December 6, 2002

Tuesday, November 21, 1944, Newspaper Clipping

BUTTE GRANDMOTHER IS PROUD OF 15 GRANDSONS IN SERVICE GRIDLEY (BUTTE CO.)
Mrs. Sarah Engle Imlay Evans, mother of 11 children, six of them living. Grandmother of 44 and great grandmother of 66, is proud of her family and especially proud of her 15 grandsons in the armed forces. Her oldest great grandchild is 15. Her grandsons are serving in the navy and marines ranging in rank from private to major. They are scattered from the South Pacific to the Italian theater. The dean of the men in service is Major John Reese Evans of Mesa, Ariz., serving with an infantry division in the Pacific. Staff Sergeant Edmond Evans of Bisbee, Ariz., is in the Aleutians. Lieutenant Leland Evans of Tucson, Ariz., is an Army Flier at Shepard Field, Tex., and Private Arnold Evans of Tucson is brand new to the service. Private Neil Evans of Mesa, Ariz., is at home with eye trouble, and Private Junius Evans of Tucson Ariz., also is home on sick leave. Ensign Glen A. Evans of Oroville is one of four brothers in the service. A brother, James W. Evans of Portola, also is in the navy. Private Donald Evans is with the 5th Army in Italy and Seaman First Class Robert L. Evans, of Oroville is on a destroyer. The fifth brother, William Evans, will be 17 soon and is scheduled to go into the navy. Private LaMond Parker of Kananaville, Utah, is with the army in Hawaii and Electrician's Mate Leo Ray Parker of Kananaville is a member of a submarine crew. Lieutenant (J.G.) Frederic Reese Carlin of Gridley is stationed in Los Angeles and Lieutenant Louis Elmer Carlin of Gridley is an army air corps pilot stationed in Texas.

WWII Letter to "mom" Gertrude Irene (Ottenwalter) Evans of Oroville, from her son, Robert Imlay Evans, Seaman Second Class, while on board the U.S.S. Longshaw (December 4,1944)
Dear Mom: I received your letter around the last of the month and if someone had handed me a fifty dollar bill, I wouldn't have been anymore pleased. I very seldom write to anyone but you, so consequently you're the only one I ever hear from. It's nobody's fault but my own but I just don't give a damn for letter writing, I still owe Carl a letter but I lost his address about three months ago and that ended that. I knew of Don Powell's death, Carl told me in his last letter It was quite a shock to me, Don was one swell fella and the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back. "This war is hell,” some wise man said, and I guess he wasn't kidding. Well, mom, I have been aboard the dear old Longshaw one year today and I can say she is one fine ship and doing the kind of work she is built for. The only time I don't like her is when she hits a storm and takes it in her head she is a submarine but I can ride her any place she goes and I hope it's Tokyo next. As far as this Japanese fighting goes I’ll give them everything I've got with the greatest of pleasure, after all that's what I'm out here for. But don't count on me to make much out of myself in this man's navy, I'll never be a damn earbanger, I never was and never will and that is the only way to get ahead in this navy. I thought Glenn had gone a long way's in it in the twelve years he served but hell they run them through now in ninety days and come out with the same rate as Glenn's but it is still the best navy in the world and a fighting one. I'm sure it's not the same navy Glenn said he loved so much. Talking of Glenn I received the picture you sent and also the Christmas present. It was sure thoughtful of you to send them but I just couldn’t find Margie's picture, I think you must have forgotten to put it into the envelope. The next time you write please send one of her and Marilyn, or any others you have. Well mom, it's getting late and we will probably take on supplies tomorrow and that means a little work so I will say good night for now, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Tell Dad to drink my Tom and Jerry and tell Bill to have his fun while he is still young enough. Ha, Ha, Love, Your Son, Bob.

Stu's notes: This is what I have been hoping for, letters about our Servicemen and women. This was sent from one of my readers. I hope more will come', and they will be printed. What a patriotic family Sarah had. The letters I print will be word for word. To be politically correct we will use the word Japanese. During the war a shorter version was used. Bob married one of the above mentioned girls, thank goodness, and, their daughter Kathy Evans Mendenhall sent me these letters. More on who he married later, also on the sad fate of the U.S.S. Longshaw D.D. 559. Don Powell is on our Not Forgotten Heroes' memorial list. We will have his story later.