Things that happened in Ekalaka

I have written a number of things in the past about my history in or near Ekalaka and the editor was gracious enough to publish them. I have kind of run out of things that will make a good story. So today I will attempt to write a story consisting of several things that happened.

The first thing that happened, I call the most memorable day of my life. It was August, 1945. I was playing in the yard and all of a sudden my Mother burst out of the house saying, “The war is over, the war is over". She had two brothers in harm's way in the Pacific. Just a few moments later, the town siren rang repeatedly. Cars began to come from every direction with people rejoicing about it. It was a wondrous day indeed. I guess that you have figured out that it was what later became V-J day. I was seven.

So, I will tell you a couple other things about the war, maybe that is all I will get to today. One time during the war, I was walking along and the sky just began to fill with airplanes. They were P-38's and they filled the sky from one horizon to another flying in formation. The P-38 is a beautiful and impressive plane with its double fuselage. I figured that they were flying to Great Falls Air Base from Rapid City and then on to the Pacific. Many years later I read about how women pi)ots flew planes to deliver them. I wonder if the planes that I saw that day were flown by women pilots? Anyway, to six year old Billy it was an impressive sight indeed.

Two other things related to the war. There was stringent rationing during the war. Butter, sugar and other stuff. It didn't affect most of us too much because we made our own. One thing that I remember, there was a great big round low enclosure in the center of town. People were encouraged to throw tires in there to be recycled for use. Why aren't we doing that now?

One time I thought it was during the war but thinking back maybe it was after it was over. Anyway, they found a Japanese balloon bomb up near Willard and brought it the Carter County courthouse to put on display. After disarming it, of course. My Mother took me down to see it and the deputy sheriff came out and talked to us about it. I thought that it was Cub Welch. Does anyone know when he was deputy? The reason that I think that it might have been after the war was that I have read that they tried to keep the bombs a big secret during the war. I asked my Mother about this in later years and she didn't remember it. Neither did anyone else but I know that it happened. I guess that a Japanese balloon bomb was also found out near or on the Tooke ranch.

Right after the war, many men came home, my two uncles included. Later I came to know my Uncle Hugh Lavell and my father-in-law Gene Stockman. These men became the face of the greatest generation to me. One of them was, I think the name is right, Evert Peabody. One of his ears had been burned off in some kind of tank incident. Many years later, I came home from work in Los Angeles and sat down to read the paper. I saw an announcement of the funeral of Evert Peabody. It was that night and I could make it if I hurried so I did. I was able to talk to his wife for a minute and she was glad that I did.

When we lived in what we called the Opechee Park place in 1942, my family had just come from a short stay in the Seattle area. They said that people there were required to put stuff over their windows to keep the light from showing and attracting Japanese bombers. My sister and I used to sit in a place under the porch. When my Mother was using the cream separator we pretended that the noise was enemy bombers going over. I am so thankful that it was only pretend.

Every once in a while on Facebook someone asks, what is the earliest news story that you remember? I always answer, the Battle of the Bulge. I don't know where I saw it because I don't remember any newspapers being displayed in Ekalaka but l saw the headline in a newspaper. Then my Mother told me that the president had asked people to pray about it. Yes, our president did ask such things on that day.

Well that is all that I can think about right now so I will close and maybe write something else in the future about some other happenings in Ekalaka not related to the war.