3 Christmas Dinners

It's the last day of the year.

What do you remember about this past year?

I remember happy moments (Honey achieved a major professional milestone, visits with family), sad moments (Grandma passing away, the sudden death of a friend), fearful moments (Mom went in for heart surgery), and ordinary moments (painting the house, walks with Honey, "Skyping" with Mom and Dad).  All in all, it was a good year.

66 years ago, a young soldier was discharged from the United States Army after 4 years of service, the final 11 months of which were spent in the European theater lugging a typewriter and box of records.  For years afterwards, he told about leaving for the War in Europe, watching the Statue of Liberty on the way out of the Harbor -- then watching to see it again on the way back, because that meant HOME! 

His trip home from Germany began Monday, November 26, 1945.  He reached the States on Christmas Day, then was discharged on the last day of the year.  His wife and daughter met him, thankful to have him safely home.

He wrote about that trip home, in two parts.  The first part was typewritten, then several pages were handwritten to add to it later.  Here are the two parts transcribed:

Part I:
"From Weiden, Germany                                                                       Started for hom 26 November 1945

D-Day, H-Hour---- Monday morning, all ready to move out, Troop is 18 miles from here, are supposed to pick us up here.  Will call when last truck is leaving, then we go to the front gate.  After taking care of M/Sgt Fowler’s bed (hiding everything that we could move) we went to the Office to pick up records.  At 0925 Call came “Last truck leaving now”, we assembled outside the gate.  We watched the convoy come by, the last truck stopped for us.  We boarded the train in Weiden at 1000 26 Nov 45, did not leave until about 1230.  Train was plenty cold but we were assured that there would be heat in one hour.  After about two and a half hours there was still no heat.  We changed engins a couple of times, but no heat yet.  Then it was discovered that the Car between the engine and the rest of the coaches had a broken pipe and there would be no heat.  All the way down we kept thinking that at the next station we would have heat.  “It never came”.  It is hard to tell which way we are going, we go forwards for about ten minutes, then go back over the same distance to see if we missed anything on the first trip by.  We (Clerks) have some work to do before we get to our next station so we pick the warmest time of the day to do this work.  We finished half of the work the first day out, and the rest the day day.  The first day ended soon with everyone about to freeze. 
                The morning of the second day start off good,, with someone leaving the door open and ice on the inside of the windows.  After having a good breakfast of “K” rations about 1000 the day started off good.  After completing the last half of our work, we settled down to enjoy the trip.  What a trip.  From morning until night we are suppoed to get hot food at the next station, the second day passed without any. 
                The morning of the third day started off better, we were now in France and if nothing more the weather was warmer.  We crossed the Rhine river in the evening of the third day.  From here on the weather should be beter.  We stopped under a bridge and you should see the boys trading candy for bread."

Part II, handwritten later:

" Did not record much from here on but we went on to CALAS STAGING area at MARSEILLE,FRANCE.  We must have arrived about Nov 30, 1945 and stayed there waiting on a Ship Home until Dec 13, 1945.  Then we boarded the ship BLUE RIDGE VICTORY for home.  There was about 4 or 5 other ships leaving about the same time as we did.  While we were loading on our ship there was some welders on floating stations welding the seam up and down the bow, or front of the ship when it was broken apart in rough seas as it came over after us.  After the ship was loaded we departed.  This was 13 Dec 1945.  We hit a storm and rough seas soon after leaving and all water pipes were torn off the walls of the ship from midships to the front.  Our unit, 90^th Recon Troop, was on 1^st deck below water line at midship, we had water.  We were a little worried that the front seam would break open again but it did not.

                The ship lost power one afternoon for a few hours about Dec 20^th and we drifted 4 miles off course.  After certain repairs was completed power was restored and we continued on.
                The other ships stopped at the AZORIE ISLAND to ride out the storm but our captain said we would go on and we did.
                The people in charge were not sure we would make it to NY by Christmas so turkey and all the trimmings were loaded on the ship before we left and it began to look like we would make it so the captain said lets feed the troops “Christmas Dinner” early because we don’t want all this turkey left so about the 23^rd of Dec we had a Christmas Dinner, turkey and all abord ship which we all enjoyed.
                We arrived N.Y. Camp Shanks on Dec 25, 1945.  It was nice & sunny when we arrived about mid afternoon but when we were let off the ship about 5 or 6 oclock in the evening it was raining.  Hard at times, we got wet walking to our camp site but that was not so bad because they also had prepared a turkey dinner for us.  We stayed there at Camp Shanks a couple days while we turned in some of our equipment.  I got rid of my box of records there, then we were sent to the separation center in our State.  For me in was Fort Bragg also 20 to 25 other men.  When we got to Fort Bragg about Dec 28 they also had a turkey dinner ready for us.  I will always remember 1945 because that year I got 3 “Christmas Dinners” turkey, & all the trimmings.
                I was discharged about 9:00 oclock PM on Dec 31, 1945.

                                                                                                                                           T-4 Thomas C Deese"

Sgt Thomas C. Deese in New York, 1945

He lived through a year of war, with all its bravery and fear, heroism and pain.  It changed him, and an entire generation.  But this is what he remembers about that year, is 3 "Christmas Dinners."

Remembering Grandma... and Grandpa

A few months ago, I made banana puddin' for a potluck lunch.  I couldn't wait to tell folks, "It's Grandma's recipe."  And with every bite, I could hear Grandpa sayin', "I'd better square this up a little bit, this needs a neat corner before it gets put away."  And he'd dip the spoon into the round dish of bananas and pudding and mushy vanilla wafers - again.  He'd wink, and we'd laugh, again. 

Over the last few months, I've thought about what else, besides her banana puddin' recipe, I've learned from Grandma.  She taught me to hand-quilt when I was 8.  A Rainbow Bright pillow, the colorful scene outlined with uneven, ragged stitches.  But I kept it on my bed til I left home for college. 

When I was 14, we made a Trip Around the World -- a red, white, and blue lap quilt.  We cut the pieces first.  Then sew pairs together, slowly make strips of blocks.  Then sew the strips together, and the pattern takes shape.  I finally finished hand quilting that quilt 2 years later, using my mom's embroidery hoop. 

I haven't done any quilting since then, but I designed one, a gift for my in-laws that my sister-in-law made into a beautiful wall hanging.  Grandma worked professionally as a seamstress while Mom grew up, and made their clothes besides, as well as making quilts.  She designed and made a quilt where each block was original and unique - it won second prize.  When I was 16, I asked Mom to teach me to make clothes, like Grandma taught her.  Since then, I've made clothes, usually inventing at least part of the pattern - and yeah, created some disasters as well as some neat things.  And when I decided to make my wedding dress, it was Grandma - and Mom - that came to my rescue.  They helped me reset the sleeves and add the trim at the last minute.  I don't remember if I thanked them properly.

I remember readin' stories and havin' Easter egg hunts with Grandma and Grandpa when I was very young.  Each year, we visited on Independence Day for the family reunion, and on Thanksgiving Day for the feast.  Grandma spent a lot of her time in the kitchen on both occasions. Sometimes I got to help, usually at least set the table.  There was always cornbread, make in an iron skillet, with crust both top and bottom.  Home-canned beans, lemon cheesecake, gravy (which I didn't learn to eat until I was married), mashed potatoes.  The next day - after the big holiday meal - was tacos!  Then the 5 hour drive home Sunday afternoon. 

I remember going out with Grandma to the garden, growing in the red Carolina dirt.  Sometimes it was muddy, but they had HUGE garden, with corn and okra and Grandpa's 5 cotton plants, where we just had beans and squash at home.  Grandpa had a tractor, big and red, and if you were good, he'd ride you around the garden on it.  I'd steer for him, and he'd call me his "Farmer Gal." 

They had different ways of showing it, but we knew Grandma and Grandpa both loved us.  Grandpa would hug us, rub our backs with his gentle brown hands, and tell us how special we were.  Grandma just showed us - a big hug when she came out of the kitchen, makin' sure we stayed fed and had plenty of blankets - but she wanted "Grandma sugar", too.

I remember one Thanksgiving that it rained the whole 4 days we were there.  And there were "rainy" times when we were kids.  But I'm glad that my memory lane is sunny, with a gentle breeze and green, rustling leaves. 

Arrangements

Arrangements for Ann Deese are

McEwen Funeral Home
5716 Monroe Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28212
Phone: 704-334-6421

The viewing is Tuesday, September 6, 2011 from 6 to 8 PM
The funeral is Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 11AM.

Burial adjacent to funeral home in Sharon Memorial Gardens with lunch to follow at the funeral home.  The lunch is being catered.

Ann Deese passed away

Mamie "Ann" Burdette Deese passed away at 10:10 PM Sept 4, 2011. Larry, Regina, Janice and Regina's sister Leah were at her side. Regina said, "She slipped away very peacefully. "