claus, a Greek bishop.

Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the fourth century. He was both generous and shy. and hated to be thanked for the presents he was continually making to those in need Once he climbed to a roof top and dropped a purse of gsid down the chimney so that he would not be seen. The money. Instead of falling in the fire, lodged in a child's stocking that had been hung up to dry on the mantelpiece.

act became known, and thereafter whenever unexpected gifts came from unknown sources they were attributed to St. Nicholas, Handy Man Confederate Vet Dies at 94 Years In Dayton Home Oliver August White. Alabama native and a Dayton resident tin past 50 yeais, died at his home Sunday morning. One of the last Confede veterans in this section. Mr.

White served as a bugler in the Civil War. Funeral services Monday morning at the graveside in Lenny Cemetery, Dayton, were under direction of Puce-Staneil Funeral Home of rty. Uev. W. J.

Wimpee, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officated. Surviving are six sons and three daughters, Freddy, Billy, Jimmy, Dewey, Claude and Virgil White, and Miss Maude White, all of Dayton, Mrs. Allie Hawkes of Victoria and Mrs. Pearl Dobbs of Goose Creek; three brothers V. A.

White, Birmingham, Oscar White, Dayton, J. T. White, Fresno, one sister, Mrs. Alice Woods, Birmingham, 22 grandchildren and five grandchildren. Rd.M3jc Tommy Mullins, son of Mr.

and Mrs. T. W. Mullins, is back home, but he will have to leave Sunday. Christmas in the Mullins home has been set up for his benefit.

He came in Sunday night and is due to report back to his ship in New York at midnight Monday. Mullins, who is assigned to a destroyer, has made a fast round trip to Naples, Italy. since he was home last aSout two months ago. Now, however, he will be on extended duty in Mediterranean for eight months SSgt. William A Moorman now because he was recently pro- d.

Member of a photographing reconnaissance squadron of the S. Army Air Force. Sergeant Moorman has been in Hawaii since January. He went into service in November, 1942, after graduating in 1939 from Liberty Hiffh School and working for the Tri-County Lumber Company. His wife and their son, John Charles, S.

live with Mrs. Moorman's parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. C.

Blake, at iHfTers. mother is Mrs. J. E. Townsend of Houston.

has money in its lunchroom fund, but salary for another worker will be paid, a new stove and steam unit will be bought with the mon ey on hand. THIS YEAR, as in all preceding years, we want to join the many good friends who wish you prosperity and happiness for the coming New Year. We send our 1944 Christmas Greetings to you, filled with a sincere appreciation of your kind patronage during the past year. Shauberger IMPLEMENT MOTOR CO. LIBERTY Proof that a sailor always a handv man to have around ih lur- nished by these two girl at the Brooklyn Y.M.C.A.

Here a kind-hearted bailor lends a helping thumb to gift wrapp'ng operations performed in one fbe ISO centers operated by the Loud Welcome Spanish settlers brought the torn of hailing Christmas with firecrackers and bonfires, a procedure that astounds id Louisiana. Save old it to war. Appeals For Donation of Dishes, Utensils Odd dishes are needed by the Liberty Parent s'icher Association for use in the school cafe- teria. Increase in number of stu nts eating at the lunchroom has caused a shortage of dishes, and 1 the need is becoming alarming, Mrs, A L. laney said Saturday.

Cups, saucers, plates, glasses, knives forks and spoons and cooking utensils are wanted at the lunchroom. Persons who have dish es that memb rs the committee may rick up ar asked to telephone Mrs, Green Abshier, presl dent, Mrs, Delaney, vice president, or Supt. Fred 11 Matthys at the school. The lunchroom is under sponsorship of the Parent Teacher group, and nutritions meals are served at nominal coBt to the stu From the original 75 students served at the opening of the lunchroom, the number of patrons has jumped to 175 and more are anxious to eat noon there, Mrs. Abshier said.

explained that the P. T.A BEST THE TORCH OF LIBERTY symbolizes our faith in freedom for all. Its fillment is our mas and New wish this year. TRI-COUNTY LUMBER CO, INC. J.

Roy Slover, Manager.