964 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/45fadecf557b8453f345f1505ac6b470.pdf 5281040f9566e3c009c3440deb888835 PDF Text Text srae o execu oners Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -The world is weary. Vernon Walters says so. Walters is not merely U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He presumed to speak in Geneva for the entire "international community." That grand assemblage was the "we" in this Walters' sentence: "We must tell them (Israel and her enemies) that we are tired of this conflict ... " Such fine impartiality between our ally and those bent on her destruction. U.S. policy is indeed that Israel should cooperate with the U.S.-PLO peace charade because the world is weary. U.S. officials scripted the rhetorical sanitization of Yasser Arafat. They did so on the assumption that a murderer will not lie. By reading the script, Arafat presumably (the State Department's presumption) repealed the PLO charter. It says Palestine is "indivisible" and vows "the elimination of Zionism in Palestine." The snowball of appeasement gathers momentum. The United Nations will henceforth refer to the PLO as "Palestine," and why .not? U.S. policy has been reversed. It now de facto accepts the PLO as "the sole legitimate representative" of Palestinians, thereby shredding the U.S. "commitment" to direct negotiations between Israel and Jordan. The administration says negotiation with the PLO does not involve recognition of a Palestinian state. But last week, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy was asked: If the PLO really has recognized Israel's right to exist, does he now expect so-called "moderate" Arab states to do likewise? His answer was that most of them "accepted explicitly Resolution 242 years ago. What happened this past wee :was tha e O acceoted 242 and thereby (sic) Israel's right to exist." ''Thereby"? The U.S. pretense has been that the PLO must meet three distinct tests - renunciation of terrorism, acceptance of Israel's right to exist and acceptance of 242. Now Murphy says the third requirement incorporates the second. Regarding terrorism, Arafat has renounced it before, has consistently lied about it, and now has been given preemptive immunity from blame for future acts of it. That is the consequence of U.S. officials saying in chorus that Arafat cannot control the "extremists" and is himself a potential victim because of his moderation. In 1980 Ronald Reagan said, with uncontestable accuracy: "Israel and Jordan are the two Palestinian states envisioned and authorized by the United Nations." Reminded of that last week, Murphy said: "We do not consider Jordan the (sic) Palestinian state." "We"? The Foreign Service? Has anyone told the president that he has changed his mind? The inescapable logic of Murphy's language is U.S. support for a PLO state. So Rita Hauser, the Jews' Jesse Jackson said to have converted Arafat to peace in our time, had better catch up with Arafat's deputy, Abu Iyyad. He has not got the message. Recently he said in an Arabic language publication: "The establishment of a Palestinian state on part of the land of Pal·oe · a stage to a d the final goal -:-- the establishment of a state on all of Palestine." For months before the unveiling in Algiers of the latest PLO peace tactic, PLO spokesmen assured Arabic-speaking audiences that it would be only a tactic of war only a means of implementing the "Phased Policy" adopted in 1974. That "incremental" policy calls for shrinking Israel to indefensible borders as a precondition of ridding "indivisible" Palestine of "the Zionist entity." Abadallah alKhouran, a member of the PLO executive committee, told an Arabiclanguage publisher, "The proclamation of the Palestinian state is the first step toward obliterating the new Zionist-Fascist state." Ah, but the assumption of Western appeasers is that PLO officials are impeccably sincere when reading U.S. scripts and are insincere when contradicting them. The "appearance" of extremism is "really" the prudence of the moderates. So last week's New York Times Magazine contained this gem: "Nowadays, PLO officials will tell you privately, (Arafat's) uniform and gun are something of an affectation, a bit of symbolism meant to reassure the PLO hard-liners ... " The quantity of such private insights from unnamed "moderates" equals the quantity of Western gullibility. The lame-duck Reagan administration, which is not lame enough, is limping out of town, sending a dangerous signal to our watching enemies: The United States gets tired. You can wait us out. The whole wide world is tired Walters, the international scold, says so - so Israel is supposed to jeopardize her survival to satisfy the "international community." But as Golda Meir said, Jews are used to collective eulogies, but Israel will not die so that the world ·n ~eak ell of it. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Tired-US Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Will, George Title A name given to the resource Tired U.S. hands Israel to executioners Description An account of the resource Op Ed clipping about U.S. foreign policy relating to Israel. Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century Arafat, Yasir, 1929-2004 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ce20b53e53d0e57432ff645bf60b21dd.mp4 898faef4592373fb4a3298707a214b0c https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/13a28eb3f6d1bac6d99c03bd142195ab.pdf 8caa2286c0397e477f0251ea3da8b185 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives RHC-88 Fei Hu Films Flying Tigers Interviews Interviewer: Frank Boring Interviewee: Willard Musgrove Date of Interview: 02-06-1991 Transcriber: Frank Boring [TAPE 1] FRANK BORING: What were you doing prior to AVG? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well I was in the Navy and I was with the Enterprise in a squadron. We were based at North Island at the time and when this word got out, at first we thought it was just a rumor, and the word got out and then finally our skipper of the squadron "Fighting Six" is what it was - fighter squadron, and he, our skipper called us together and gave us a little talk about if we wanted to volunteer, that they were going take volunteers. There was a Commander Irvine representing this group and he was around and gave us a little talk and more or less as time went on I got more interested. Another thing is, the money was quite a good pay raise for those days in '41. It was offering Mechanics $350.00 a month and I was only making about $150.00 a month at the time. So it was quite a big boost and you know money talks at times. So when they did come around to sign us up, there were several of them that were going, but most of them backed out. It was Pistole and myself were the only ones really that signed up and when the time came for us to be released from the Navy, our group commander, he was in charge of all the squadrons attached to the Enterprise, he flew back to Washington to see if he could put a stop to this because there were 26 people, personnel leaving the area and that's quite a big bite between personnel. He got all the way to the Secretary of the Navy, Knox and Knox told him he was sorry but he was getting �orders from higher up and there was only one man he worked for and that's the way that worked. Well when it came about for us to be signed up, we signed up and they kept the pay office open all night long to get us out of there because the orders were pretty potent and the next day I was on an airplane flying to Indianapolis. They sent us to Allison Engine School, which was a different engine, naturally than what we'd been working on and we were three weeks up there. We took about a 4 months course in 3 weeks. It didn't mean much, most of knew what was going on about it and then on our way to San Francisco to catch a ship. I got a ride with somebody that was driving back, I picked up a ride and we got back to San Francisco and then we spent about 4 or 5 days, and I cannot think of that ship. It was a Dutch vessel that we got aboard. And the time of World War II was on its way then and everything was blacked out no sooner we left port, all the ports were blacked off. So we went to Honolulu and in the meantime I got a bad toothache and I had to have the darned thing pulled. We had a Dentist aboard in our group and I went to the beach - we were only in there till noon, the ship was going to pull out - and I got an Xray and came back, so this Dentist pulled the tooth for me. But it wasn't too bad and on we went. When we pulled out of Honolulu, we got out to sea, I believe it was a Salt Lake City Cruiser picked us up with an escort and were escorted all the way down to Australia. There a Dutch gun boat - it didn't look much but a gun boat picked us up and that's when the Salt Lake City left us, turned us over to this other - then we went on from there to Singapore and that was interesting, to watch all the little fires all along the beach at night. Got into Singapore and we were there only overnight. They didn't want to take us in there because the group ahead of us raised hell there. But anyway we got out of there the next day on our way to Rangoon. We got in Rangoon - it's about a 2 day trip. We were chased all night by a Sea Raider - I'm sure it was a Sea Raider because the skipper had this diesel job wide open and the sparks were flying out of his engine, you could see us for 50 miles. But anyway whatever we saw, it made a turn and followed us, so we figured it was a Sea Raider and they finally left us, we got �away from them because this ship could do about 22 knots, and so we finally pulled away from them. But that was an all-night deal and we all manned the rail most of the night. When we got into Rangoon we had to go through their customs and we picked up our passes and everything there and then we boarded a train to go to Toungoo, and on that trip up it was all daylight going to Toungoo and could see these Buddhist statues and their shrines. The put tin roofs over the top to keep the rain off so it wouldn't wash the coloring off them and my gosh there were dozens of them. About every mile or two you'd see one or two of them. Some of them are huge, they'd be 50-60 feet high some of them were. When we got to Toungoo, we got on a bus and came to our base and that was our mattresses came in 3 pieces like this - all in straw and it was kind of disheartening to see what we got into there. But after a few days we got used to it. And on the barracks - I'll use barracks - it was oh maybe a quarter of a mile - maybe not that far - from the field. Any of those that were there already out of the first group, they had gone to Hong Kong and then on down, we missed Hong Kong. But anyway - where was I? FRANK BORING: You've arrived at the field about a quarter of a mile or so… WILLARD MUSGROVE: I don't think quite that far because we walked - all of us started - as soon as we got around to it we'd buy a bicycle because that was our transportation there and we got out to the field and the planes weren't all there, just a few of the planes and they were flying them - I don't recall maybe a couple of weeks were getting there. We got squared around there finally and we'd do most of our work outside. We'd have a few planes in this hangar - one big hangar. It would handle maybe 5 or 6 aircraft stashed in there. FRANK BORING: Now what was it you were supposed to be doing? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I was a Mechanic at the time and we would check these planes over and try to get familiar with them because they were different aircraft from what we had - what I'd been used to working with. �They weren't doing much flying because we didn't have many aircraft at the time and we had coolies to do a lot of the work, as far as keeping the aircraft clean, and we'd try to help them out and show them little things like gassing, refueling the aircraft. Another thing, with our bicycles this got us away in the evening. We'd go on down into Toungoo and there was a little restaurant down there and we'd eat down there once in a while, we weren't too fond of the food we were getting, but it wasn't too bad - liveable. FRANK BORING: Was this anything that you were expecting? What were you expecting and then what did you actually find? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No, I wasn't expecting anything. I didn't - I'd put 15 years in the Navy prior to the time I went out there and a lot of things you don't expect. As far as the field - it wasn't a bad field for our aircraft to operate out of. We finally got our aircraft together and then we lost a couple of good pilots. We lost our Engineering Officer. His aircraft was ready. One of the Mechanics said his plane was ready and I woke him up - he was laying there sleeping - and he said "I'm gonna dive this airplane like it never dove before" and that's just what he did. The darn thing disintegrated coming down and I can't think of his name now, I'd have to look it up on the roster. FRANK BORING: When you put together a plane… WILLARD MUSGROVE: We didn't put any together. That was all done in Rangoon by a civilian crew down there and then this test pilot would bring the plane up when it was ready. FRANK BORING: But it was your job to maintain? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh yeah maintenance on them. We kept them up. FRANK BORING: What kind of problems did you run into? This was prior to Pearl Harbor, we're talking about? Still training with them? �WILLARD MUSGROVE: We were still training and the pilots were doing quite a bit of flying. Our skipper got up there with one of them and got into a flight spin and he saw he couldn't get out and it finally came out itself, he got it out. But I saw him and I wasn't sure he was going to make it because that plane was falling all ways and we could watch him over the field, that you could see. FRANK BORING: What kind of problems did you run into in terms of maintaining the airplanes during that period of time? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Not too many problems. As I said before, we'd run out of parts and like tires and from what I understood, they had a PBY that flew down from the Philippines from the Army base up there and flew down with a load of tires and brought them into Singapore and then we got them up there. So I think they came by ship from there, I'm not sure of that. But anyway that saved the day there because when they'd bring an airplane in for check - going through say like a 30 hour check or 20 hour check - we'd take the wheels off that aircraft and put them on another airplane so he could fly it because we were short of tires. That lasted for several weeks. That's about all I can really remember with problems. We had ground loops once in a while - they'd bend the prop and our prop men managed to straighten them out. They were electric props and 3 bladed props. But then it came time, the war had started - we knew the Japs were - an observation plane would come over once in a while - a few times a plane or two would take off trying to reach them but they'd be long gone because they came over around 20,000 feet and for a P40 to get to 20,000 feet took a long time. They didn't have the power to get up there. Then when the war started, the Burmese, the head man of all the coolies there, he showed up with all his war gear on that morning. We didn't even know anything about Pearl Harbor. But the radios told us all about what happened in Pearl Harbor, all the ships were sunk and damaged and then you couldn't get anything out of San Francisco, they wouldn't tell you a thing. Everything was censored. �FRANK BORING: What was your reaction? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well not too bad because I knew sooner or later we were - because I was in the Navy and we went to Pearl Harbor in '39 as a group cruisers and the Enterprise and two carriers, the Yorktown and the Enterprise, only one at a time out there on the carriers and we knew that something was going to happen soon. It was no surprise to us. Just like they claimed that Washington was really surprised, but it wasn't. I won't go into that. I have some strong feelings there. FRANK BORING: What was the reaction at the base? You knew now this is it. WILLARD MUSGROVE: Yeah we knew they were going up. Most all of us had the same thoughts there about that. Then after the 7th of December two groups flew up to China, CNAC took us up there. We got in there at night and they had the lights on in the town and we landed at the field and we went in. They had us all set up there, where to bunk. We had a hostel and were about 2 miles from this field. The next morning, here come the Japs. There were about 10 bombers flew over - they were about 5,000 feet - they were higher than that because our field was 6,400 feet and that's quite high - and they were about 5,000 feet up above us and we saw them flying. We took off because they hollered "Jing bow" all the red balls went up on the staff. FRANK BORING: Explain about that - that's how you knew WILLARD MUSGROVE: Yeah. Well you could see it visually. FRANK BORING: Well what was it - describe it because I don't know what you mean WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well that meant there was an air raid coming off. FRANK BORING: Well was there stages? �WILLARD MUSGROVE: As far as I know they pushed everything up there at one time. That was about the only time I saw any Japanese aircraft around there. And they went on over into Kunming and dropped their bombs. They had all daisy cutters, those jobs with a stick on the end of them and they were caught flat-footed and the gates were closed and the Chinese were jammed up there. There were about 4 or 5 hundred I was told that were killed. We went down, we got in a truck, went on down into town after the air raid and they just threw them on trucks, piled them on one another and hauled them out of there, one on top of the other. But they couldn't get out of there, they were just caught flat-footed. Their air raid net failed them that time. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Flying Tigers Interviews and Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Chinese World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Description An account of the resource Collection contains original 1940s films and interviews conducted in the 1990s, documenting the history of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers." The Flying Tigers were organized by the United States to aid China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Original filmstrips were recorded by AVG crewmen Joe Gasdick and Chuck Misenheimer, as well as Chinese Air Force Interpreter P.Y. Shu, who was assigned to assist Col. Claire Chennault as he trained Chinese pilots and established the AVG. Interviews with members of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) “Flying Tigers” were conducted by Frank Boring for the documentary film Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers, which he co-produced with Frank Christopher under the production company Fei Hu Films. The AVG Flying Tigers were a group of American aviators, mechanics, medical and administrative military personnel, led by Col. Claire Chennault to assist the Chinese Air Force in their defense against Japanese air strikes from 1941-1942. The AVG Flying Tigers also flew in defense of the Burma Road, a major Chinese military supply route. The group disbanded and returned to regular U.S. military service after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Boring, Frank Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films Research and Production Files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1938/1991 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fei Hu Films Christopher, Frank Gasdick, Joseph Misenheimer, Charles V. P.Y. Shu Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4; application/pdf Language A language of the resource English; Chinese Type The nature or genre of the resource video; text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1938-1945 World War II Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88_Musgrove_Willard_1991-02-06_v01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willard Musgrove L. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-02-06 Title A name given to the resource Willard Musgrove interview (video and transcript, 1 of 3), 1991 Description An account of the resource Interview of Willard Musgrove Willard by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Musgrove joined the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in 1941 after serving in the U.S. Navy for 15 years. He served in the AVG as a Crew Chief in the 1st Squadron "Adam and Eves." In this tape, Musgrove discusses what he was doing prior to joining the AVG as an airplane mechanic and his experience during the journey overseas from San Francisco to Rangoon. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (interviewer) Christopher, Frank (director) Fei Hu Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films research and production files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fc14658ffdae1b0cb2b9af6a15ce9e53.mp4 c87b394a9a4484223ea1a2cf1a346b81 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d74a7d2c941119dab0414d5052629f50.pdf 4d07d6f78a0f54194e618a3066a63717 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives RHC-88 Fei Hu Films Flying Tigers Interviews Interviewer: Frank Boring Interviewee: Willard Musgrove Date of Interview: 02-06-1991 Transcriber: Frank Boring [TAPE 2] WILLARD MUSGROVE: When our planes came up we serviced them, got them ready for anything that could come up. And that was about it. That was about the only bombing raid that I can recall there. We had a couple of alerts but nothing happened. The planes turned around and went back. They were flying out of Indo-China - French IndoChina they were flying out of. FRANK BORING: When did you first meet Chennault? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well I met him in Toungoo at our field. FRANK BORING: Can you describe the first time? Did you know anything about him beforehand? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No, I knew of him in the National Air Races in 1928 he was flying one of the aircraft - I forget what they called their aircraft. In the Navy we had 3 Sea Hawks. Our aircraft were far superior to what they had to fly. In fact, Lindberg flew one of them I think in '28 one time. But anyway, then I saw him in Toungoo several times. He'd be out at the field quite often and he had his own private plane there. A twin engine Beechcraft or similar to that and they had a Plane Captain for that. FRANK BORING: Did you associate with the pilots? �WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh quite a bit, yeah. This one man I knew I was in the Navy with, we were both Seamen at the time and he went to flight school and came back first class. That's when our skipper let him fly his aircraft. Cokey Hoffman, we called him. FRANK BORING: But you guys socialized afterward - it wasn't just the crew chiefs? WILLARD MUSGROVE: A little. Not too much. I did with Cokey Hoffman because we were shipmates together and he was an enlisted pilot at the time in the Navy. And then they had a squadron in the Navy chiefs, enlisted pilots. But we went 2 or 3 times to town together, took a few pictures and he was always looking for souvenirs. FRANK BORING: How about the Chinese themselves? Did you associate very much with them? Did you get to know any of them? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No. We had a Chinese Colonel in charge of our hostel there where we slept and had our mess hall and we talked to him. But as far as associating with them, not too much and out on the field when we got up there they sent some Chinese to give us a hand on the aircraft. FRANK BORING: Did you have to train any of them? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well yeah. Somewhat you did - you'd have to watch them. Another thing, you didn't lay anything down and walk off because it would be gone. When you went into town you always had somebody with you, so they wouldn't steal the hub caps or the rear view mirrors off your truck or station wagon. FRANK BORING: How about the British, did you associate with them at all? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Some. Later on as we get into the story I'll tell you more about the British. They had some problems, we didn't have too many and when we finally, as each squadron went down to Rangoon to �relieve the other one, that's when the Japs were working us over and our squadron was the last down there, the British came in there and we had one man there - Mickey Mihalko - and he was a character. We heard that - who was the General that was in charge of that area - was it Montgomery? Anyway, Mihalko heard about it and he got in his jeep and he stuck his thumb right in his stomach and he said "Hey you, you're about to lose Singapore, you better get a hold of the handlebars you're about to lose Singapore". I didn't see it but I heard about it - what a character? He would get tight and we'd have practically close the whole communication system down. But he knew it - he could run anything and he'd walk into that room where he had all his radio equipment there, and the noise going on and how in the world he could interpret that from the pilots. They had one man from the Army, King was his name, they worked together and they'd get drunk together. FRANK BORING: What were the conditions that you were working under for fixing the planes? WILLARD MUSGROVE: It was all out in the open, especially in Kunming, it was all out in the open. After a while we went on up to Chungking and it was the same thing there. Most of it was out in the open. Then we went down to Kweilin, that's a beautiful city down there and we flew down there. I was with Chennault on the plane that time. He didn't have much to say to me and it was just one of those things. We flew down there and that's where they knocked down the first twin engine fighter, Japanese fighter and then the Chinese Army tried to retrieve him and the gunner was alive, I think the pilot was killed I'm not sure of that. That gunner, he kept half that Army away from him. They finally got a hold of him and brought him in and interrogated him where we had our base. We had it in one of those darn little hills and every one of those hills was loaded with caves. That's where we had our main base. Chennault was down there with us too then, but that was quite a place, Kweilin. �FRANK BORING: When the battle started in December, when the fighting actually started, and you were still low on parts, still low on equipment, a plane would go up and get shot up or get messed up and then come back down again, what did you have to do to get that plane back up in the air again? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well we didn't have too much of that. We didn't get shot up much, very little. And usually a lot of things would take the place, a piece of tape and some aircraft dope and you could plug the hole up right away. We had one man that was a metalsmith by trade and he'd do the patching. There wasn't much of it that I recall. FRANK BORING: So each one of you - there was like a prop specialist WILLARD MUSGROVE: Yes, we'd get a prop bent once in a while and in time they would straighten it out. FRANK BORING: So in other words an airplane would come in and if it had a hole in it, one guy would fix it, another guy would fix a prop WILLARD MUSGROVE: Yes but most of the props were bent from ground loop in the darn aircraft FRANK BORING: What kind of problems did you have to deal with? When the fighting actually started and an airplane would come in, you'd have to just check it over. WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh yes you'd always check it over and any of the gripes from the pilot then they'd take care of them from there. FRANK BORING: What were some of the gripes? What kind of things that you can remember? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well I can't remember too much. See I was assigned as a Line Chief for about the first 5 months, just a temporary job and a lot of that the gripes were handled through the Mechanics on the aircraft. �FRANK BORING: Anything special, they'd come to me on it and right now I can't give you much on it - it's a long ways back. What was the morale like? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Pretty fair. We had some that didn't like it and they finally quit and went back on their own. FRANK BORING: How did you feel after a few months of being out there? Did you feel like this was something you still wanted to stay at? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh I planned on staying my time. I didn't let my feeling take any advantage of that. But I stayed out there the whole time. FRANK BORING: Were you really informed as to the status of AVG after Pearl Harbor? Did you hear rumors that you were going to be inducted into the Army or whatever? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh no. When we were down in Kweilin, there was a Colonel that came in down there and they tried to get us to go in the Army and Chennault was questioning me and he said "we'll offer you this" and I said I don't want any part of it. I said I'm going back in the Navy when I get out of here. I said I've been on four aircraft carriers at that time and I said I know where the …and he said "well you'll sink in them". Well I said I know but that's where all my experience is, is on carriers. FRANK BORING: You had mentioned earlier that you had a few stories about the British. WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh yeah. Well they got involved. Later on when we went back to Rangoon we had to drive a truck out of there and we brought what supplies we could pick up on our trucks when I went to Rangoon. Anyway, we left at night, we were headed for Prome, I think that was the old capital of Burma at one time and we got out of there and then on up and there was another group that followed us out of there, but we picked up these British soldiers, in fact we stayed one �day and a night in one of their camps - and their food I didn't think much of it there - and the Japs had surrounded these British - I think there was something like 200 of them and they surrounded them and wiped them out. And these Gurkha Indians got a few of them out of there and we picked up three of them. Then later on we had one of the British who was in our transportation department and that's what he did in civilian life. FRANK BORING: What were the last days like, getting towards June-July of '42? What was morale like? You knew that things were changing. WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well it wasn't too bad. FRANK BORING: How did you feel at that time? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I was getting ready to come home, that's what I was doing. And then I had to bum my way all the way back to the States. FRANK BORING: Tell us about that. You're finally leaving now, what happened? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well I got on this plane - this Purser came up to me and it was going to cost so much to fly over the hump - to Din Jan - I think it was around $300.00 - I'm guessing at that because I don't remember - and he had this board and he wanted me to sign up. So I wrote "Complimentary" on there and it satisfied him and I like to have froze to death going over that hump, because I just had a leather jacket on. It was cold up there. It was about 17,000 feet going over that hump and there was a hill just below you, maybe 500 or 1000 feet below you, there were pretty high hills over there. We got into Din Jan - a little burg that was a base where they had the Army was there and they had a camp. So I stayed in a darn mud hut, no door on it, just was a low door and door stakes in the ground and leather straps across with 3 pads for a mattress. In that place there you were a little bit nervous because they had cats in that area. This Army Major said that the first aircraft that arrived he was going to put us aboard and turn around and send us back, �and that was when Rommel was making his big push in Northern Africa. But anyway we got out of there and right on over to New Delhi. I think we stopped one place if I remember right, and they fueled with 5 gallon cans. Of course New Delhi had a decent airport there. And we had nice quarters there and good food and we even took in a movie there while I was waiting for more transportation. Then we flew from New Delhi to Karachi, India and that's where they said it's $1,500.00 from here to Miami. So I didn't do anything right then. I went to Pan Am at their base to see if they'd hire us. Well, we'll give you a flight to the Gold Coast on the West Coast of Africa and we went from there - we stopped in the middle of Africa someplace, I can't tell you where - spent the night there. When we got to Africa we stopped at Pan Am for the night and they put us up and the food was good. We were always interested in food because we all had practically the same thing. I got dysentery out there the last part of the Burma Road I was driving on. I lost 43 pounds, I thought they were going to bury me out there. We got to the Gold Coast and they drew straws. Nobody said anything, we went out to the field to look for this superintendent that did the hiring. He wasn't around so we came back that afternoon, still wasn't around. So I was picked to fly to Fisherman's Lake, one of the group, they drew straws on that and when I got up there - I don't know how many there was of us about 12 or 15 of us. I ran into an old pilot I used to know, Sullivan was his name and he used to be in the squadron flying Big Boats and he was flying Clippers, Boeing Clippers. We finally got through that line, they weren't going to take us through there, we were going to have to pay, but someway or other, one of the pilots, I don't recall his name, had a long a talk up there and finally decided to send us on through. So I spent all night talking with Sullivan, talking over old times. FRANK BORING: Why did you have to go through all this trouble to get back home? WILLARD MUSGROVE: We were thumbing our way. Nobody wanted to take care of us, get us back. �FRANK BORING: Well that's what I want to know about. Why did you have to go through all this? WILLARD MUSGROVE: The only thing I had was a letter signed by Chennault if they would cooperate and furnish the transportation, but that's all I had and I don't' know whatever happened to that letter. I would have liked to have kept it. FRANK BORING: Looking back now and after all the things that have been in the newspapers and books and all that, what do you feel about those days in terms of your life? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well it was an experience. I had a lot of experiences that I'll never forget or never regret. FRANK BORING: When you were there did you feel like you were part of history? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No I never gave it a thought. I didn't think about that because even when I came back and they found out I was in the Flying Tigers, nobody paid any attention to it. Just another outfit to be with, is all. FRANK BORING: What do you think you guys accomplished out there? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well I think we accomplished a lot in a lot of ways because it boosted the morale of our country. At least somebody was doing something, taking some action. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Flying Tigers Interviews and Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Chinese World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Description An account of the resource Collection contains original 1940s films and interviews conducted in the 1990s, documenting the history of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers." The Flying Tigers were organized by the United States to aid China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Original filmstrips were recorded by AVG crewmen Joe Gasdick and Chuck Misenheimer, as well as Chinese Air Force Interpreter P.Y. Shu, who was assigned to assist Col. Claire Chennault as he trained Chinese pilots and established the AVG. Interviews with members of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) “Flying Tigers” were conducted by Frank Boring for the documentary film Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers, which he co-produced with Frank Christopher under the production company Fei Hu Films. The AVG Flying Tigers were a group of American aviators, mechanics, medical and administrative military personnel, led by Col. Claire Chennault to assist the Chinese Air Force in their defense against Japanese air strikes from 1941-1942. The AVG Flying Tigers also flew in defense of the Burma Road, a major Chinese military supply route. The group disbanded and returned to regular U.S. military service after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Boring, Frank Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films Research and Production Files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1938/1991 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fei Hu Films Christopher, Frank Gasdick, Joseph Misenheimer, Charles V. P.Y. Shu Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4; application/pdf Language A language of the resource English; Chinese Type The nature or genre of the resource video; text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1938-1945 World War II Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88_Musgrove_Willard_1991-02-06_v02 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willard Musgrove L. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-02-06 Title A name given to the resource Willard Musgrove interview (video and transcript, 2 of 3), 1991 Description An account of the resource Interview of Willard Musgrove Willard by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Musgrove joined the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in 1941 after serving in the U.S. Navy for 15 years. He served in the AVG as a Crew Chief in the 1st Squadron "Adam and Eves." In this tape, Musgrove describes his impression of General Chennault upon meeting him in Toungoo and the working conditions the mechanics experienced, in addition to the overall morale during the last days of the AVG. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (interviewer) Christopher, Frank (director) Fei Hu Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films research and production files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/be16d6382454eb27da7b9fda13001640.mp4 489cdfe0b54765172667f1b9a64ea8dc https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7a8ed5b7791df49b74e2a48599cb6980.pdf e9eb12e5fc702b123e10ca59a4ee76dc PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives RHC-88 Fei Hu Films Flying Tigers Interviews Interviewer: Frank Boring Interviewee: Willard Musgrove Date of Interview: 02-06-1991 Transcriber: Frank Boring [TAPE 3] WILLARD MUSGROVE: When we were driving up this Burma Road - it was out of Prome we'd gone, we were about a day out - no, I'm mixed up there on getting back because it was later and I was in this jeep and this Chinese Army Captain and one of the soldiers and they'd flipped this jeep. Well I was looking for batteries anyway so I left the jeep, I put the battery in the truck, but first of all, the Captain's back was hurting him and I wouldn't move him. Then this other Chinese, I had a little bottle of merthiolate and he had a cut on the top of his head and I poured this on and let him hop around awhile. I got a board I carried in the truck and I got the Captain over on this board and picked him up. I was afraid to move him because he could have had a broken back and I got him on the back of the truck and we got him to the next town and I turned him over to the local authorities. That was about it on that. Later on we were in this town, they had a river running right through the town and a beautiful falls right in the river about 20 feet high, this falls and I had this dysentery. This was later on after we left Kunming for Chungking, I went to a Chinese doctor and you know what he gave me? Epsom salts - my God! When those things hit you - whew - I didn't stop for anything - just get that door open and get the music roll and get going'. What we had was a private garden, you know out there they use human feces all the time and our doctors inspected and claimed it was all right and that's where I got it from �I know. And that made it miserable the whole rest of the trip all the way to Chungking. FRANK BORING: What was the Burma Road like? WILLARD MUSGROVE: In Burma it was excellent. It was all paved road and then into China, we're going up this one side, there were 22 hairpin turns and the truck, it was a standard truck, double wheels in the back, but most of the time I had to back up to make the turn and this is where the Japanese caught the Chinese. The Chinese blew up the bridge and they couldn't get up the hill, they had all their equipment all on the top of this hill and the Japs just knocked most of it out. But it was quite a deal. Later on - I don't recall who it was - they were on there when these Chinese were going before they knocked the bridge out - the Chinese were running by hollering "Nipponese, Nipponese". Finally it dawned on them what was going on because here was shooting going on. So they dropped everything and left the truck and went up the river for a couple 3 miles and that's where they saw them wreck half their equipment over on the other side. FRANK BORING: What were you doing there at that time? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I was in Toungoo at the time - not Toungoo, in China FRANK BORING: Why were you with that group of people? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I wasn't with this group. This was later on when they knocked that bridge out. FRANK BORING: When you traveled the Burma Road was it mainly to get equipment? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Get our equipment and move anything out that we could get out of Burma. The roads were good in Burma. But when you got into China in some places some of those ruts were all the way to the �axle. Why they let it go like that - I guess they couldn't get the personnel to fix the roads. They were very poor some places - and some places the roads were good. When I got into one area there, you could drive your truck flat out if you wanted to. But it was peculiar, like ancient times these big mounds 2 - 3 hundred feet high, like a little hill, but peaked almost and every one of them had tunnels and water inside of them, streams were running in them and the road there was good, you could drive along at 70-80 kilometers. FRANK BORING: When you first came up with the idea of joining up and going over to Burma, did you have any idea of what might happen to you? Were you afraid? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No I wasn't thinking of that. The only thing was possibly maybe a Jap prisoner or something like that. We had a pilot that was shot down and the Japs picked him up. But that was the only thing I could think of that bothered me. FRANK BORING: So you never imagined the actual conflict? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No. I knew it could be very rough, especially from our outfit, but look at Boyington, he was picked up shot down in the South Pacific and he wound up as a mess attendant, gained weight while he was there. FRANK BORING: Was there any time while you were in during that year that you were afraid that you might not make it back? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh no. I never gave it a thought. No, I really didn't. When I was in the Solomon's during the war - when I got back in the Navy I went right down to the South Pacific, I went aboard a carrier and they transferred me to a casual outfit and we were moved down there in the Solomon Islands. That was different. I was flying from one place to another and I wasn't sure we were ever going to make it. We ran into a rain storm - a regular storm. We went up to about �15,000 feet and as high as you could see and it was just pouring down and then we went down to about 150 feet from the water and the waves were as high as that plane was big. I wasn't sure we were going to make that and the pilot it was a good thing he was an experienced pilot, instead of trying to make his destination, he turned around and went back and we were about 7 hours on a C47. FRANK BORING: Tell us about Boyington. He was a very colorful figure during that period WILLARD MUSGROVE: I talked to him quite a bit and he'd get soused once in a while, but he was an excellent pilot and as I say, I don't think he had one fear in his body. He was in our squadron and I don't think he got along too well with the other pilots. They didn't have too much to do with him and one thing he loved to do when he'd get drunk - he'd stick his fist through the door and that was one of his bad habits. I guess he would fight anybody that disputed with him. He had a few planes - I don't recall how many planes he knocked down over there. Of course he got most of them out in the South Pacific and we were flying better aircraft at the time. But Boyington was quite a man. FRANK BORING: What did you think of Chennault? What did you feel about him? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well that's kind of hard to say. I thought he was quite a man all right, but I had very little to do with him, very little. About the only time we had anything to do, was when he would talk to the group and that was about it. As I said, one of those pictures that you've got I had a beard and word got out that he didn't like my beard, so I shaved it off finally. But in the tropics raising a beard is tough because they itch all the time. FRANK BORING: When people think of the Flying Tigers they have an image - they had a reputation of hard drinking, hard fighting - women - is that true? �WILLARD MUSGROVE: No, not all together. I never drank very much in my life. More so later than I did then. And like the Governor throwing that party for our group, we all drank quite a bit that night. In fact even in the finger bowls they had alcohol and they drank 'em dry. Then they put on a show. The Governor had his daughter out there. Beautiful costumes they had on. But that's about all I can remember of that. FRANK BORING: These guys were a bunch of mavericks weren't they? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I think we were really, to tell you the truth. FRANK BORING: How did you feel about how the military treated you in terms of supplying you? Did you think you had enough supplies? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Out there? Well it was pretty hard to get a hold of until the Army was planning on coming out there. Then I think the first plane load came out with trash cans. They had a bunch of trash cans on one of them, I know that. But the supplies started to come in and then they finally showed up the last month they started coming in there. FRANK BORING: Just say that again. I think that's really important about most experiences on the Burma Road WILLARD MUSGROVE: Yeah the most experience was the various places we went to and from the second half of the Road from Kunming to Chungking, I had quite a bit of experience on that. I had a machine gun with me and I had to try it out on a hill. The only time I ever fired a machine gun. Then when we came up to the city of Chungking, we had to get on a ferry there. At that time Chungking was the most bombed city in the world. The Japs had been bombing it quite frequently and you could see it all the way across the river. Now that impressed me to see that. After the ferry, we went on through the town and on out to the airport. �FRANK BORING: What do you remember about the bombing? What impressed you there? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh I didn't see it, just the buildings were all - like you see in the pictures of the war going on now. But seeing it from a distance - it was about a mile across that river to where Chungking was. FRANK BORING: Was there much smuggling or black market activity along the Burma Road? WILLARD MUSGROVE: I'm sure of it, I'm sure of that. We had some engines that were in crates later on that were broken in and a lot of things in there that were smuggled up there. I don't know who put them in there. They came from Rangoon. We didn't have anything to do with them. But guns and everything else everybody was after them. I had a rifle that was given to me, a British rifle. I sold it when I got to Chungking. I had no use for a rifle. In fact I sold a little pistol to a Pan Am attendant in Lashio that was in Burma, as far as a gun and what could I protect, I couldn't shoot it out with anybody. FRANK BORING: How did you feel the military treated you after spending a year volunteering like this, in terms of honoring you or helping you back to the States? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Well the Army didn't have much to do with it. It was Pan Am did most of it for me. Goldie McCann, who was at that time Vice President of Pan Am, I used fly with him and made parachute jumps from the aircraft. Some of those pictures you saw, he was the pilot. He was an enlisted pilot at the time. Then he quit the Navy with about 15 years in and went to work for another airline, South American Airline and they went broke and Pan Am took it over and went to Pan Am and eventually he wound up as I think he was President at one time. I know he was Vice President. When I got back to Miami I tried to look him up but he wasn't around. �FRANK BORING: Were you at the meeting where General Bissell came and urged the AVG to re-enlist? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Oh yes. He made a long speech and they had uniforms for us and all this and that and then we wouldn't have to worry about - well I wasn't intending to go into the Army if I could help it. I wanted to go back and get in the Navy when I got back to the States, something I was familiar with. But he made a long speech about salaries and all this and that, but I don't think anyone wanted it at that time about getting back in. But until we broke up that's when they - there was quite a number of them went into the Army. FRANK BORING: Were you aware of the battle Salween Bridge, the gorge, when the AVG stopped the Japanese from coming into China? Do you remember that? WILLARD MUSGROVE: No I don't remember it. No I can't. That's when they blew up that bridge. And that's where we had a couple of them they had to escape on up the river, then finally made a raft and got across the river. We didn't hear from them about 10 or 15 days, something like that before got in contact with them. We didn't even know if the Japs had picked them up. FRANK BORING: What's the best description you could give us of the Flying Tigers as a group? WILLARD MUSGROVE: That's pretty hard to explain. Some of them were pretty wild. But we accomplished what we went after. I think we did a good job all the way through. FRANK BORING: What were you personally most proud of during that time that you accomplished? WILLARD MUSGROVE: Just that I was with the outfit, a volunteer and the reason I volunteered was because I knew the war was going to start. It was just a matter of time and that's the reason I went out there, I �volunteered for it. And I've been proud of the outfit all along. I think we accomplished a lot. And that's about it. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Flying Tigers Interviews and Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Chinese World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Description An account of the resource Collection contains original 1940s films and interviews conducted in the 1990s, documenting the history of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers." The Flying Tigers were organized by the United States to aid China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Original filmstrips were recorded by AVG crewmen Joe Gasdick and Chuck Misenheimer, as well as Chinese Air Force Interpreter P.Y. Shu, who was assigned to assist Col. Claire Chennault as he trained Chinese pilots and established the AVG. Interviews with members of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) “Flying Tigers” were conducted by Frank Boring for the documentary film Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers, which he co-produced with Frank Christopher under the production company Fei Hu Films. The AVG Flying Tigers were a group of American aviators, mechanics, medical and administrative military personnel, led by Col. Claire Chennault to assist the Chinese Air Force in their defense against Japanese air strikes from 1941-1942. The AVG Flying Tigers also flew in defense of the Burma Road, a major Chinese military supply route. The group disbanded and returned to regular U.S. military service after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Boring, Frank Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films Research and Production Files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1938/1991 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fei Hu Films Christopher, Frank Gasdick, Joseph Misenheimer, Charles V. P.Y. Shu Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4; application/pdf Language A language of the resource English; Chinese Type The nature or genre of the resource video; text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1938-1945 World War II Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-88_Musgrove_Willard_1991-02-06_v03 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willard Musgrove L. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-02-06 Title A name given to the resource Willard Musgrove interview (video and transcript, 3 of 3), 1991 Description An account of the resource Interview of Willard Musgrove Willard by filmmaker Frank Boring for the documentary, Fei Hu: The Story of the Flying Tigers. Musgrove joined the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in 1941 after serving in the U.S. Navy for 15 years. He served in the AVG as a Crew Chief in the 1st Squadron "Adam and Eves." In this tape, Musgrove describes his memories working along the Burma Road and his overall impression of the Flying Tigers. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Boring, Frank (interviewer) Christopher, Frank (director) Fei Hu Films Subject The topic of the resource Oral history United States--History, Military China--History, Military Veterans China. Kong jun. American Volunteer Group World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/540">Fei Hu Films research and production files (RHC-88)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4a6d593c630fe11a494b948230ea3917.mp4 0779bf81f0f2c6f2e93ae65db9ded30d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ad32fb631019cf7c9fa77b24cd44db4d.pdf ab931513183ee456c0c53b40fc89f256 PDF Text Text William James College Interviews GV016-16 Interviewer: Barbara Roos Interviewee: Rosemary Willey Date: 1984 Part: 1 of 3 [Barbara] Go on. [Camera operator] Rolling. [Barbara] Just talk. You don't have to worry about it. [Rosemary] He has himself… he has some kind of idea that… there's all this talk about how we had a philosophy, and we had this, and we that going for us. I don't know. He was saying some things about how little of that was really, you know, commonly understood. It was interesting, like he was kind of fed up with everyone talking about, you know, the philosophy of education, and stuff. I just think it was interesting to talk to him. [Barbara] Okay, we'll do some more of that. I would like you to, first of all, start talking about… in a sentence, say who you are, when you went to James, and what you're doing now. [Rosemary] I am Rosemary Willey, and I went to William James from seventy-seven to eighty-two, little time off, and I'm living in New York, and working with filmmaker Leo Hurwitz. And his-- and research for his next script in film. [Barbara] How did you get that job, Rose? [Rosemary] I was studying script writing and very interested in writing for media, and I set up an internship with Leo. Was encouraged to get out and do something in my field, which is what the internship program is all about, and I had met Leo Hurwitz. He was a Synoptic Lecturer at William James, so I met him through the college. And I wrote to him myself. We talked over with the internship program was all about, the kind of thing I'd like to do. And, you know, of course the first it depended on where he was in his work, but I was very persistent. We kept in touch, and it worked out very well. That I could come out, do research, and be involved in the script writing process with him. When my internship was over, I stayed in New York and continued to work with him. [Barbara] Didn't you write a poem that you sent to him, or something? �[Rosemary] That's right, my initial meeting with Hurwitz was that he brought a film to William James. It was a film that I don't believe has been shown in the United States at all. It was his new film called "Dialogue with A Woman Departed." I'd never seen anything like it, and I was very excited by the film and by Leo. He asked for responses to film, and I wrote him a poem I spent a little time on it and got to him before he left. So, we had a very tremendous encounter. Where he enjoyed my poem very much, and I spoke about his film. And we kept in touch ever since then, so... [Barbara] People are not going to know what you mean by a Synoptic Lecturer. [Rosemary] Okay. [Barbara] What does it mean? [Rosemary] Right… the Synaptic Lecturer program at William James was a situation where students could be involved with up with the personality, author, filmmaker, a poet. People that they brought onto campus to spend time with the students to lecture and visit the classes. Leo was a Synoptic Lecturer. He brought his films and spent time in classes. Spent time meeting students, answering students’ questions. And it was a very wonderful opportunity to not only see someone's work, but really get to know them and let them have you know real responses to the work. [Barbara] People at a more traditional college environment might say: "Isn't that an easy credit?" I mean how would you respond to this whole notion that this stuff is so vague and amorphic that there's not really any learning going on, or something like that, you know? [Rosemary] Right. I think that because William James college had no grades, no tests – these kinds of things that create a measure or formula for learning – people assume that it must've been something that you could slide right through, and there was nobody checking up on you or this kind of thing. But it was quite the opposite experience, really. Because they were small classes. You got to know your advisor, and your professors quite well. And they got to know how well, you know, they got you know you're writing, what you are capable of, they have certain expectations of you that came out you know rather soon in the whole college experience. They got you know what you were interested in, you know, how your writing was excelling, whatever. So, there was no way to really slide through something it was, you know, you couldn't hide from the real responsibilities, or from the expectations people had of you. You really had to be involved. And you know, of course, I enjoyed very much being involved. I found it to be very difficult at times, but not difficult in a negative way. But a kind of challenge, very challenging. �[Barbara] In other words, the notion that “it has to be suffering, to be learning” is sort of beside the point. In other words, you're saying that you worked hard, but being hard doesn't cover it. [Rosemary] Right. Right, well the whole idea of students being active and responsible for their own educations made the, I think, effort that you put into your work much greater. [Rosemary] But the rewards were much greater. You really could get involved in things. You took great pride in turning in something that had real substance. That you'd really thought about, and if what you wanted to turn in, that was substantial and important to you, was going to take you three weeks more. You could just let your professor know, this is what you're doing and I'm going to take this much time and things could work out that way. So that essential things really to come through. [Barbara] Do you remember when you came to James? You came out of high school, right? [Rosemary] Yeah. [Barbara] Okay, do you remember that you had to have some transition into this philosophy? [Inaudible] Or something? [Rosemary] No, it was a very stimulating place when I first came to William James College. I remember being in classes that, you know, were no comparison to high school. And as a freshman you worry if you're going to be able to kind of take on these college classes. But, at William James College, you could sense there was something going on. It was intimidating at first, but you came to realize that your experiences, and things that you think about, and you know, experiences you've had in your life are relevant, are important you don't have to be an expert on something to have something to say in a class. People were interested in finding out about you. So, you know, with a little bit of confusion from the transition from high school to something so really sophisticated and involving. There was a little transition in there, because in high school we were spoon-fed graded… your goals were really quite defined. At William James College, people didn't really define things for you. You could kind of see, you know, you made your own decisions about what you were interested in and then there was sort of encouragement. This whole, you know, these kind of adult issues, and adult educational concerns where your concerns from the start. I mean there was guidance and conversations, but it came quite clear to you that, you know, the philosophy, so to speak, that was going on here was really to your advantage. And something that you could really work with and become a part of. You know, �it took me a few classes. I remember a class I took with Inge Lafleur. Um, no. Aimee(?) Bijkerk (?). Her name was Aimee(?) Bijkerk(?) My instructor in Jungian psychology, and it was my first year William James and I was very much interested in Carl Jung. So, I took a course specifically about him, that was tremendously rewarding. You'd spend a lot of time reading Jung, talking about Jung, and getting a handle on how these things related to art, symbols, and it was a wonderfully stimulating class. When it was over, I had a tutorial was Aimee (?) where I asked her: "What I am supposed to do this class--with this Jungian psychology?" [Rosemary] I was interested in therapy at the time, and I asked her: "How does a therapist work with all this information?" And she explained to me, which I understand more and more as I get older, I guess, that what you can do with this kind of information is that it helps you develop an attitude. That there isn't just one way to think through an idea. There isn't just one way of handling a problem. There are many ways, and there are many ways that are related to each other. There are things… there are ways in which schools of thought can overlap, and by diving into something in particular like Jung, you can work on… it sort of develops a sensitivity to the many ideas that there are in the world. Now, this to me later became an explanation for William James College as a whole. Because I have really developed an attitude, a way of thinking that where I feel capable of taking many things into account because of the integration of ideas. And I found this sensitivity added to approach to learning and to living that was very well rounded and took a variety of things and brought them together. Was what was happening at the college. [Barbara] One question on this tape. Then we'll probably change tapes and get you something to drink. [Rosemary] That would be great. [Barbara] Can you remember a class early on, or later on that – and this is not to gossip – but the experience where it just didn't work where you needed it to? [Rosemary] God, I might want to talk about that. Let me see… [Barbara] Because, it wasn't... [Inaudible] [Rosemary] Yeah. I had a class that I think was kind of an experiment. An experiment for everyone involved. This kind of thing was allowed to happen at William James, you know. Someone had an idea for great class, and they pulled in some students that were really interested with a real hook. Course title, you know, "Something in the Modern World" or whatever. So, I took a class, and I was a freshman then, that turned out to be very nebulous, and it was at a time in my �education where I needed to see how things fit together quite directly. I was dealing with some very metaphysical ideas and I didn't, you know, I wasn't told not to take this class. But anyways, I took it. Had to write papers about something I had no confidence writing about – this was psychology. It was the history of psychology. It was pulling together many schools of thought in a way that had no glue. And people were very… there were some very intellectual things going on there that were working for some people, and not for everyone in the class. I wasn't alone, but I found the whole experience very stifling. [Rosemary] You know, we went through six to eight weeks before, you know, there'd be a break where I might say to someone: "Gee, this isn't sinking in." And they say: "Oh, I don't get it either!" You know, so we had… but, interestingly I did get some papers out. What I wrote about was my problems with the class. I expressed why I was having problems, and this broke down some barrier of silence I was having. The instructors paid attention to my complaints. We talked about them. We talked about them in the tutorial. I still feel like I didn't learn very much, but I struck up some real conversations with people as to why. And I met a lot of people who were going through similar experience. There was still a community, you know, a forum for some real communication. Which was going on all the time. So, you don't really regret experiences like that. But it was unusual. [Barbara] Would you like to stop for a minute? [Rosemary] Yeah. [Barbara] It's going very well. [Rosemary] Yeah. Juice! [Barbara] Okay. Something that's really important to talk about is what happened when you went on the East Coast in terms of your education? [Rosemary] Right. Well, I went out to New York… [Camera operator] [Rosemary] Fine. [Camera operator] [Barbara] Wait a minute, let me stop this here. Because we are almost out of tape here. It would be lousy to stop. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource William James College Interviews Description An account of the resource Videotaped interviews of William James College faculty, students and administrators by Barbara Roos. William James College opened in 1971 as the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. Curriculum was organized around three concentrations that were meant to be interdisciplinary career preparation offerings: Social Relations, Administration and Information Management, and Environmental Studies. The college was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Interdisciplinary approach in education Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16_GVSU_01_Willey Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willey, Rosemary Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Title A name given to the resource Rosemary Willey interview (1 of 3, video and transcript) Description An account of the resource Interview with Rosemary Willey by Barbara Roos, documenting the history of Grand Valley State's William James College. William James College was the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. The college opened in 1971 and was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley State. Rosemary Willey was a student of William James College from 1977 to 1982. In this interview, Rosemary discusses her time being a part of the William James community, in addition to her internship and work with documentary filmmaker, Leo Hurwitz. This interview is part 1 of 3 for Rosemary Willey. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Hurwitz, Leo T., 1909-1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ddacd65d640d0e5e4659ef22872a448f.mp4 937d8c0f1f6807e1254873b38b633a7e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/bf347b2333b2213a9bc8561d69c9a8a0.pdf 8a5d68be44357294e25e5c47c2ff92de PDF Text Text William James College Interviews GV016-16 Interviewer: Barbara Roos Interviewee: Rosemary Willey Date: 1984 Part: 2 of 3 [Barbara] Just keep talking. [Rosemary] I started to feel like people asking me how much money I can make as a research assistant to an independent filmmaker. I started to feel like-- "Hey! That's a real personal question." And I started to kind of take offense, and maybe it's partially because, you know, I'm not making any money. But it was also because, you know, I don't care how much money you make. But there was really a, you know, it's just a sort of wrapped package. You graduate, get a degree to be something, and you're going to make so much money depending on what you've picked. This all adds up to, you know, what you've amounted to. Now, people have asked me how much money I make, I kind of banter about it. But… [Barbara] What’s the matter? Oh shit, you were perfect, Rose! You were so good! [Rosemary] [In a fake southern twang] Okay, we'll try it again. I'm so glitch. I'm so glad you noticed that we'd run the whole tape. [Laughs] [Rosemary] Let's see, yeah. I started taking offense at people asking me how much money I could possibly make working with the independent filmmaker. I started to feel like that's a really personal question. Happened many, many times. It happened in the hallway, in my building, people, you know, just after a few questions. “Well, what do you do? Where are you from? Well, gee, how much money do you make?” I started to feel, of course, like that's not anybody's business. Maybe, partially, because I'm not making much money. But then as I got to get enough of this attitude among young, newly graduated, out in the world types. That it was important to let people know I'm not out in the world to turn a buck. That I'm, you know, that I'm out for experiences, that I feel like I have something to say. I mean there…I've met many people who have, I'm going to have to stumble with this for some reason. I'm drawing a blank. [Barbara] Okay. That's because you already said it. So, it's hard for you to do it again. So, the point is that their education has been [inaudible] at the very limit, and your education was something different. �[Rosemary] Yeah. Well, I went out east. Moving out east where there's a lot of young professionals in New York, who have acquired a certain status that has to do with where they have been to school, and what they studied. And you run into these people frequently at parties or whatever. Gatherings where young people want to know where you went to school, and what you studied. Their education is that -most commonly I find that these people have gone to college to be somebody, to be something, to be a particular thing. And, if that hasn't added up in terms of their salary, or whatever, I think that people feel pretty bad about where they're at now. [Rosemary] So, at first it was kind of difficult for me when I confronted this attitude about what you do is what you, who you are, and what you've amounted to, and I had no simple answer for what I do and what I wanted to continue to do, and where I'd been. And having William James College close has made it difficult, in that I can't go on about this college that is this real happening place where people go to really learn something and where there was an attitude, there was a real concern, that even though they were concerned that people got out and could find work and have careers and skills and stuff, but a real well-rounded education that involved a lot of other things, thinking and writing, you know, that it wasn't strictly career-oriented, that it was really kind of learning-oriented. And so, it has really put me in a space that has, that I have found is quite unusual, where, you know, being professional and being involved in something and having a career means something entirely different. Well, it certainly doesn't mean how much money you make. I think it means kind of loving what you do and being good at what you do. You take pride in different things. [Rosemary] And so I stumbled with these young people and cocktail parties or whatever that wanted to peg me, wanted to take me from some Ivy League school and that I that I've been to law school or whatever. And then it didn't take very long before I decided, what I have done, and what I am doing, and what I will do, and my reasons for it, can really blow people away. Because it is unusual. And it's I think it's a lot more dynamic approach to being a graduate and most people I've come across, I mean, it's made me feel like an odd duck out in New York. But I've come to take certain amount of pride in that. And I take a tremendous amount of pride that I went to William James College and have felt a little bitter sometimes that it wasn't sitting out there in West Michigan and still turning out people who had an approach to their careers that was more like my own. Now I sort of feel like stopping the tape. Okay. [Barbara] Why don’t you just talk about Walter? [Rosemary] Yeah, well, Walter Wright was an example of something I felt was really going on there, was kind of a symbol of something to me as a student. Because I had the unusual experience of being there when it was really a very dynamic, powerful, �functioning place and then in my later years, I graduated just as it was folding, and there was a lot of involvement of students and faculty and we really were unified in a kind of “save our college” movement. And so, I experienced the pitfalls and the hard realizations about where the support was coming from was, you know, from within ourselves or really not within the administration, it was in the world at large. We pretty much were up against it. So, people began to realize this and there were a lot of very sad emotional times going on between student and professors. And, you know, what an education that was, that in and of itself, to be involved in this changing times. Feeling not only that we were changing but we had promoted ourselves as a college that was going to equip its young people to handle change, to be survivors, to get out in the world and make change. So here was a real experience for us and I think it made a tremendous impression on those last graduates. And you know, even though it was a very sorry thing, I think we did end up feeling very well equipped to take on the conservative world and to do the things we wanted to do. [Rosemary] Walter Wright, when I first came to William James was kind of, you know, the happening professor. He was really very exciting for students. He really was a great advocate of individualism and I think many students who didn't feel like they had a niche in the world definitely could find it with Walter. And they were doing amazing things, there was always all kinds of amazing film and video things going on for people. And I think personally they were some of the most interesting students at William James were the students that gave Walter a lot of support and vice versa. And as William James started to undergo this sort of cracking away at the foundation, the changing ideas, Walter was a person who never really changed. He still handled his classes and the way that he felt was, you know, was right on and he still… [Barbara] Like what? [Rosemary] Well, one thing that comes to mind is that he was a great advocate for play. That learning was playful and that whatever you did, it was going to be fun and expressive and yours. And for example, my very first super eight film, because I didn't handle my camera right or something… I still don’t, I'm not sure because it never happened again. But I came up with a three-minute roll of black film. I had a completely black film. So, Walter said we're going to show your film, it’s a black film, and we'll get around to what happened. But he told me I could take this film and cut it into things where I wanted a black spot, that was interesting, that I could scratch it, that I could make, that I could work with film and it wasn't hopeless and I was devastated. And here Walter really wanted me to feel like it's all part of it, you know. And so, it was all right, you know, it was all right. And then I went on to not be intimidated by the camera, to not be afraid to make a black film again. But he was just, you know, a very magical kind of instructor for me, someone that I certainly had a lot of confidence to work with him, and to try new �things. [Barbara] And then what happened? [Rosemary] Right, well what I wanted to… Okay, so, Walter was very important to me, to the whole kind of philosophy and openness that made the college a very involved place and he… I think as the college started to suffer some changes and structuring, some things that were imposed upon us, Walter couldn’t maintain his approach to classes and to students. He never really started to structure his classes in a way that would've been quite different. Sso he kind of went from being you know very much a part of what the college is all about to, I think, a sort of exceptional person. He was kind of a dying breed, someone who became very unusual. And Walter was always Walter, I mean he handled that very well, but I always felt kind of sorry that he began to appear to be, more and more, the exception rather than… [Barbara] Do you know why he left? [Rosemary] … a facet. I'm not exactly sure why. [Barbara] Because he was told he would not get tenure, that’s why he looked for another job. It’s nothing that even he was unpopular, it’s that Walter had to go. [Rosemary] Well, yeah, he was driven. Students were allowed to be on faculty review committees, which were these committees that were, you know, inside the college that sat down and reviewed the progress and the, you know, how a particular professor was doing, and how the students were feeling, and how they were feeling. And I mean it was really a very good thing, but I sat on some of those review committees, and I think that in Walter's case in particular, I really did learn a lot about how he was kind of being forced into this exceptional, unusual role rather than supported. Rather than supported, and rather than looked at as an incredible asset he started to be, I think the attitude started to be “What are we going to do with this guy that won't write a syllabus?” You know, and so I got to see which was also another very unusual thing about William James, I got to see the kind of internal attitudes and the real clashes and the things that made you feel very helpless as to why, you know, why the foundation was crumbling. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource William James College Interviews Description An account of the resource Videotaped interviews of William James College faculty, students and administrators by Barbara Roos. William James College opened in 1971 as the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. Curriculum was organized around three concentrations that were meant to be interdisciplinary career preparation offerings: Social Relations, Administration and Information Management, and Environmental Studies. The college was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Interdisciplinary approach in education Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16_GVSU_02_Willey Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willey, Rosemary Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Title A name given to the resource Rosemary Willey interview (2 of 3, video and transcript) Description An account of the resource Interview with Rosemary Willey by Barbara Roos, documenting the history of Grand Valley State's William James College. William James College was the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. The college opened in 1971 and was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley State. Rosemary Willey was a student of William James College from 1977 to 1982. In this interview, Rosemary discusses the career-oriented attitudes of young professionals in New York City in comparison with the learning-oriented education she received at William James College, in addition to her experience learning from professor Walter Wright. This interview is part 2 of 3 for Rosemary Willey. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/9dae755e410eabcbc6533780bb7aff47.mp4 4ab07ec8b198786c64a10fc7d205e2f5 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/98ff862349a06b58ac4c63ce43111cc2.pdf 8fe002f42e6050affaffb1a625dff5fd PDF Text Text William James College Interviews GV016-16 Interviewer: Barbara Roos Interviewee: Rosemary Willey Date: 1984 Part: 3 of 3 [Rosemary] We're rolling. [Barbara] Is there anything we could have done differently there at the end to save ourselves? [Rosemary] Well, God – that’s a very difficult question because, quite honestly, I don't think so. But I tend to be kind of a pessimistic person. I'm not sure what we could have done because it got to the point, we were working in an environment that was… you know, we were going against the mainstream; we were running an opposite course. And, I think with the way Grand Valley was moving, as a whole, there was really very little we could do. I didn't realize that at first, I think many students…you know, we were taught that these values, and this approach to education was vital. It was really going to do things for us. I mean nobody went to William James to be told that this is going to fall apart. You know, I mean they went to William James because there was a real supportive set of ideas that made some sense to you, and that was going to be very advantageous to me. You felt good about what was happening. So, I think that students when they… when there was some organizing to save the college, it was really heartfelt. We really thought we could have an effect on a few things. I mean it came down to simply wanting to save the name. You know, for one of the departments or something. But so, when it became clear to me that it was a losing battle, I'm not sure if everyone felt that way, but there was a point, I think. I saw it happen to many people. There was a point where you felt it was a losing battle, and you didn't go to council. I mean why get up at nine o'clock on Friday morning, get in there to sit around at a council, you know, that's kind of digging our grave. That was sort of the activity of the day. It was always quite depressing. The students started to kind of, you know, we went from everybody showing up because we were going to do something about this. To people just needing to, you know, get back to work on their classes. I mean, some students were letting classes slide because they felt so strongly about this movement, this organizing. So, then we all kind of stepped back, and just had to look out for ourselves. And take care of ourselves, and I for one didn't want to be devastated. So, I just got back to my own ideas. This is why I… part of how I ended up in New York, was that I kind of wanted to be sure that I was paving my way out to put myself in a new environment where there were opportunities and things kind of bursting, things going on that I can feel new and involved in as opposed to sliding off of this closing of William James. So, I stepped out into New York, which was very �refreshing, but I had my tools – so to speak – with me from this education and all these experiences and I think I could take on the city and many different kinds of people because William James was very rich. [Barbara] I’m reading a book right now on American education. Did you ever feel at James that you were involved in anything radical? Does that seem a useful word? [Rosemary] William James, as an entity, which it became sometimes… I mean, there were many times when I felt like I was going to college and I was excited to get to my classes and I was involved in this community and I worked in the students’ files office and it kind of became my world. And when I was really just being a part of this community, it didn't feel radical, it didn't feel… I didn't stop and think that it was special and different – not very often – but I do when I look at it in the terms of education and our society today. I do see that it was a radical place only because it was different. It moved away from the simple formulas and structures that I think the educational process can be boiled down to these tight little systems and because William James was so different and operating on such different principles, it was a radical organization – radical idea – and it certainly allowed for you to meet many different political types now because “radical” is kind of a political word to me. I think of, you know, being able to study social issues from a socialist point of view or this kind of thing was extraordinary and different. Now, I made a mention of being excited to go to class and this is something that, you know, I remember time and again and there were a lot of little networks that were built up in the classes. You would meet for coffee to talk about your class, these kinds of things. The excitement in the activity of learning was really something that I felt there. And once you could grasp the process, you know, read something, and think out something and have these conversations in the classroom – it was very confidence building thing. Especially as a freshman coming from high school where, you know, high school can be a kind of dehumanizing identity crisis and certainly was for me. To step into something that involved you and meant something to you, where you weren't afraid of what you thought and to say what you thought. It built character, it built real character, and there were a lot of characters there. Yeah. [Barbara] Do you remember any in particular? [Rosemary] Oh, I remember all of them. I remember all of them in particular because I haven't met people like that since. So, they do, they really stand out to me. People that really had an effect on me. People that I miss and people that I still write to and I'm very fond of. [Unknown] Students as well as…? [Rosemary] Students as well as professors. I have had connections to professors that were, �you know, beyond a student professor relationship, where they saw I wrote some poetry and I had Roz [Rosalind] Mayberry paying attention to me as a person who was connecting things and discovering the magic of my own words and she would relate to me in being just as excited and involved in my process of learning and this is something that I still can't, you know… I still write a poem and want to know what Roz thinks and we are in touch and it certainly isn’t something that has stopped because our class ended. That's enough, that's good enough, yeah. [Barbara] Okay, this is a place that was, you know, this was change, this was a changeoriented place. That’s what we’re going to have to deal with and we didn’t deal with it, Rose. They don’t quite say that. [Rosemary] Change. Oh, you mean like I said something about how, you know, we were being taught to live in a changing world, this kind of thing, and I talked about that being valuable to me. But I don't know what you mean. [Barbara] Real change confronted the college, but we didn’t feel it. [Rosemary] Alright, okay. Yeah, that's right. I did have a way that I wanted to put that. You know, I sort of feel like it's up to you, too. What I did was I was thinking along the lines of all these things that were so essential to us: integration, holistic approaches to learning, well-rounded, not only career-oriented. These things that really had substance became like buzzwords and when we were crumbling, we were still trying to (crumbling… I’ve got to quit saying that) but we were still trying to hang onto these essential things. But I think quite hypocritically because we were allowing so much to be put upon ourselves, so many compromises. [Barbara] Like what? [Rosemary] Just the whole system of getting students out and graduated became systematized in a way that wasn't paying attention to students’ particular needs and problems. So that when we would come up with a graduate, and all of a sudden people realized this person couldn't write very well, the student got stopped and nailed and I think it was simply a matter of our being so caught up in covering our asses and that there was a lot of things at the beginning – students, their needs, where they're at, how to build and work with them – that started to get systematized and the very typical thing of, you know, Johnny can't read or write, that could happen to us and it did, it did happen. [Barbara] I know it's hard to believe we still have a couple of people who are all William James people who have graduated yet because they can't write. [Rosemary] It's hard to believe but… and it's hard to sit back and say that it’s William James’s fault. I think, you know, here again it's difficult to place blame because if we had �all the support we needed so that we didn't have to worry about how we appear – the society or whatever – we could have continued to pay attention to those things that were vital to the individuals. But it became quite clear that there were three or four or five individuals that were really in there bantering, playing a hard game, to keep what was essential to the college but that was really all I think that, you know, the small things we started to compromise on. I mean, it's very small but, you know, you start to number your courses. You start… [Barbara] What difference does it make if you number your courses? [Rosemary] Immediately students would get the impression that, gee, I better take this course before this course and then I have to have this course before this course. Now, at times there was a simple logic to that… to being able to sit in a class and know what's going on, to have a little bit of history with the subject. But I think in general, it meant that students stepped into a kind of semi-structure and saw that and tried to move through it as though it really were a structure. It was very confusing. I mean, I sat down with beginning students in those last years who were concerned that they couldn't take this course because it didn’t fit their study plan, you know, the study plan became this rock that you carved your classes into and I think that there were a lot of students that started to feel like there was this whole… there was a set of expectations that they've simply had to do to graduate now. I think we handled those expectations entirely differently at first because it fit a certain philosophy to go out, to try things, to be well-rounded, to be sure you’ve... I mean, sometimes it boiled down to, you know, be sure you’ve had a class with Dick Paschke especially because he will really change your way of thinking. And I think these things were happening in a way that was much more individualized and progressive than, you know, school by numbers and I think we're to blame for that a little bit because we started to lose confidence in ourselves. We started to misunderstand, perhaps, what these essential ideas meant and how to work with them, how to use them as you know so it amounted to a kind of model. I mean, William James was really a tremendous model for a lot of people, and it was a surprise to a lot of people, but I think I was there long enough to not be too surprised. Yeah, I had a couple friends that took this college so seriously and so to heart, I mean, they were more than us, but we were angered. Frequently, we were angered by the students that kind of weren’t getting it. They weren’t getting it; they were taking advantage, they were only here to do their photography and to go get a job, you know. We were really troubled by that, but it certainly wasn't the student’s fault. [Barbara] Why wasn’t it their fault? [Rosemary] Because these were the shifts that were beginning to make sense to those young people. These were the kinds of shifts that were setting in this sort of new logic that I think put too much emphasis on career and much less emphasis on �discovery of all possibilities that you can have in those few years. And, you know, I am very well aware of the numbers game that started to set in in terms of how many students are in what programs and if it was really mounting up in that media program, for example, then we better pay a lot of attention to that. I mean, the bottom line is getting students in there and getting enough money so that the college would survive. And we had to have some kind of external measure of value and it pretty much amounted to how successful I think we were in terms of student ratios and numbers and things that for some of the students that were aware would really seem hypocritical and we would get very angry and fed up and these were the things that made us feel like it was a losing battle, and we ought to take care of our coursework and get out. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource William James College Interviews Description An account of the resource Videotaped interviews of William James College faculty, students and administrators by Barbara Roos. William James College opened in 1971 as the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. Curriculum was organized around three concentrations that were meant to be interdisciplinary career preparation offerings: Social Relations, Administration and Information Management, and Environmental Studies. The college was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Interdisciplinary approach in education Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Language A language of the resource eng Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV016-16_GVSU_03_Willey Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Willey, Rosemary Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1984 Title A name given to the resource Rosemary Willey interview (3 of 3, video and transcript) Description An account of the resource Interview with Rosemary Willey by Barbara Roos, documenting the history of Grand Valley State's William James College. William James College was the third baccalaureate degree granting college for Grand Valley. It was originally designed to be an interdisciplinary, non-departmentalized college consisting of concentration programs, rather than majors. The college opened in 1971 and was discontinued in 1983 during a reorganization of Grand Valley State. Rosemary Willey was a student of William James College from 1977 to 1982. In this interview, Rosemary discusses the closing of William James College, her memory of the cast of characters in their community, and the shift toward a more career-oriented education for the youth at that time. This interview is part 3 of 3 for Rosemary Willey. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Roos, Barbara (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University Michigan Universities and colleges Oral histories Alternative education Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/69">William James College faculty and student interviews (GV016-16)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d207c4889f134b83359418cb6032f379.pdf 89749151f2be502926b08217df004e17 PDF Text Text RO KO TOWNSHIP comprehensive plan . �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP Berrien County, Michigan BOARD OF TRUSTEES Robert C. Feather, Supervisor Alex Miskiewicz, Clerk Robert H. King, Treasurer David Schug Robert C. Pagel Richard Schinkel David Ladd PLANNING COMMISSION Ernest Hildebrandt, Chairman Myrtle Mc Nally, Secretary James Calderwood Scotty Hanson Robert c. Pagel V. E. Garber Charles Paarlberg This Comprehensive Plan has been compiled from material developed for the Lake Chapin regional planning area by: WILLIAMS. LAWRENCE & ASSOCIATES, INC. Planning Consultants Don C. Shafer, Project Planner Technical Assistance Provided by: BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION Charles Eckenstahler, Planning Director Michigan Professional Community Planner (Reg. No. 550) Brian W. Sodt, Assistant Planning Director Aaron L. Anthony, Assistant Planner �TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Adoption Resolution Endorsement by Township Board Preface Introduction i iii iv vii SECTION 1. Natural Features 2. Existing Land Use 3. Housing 4. Thoroughfares and Transportation 5. Community Facilities 6. Economic Factors 7. Goal Formulation 8. General Development Policies 9. General Development Plan 10. Capital Improvement Program 1 12 20 27 43 59 78 84 91 107 Bibliography 123 Appendix CHARTS AND MAPS l. Oronoko Township Soil Survey Map 2. Soil Factor Map for Septic Tank Absorption 3. Soil Factor Map for Natural Drainage 4. Soil Factor Map for Dwellings with Basements 7 8 9 10 �CHARTS AND MAPS (continued) Page 5. Flood Hazard Area - Map 11 6. Existing Land Use - Map 15 7. Existing Land Use, 1969 - Chart 16 8. Existing Land Use, 1974 - Chart 17 9. Existing Land Use Comparison of Acres Developed - Chart 18 10. On-site Sewerage Disposal Applications - Chart 19 11. Building Activity - Chart 19 12. Condition of Structures - Map 25 13. Condition of Structures - Chart 26 14. Lake Chapin Regional Traffic Volumes-Map 37 15. Thoroughfare Classification System - 16. Existing Transportation Map 39 - - Chart - 40 Map 42 19. Educational Facilities and School Districts 20. Educational Facilities 38 Map 17. Existing Transportation Conditions 18. Traffic Conflict Points - - r1ap Chart 54 55 21. Township Water Distribution System - Map 56 22. Wastewater Collection System - Map 57 23. Park & Recreation - 58 Inventory and Analysis - Chart 24. Land Cover Map 72 25. Land Use Cover Classification - Chart 73 26. Agricultural Land Cover - Map 74 27. Agricultural Land Cover Tabulation 2 8. Agricultural Land Use Comparison - 29. General Population Characteristics 30. General Development Plan - Chart - Chart 75 Chart 76 - 77 Chart 105 �CHARTS AND MAPS (continued) 31. Comparison of Percent of Total Area - Chart 106 32. General Fund Revenues, Expenditures and Equity - Chart 116 33. Projected Assessed Valuation and Bonding Capacity - Chart 117 34. Schedule of Funds Estimated to be Available from the General Fund and Comparison with Past Trends - Chart 118 35. Capital Improvement Program - Chart 119 �PREFACE �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPTION RESOLUTION for the ORONOKO TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHEREAS, the Township Rural Zoning Act, Act 184 P.A. 1943, as amended, stipulates the provisions of a township zoning ordinance should be based upon a plan designed to promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare, to encourage the use of lands in accordance with their character and adaptability and to limit the improper use of land, among other things; and WHEREAS, the Township Planning Conmission Act, Act 168 P.A. 1959, as amended, requires the planning conmission shall make and adopt a basic plan as a guide for the development of unincorporated portions of the township, and such plan shall include the planning commission's recommendations for the physical development of the unincorporated area of the township; and WHEREAS, Oronoko Township has participated jointly with the Townships of Royalton and Berrien, and the Village of Berrien Springs in the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Commission, and undertook extensive planning research from 1969 to 1976, and WHEREAS, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission has prepared such a basic plan for the purpose of encouraging and guiding orderly and efficient future growth and development of Oronoko Township from the materials prepared by the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Commission; and WHEREAS, in accordance with Act 168 P.A. 1959, as amended, notices of public hearing have been duly published and on January 22, 1979 a public hearing was held at the Oronoko Township Hall for the purpose of making public explanation of the proposed comprehensive plan and receiving public conments and recommendations regarding the plan; and WHEREAS, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission has given due consideration to public comments presented at the hearing, a public record of which is on file with the township clerk: BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, the Oronoko Township Planning Conmission hereby approves and adopts the Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan, dated January 22, 1979 as the plan required by the aforementioned state legislative acts to encourage and guide future growth and development of Oronoko Township in an orderly manner. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the information pertaining to Oronoko Township contained in the following Lake Chapin Regional Planning Commission reports: -Soils and Their Limitation for the Lake Cahpin Region, February, 1970 -Physical Factors for Planning the Lake Chapin regional planning area, June, 1971 and revised June, 1974 -Economic Factors for Planning the Lake Chapin regional planning area, April, 1972 -Preliminary Land Use Plan for the Lake Chapin regional planning area, February, 1974 -Interim Comprehensive Plan for the Lake Chapin regional planning area, December, 1974 -Comprehensive Plan for the Lake Chapin regional planning area; Volume I, Volume II, June 1975, Volume III, are incorporated herein by reference and made part of the Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan. i �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Page 2 RESOLVED ON THIS 22 DAY OF JANUARY, 1979, AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE ORONOKO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING VOTES OF THE PLANNI G COMMISSION MEMBERS: Yes James Calderwood X V. X E. Garber Shirley Hanson X Ernest Hilderbrand X No Absent Myrtle Mc Nally X Charles Paalberg X Robert C. Pagel X rriest Hilderbrand, Chairman Oronoko Township Planning Commission nship Planning ;; �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP BOARD ENDORSEMENT RESOLUTION FOR THE ORONOKO TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHEREAS, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission has been established pursuant to the Township Planning Commission Act, Act 168, P.A. 1959, as amended; and WHEREAS, in accordance with provisions of the aforementioned act, the planning commission has prepared a basic plan, known as the Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan, dated March 13, 1979, to encourage and guide orderly future growth and development in the township; and WHEREAS, hearing, township township the planning commission has given proper notice of public and held a public hearing on January 22, 1979, at the hall, a record of which is on file in the office of the clerk; and WHEREAS, the Oronoko Township Board has been kept informed of the preparation of the basic plan, has been represented on the planning commission responsible for preparation of the plan, and had representatives in attendance at the public hearing. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Oronoko Township Board hereby endorses the preparation and adoption of the Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan by the planning commission and, further, endorses the content of the plan and its policies and recommendations regarding orderly and efficient future growth and development in Oronoko Township. RESOLVED ON THIS 13 DAY OF MARCH 1979. ea er, Supervisor Oronoko Townsh.i p Oron ;;; �PREFACE In 1968, Oronoko Township became aware of developmental pressures for scattered and uncontrolled commercial, residential and other types of development. At that time, the Township deter- mined it in their best interest to develop a land use program to manage and promote sound future growth and to enhance the general prosperity of the Township. Several adjacent munici- palities, namely Berrien and Royalton Townships and the Village of Berrien Springs, indicated they were experiencing the same situation. In order to secure professional olanning assistance, Oronoko Township united with their neighbors to form the Lake Chapin regional planning area. Lake Chapin Regional Planning Commission was formed in 1969 by joint agreement between the Townships of Berrien, Oronoko and Royalton and the Village of Berrien Springs. Over the ensuing years, a series of planning studies and land regulations have been prepared by the Commission for adoption by each participating municipality. A Regional Comprehensive Plan was prepared as the culmination of over five years of planning effort and was recommended by the Regional Commission for adoption by each participating municipalitv. Mr. Don c. Shafer, a Michigan Professional Community Planner, with William S. Lawrence & Associates, Chicago, Illinois acted as the Regional Planning CornMission's planning consultant during this period. iv �In 1977, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission began to com- I pile these planning studies into a brief and concise freestanding II publication for adoption purposes to meet the legislative intent of the Township Planning Commission and Township Zoning Acts. To accomplish this task, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission secured the staff services of the Berrien County Planning Commission through its local planning assistance program to consolidate and condense the variety of information developed over the five-year period into this document, The The intent of this document is to summarize and incorporate the pertinent regional planning data addressing Oronoko Township by reference, into the Comprehensive Plan. Credit should be given to Mr. Don Shafer, as many of the materials contained within this plan are the results of planning studies completed under his supervision. As with any planning process, analysis of new information affecting the basic assumptions of the plan should be considered and revisions of the plan made ~ccordingly. During the compila- tion of material into the Oronoko Plan, the following items have been analyzed: 1. Revised population projections issued by the Michigan Department of Management and Budget for Berrien County and minor civil division projections prepared by the Berrien County Planning Commission, August 1977; V �2. Environmental Protection Agency, Section 201, Waste Water Treatment System Facilities Plan for Oronoko, Berrien and Pipestone Townships and the Villages of Berrien Springs and Eau Claire; 3. The Federal Flood Insurance Program; 4. The projected growth of Andrews University developed from discussions with University representatives. In light of these items, the Comprehensive Plan map dated February, 1974 has been reviewed and selected changes incorporated. vi �INTRODUCTION �INTRODUCTION The Oronoko Township Planning Commission functions in accordance with the provisions of the Township Rural Planning Commission Act, Act 168, Michigan Public Acts of 1959, as amended. Pursuant to the duties and responsibilities set forth in that enabling legislation, the Township Planning Commission has prepared this comprehensive plan: :to plLomo:te. :the public. he.a.Uh, J.iafie.:ty, and ge.ne/l.a.l we.lfiaJt.e. ofi :the. ,lnha.bU:a.n:t-6 ofi OILonok.o Town-0/up; :to e.nc.oWta.ge. :the. Me ofi ILUou.Jtc.u ofi :the. Town-0/up in ac.c.olLda.nc.e. will :the.AA c.haJt.ac.:te.Jt and ada.p:tabili:ty; :to avoid :the. ove.Jtc.Jtowding 06 land, bl.L,{,,tding-6 olL people.; :to luJ.ie.n c.onguuon ofi public. ILoad-6 and J.i:tll.e.e.:t-6; :to fiauli:ta:te. p1Lov,i_,6ion fio//. a J.itj-6:Ce.m ofi :tJtanJ.ipoJt:ta.;tLon, J.iewage. fupo.6al, J.iafie. and ade,qu..a,te, wa:tef/. J.iupply, f1.e.c.f1.eauon and othe.Jt public. implLoveme.n:t-6; and :to c.onJ.iide.Jt :the. c.ha.Jtac.:te.Jt 06 :the. TownJ.irup and m .6 u.U:a.bili:ttj on J.iuc.h fiac.:to//..6 a.6 6OIL paJt.tic.u.la.//. Mu Judg e.d in :te.Jtm-6 :the. :tJtend in land and popu.la.uon de.ve.lopme.n:t. With the adoption of the Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan, the Township will be provided with a Basic Land Use Plan and Policy; the written documentation necessary for justification of any land regulatory devices administered by Oronoko Township. This plan will also consolidate and set forth those future development policies which the Oronoko Township Planning Commission feels should be achieved by the year 2000. vii �1 NATURAL FEATURES �NATURAL FEATURES INTRODUCTION Gathering information on the physical nature of the township is one of the first steps in any planning effort. , The physical characteristics to be considered in the study include the nature of streams and rivers that drain the surface; the characteristics of slope and relief that determine a landscape; the deposits of clay, sand, and rock that underlie the surface of the land; the soil that supports the economy; the sources of ground water that supply the water needs of the community; and potential impoundment sites for future reservoirs. The role of the physical environment in the development of an expanding area is becoming increasingly important as the population grows and land becomes commited to urban uses. The United States has only recently begun to realize there is no such thing as an inexhaustible supply of environmental resources. Furthermore, we have discovered that there is even a limit to our supply of land suitable for urban development in proper locations. It is difficult to convince people that all land is not the same, that land has physical characteristics which are often more important than geographical locations in planning future development. However, the close relationship that becomes evident between geographic factors and the physical aspect of an area's development strongly influence the conclusions and recommendations within this plan. 1 �GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION The Township of Oronoko is located in the central part of Berrien County. This area is almost directly across Lake Michigan from the City of Chicago and lies approximately twenty miles north of the Indiana State line. The St. Joseph River flows in a south-north direction and forms the eastern boundary of the Township. This general geographic location can be viewed as particularly strategic, as evidenced by the growth of the Chicago Metropolitan Araa into the third largest in the United States. The tremendous industrial complex, business development, and transportation network of the Chicago area have effects that influence development in communities many miles away including Oronoko Township. GEOLOGY The general features of the land surface were formed by glaciers that occupied the area some 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. Thus, the area owes its existance, evolution and present \ physical structure to geological forces which shaped Michigan during the ice age. As glaciers advanced and retreated, the particular rolling topography of the Township was left behind. CLIMATE The Township climate is influenced to some extent by the prevailing winds from the west which are cooled in the summer 2 �and warmed in the winter as they pass over Lake Michigan. Average temperatures in the Township range from 29.4° in January to 74.4° in July. Temperatures seldom as 16° in winter or as high as 90° in summer. go as low The growing season is approximately 184 days with mean annual rainfall of 33 inches. This moderate climate is ideal for the im- portant fruit-growing industry in the area. SOILS Many engineering problems associated with land use for urban development originate with soils in their natural state. Properly interpretated soil survey data has proven an effective tool in the solution to many of these problems. In 1976, Oronoko Township was soil mapped as part of a joint Berrien County Planning Commission and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Soil Survey program. *(l) Map 1 is a reproduction of the soil map for the Township. Maps 2, 3 and 4 are adaptability factor maps for various proposed land uses. These maps clearly illustrate areas both adapted and not adapted for urban-type uses. What is the value of a general survey to cities, villages and townships within Berrien County? *(l) A soil survey, although Oronoko Township Soil Survey, special advanced report July 1976--available for review at the Township Hall 3 �general, should help the Township in planning the overall general development. For example, on the basis of a survey if an extensive area of the Township is shown as poorly adapted for a residential subdivision development, the Township under these conditions would be well advised to zone that land for uses and densities compatible with the soil limitations. Likewise, those land areas which are not suited for on-site sewage disposal systems if planned for residential development should be supplied with municipal sewage systems. A soil factor map is a general picture of the soil conditions and general adaptability of a particular parcel of land. More specific detail would require an investigation of each specific site, possibly requiring on-site test borings and soil analysis. GROUND WATER The overall economic welfare of the Township depends to a great extent on the availability of water for its farms, industries and municipalities. Although large quantities of water are available from La\e Michigan and various streams, most water supplies are obtained by wells that tap underground resources. The availability of ground water depends on the nature of the earth materials beneath the surface. Any ground supply, whether for small domestic needs or for large requirements of a municipality or industry, can be obtained only where suitable 4 �geological conditions exist. Fortunately, Oronoko Township lies in one of the important aquifers within Berrien County which is capable of producing an adequate water supply for most uses. FEDERAL FLOOD INSURANCE In 1968, Congress passed Federal Flood Insurance legislation to allow the sale of federal subsidized insurance to property owners within flood prone areas in authorized municipalities. To secure this authorization, the Township adopted certain zoning and building restrictions to discourage future development within locally identified flood prone areas. Expected in 1979, is the detailed flood insurance administration engineering study defining the exact limits of flood hazard areas within the Township. In the meantime, flood prone areas have been defined from the best available information and future development limited to compatible uses. (Map 5) Upon completion of the Flood Insurance Administration Flood Insurance Study, Oronoko Township will be required to regulate development below the 100-Year Flood Elevation (1% annual probability of flooding) by zoning and building regulation. Also, an annual report of building activity in the flood prone area will be filed with the Federal Flood Insurance Administration to continue the Township's designation and ability of residents to purchase federal subsidized flood insurance. 5 �WATER IMPOUNDMENT SITES In the Lake Chapin physical factors publication, the water impoundment-sites for Oronoko Township were identified. These are Lemon Creek, consisting of fifteen acres; Hollenbeck and Ryan Drain of twenty acres and Grey's River of 20 acres. These sites offer the potential for future open space or recreational uses. \ 6 �MAP ·7/ 1 , 1 -- ~-~s::~~~'1;~fif=r--ff.ff&q~~F5~5ftr~~R~~if:~fi-7-~J..1,;j~---+-~q_--,,L,~:.2::~~~~-· !'. ~~ ,.1'1 SOIL SURVEY MAP 1976 SOIL SURVEY BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION U.S. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE 7 �MAP 2 SEPTIC TANK ABSORPTION c:=i SLIGHT LIMITATIONS MODERATE c=J LIMITATIONS 8 - SEVERE LIMITATIONS 1976 SOIL SURVEY BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION U S. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE '.ti �MAP 3 I J NATURAL DRAINAGE WELL MODERATELY WELL SOMEWHAT POOR 9 - POORLY 1976 SOIL SURVEY BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION U.S. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE �DWELLINGS SLIGHT LIMITATIONS WITH BASEMENTS C=:J MODERATE LIMITATIONS - SEVERE LIMITATIONS 1976 SOIL SURVEY BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSIO~ U.S. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE 10 �MAP 5 -i <t w a::: <t 0 a::: <t N a::: <t ~ ...~· 0 ,0 .~·•'~· i 0 9 LL j f ., N ! L ~- I ~~~1l "'•.- L_~~~ ... ~ -!J- .• L ! I 1 r 0 l. '' ., ., I_ IO !1 ... I ;;; J • 11 :::,...-----7 YOOIIYI �a 2 EXISTING LAND USE - I- �EXISTING LAND USE INTRODUCTION The land use survey is an inventory of land, classifying like uses into groups, such as residential, commercial, industrial, vacant and community services. The purpose of the land use survey is to establish current and accurate data on the use, location and amount of land in the township. This data can then be utilized in analytical studies, assist in the formulating of the community goals, establishing planning alternatives and be used in the comprehensive planning process for the township. LAND USE In 1969, all of the existing land uses were recorded in map form and also calculated as to the number of uses, square feet, acres, percent of total corporate area and percent of developed area within the township ( see Map 6). portrays the inventory data. Chart 7 At the time of the existing land use survey, the most predominant uses were agriculture and vacant land which amounted to 51.4% of the total township area. The second most extensive use recorded was occupied by orchards, amounting to 18.7% of the total township area. Wooded areas covered 9.1% of the township. Residential land uses including farmsteads, single-family, two-family, multi-family, seasonal dwellings, migrant workers 12 CI �dwellings and mobile homes amounted to 4.9% of the total township area. Of the total, 2.6% is for single-family uses. The total developed area of Oronoko Township amounts to 14% of the total area. In September of 1974, the Oronoko Township Planning Commission updated the existing land use map which was prepared in 1969. Chart 8 portrays and compares the land use changes for this period. A portion of Chart 8, "Change 1969 to 1974 of the Total Area," indicates where changes occurred during this period. LAND USE COMPARISON One of the major values of the existing land use survey is that it provides data for the township which can be compared to other similar areas. Through this means, one can draw comparisons to determine how rapidly the area is developing and how well services are provided to the residents. Since the municipalities of the Lake Chapin regional planning area have undergone the same existing \and use inventory, the Physical Features for the Lake Chapin planning area report supplies the data needed for this comparison. Charts 7, 8 and 9 have been developed from this report. It is easily infered from this data that Oronoko Township has developed urban characteristics to a greater extent than its neighbors, although total developed land is less than one other township. 13 �It is evident by the general recognition of the population that the Village of Berrien Springs and the surrounding urban area is the central urban community within Berrien County. UPDATE AND ANALYSIS The Berrien County Planning Commission has gathered information to further substantiate the growth potential of the township as part of the planning commission's continuing population studies. Oronoko Township ranks second consist- ently for on-site sewerage disposal applications for the past several years. Chart 10 shows the statistics for the six top ranked townships within the County. Information supplied by the township building inspector concerning the number of building permits issued and the number of dwelling units constructed also reinforces the trend of urban-type development over the last several years. 14 (Chart 11) �~ ; r ;ir-r~~$)jj;.~ 'kf,, ·.: ~~ ORO' T QL-,..jQ TQ:\\ "'\.~CH IP ,,.I, ........... ·.."''~:. .~'1:·.···:."·... ;: : ·-: : : : : -s:.l. '-L - ·~···· •.. ;; 1~ , ' . . '..__J · ···· . t 0 L - · - ( :-'---,_. .ii:/\ :. :._:)(?\~{)::.:: BERRIEN COUNT' 'IIC'HIGA''"1 ,:,:•:•:•:•:•:•: "~ . :•:•:•:•:•:•: ~ I'\~ r; ,,,.,. ---- -.,,,~ l I1 '\ ~, ...,. I II :_ ,,~ . ~ ~ -~~., · -~ s / 'lT r :" .. . ~- ~ ::::l f J.' °fT~-------::r- - - - -,.-- J L _ - ;:JAi½ifiit \iiJ.t0};\k ~,:i•:'\ 1 1 :\ ~ ....~ .:.. •·.·. ··-~- ~~::~ cl, -· ·• . ... \....: _) · ~~T§ ·v\: . ,··.•:··"I:vr~~·--·w:•:. . ~·..:-~:• . .. • .. ,. l ~·,-,•,• • ·,., \: ,,.·.---:Y\:-:-::{i . ,1,.,,i;1 <" •• , • , . ,· ' · ..... •• • · 1 }~ . 1) / ✓Y . I 1 :~ 1 f / ,,,.- ' EXISTI'.\G L ~'.\D Lr SE ; (~ .. • ~ ~ · ;: ~ . n·r - - rr:-:-.-:-:ir---=, .-,_ ·.-. r· ~« , ; -:-\, ,. . . , ------.. ;,.-, ; ' . } '. ' T....----, .. '. ·;•:•:•:~~({rJ!!ljJ'J ,,.,.,..,..,.J!filli] I ~ ...:....;.-,: ~' ~ ~~ - ·---w ~ -~ ' ll..- .. ,. ~~•/ .J . -~·c·- ;:-►,✓ t''" - v:L~i~,, ~/1 1 I- ~ 0 I 1.'. __,_,_____,,---"l 5'::_,, ~ ·~ • ~ .. . ; ,::-!:>\-. • '• ~ 1..:J ro ' !\ II .-.-., ,:.:,:, 11 •I "!P?: • ...... ,A'[ I ~ 4e ..- ♦ - ►:f.:·. t.,\ ( ' ,,.IL,. 'J} fj e " ~ ;;:;" [ ,:.;::.;j . Llf;.;.}:::·"" Qr• :•:•:•'..' ~ ; ~ - . .... - ___, V vc-: 0 LE =AMILY T - I. C ~AM IL Y • s ~ .-. ·.'.\ ~ • • ·: ·.• , '•-: ;-:•:•:,. diilliilif. .:.•1;~❖;-:: . ,;,.,..... •· . :-_ _.J I.. ~ ~ . ~:s '. dJ :J.- <l OWE U INGS TRA IL ER PARKS 0 " 1CE - oM"•v:: SERVICE o q 1ENTEO ~.,Ar-.. .; F"ACT U RING ~ l-fT GE', EqAL ~ANUFACTURING C.; ARRY Pc 9 LiC SCeOOL S 8 PUBLIC BUILDINGS =-uBLtC ~U ASi • ~ ~~ ~ --G YOR<ERS o LER .. ~:L ESALE 8J llllll. "'-i~ s - PAF-K S 8 REC REATIONAL ~ AREAS ~U ELI C ::!:I -c:i,' -.¥(;0 0£ 0 A R[A ~ MARS>i CE ,..ET ERY C AGR ICULTURAL 8 ~ ~ ORCHARDS VACANT VI NEYARDS ; " . ; .i~ ~ ~ ~ 1111 ffl Bw1L01 ~ GS • o- AOc .. _ ~""i ~~:·=~ .. Q . -......7a ~ -- ------ S, ,.__ GL E F"A1AILY ~ a~.~.~~"-' -:",.~·· ,:i. '•:;:; 0 . .• '1 (~ ¼::::: ~. --=t LJ-~ ~ ~AG \' C:=J -qo i ~~ ~ ~ ·~);. •,:-L... ,.-~~.:.f ',.,;:.". -..·~. (P1i T~ ~4iiiiii:Jj .... ,. . ~Li.~ -~, 0·: ~~ .· ~ ~~t•:•:: sil ,~ -:S,:.,,_ <c ~MSTEACS ~ 5: A S: '.AL DWE LLI NGS 1 • LE ~E~D ~ \' ~ • A~ - ·( "l~!iili ~--.f- l ,f I'[ " s II ...,.';\,f~; ,,....:-..!J I - ,, I I j1 _) ;,' -........._.....//, , ~1" 7' ' · -... ', . ~~,ollf ~ i!l#ri~-rut -= / p\ ', ,--~ ' ji JI ;p' I ~1,1. : ' :X.:.; fr:;~g =, ' .'.; '.· ' .. _y,,;;; ••. ., ' ✓--j/' ~~•::;).::;il_~ . ""' :_. ::':'.·.) •:' "•:•:•:• ...;.;.}<}1F-- t -~Mf . . f~ u .V .· . :. ~ - - - -- ~ - - ~~~.,,..:u,;.:.:..:.x.w.- ·, ;:,·:,:•• :.·:,"-'\'•l•··· .............5;..~,::1:,~::1;c"1; ~ ' • ,\....--,J ~ 7 I\. • d I r"! _ ., 50.,lltC[ ... l> s L.IIWfllCHCC a ASSOC rl(LD SUltVE'r . -0 (J) NOVEMBER 20 , IHI • PLANNING ~ CONSULTANTe WM. S. LAWRENCE & ASSOCIATES, INC. �CHART 7 EXISTING LAND USE (In Acres) 1969 Uses Farmsteads Farm Buildings Single Family Two Family Multiple Family Seasonal Dwellings Migrant Worker Dwellings Tra i 1ers Tra i 1er Parks Number of Uses Acres Square Feet Percent of Total Percent of Developed 211 13 898 38 16 295.4 24.8 561 .6 24.3 26.8 18,520,000 1,080,000 24,470,000 1,060,000 1,170,000 1.4 .1 2.6 .1 .1 10. 1 .8 19.3 .8 .9 19 27 17.9 14.7 780,000 640,000 .1 .1 .6 .5 Retail-Office-Service Whol esa 1e Auto Orientated 29 6 7 22.9 9.2 8.7 1,000,000 400,000 380,000 .1 .8 .3 .3 Light Manufacturing General Manufacturing Quarries 3 5 13 4.8 28.7 99.6 210,000 1,250,000 4,340,000 .1 .5 .2 1.0 3.4 3 7 9 72.0 887.0 39.2 3,140,000 38,640,000 1,710,000 .3 4 .1 .2 2.5 30.3 1.3 1,982.3 127.2 11,225.0 4,082.6 397.4 629.5 86,350,000 5,540,000 483,288,450 177,840, 000 17,310,000 27,420,000 9. 1 .6 51.4 18.7 1.8 2.8 Pipeline R.O.W. Power Company Railroad R.O.W. Street R.O.W. 788.6 34,349,750 3.6 Incorporated Area 459.8 20,030,000 2.3 2,926.2 133,139,750 (13.4) 21,830.0 950,918,200 100.0 Public Schools &Buildings Quasi-Public Cemeteries Parks Wooded Areas Marsh Areas Agriculture &Vacant Orchards Vineyards Water Total Developed Area Total Area 1,392 16 26.9 100.0 �CHART 8 EXISTING LAND USE (In Acres) Updated September, 1974 Change 1969--1974 Total Area -0 S,... Ill Q) Q) .0 Ill ::, :::, Farmstead Farm Buildings Single Family Two Family Multi pl e Fam i l y Seasonal Dwellings Migrant Worker Dwellings Trailers Trail er Parks Retail Office Service Wholesale Auto Orientated Light Manufacturing General Manufacturing Quarries E 4O Q) Ill :::, z Ill Q) .µ ro a, S,... ::, u Q) CTl.l.. cc V) Q) .µ C: r-- a, 4- ro U S,... O .µ 0 Q) I- c... .µ Cl.. C: 0 Q) r-- u Q) + 2.0 +72.6 +18.9 + 3.2 +11.4 +43.8 +10. 7 + 2.9 +11.2 + 2.7 +23.7 19 27 17.9 14.7 779,700 640,300 .l .l .6 .5 32 6 9 25.8 9.2 11. 4 1,123,800 400,700 496,600 .l .l .8 .3 .4 3 5 13 4.8 28.7 99.6 209,100 1,250,200 4,338,600 .1 .5 .2 .9 3.3 3 7 9 72.0 887.0 39.2 3,136,300 38,637,700 1,707,600 .3 4. l .2 2.4 29.2 1.3 1,982.3 127.2 11,068.6 4,066.0 397.4 629.5 82,349,000 550,800 482,148,200 l 77 , 11 5, 000 17,310,700 27,421,000 9. l .6 50.7 18.6 1.6 2.8 796.9 518.6 34,713,000 2,030,000 3.7 2.4 26.0 3,040.4 13.9 100.0 21,830.0 100.0 Total Developed 1,485 17 C: + 5.6 2.9 .2 .l Rail road R. a. W. Street R.O.W. Incorporated Area O') S,... 9.9 .8 20.9 1.4 1.0 Wooded Areas Marsh Areas Agricultural &Vacant Orchards Vineyards Water Power Company Pipeline R.O.lJ. Q) Q) u 4- cc Q) 13,111,600 1,080,300 27,625,800 1,881,800 l ,306,800 .l Q) .µ C: > S,... Q) 301.0 24.8 634.2 43.2 30.0 l.4 Ill a.. Cl 215 13 1,035 92 27 Pub l i c School & Buildings Quasi-Public Cemeteries Parks Total Ill Q) S,... (J s.... o ro Q) .c: a.. u -156.4 - 16.6 -1.4 - .4 + 8.3 +58.8 +l.O +ll .3 �Chart S EXISTING LAND USE COMPARISON OF ACRES DEVELOPED (As Percent of Total) Lake Cha~in Region Uses Farmstead Farm Buildings Single Family Two Family Multiple Family Seasonal Owe 11 i ngs Migrant Worker Dwellings Trailers Trailer Parks Oronoko Berrien Royalton 2. 1 .1 2.5 .1 .1 1.4 .1 2.9 .2 .1 1.8 .1 1. 7 2.8 .1 3.8 .2 .1 .1 .1 .2 .1 .1 .5 Retail Office Service Wholesale Auto-Oriented .2 .1 .1 Light Manufacturing General Manufacturing Quarries .1 .1 .2 .1 .5 .4 2.3 .1 .3 4. 1 .2 .8 .1 .3 3.4 .1 6.6 .4 58.6 14.5 2.0 4. 1 .9 .6 50.7 18.6 1.6 2.8 4 • fi 63.5 12.9 2.3 6.3 6.7 1. 0 61. 9 10. 0 2.5 1.8 .2 .1 .1 .1 3.7 .4 3.8 4.5 4. 1 2.4 1. 2 12.7 13.9 9.2 Public School Quasi-Public Cemeteries Parks & Buildings Wooded Areas Marsh Areas Agricultural & Vacant Orchards Vineyards Water Power Company Pipeline R.O.W. Railroad R.O.W. Street R.O.W. Incorporated Area Total Developed .1 .1 .1 .1 16. 1 �Chart 10 ON-SITE SEWERAGE DISPOSAL APPLICATION RECEIVED BY BERRIEN COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MUNICIPALITY 1975 1977 (6 months) 1976 LINCOLN 82 58 ORONOKO 79 24 HAGAR 61 21 NILES 52 19 ROYALTON 38 30 COLOMA 38 23 Chart 11 BUILDING ACTIVITY 1973 1974 1975 PERMITS ISSUED DWELLINGS UNITS CONSTRUCTED 42 62 37 1976 1977 (9 months) 136 124 47 40 �3 HOUSING �HOUSING INTRODUCTION Every community has a unique image which is reflected by its physical facilities, its people, its institutions and its public and private leadership. Oronoko Township is concerned with improving the township's physical, social and economic environment. These character- istics are important for a community as it competes with other areas throughout the State for new industries, businesses and residences. The type, quantity and quality of housing within any area plays an important role in demonstrating the community's image and living desirability. A housing unit as defined by the Bureau of the Census, refers to any house, apartment, flat, trailer or room in a hotel which constitutes a single or separate living accomodation for any person or household. A 1970 field survey found that Oronoko Township had 85.0% of its housing in a standard condition. HOUSING SURVEY The field survey was conducted with each structure being evaluated from the exterior and placed in one of the following categories according to apparent condition: (Map 12). �Standard--Structures which have no defects or only slight defects which are normally corrected during regular maintenance. Conservation--Homes classified in this category contain slight defects such as slight damage to porches or steps; small cracks in walls, plaster or chimneys; wear on floors or door sills; broken gutters or downspouts; and/or lack of paint. For practical purposes, these homes are considered to be in standard condition. Deterioriated--Structures which need more repair than would normally be provided during regular maintenance. These structures contain defects which must be corrected if the unit is to provide safe and adequate shelter. defects are: Examples of these holes, open cracks, rotted, loose or missing materials over a small area of the foundation, walls or roof; unsafe porch, stairs or railings; several broken or missing window panes; some rotted or loose window frames or sashes that are no longer rainproof; broken or missing risers, balusters, or railings of outside staircases. Such defects \ are signs of continued neglect which may lead to serious structural deterioration or damage if not corrected. Re- habilitation is necessary to restore such structures to good condition. This may involve repair, renovation, conversion, expansion or remodeling for reconstruction. 21 �Dilapidated--Structures which do not provide safe or adequate shelter and in their present condition endanger the health, safety, or well-being of occupants and surrounding areas. Such housing has one or more critical defects; or has a combination of intermediate defects in a sufficient number to require considerable repair or rebuilding, or is of inadequate original construction. open Examples of critical defects are: holes, ~racks or rotted, loose, or missing materials (clapboard, siding etc.), shingles, bricks, concrete, tile or walls, roof or chimney; substantial sagging of porch, walls, or roof; extensive damage by storm, flood or fire. inadequate original construction are: Examples of shacks and huts, structures with make-shift walls or roofs or built of packing boxes, scrap lumber or tin; structures lacking foundations; cellars, barns, sheds, garages, or other places not originally built for living quarters and inadequately converted to such use. Redevelopment is necessary for structures of this type. The defects are so critical and/or widespread that the structure should be extensively repaired, rebuilt, or removed. NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES There are several acceptable methods available for delineating neighborhoods in the township. A neighborhood may evolve because of its people that are similar inhabitants with like ethnic, social and economic traits. 22 �It may come into existance because of geographic areas such as rivers or railroad gradings or expressways which set an area out from other parts of the township. A neighborhood might be bound together by the contiguity of physical patterns, that is, age, condition and utilization of structures. NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS A neighborhood analysis is the first step in establishing a program for providing decent living conditions in a suitable environment. Such an analysis consists of examination and assessment of the housing and environmental conditions of each neighborhood within the township. The Physical Features for the Lake Chapin planning area recorded the type and extent of housing deterioration on a neighborhood basis and attempted to reveal the underlying cause of such deterioration. Oronoko Township had the greatest number of standard housing units in the Lake Chapin regional planning area, 1,142 or 85.0% of the total township units. There are 143 conservation structures (10.7%); 51 deteriorating structures (5.8%); 7 \ dilapidated structures (0.5%). Chart 13 shows the data for all the Lake Chapin regional planning area for comparison purposes. Although the percentage of the housing is considered sound, the number of units in the deteriorating stage within the total Lake Chapin regional planning area is large enough to merit 23 �close observation and to seek methods to improve the structural deficiencies. RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS There is an obvious need for the continued assumption of responsibility for work on housing by some organization. Local planning commissions, housing authorities, and other governmental bodies are important in working on many aspects of the area's development, including housing. Practically every aspect of housing touched upon in any report deserves further thought, research, and consideration. Since the outlook is for an increase in housing assistance from state and federal government, the outlook is for an increased public awareness and need for action in housing. It is believed that the absence of an overall organization, such as a county housing council will lead to increased balkanization in housing efforts in the area with a corresponding waste of effort and resources at best and competing and conflicting actions by individual groups at worst. Oronoko Township should consider availing itself of the various state and federal resource programs currently available for use when, in the determination of the township, a particular neighborhood warrants housing rehabilitation activity. 24 �r-:----=------ ,114C - j, r - l:!"""t, ORONOKO TO\i\1NSHIP I I BERRIEN COUNTY , I l\IICHIGAN •a i _. .. - .., • • r . -- I " ~l".\ LEGEND ~---- -fl \c'-""°'" j • U1 . ~ 1p \ j ,~. JI tI -,, t I I I I I I I I I ' \... JUlY 1910 CONSERVATION CJ C=:::J DETERIORATING ~ DILAPIDATED - STANOARO ..,I ~ I I I I CONDITION OF STRUCTURES 50.JlitC[" Ntrif S _AWR["IC( & ASSOC "lEl..tSI..RVE Y .a i C -~ ,d) !I (:) 0 ~ II' • ~ -I r r , , 0 ■ I 1, • II • ~'7;---~ ·-•~---·--A....-..._4-----------Jt--- • 1 · , ~" {1_____:__ 1: )> " "·"-c~---~~\ \ ~ PLANNINC CON.ULTANTS WM . S. LAWRENCE & ASSOCIATES, INC. r\i �CONDITION OF STRUCTURES Ro.talton Twp. No. %Twp. f.c . Berrien Twp. %Twp. Oronoko Twp. No. %Twp. Berrien Springs No. %Vi 11 age Region No. 586 80.8 680 79. l 1142 85.0 602 84.0 3010 82 . 6 Conservation Structures 94 12.9 97 11. 3 143 10.7 95 13.2 429 11.8 Deteriorating Structures 38 5.2 46 5.3 51 5.8 17 2.4 152 4. 2 8 1. 1 37 4.3 7 .5 3 .4 55 1. 5 726 100.0 860 100. 0 1343 100. 0 717 100,0 36~6 l 00. 0 Standard Structures Dilopidated Structures Total Structures %Region N 0-, () :::r p, Ii rt I-' w �4 STREETS, THOROUGHFARES AND TRANSPORTATION �STREETS, THOROUGHFARES AND TRANSPORTATION INTRODUCTION A major determinant of the Township's land use pattern is the circulation system along which people and goods are moved. The various residences, businesses, industrial establishments, and places of assembly serve as a basis to and from which people and goods are moved about. This movement must be planned for, since robtes of movement become fixed land use patterns as well as determinants of other land uses. The land use plan and circulation plan are inter-related and are needed in projecting the area of development both present and future. A township in Michigan may not have control over streets and/or highways but with the development of private property, which is guided through implementing tools such as local zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, capital works programs and thoroughfare planning, future local streets can be developed under supervision of the township. Such thoroughfare plans are important, and local recommendations are considered by highway agencies. STREET FUNCTIONS In order to appreciate the findings and understand the controversial recommendations, the citizens of Oronoko Township should be aware of certain basic facts about streets. These are sometimes obvious, but often they are not consciously recognized: 27 �1. The function of a street is to allow movement of vehicles from one place to another. All streets and highways should be designed and built with this objective in mind. 2. Another function of a street is the provision of access or the ability to get off of the street to reach a certain destination. STREET CLASSIFICATION The definition of street functions naturally leads to the subject of street types. than others. Some streets carry larger volumes of traffic In just a few cases, a street carries only the traffic directly generated by its abutting land uses. A street which connects large areas of population must serve the functions of traffic movement as well as traffic access. Within a given block, the vast bulk of this traffic is going or coming from other blocks, areas of town, or even other cities. This type of traffic street is called by various names such as arterial major route, main highway or thoroughfare. \ Major routes vary somewhat in their characteristics; design, capacity, surface construction and volumes of traffic carried. 28 �There is a second type of street that must also be considered; this is a minor street. abutting properties. It has a primary function of serving Except for dead end streets, such routes always carry some non-local traffic. Nevertheless, proper planning of location, alignment and even traffic controls can be used to minimize undesirable through traffic. TOWNSHIP STREET RESPONSIBILITIES Townships in Michigan normally have no jurisdiction over improvement of the streets. If the township accepts this concept, then only annual maintenance programs can be initiated. If a study of the local streets and thoroughfares clearly indicate a need for not only annual maintenance but for wider streets and rights-ofway, then such recommended programs certainly will assist in supporting either short or long-range circulation needs and should be presented to the proper State and/or County highway agency. Traffic can best be accomodated by developing a few streets with wide pavement and direct alignment and with traffic control devices arranged to filter traffic flow on principle arteries. These streets are the ''major streets" and a great majority of the communities traffic can be accomodated on a major street system consisting of 20% or less of the total street mileage. With the great majority of the traffic on a few streets, the remaining streets (mostly residential in nature) can be improved with a narrow and less expensive pavement. 29 �TRAFFIC FLOW On the traffic volume map (Map 14) the flow of traffic is shown on every dedicated and improved street within the township for a 24-hour period. Counts are shown on the map as well as a scale width line that pictorially illustrates the most traveled streets within the township. Traffic volumes are important in providing needed data to be used in designing and updating existing roads in order to develop an efficient highway network to move people and goods. Traffic volumes assist in establishing classification of streets and each classification warrants various pavement widths, pavement types, etc. If traffic volume is heavy on local streets, and the pavement type is not of a quality that will handle such use, maintenance programs may have to be scheduled more frequently. The traffic counts taken in 1969 by the Berrien County Road Commission and the Michigan Department of Highways vary from 30 to 4,400 vehicles. It is evident & Transportation that the most traveled route in the Lake Chapin fegional planning area is U.S. 31-33 with traffic volumes of 7,300 to 7,400 occurring in a 24 hour period. Other heavily traveled roads are: Shawnee Road from west of Berrien Springs to Baroda Township varying from 1,570 to 1,760 vehicles; Red Bud Trail Road from Buchanan Township to Shawnee Road varying from 2,020 to 2,120 vehicles; Shawnee Road to 30 �Lemon Creek Road with 1,900 vehicles and US-31 and US-33 carrying 1,600 vehicles. Snow Road between Red Bud Trail and Berrien Springs corporate limits has a traffic volume of 1,430 vehicles which decreases to 500 between Red Bud Trail and Terre Coupe Road. Other roads in the township vary in volume from 80 to 700 vehicles. FUNCTIONAL HIGHWAY CLASSIFICATION Highways and roads in Michigan are classified as to thei~ predominant function and service characteristics. This classification represents an essential element in highway administration by providing a framework for projections of needs, construction and financing at each level of government. In classifying highways functionally, it is necessary to establish criteria to identify the primary function they serve and the degree to which they serve more than one function. The application of this criteria will result in the grouping of highways and streets into three broad classifications - arterial, collector and access. Since the enactment of Act 51 of the Public Acts of 1951, Michigan has had a classified road network based on three broad categories, which are as follows: 1. State trunkline highways generally represent the majority of the arterial network; 2. County primary roads and city major streets generally comprise the majority of the collector systems; 31 �3. County local roads and city local streets in general account for the local category. Classification of the State trunkline highway system is a continuing process that is updated annually. Revisions to the County and municipal classified systems are made on a periodic basis. However, it will be necessary for the local unit of government to further subclassify these systems on a more specific basis grouping together those streets and highways of similar design, construction and operation. In accordance with this legislative act, Michigan roads and streets are separated into three jurisdictional systems - State, county and municipal. The assignment of highway facilities performing a similar service or function to a single and proper jurisdictional level is based on responsiveness to public interest. When a highway problem is statewide in impact, the proper response to the public interest should come at the State level. However, in instances where highway problems are predominately local in impact, the county road commission or townfhip will be more thoroughly familiar with such problems and more directly and conveniently responsive to the public interest. The Thoroughfare Classification Map (Map 15) shows roads in the township that are identified as regional arterial, local arterial, primary collector, secondary collector and local access. The following are brief explanations of the functional classifications: 32 �REGIONAL ARTERIALS Regional arterial highways interconnect and augment the statewide arterial highways, forming a continuous highmobility network of highways which will efficiently serve major travel in all areas of the state. A primary function is to interconnect major population and economic activity centers not served by statewide arterial highways. These highways also provide service to other large areas of special interest and recreation areas which generate or attract a substantial amount of traffic, occasionally subordinating directness of routing in order to perform this secondary function. However, they offer a high degree of trip continuity either along or as an extension of the Statewide Arterial System. LOCAL ARTERIALS Streets in this classification provide service to trips of moderate length at a somewhat lower level of travel mobility than the major arterials. They distribute travel within geographic areas which are smaller than those identified with the higher systems. Local arterials include those facilities which serve a secondary arterial function at the local level, placing more emphasis on land access than the higher systems and offering a lower level of traffic mobility. They also provide service between smaller cities and connect these cities with the higher arterial systems. 33 �They should not, however, penetrate identifiable neighborhoods. PRIMARY COLLECTORS (COUNTY ROADS) These roads function primarily as collector-distributor roads for relatively large areas. These also provide service between minor population and economic centers within the county. Traffic mobility and trip continuity are not as essential as on local arterials and serving through traffic may not be a major consideration. Access controls are not provided on these routes thereby permitting a high level of service to adjacent properties. These streets may also serve secondary traffic generators such as schools, parks and areas with high population densities. SECONDARY COLLECTORS The prime function of secondary collector roads and streets is to provide traffic service between local roads, streets and higher classified routes. Traffic served will essentially be generated from a relatively small _area or a specific traffic ~ttraction. In residential arras, these facilities should be designed to discourage commercial and industrial, as well as through traffic. Ease of access is a major consideration in the design of these streets. Route continuity is of limited importance since traffic will utilize these routes for only a small portion of their total trip. 34 �LOCAL ACCESS STREETS AND ROADS Local access streets (urban areas) primarily differ from residential streets in that they may possess a somewhat higher degree of trip continuity and provide service within specific land uses, such as parks and various institutions. Local access roads (rural areas) provide access to homes, farms and other low intensity land uses. These routes are usually the remaining section or quarterline roads and not rural subdivision streets. Traffic desires are local in nature and thus these roads do not require trip continuity for an extended length. STREET CONDITIONS In the Michigan Highway Needs Study dated 1969, the streets within the township were evaluated and the information for principle streets is shown on the Existing Transportation Map (Map 16). The streets on the map are identified as to right-of-way width, pavement width, pavement surface type and pavement conditions Noted on Map 18, Traffic Conflict Map, are individual intersections within the Lake Chapin regional planning area where accidents have occurred in the past resulting in property damage and fatalities. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the State and/or County Highway Agency be made aware of the traffic conflict points, the conditions of the existing transportation system within the township and also any 35 �and all improvement projects deemed advisable by the township if they are not already familiar with them. Through this means, Oronoko Township will have insured proper input for road improvements and continued maintenance by the proper road agency. 36 �MAP 14 L. \l(E CHAPIN REGIONAL MAlJ VOLUMES TRAFFIC OCTOa[R l.Cl[NO I I I I I I i •• I I ttTO - .. ...... .... .... ,.. ...... 0 fOOO TO ,...._ .... Q \ r1;1otlOiH.1 'Hi\JJte}JJP V!;J;IJHJ IOWtl;HJp ~ I ., I I I I I I ~"'------1 __ j PLANNING CONSULT ANT ■ WM . S. LAWRENCE & ASSOCIATES, INC. 11 37 W MA.D190N CHICAGO. ILLINOIII •o•o• �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP MICHIGAN a i ·11 '. : ~ I / !I I i: t! 11 ,~ j I I ' I -~ I I I II \\\\ ~-\ \ \•·. ~ \ u \\.. \\ \ \ ·1 10 ~ \ \i ,3 ., I I I . ·I ~- \ . , ..,... ii. I t'\ ..... I' .:, d) \ 'i ~ " o CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM / ❖/~1 •. ~ fURUMY ~ LEGEN) RECUONAL AATEAW.. llOtOUGHfARES ~ l..OCAL ARTEJIIAL THOROUGHFI.R£S _// ~ E=J E3 PR°'AltY C0U.£CTOIIS SECONDARY COLLECTOflS AU 011iERS - LOCAL ACCESS I I I •I ~ O~· ··I .,1. !' --·•-C..,~ . . ~ 3: )> .-,c...,. .,.... - ., - " "ti (JI a ~ " ' -PL.1,.NNINO --~ CON ■ ULT.A.N'T ■ t WM . S. LAWRENCE a. ASSOCIATES, INC. _c-_1,1...1.r:_.a...no.._LL.L tl'Ul...LII a...neoa �ORONOKO TOWNSHIP i_ -- j i I BERRIEN COUNTY , i1 : - MICHIGAN 'J I j ~-~. - 'PJ w= ~ ,. I I ii i ~~---I I I I I I I I I • " = .......... ~ ~ EXISTING TRANSPORTATION I I L£GE~ ~ HlZllU. -OW WDTN --.. ~ I I ,-~ CIIIIOITQ ~--lfT '"ln'N I ,tj ! I I I ~ ________ , .... ,- ~L" ._ , w= ·1 -----. - ... I ; u M~ ~ ..,.at fllUTfD Mal:L ..mtrT......,,a,w-ccc.~ti·a--=-n - laCD ~ ..,..,.illClOltCICWCMlC • ..:aOtt --· I 11.ACltMK tt"Ofl llCJIIIII ~ C-T OUIIHID tm..-lNCLII Cf»CtUfl OIi - I !MMCP" CP!AIIKW C:Srr~ •~lff- .C,IMaffC~~ ~1 . c. ,~-.-0-- - ' " l t M M C I : ~ ~ » -- a • ~ . c n •, fCN« ,wu1.-: -- ~ <MIOCIII..... TMMI U"-ont...urGl,lllllURICM <:!:, I JI - fl i V r-· I ► VOITl11O011H,,...__,......__....,... I I 5 I ~ )> "'0 ~ \- wzm .. r m a ~ " PL.ANNINO -~ CON8ULT ANT8 1 WM . S . LAWRENCE a. ASSOCIATES, INC. �EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS ORONOKO TOWNSHIP .,::.. Pavement Width In Feet Pavement Conditions R.O.W. In Feet Street Surface Pavement Type Grange Road Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel 12-20 Good-Poor Some Resurfacing Needed 66 Snow Road Mixed Bituminous Surface On Gravel 16-22-24 Good-Fair 25% or More Deterioration 66 Mt. Tabor Road Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel 20 Fair-25% Deterioration 66 Shawnee Road Mixed Bituminous Surface On Gravel 20 Good-Fair 25% or More Deterioration 66 Lemon Creek Road Mixed Bituminous Surface On Gravel 20-22 Good-Aug. Maint. 66 Hinchman Road Mixed Bituminous Surface On Gravel 20 Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 66 U.S. 31 Mixed Bituminous on Concrete,Brick or Black Base 22-24-48 Fair-25% Deterioration 66 Tudor Road Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel 20 Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 66 Chapin Lane Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel 20 Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 66 Ferry Street Mixed Bituminous on Brick, Concrete or Black Base 24 Good-Aug. Maint. 82 Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 66 0 & 33 (') ::r Pl Ii Kephart Lane 20 rt I-' -..J �(Continued) .i::,. I-' EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS ORONOKO TOWNSHIP Street Surface Pavement Type College Avenue Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel Maple Street Bituminous Surface, Treated Gravel Grove Avenue Mixed Bituminous On Gravel Walnut Street Mixed Bituminous On Gravel Pavement Width In Feet Pavement Conditions R.O.W. In Feet 22 Good-Aug. Maint. 66 18 Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 40 18 Very Poor-Resurfacing Needed 20 16 Poor-More than 25% Deterioration 20 (") ::r Pl Ii rt I-' -..J �MAP 18 L~,\l(E C~HAPIN REGIONAL MAP TRAFFIC CONFLICT POINTS .j t I I.. I Q \ ,IJJIAJJII '/OllfflSl.lJI PLANNING CONSULTANTS WM. S. LAWRENCE & ASSOCIATES, INC. 12 42 W MADISON CHICA.CO . ILLIN018 •o•o• �5 COMMUNITY FACILITIES �--COMMUNITY F.i1.\..'ILITIES PUBLIC SCHOOLS Almost all of Oronoko Townshi~ is served by the Berrien Springs School District with Mars Strcl·t Elcment<lry, Sylvester Elementary, Berrien Springs Middle School and Berrien Springs Senicr High schools. These schools are administered by a school district governed by an elected board. Map 19 shows the school district boundaries and the location of all educational facilities, both private and public. Chart 20 provides descriptive details for each. In April 1971, a questionnaire was sent to each superintendent to gather school plant and site information. on the 1970-1971 school year. All data is based From this material, the following paragraphs are presented: MARS STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL The Mars Street Elementary School is located within the community of Berrien Springs. The structure was originally built in 1952 with additions constructed in 1956 and 1968. The existing physical plant consists of twenty-four classrooms, an auditorium/gymnasium, and various supplemental spaces. The school site is approxi- mately 12 acres and provides 8.5 acres of general play area as well as parking for fifty automobiles. The design capacity is 660 students and the present enrolment is 560 with a student/teacher ratio cf about 28:1. 43 �BERRIEN SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL Berrien Springs Middle School was constructed in 1975 to replace the outdated Junior lligh school built in 1928. In school year 1976-1977, il s e1ved 534 8th grade children. 6th - It has a student/teacher ratio of 22:l. BERRIEN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL The Berrien Springs High School is dlso located in the community of Berrien Springs, and is the only public high school located within the region. The physical plant was built in 1960 and an addition was constructed in 1968. The existing structure contains twenty-six classrooms, an auditorium/gymnasium complex, a library and art, music, science and vocational classrooms as well as various supplemental spaces. The school site is approximately 30 acres and provides a baseball diamond, football and soccer fields, tennis courts, 15 acres of general recreation space and parking for 400 automobil~s. The design capacity is 650 students and the present enrollment is 540, with a student/teacher ratio of 18:1. Enrollment has been increasing steadily since 1965-1966 with 457 students at the present peak. Three hundred and twenty students are transported to and from school at public expense. The school plant is in excellent condition and the core facilities are such that they would permit future expansion. 44 �S YJ.VES'l'E R ELr:m:NTJ\RY SCHOOL Sylvester Elementary Schoo l has shown a steady increase in enrollment, opening in 1965 with 490 students. Four hundred students are transported to and from school at publi c expense. The school plant is in excellent condition, however, the core facilities are such that they would not permit future expansion. During April 1974, just three (3) years after the original questionnaire, data was received from the Mars Street Elementary School which depicts possible changes. There appears to be a difference of the designed capacity of the school which varies from 660 in 1971 to 650 in 1974. As indicated in the recent questionnaire, the capacity of the facility is 650, therefore, the designed capacity has been reached with the April, 1974 enrollment of 650. The enroll- ment in 1971 was 560 and in April of 1974, it was 650 or an increase of 90 students in the three (3) year period. In 1971, there were 400 students transported to and from school at public expense and this demand has now increased to 575, or an increase of 175 students which exceeds the number of new students. As noted above, the core facility would not permit future expansion, therefore one portable classroom was obtained for an additional teaching unit. 45 �In April 1974, updated statistics were requested using the same qu e stionnair e as originally submitted in April 1971. The only comparable data is that in April 1971 there were 540 students, as of April 1974 there were 550 students, or an increased enrollment of ten students. The designed capacity for the facility in 1971 was indicated as 650 students, as compared to 600 in April 1974. The number of students transported to and from school at public expense has increased by five (5) students. SCHOOL PLANNING STANDARDS General school planning practice calls for school sites as follows: Elementary school - 5 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils Junior High School- 15 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils High School 25 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils - The Michigan Department of Education recommends that an additional five acres be added to the approved basic size. Even if these standards are followed, many of the school sites do ~ not meet the minimum standards. PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS To fully comprehend educational facilities of the area, one must look at private and parochial schools which serve the students of the Township. It is difficult to determine to what degree each serves the students of the township, but it is important to understand that parochial and private schools do decrease the burden on the public school system. 46 Parochial �schools serving the township include: E.B. Garrett S.D.A. Elementary School, City of Benton Harbor A.V. Elementary School, Berrien Springs S.D.A. Elementary School, Berrien Springs ANDREWS UNIVERSITY Andrews University moved to Oronoko Township in 1901. The University gained North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation in 1922 and the Graduate Studies and Theological Seminary transferred onto the campus in 1960. Andrews has 192 teaching facility which, with a current enrollment of 2784, is a 14.5:1 student/teacher ratio. The physical plant consists of 36 buildings on 1587 acres along the St. Joseph River. The buildings include residence halls, apartments, two gymnasiums and an olyrnpic-size pool. Other facilities are a lighted football field, softball diamonds, tennis courts, and track areas. The campus also contains a two-division day school encompassing preschool through 12th grade, the Ruth Murdoch Elementary (preschool through 8th and Andrews Academy (grades 9 through 12). SPECIALIZED EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES Located in the township are two specialized learning facilities which service the County. Gateway Sheltered Learning Center serves 65 people through rehabilitation programs. It has a design capacity of 100 persons and is located on a 4 acre site. The Blossomland Learning Center is a special education facility, scheduled for opening in July 1978 with an initial enrollment of 250 students. 47 �The center is designed to serve 300 students and is located on a site of 18 acres. FUTURE SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS It was concluded, after analysis of population projections and future residential growth trends, that one additional school would be needed in the Berrien Springs School District as well as continued maintenance and expansion of existing physical plants. PUBLIC UTILITIES Public utilities are those facilities, whether owned by a municipality or private corporation, that provide water, sewer, gas, electricity or communication services to the Township. Oronoko Township is provided with such services by the IndianaMichigan Electric Company, Michigan Power Company, Bell Telephone Company, private suppliers, and the Village of Berrien Springs for water in certain portions of the towns,hip. \ 48 �l WATER SYSTEM The Village of Berrien Springs supplies municipal water to the areas shown on Map 21. Several problems have been noted with the Village supply system and improvements will have to be completed prior to extending the system to serve a large number of subdivisions or other uses. Andrews University maintains its own water system which is capable of meeting anticipated future needs. SEWER SYSTEM Only a small portion of the Township is presently served by a municipal sewer system as shown on Map 22. Treatment is provided by the Village of Berrien Springs Waste Water Treatment Plant. In November 1977, the Berrien Township EPA 201 Plan of Study Area Report was presented to the Township. This report analyzed the sewer system needs for the Township for the ensuing 20-year period. Map 22 shows the service areas for 1978 and the future 1998 service area. This report further states that the 49 �collection system would connect with the Village of Berrien Springs treatment plant. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL Oronoko Township is one member of the Tri-Township Landfill Authority which operates a state licensed sanitary landfill located on Dean's Hill Road in Berrien Township. The site has a projected life span of twenty or more years. Individual residents collect and transport trash to the location. PARKS AND RECREATION There are only a few existing parks and recreation facilities in Oronoko Township, most of which serve Township residents. Using a general "rule of thumb" standard of 1 acre for each 1000 population, in 1970 Oronoko Township should have had 85 acres of land for this purpose. Educational sites can be utili~ed for certain recreational purposes and can be used to meet these standards. Generally, such sites are in a central location to serve school age children and have excellent potential to provide this dual capacity. Six parks and recreation types are defined in the Lake Chapin regional planning area report accompanied with development standards. These are: play lot, neighborhood park and play- ground, playfield, community park, recreation center and regional parks. )$ 50 �Play lot (0.25-2A Minimum}--The play lot, sometimes referred to as a tot lot, is one of the facilities most needed in built-up areas; yet it is the facility which is least often provided. This play area is designed for r e sidential sections where there are a number of pre-school children. in the interior of residential blocks, They are generally located multiple-family develop- ments, or in a corner of a playground, and contain simple play apparatus, as well as benches for adult relaxation and supervision. Neighborhood Park and Playgrounds (SA Minimum)--The neighborhood park or playground serves a broader range of age and activity levels than the play lot. The playground is developed for inten- sive play primarily by children of elementary school age. The park is designed for passive recreation by all ages within the neighborhood. They should be orientated to serving only the immediate neighborhood needs. Playfields (10A Minimum)--A playfield is a recreational area which provides facilities for teenagers and adults which are not ordinarily available at the neighborhood park and playground. The playfield usually contains a neighborhood park and playground, and space for field sports and possibly allpurpose buildings. A large off-street parking lot is essential. Community (Township) Park (40A Minimum)--The community park and the playfield are sometimes combined and sometimes developed separately. A typical size community park would be around fifty 51 �acres. Typically, it should include special facilities for unique community-wide uses such as a swimming pool, major athletic fields, picnic areas, and a bandshell. Recreation Centers--Recreation centers provide indoor areas to serve all age groups with leisure time activities of a social, educational, or recreational nature. They are generally de- veloped in connection with other civic buildings or within the larger Township-type park. For neighborhood recreation centers, schools can and should be utilized whenever possible so as to avoid duplication of facilities. Regional Parks--A regional park, which should not be less than 100 acres, should be located within 45 minutes or an hour's driving time from the segment of the population which it serves, The number and distribution in the Region should be based on this requirement. These large regional parks should be located with as much scenic value and natural beauty as possible. The prime purpose of these areas should be to separate urban develo~ ments and to enhance the livi~g environment and to preserve space in its natural form for the inhabitants of the urban areas to enjoy. The regional parks should include facilities for picnics, hiking and nature study, fishing, boating and in some locations swimming and other recreational facilities usually participated in on a day's outing. The regional park should also be the location for public golf courses. Shelters and restroom facilities and parking should be conveniently located throughout the area. 52 �PARK AND RECREATION RECOMMENDATIONS Based upon the above analysis of the public open space and recreation areas available and the listed standards for park and recreation development, the following recommendations are made: A park, forest preserve, or conservation district should be established that would serve the Lake Chapin region as a whole. The function of this body would be to receive donated land or to acquire fee or less-than-fee interest in land suitable for active recreation use or to be held and managed for future recreation use. Prime resources for this would be wooded areas and the areas adjacent to water courses such as the St. Joseph River. The responsibility of this body would be to provide regional rather than Township facilities. Working within the administrative framework of the Township, the township should consider the establishment of or at minimum the reservation of land for, Township parks and playgrounds in urbanizing portions of the Township. The combined development of school/ park sites for this purpose should be encouraged. Individual neighborhoods, should be encouraged to develop local tot-lot facilities on vacant land. Such small parcels are scattered thr9ughout the built-up areas of the Township and could be secured by either purchase or lease. The concept of small play lots on leased land with well-designed, portable equipment would permit a variety of spaces for use within a neighborhood at minimum expense. Major natural assets such as the St. Joseph River and Lake Chapin should be utilized as the nucleus of a major recreational area administered at the county or state level. Such a facility would serve as a major asset for additional quality development within the Township if proper planning and adequate zoning and development standards are adopted and rigorously followed. 53 �LAKE SHORE SCHOOL DIS T_R_ l £ T 1 - _...J .r , r 7, •oo/J• ro..,..,•..,_ 6 .. ., 2 3 4 5 'e+ -~ - ~ - 7!? I' 7 8 '- 10 9 I r 7 L ,, .-!~ r 11 . ® l, . . '- ~ ' ~, - ---. l r- -- - - • .. , .... ... 1r - ~- 1 -- " . - I -· '• .,; ~',, 16 •• . ' ,. 'L ;j 1:1 .. . 30 ....... ~-- .:' 1,J )· ./I " . ••• • ® """' ,~,~ 13 -=~- -,.., .- l 29 2e '- -..., r - -.!!!. ~.. l ~ : ~ _;1- : • fl.~~-~· - ' 32 JL . _J L -~ -~ r 33 .,. . .ot 1 :L .J '\' 34 11110 &0 I , • ,· L ~i•l I ' I ,.. ~ . ., . :i~ ; !C ~··· -- t: t;'· :f'· / __ ,.,.,-'-_____ / I --~ - ,I I _, I 1,.: - I ~"r◄ 1 /, 27 - ~0•9 · • -- 24 1 ,& . © ~(i) ., """~ '""" ,... - / (!) )) 1' / . 23 22 , 1 -,--~ I · ' ♦(/'a, - ~ -, ; ' (..,_..,__ 21 ' . , :,:., ERR I-·EN' s PRINGS ::· . B SCH OOL i DISTRICT ,_ 20 ~ I ~ I! - ! 17 . • • ·~" 18 '•...__i-;_. //.~ JI r j= EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS 3: .,,J> • J I <D ' •tr...... RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT •uc11,uu... BUCHANAN SCHOOL DISTRICT fO•" '"'" �EDUCATION FACILITIES SYMBOL 1 2 SCHOOL GRADES CAPACITY ENROLLMENT 1970 1971 1976 SITE AREA GYM -- POOL - Marrs Street Elementary K-3 700 646 496 700 llA 1 0 Sylvester Elementary 4-6 550 560 438 660 12A 1 0 650 30A 1 0 100 4A 300 18A 3 Berrien Springs Middle School (Replaced Junior ijigh in 1975) ---- --- --- 534 4 Berrien Springs High 9-12 550 540 625 5 Andrews University --- --- 2,788 6 Gateway Rehabilitation Center --- --- 65 7 Blossomland Learing Center ---------- --- --- 250( 1 ) (1) Anticipated 7/78 Enrollment U'I U'I () ::,Ill 11 rT tv 0 �MAP 21 I \ . '. ' ' ;r:f --- 1._, .,, ,, . ./I -., ' l.. r ,. I JL I; I I I -- I ~~. ll.-,"'> ;II ,' \ . .t,,.; 1 I ,_ I I I - t. •.::-..~ I I ... j ~-- 56 -st ! . . t~ < • - I I Ii I I l -; r· - - .J �MAP 22 ~ w I(/) >(/) z 0 I- u ,, w _J _J \ /'/ , , 1- .......... u V, (0 z .; (0 I ' \ \:·' ,.., '6 / j ~ ...... , '¾ > , -- ., - ~-~'>--.'" ' , ·~ . ~ .... lt; n:: '•• z <£ I n:: <l: w u <l: w n:: <( w u > n:: > n:: w (/) w (/) 0 ' ... . "'. <( w w Ll>.JL~•• ~ ' CD I'- en co en en I- J ~ w I(/) ; D~ r----r r '/ ., N n "2 ..:. "' 0 N i O> Cl) "' "' I . a, 0 "' N ; . : . .,0 O> f 57 �PARK AND RECREATION - STANDARD MINIMUM SIZE (ACRES) TYPE -- Play Lot INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS LAND AREA TO MEET STANDARDS (ACRES) EXISTING CONDI'i'IONS (ACRES) 0.25-2 10 ( 1) 5 15 ( 1) Playfields 10 20 (1) Community (Township) Park 40 40 11(2) -- 140( 3 ) 85 151 Neighborhood Park and Playground Recreation Center Regional Parks DEFICIENCIES 29 -----100 TOTAL 29 (1) Provided by School Sites () (2) Township Park ::,- (3) Oronoko Lakes Camp Ground rt Ill 11 (\J w 58 �1 6 ECONOMIC FACTORS �ECONOM I C FACTORS INTRODUCTION An adequate understanding of the primary factors of both the demographic and economic characteristics within the Township is essential to any planning effort. It is pointless to propose an elab- orate physical plan and detailed land allocation without first determining whether the proposals wi ll increase the well being of the residents in the area. Likewise, it is unwise to plan for the township without relating the township to the surrounding region and the County, In order to make a reasonable forecast and gain a better overall view of economic and population trends in the township, it will be necessary to analyze the development of Berrien County and the role of the township in that development. In a technical sense, economic studies have two purposes, A principal concern is to provide materials about the local economy that will assist the community in arriving at a series of appropriate goals and objectives. The second purpose is to provide quantitative estimates of future employment and population. In order to achieve these objectives, this chapter is divided into two sections 7 the Population Base Analysis which describes past population growth in the area and outlines its potential for the future, Also discussed are such important demographic character- istics as age/sex distribution of the population, number of households, occupational backgrounds, family income, and geoqraphic 59 �distribution of the population. The Economic Base Analysis describes overall trends within the township's economy and outlines the labor force and its concentration in various enterprizes. No one person or any group of persons can forecast the future exactly, or project specific economic and demographic characteristics over long periods of time~ It is possible though, to identify broad future trends by analyzing the past and present forces which have already affected, or could reasonably affect, the development of the township. Estimates of future developments lose certainty in projection due to the length of the projection time span simply because conditions change. Long term forecasts should, therefore, be reviewed period- ically in light of new development. In the Lake Chapin Area Physical Factors for Planning report, an indepth analysis of both the economic and population base was made. Projections were based on data prepared by the Berrien County Planning Commission in 1968 and 1969 for Berrien County. \ Recently, the Berrien County Planning Commission in cooperation with the Southwestern Michigan Regional Planning Commission and the State of Michigan, Department of Management & Budget completed revised population projections for the County and local municipalities. To best serve the intent of the comprehensive planning process, these population projections have been incorporated in 60 �this final comprehensive plan document and substantially update the economic and population base studies contained in the Lake Chapin regional planning area reports. ECONOMIC BASE The Physical Factors for Planning report extensively analyzed the economic trends of Berrien County in relationship to the regional area and the township, This analysis primarily relied upon the Regional Economic Trends study completed by the Berrien County Planning Commission in 1969 1 Because this analysis is outdated, reliance upon this information would not correctly portray the present economic conditions of the State of Michigan, Berrien County, Lake Chapin regional planning area or Oronoko Township. In 1976 and 1977, the Berrien County Planning Commission, as part of the Berrien County Overall Economic Development planning effort, completed detailed analysis of the economic conditions within the County. Rather than repeating this material, the reader is referred to this report to answer any questions related to the economy of the area. It is assumed that Oronoko Township will parallel the economic growth or decline within the local market in a similar fashion as the other municipalities which comprise Berrien County. AGRICULTURE Agriculture in Berrien County and Oronoko Township is an important 61 �economic element. The agricultural sector can basically be summed up by stating that farms have become larger, fewer and more mechanized. It is anticipated that this trend will continue. The number of farms in the United States has been declininq although Michigan has declined at a somewhat lesser rate; from 1950 to 1970. .86% each year During this period, the number of farms in the United States decreased approximately 47% as compared to a State average of 46%. On the basis of an overview analysis of the agricultural trends in Berrien County, it can be immediately seen that farms are becoming fewer, larger in productive acreage and more capital intensive. Fruit production within the County is a major economic activity. In 1974, Berrien County farms sold over $7,000,000 in market vegetables, and $18,451,000 in fruits, nuts and berries. At present, more than one-third of the fruit sold in Michigan is produced in Berrien County. \ For the past twenty years, Berrien County has ranked in the top one hundred counties in the United States in a considerable number of agricultural products. The production and sale of fruit and vegetables are more important to the economy of Berrien County than wheat, oats, corn, or hay. From the trends indicated, it appears that the amount of land tilled for production of fruits and vegetables will continue to 62 �increase along with the dollar volume of income brought into the County. Farmers grow these "specialized crops" because of the prospect of high income per acre, the seasonability of income, the possibility of reducing risk, and the increasing net returns from the cropping system as a whole. New plan- ning in an effort to update the agriculture inventory, a review of land use mapping developed from 1977 aerial photography was undertaken. This photography was flown in June and land cover was interpreted from infra-red transparancies by ten-acre units. Map 24 shows the land use cover prepared from this photography. Explanation of each classification is contained on Chart 25. Map 26, by the use of shade patterns, shows various agricultural land classifications. Charts 27 and 28 contain the tabulation in acreage figures of each of the land cover classification. Further, statistics developed from the 1969 and 1974 land use inventory are presented to allow comparison. Inferred from the maps and charts is the fact that Oronoko Township has consistantly maintained 14,700 acres in agricultural production. It is safe to state that one of the main economic elements of Oronoko Township and subsequently Berrien County is the Townships intensive agriculture operations. No discussion of agriculture in Oronoko Township would be complete without some mention of wine and wine vineyards. Recently, several news articles have reported on awards granted to local wine operations. This single economic attribute, 6J b J �the geographic location to Lake Michigan, complex soil types, length of growing season and moderate temperatures make Oronoko Township one of the most beneficial areas for wine production in the State of Michigan. It is anticipated that in the future that Berrien County, especilly Oronoko Township, will become the wine capital of Southwestern Michigan with the potential of supporting fifteen new wineries in the County and $40-50 million dollars of business. This potential raises the possibility of tourism and mixed use land developments to reserve prime vineyard land while encouraging tourism and other types of developments. Such developments can be adequately controlled by the Township by use of their planned unit development provisions of the Township Zoning Ordinance. Adequate information is available to the Township to help justify and encourage such developemnts. In such cases the Township should analyze soils information, land use trends, \ public utility capacity, transportation access as primary determinates on a large scale rather than on a site-by-site basis to insure the coordination development of the total area. ANDREWS UNIVERSITY ECONOMIC IMPACT 64 �ANDREWS UNIVERSITY Andrews has a current budget of $24,000,000 and has operated with gains since 1953. At present, approximately 1500 students are employed with annual earnings of more than $2 million. Student employment opportunities are in campus industrial, business, service and academic departments. The University also employs 449 non-teaching administrators and staff. Already ranking as one of Oronoko's larger employers, the University is currently studying the feasability of expanding some of its facilities. It is anticipated that future expansion of the University will result in the creation of some job opportunities and expand Lhe University's already major economic role in Oronoko Township. It is not clear at this time what the full impact of Andrew's expansion will be as the University has not finalized its plans. However, there are some eight areas under consideration for expansion by 1985 with expected results being increased enrollments, more housing and facilities being stressed. 65 z C �POPULATION BASE Consideration of population trends are of demanding importance in the plan for development of an area. To arrange for the efficient and socially desirable accommodation of people requires a knowledge of past trends and present population distribution of the size and general geographical location of the people in the future. The potential future population size can be useful in determining space requirements for land use categories and for community facilities. The population composition will identify the future population as to age and sex, as well as project the space requirements for residential uses, industrial areas, and other facilities within the community. These various land uses and facilities will be located according to the population distribution. During the period 1940-1970, Oronoko Township experienced its greatest population growth. This growth can be attributed to development in and arounq the Village of Berrien Springs. Oronoko Township experienced a 32.6 percent increase in population between 1960 and 1970 with the population growing from 6,397 to 8,482. However, Berrien Springs lost two persons during the ten-year period for a decline of 0.1 percent. Statistics indicate Oronoko Township is growing more· rapidly than Berrien County as a whole. The future growth of Oronoko Township will certainly be a component of population change for Berrien County. 66 �Recent Michigan Department of Management and Budget projections forecast a year 2000 estimate of 189,400 persons in Berrien County. This figure is considerably lower than the 250,000 projection prepared by the Berrien County Planning Commission in 1972. In the fall of 1977, the Berrien County Planning staff reevaluated the earlier figure in ligh~ of the more recent State projection. The staff then disaggregated the County total to individual municipal units. On this basis, the County projects the following figures for Oronoko Township, including the Village of Berrien Springs PROJECTED POPULATION Oronoko Township 1980 1990 2000 9,500 10,500 11,625 These figures should be revised and, if appropriate, the plan updated as the State projection for Berrien County changes. URBAN-RURAL POPULATION In terms of where the population resides, Berrien County remains essentially rural in character, with the vast percentage of the land being used for agricultural purposes. However, a look at the 1970 urban-rural distribution figures for the county reveals significant increases in the urban population. Berrien County had a population of 163,875 in 1970 and a density of 282.5 persons per square mile. 67 �Approximately 76,000 persons, or 46.4 percent of the total population, were classified as urban in 1970. Of this figure, 21,091 persons resided in urbanized areas (i.e., Benton HarborSt. Joseph) and 54,921 resided in "OTHER" urban areas. There were 87,863 persons living in rural areas, or 53.6 percent of the county's total population. Also, 13,132 persons were living in places of 1,000 to 2,500, and 74,731 resided in "OTHER" rural areas. RESIDENT POPULATION DISTRIBUTION: 1970 Berrien County, Michigan 1970 Total Population Urban Percentage 163,875 76,012 46.4 Urban Areas More than 2,500 Percentage 27.7 "Other" Urban Percentage }4,921 2.3 Source: 21,091 Rural 87,863 Percentage 53.6 Rural non-farm 13,132 Percentage 14.9 "Other" Rural 74,731 Percentage 85.1 Number of Inhabitants, 1970 Census of Population, U.S. Department of Commerce AGE COMPOSITION OF THE POPULATION The Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce estimated the median age of the residents in all the counties in Michigan as of 1970. 68 Figures for Berrien County, �the three townships in the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, and the Village of Berrien Springs are given in the following table. MEDIAN AGE OF POPULATION: 1970 Berrien County and Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area Berrien County 27.9 Berrien Township 27.8 Oronoko Township 24.1 Village of Berrien Springs 29.8 Royalton Township 27.3 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1970 The age characteristics of the population are important for various planning purposes, such as forecasting the need for school facilities, for estimating the size of the work force and for predicting the demand for facilities for the aged. The breakdown of the population of the county is given as follows: 1. Under 5 years: The pre-school age children who will most immediately be entering school, 2. 5 to 11 years: The elementary school age · children who have critical educational needs, 3. 12 to 17 years: The junior high and high school groups, also with important educational needs, 4. 18 to 24 years: The young adults who are exceptionally mobile, influenced by college, marriage, initial vocational jobs, etc., S. 25 to 49 years: The prime adult population who constitute the main portion of the work force, 69 �6. 50 to 64 years: The leadership group of the community who generally hold major decisionmaking positions within the community, 7. 65 and over: The retired group who have important health care needs. AGE TREND OF POPULATION Berrien County, Michigan Age Group Under 5 5 to 11 12 to 17 18 to 24 25 to 49 50 to 64 65 and over TOTAL 1960 1970 1980* 17,552 23,040 16,014 13,707 48,371 19,261 13,533 15,004 24,250 20,557 17,006 48,714 23,718 15,134 14,062 27,834 25,355 19,911 51,799 26,920 16,866 149,865 163,875 182,747 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce Michigan Population, 1960-1970, No. 1 State Resource *Wm. S. Lawrence & Associates, Inc. The figures in the above table show moderate increases in all age groups except for one; the five and under age group. The number of residents in the county age 65 and over is increasing (1960 \ to 1970). The county will continue to be called upon to fulfill the special educational needs of the young, but must also be prepared to meet the housing and medical needs of the elderly in the county. Special emphasis should be placed on the needs of those persons who lack the financial capabilities to provide these goods for themselves. 70 �The figures in Chart 29 represent population components and characteristics of the Oronoko Township considered in this report. An analysis of the information presented in the tables reveals almost equal distribution of males and females in the area. A large percentage of the population is under 18 years old. In 1970, there were 515 non-white persons residing in Oronoko Township. This constituted six percent of the population total for the year. 71 �MAP 24 .0::: L&J ~ 0 0 z <( _J --"' ... -~ ../ ~· . ,,..... 0 ,. ) :. \J , "' ~ / / ':. ,-;_. ) . .,.. �Chart 25 LAND USE COVER CLASSIFICATION* LEVEL 1 CODE 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 2 4 5 6 7 CLASSIFICATION Residential Commercial, Service and Institutional Industry Transportation, Communications and Utilities Extractive Active Construction Open Space Agriculture Forest Land Water Wet Land Barren For Agriculture (only) LEVEL 2 c:::J - 211 212 220 230 280 290 Cultivated Crop Land Hay, Rotation, and Permanent Pasture Orchards, Bush-Fruits, Vineyards, and Ornamental Horticulture Confined Feeding Operations Inactive Land Other Agriculture *Based on Michigan Land Use Cover Classification System See Appendix A for listing of classifications 73 �MAP 26 w er ::> 1Vl z <t ~- a:: ~ > 0 1- w u z w z <t ~ 0 er w er v,·=> L&J 0 z z _,< rr- _, en < a:: ::J ~ ::J 2 a:: <t _J a.. 0 er u 0 z <t _J 1Vl w er fr 0 0 z w _J ~ <t 1- w ~ < a.. 0 z <t z· er ~ z >W I-~ 0:U 5=> u. i= , er w er IO ~ ~I 0 (II _J l- Vlz ~ -~ I- o ~w 5::> ~- I<t uz a: er u er I <t~ 00 I (.!) - 0 ID N N N 0 C\I N ::> ::> u er ~ er w I l- o I 0 ~ d �1977 AGRICULTURE LAND COVER TABULATION CODE -...J U1 - CLASSIFICATION 2 Agriculture ACRES 14701.4 211 Cultivated Crop Land 7276.6 212 Hay, Rotation and Permanent Pasture 2106.9 220 Orchards, Bush-Fruits, Vineyards and Ornamental Horticulture 5246.3 230 Confined Feeding Operations 280 Inactive Land 290 Other Agriculture 4 Forest 6 Wet Land 71. 6 4095.3 224.7 () ::r n, 11 rt tv ~ �AGRICULTURE LAND USE COMPARISON (in acres) Agriculture Orchards and Vineyards Sub Total Wooded Marsh --.J °' Sub Total Grand Total 1969 1974 11,225.0 11,068.6 (156.4) 9455.1 (1613.5) 4,480.0 4,463.4 {16.6) 5246.3 782.9 15,705.0 15,532.0 (173.0) 14701.4 1,982.3 1,982.3 0 4095.3 2113.0 127.2 127.2 0 224.7 97.5 2,109.5 2,109.5 0 4320.0 · 17,814.5 17,641.5 CHANGE (173.0) 1977 19021. 4 CHANGE (830. 6) 2210.5 1379.9 () ::r Ill 11 rt N CD �Chart 29 GENERAL POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Oronoko Township 8,482 Population Total Sex Male Female 4,170 4,312 White Negro Other 7,967 Median Under 18 Over 65 24.1 30.9% 7.3% Race 344 171 Age 2,390 Households 3.18 871 Number per household In group quarters Source: General Population Characteristics (Michigan) 1970 U.S. Department of Commerce 77 ■ �7 GOAL FORMULATION �GOAL FORMULATION INTRODUCTION The most important portion of the Comprehensive Planning process is the preparation of goals. p1toc.e..6.6 a.nd 601tm :the. 6na.mewo1tk. Gow M.e. :the. c.01tne/L6:tone. 06 :the. p.lanru.ng 60Jt pub.Uc. a.nd ptlva.:te. de.c,L6ion ma.fu.ng. Ea.c.h goa..l .6W 60/t:th c.eJt:ta..,<,n a.c.hie.vable. end Jte..6uLt6 whic.h w-i.,U ac.:t a.6 a. gui.de. 601t all 6u.:tuJte. p1toje.c.:t de.c,L6ion.6. Once goals are established for specific objectives, the individual projects, can be prepared for subsequent implementation. Goals are prepared at several levels of government; state, multi-county regions, county multi-township regions and the local municipality. Each level prepares goals which ultimately affect each resident of the Township. Goals become more abstract at each higher level of government, but still affect the decision making ability of the local municipality. Affecting Oronoko Township are goals of the State of Michigan, Southwestern Michigan Regional Planning Commission, Berrien County and the Lake Chapin regional planning area. The goals of the Lake Chapin regional planning area, have been I prepared and recommended for adoption to the Township. Because these have a significant effect on the Township they have been incorporated herein for adoption. 78 �Individual goals for Oronoko Township follow listed by several subject headings. LAKE CHAPIN GOALS In the report, Physical Features for the Lake Chapin r .egional Planning area, a series of general development goals were presented and ultimately accepted for the Lake Chapin regional planning area General Development Plan. A series of specific goals were also prepared according to specific subjects and accepted for use in the Lake Chapin regional planning area. The goals of the Lake Chapin Comprehensive Planning Program are: Be.n e. 6ic.1.a..t Envhto vune.n.t To c.l!.e.a..te. a.n e.njoya.ble., he.a.1,th6u1, c.ohe.11.e.n.t, a.nd wol!.ka.b.te. e.nvhto nme.n.t 6ol!. .the. 1!.Ulde.n.:t6 o6 :the. La.k.e. Cha.pin Regional Me.a.. Expand Oppotc.tu.n.l:Ue1> To e.xpa.nd oppol!..tun.l:Uu 601!. wol!.k.,i,ng, !>hopping, a.nd 11.e.c.1!.e.a..t.lng wUh,ln. .the. 11.e.gion. Ec.onom.lc. PMilion To 011.deJte.d Gil.ow.th To e.n.l>Ul!.e. .:t.~ de.ve.lopme.n.t de.w.lon.l> Me. ma.de. In :the. pl!.opeJt l> e.que.nc.e., ho :tha..t mol!.e. !>:tl!..lnge.n.t de.ve.lopme.n.t c.on.tl!.oll> Me. no:t ne.e.de.d. Va.11..le..ty o 6 To al.tow :the. de.ve.lopme.n.t 06 a. w.lde. 11.a.nge. o,6 l!.Mide.n.t.la..t :ttjpe6, .to me.e..t :the. ne.e.dl> o-6 a. Va.l!.,{,e..tlj o 6 po.te.n.t.la..t c.ilize.n.l>. Living Alr.e.a.1.:, ma..ln.ta..ln ol!. .lmpl!.ove. :the. l!.e.gion 'l> c.ompe..tilive. e.c.onomc. pol>ilion. Tl!.a.n6 pol!..ta..t.lo n. Stjl>.te.m To Ae1>.the..t.lc. Valuu To a..ld in. :the. be.a.ut,[6,lc.a.tion a.nd 11.e..te.ntion 06 a.e1>:the..t.lc. valueJ., 601!. :the. .lmpl!.ove.me.n.t 06 Uving c.ondilion.l> :thl!.ough hound de1>lgn a.nd c.on.l>eJtva.tion. de.ve.lop a. br..a.Mpol!..ta..t.lon l>ljl>.te.m wlih,ln :the. l!.e.gion wh,lc.h w.lU. l>eJtve. a. c.omple..te. 11.a.nge. 06 po:te.n.t.lal a.nd e.w:t.lng land Uh e6 • 79 �-------------------=-~- -El-i..mina.:te. Blight To w.mina.te. a.U. a.ht. poliu..tlon, wa..:t.eJt poliu..tlon a.nd otheJt .l>ouJtc.e,t, 06 e.nv,<1tonme.n.t.a.l bUgh:t. ' Ta.x. Equd:y To pltomo.te. g.1tea..teJt e.qud:y 06 tax. buJtde.n a.mong p!topeJt.tlf tax. pa.lfeM c.on.:oubu..tlng .to the. 1:,a.me. goveJtruneinW c.o.6.t6. GoveJtn.me.n.t Co 01tcUn.a.tio n To e.nc.ouJta.ge. .the. c.oo.JtcUn.a.tion 06 a.c.tiviliv., a.mong a.U. le.vw 06 goveJtnme.n.t, .to Jte.du.c.e. poUc.y c.on6Uc..t6 a.nd e.nc.ouJta.ge. the. be.t.teJt a.ppUc.a.-t<.on 06 pu.bUc. 6u.nd6. Ade.qu.a.c.y 06 Fa,c.JJ.),,;tj_v., .6 eJtvic.v.,, pa .Uuv., To c.aNuJ ou..t in a. c.001t.cUna.:te.d 6Mhion the. poUue.6 1:,e..t 60Jtth ott developed M a tr.e.-6u.U 06 .the. Comptr.e.he.ntiive. Pla.n. Gu)_de. Ve.velopme.n.t Ta ptr.ovide. a. 1:,LUtable. Comp.1te.he.ntiive. Plan 6oil. .the. U-6 e. a6 .the. Planning Comml.61:,ion a.nd .tawntihip boa.Jtd6 in a..t.te.mp.tlng .to gu)_de. de.ve.lopme.n.t e.66olt.t6 w-<-thin the. Jte.gion. To p.1tovide. the. highe.-6.t level 06 pu.bUc. 6a.~v., a.nd a.t the. lowv.,.t poMible. peJt c.a.pita c.0.6:U,. Since each of the goals has a direct impact on Oronoko Township they are also accepted as part of the goals of the Township Comprehensive Planning Process. ORONOKO TOWNSHIP GOALS LAND USE GOALS 1. 1 Ta p.1tovide. 6otr. a. c.omple.te. Jtang e. a6 pote.n.ti..a.l land Tawntihip. 1. 2 Ta inti uJte. .t.ha.t the. U-6 e. a6 the. land w.U:hin the. Townti hip la.nd U-6 v., ou..ttiide. W botr.deM . 1. 3 To a,t,l:iuJte. .t.ha.t 6u..tuJte. de.ve.lopme.n.t 06 the. la.nd wlli not a.dveMellf a.66e.c..t a.dja.c.e.n.t tt6e.6 • 1. 4 To a..t.te.mpt to de.ve.lop a. logic.a.£. ha.Jtmonlf be.:tule.e.n va.Jt-<-ou..6 land w.l:thin the. TOWM hip. 1. 5 To p1ta.te.c..t the. p1topeJt.tlf Mgh.t6 06 the. i~cUv-<-du.a.l to the. e.x:te.n.t :tha.t the.y do not hnpinge. upon the. ptr.opeJtttj JUgh.t6 06 otheM. 1. 6 Ta plte.-6 eJtve. a.g.1t,tc.u.liuJr,a1. land6 in k.e.e.ping w.U:h l:i oil c.ha.Jto.c..teJL,t.6.tlc.!:, mo.6.t 1:,u)_;table. 0atr. 6(1/Utl,l.ng 1:,0 the. land may ~Jtovide. ~eJtma.ne.n.t ~pe.n 1:,pa.c.e. a.nd c.on.tlnu.e. in W impa.Jttan.t e.c.anorru.c. tr.ale. ~n the. 1te.g~on. 80 L U-6 e.-6 w-<-thin the. tr.e.la..te.6 .to tt6e.6 �POPULATION GOALS 2 .,l 2. 2 To deteJr.min.e an. optimum population. -6ize 6otr. the Town.-6hip, and to gi.u.de devei.opmen.t .towevtd .that end. To in.-6Wte .that all c);uzen.-6 o 6 .the Town.-6hip have .the oppotr.tu.n.liy to make 6u..U. u.-6 e o6 pu.bUc. 6auUtie-6 an.d -6 etr.vic.e-6 • To in.-6Wte that no c);uzen. 06 the Town.-6hip human a.n.d uvil tr.,i_g ht-6 • 2. 4 To ma.in.tun. a. well. bala.n.c.ed Town.-6 hip whic.h c.a.n. -6 etr.v e .the ne.e.d-6 06 people. 06 all a.ge-6. 2. 5 To en.c.ou.tr.a.ge .the. a.c.tive., c.on.-6:ttr.u.c.tive pa.tr.ilupa.tion 06 a.ll tr.e-6iden.t-6 in. the. p.la.nn,,i_n.g ptr.oc.e-6-6. ,[,6 de,ptr.,i_ved 06 w 2. 3 HOUSING GOALS 3. 1 To M-6Wte .that all peMon.-6 tr.ega.tr.d..te-6-6 06 tr.a.c.e, c.olotr., otr. c.tr.ee.d ha.ve. equ.a.l oppotr.tu.n.liy to -6ec.Wte hou.-6ing 06 thw c.hoic.e. 3. 2 To en.c.ouJta.ge the devei.opmen.t ofi a. va.tr.,i_e,;ty ofi hou.-6.lng type-6, at va.tr..lou.-6 ec.onom.lc. levei.-6 a.nd at va.tr.,i_ou.-6 .ln.ten.-6ilie-6, wh.J..eh c.an ,6a;tu,~y the need-6 6otr. a. va.tr.,i_e,;ty 06 Ufie -6tyle-6 and Uv.lng e.xpe,tr.,i_e.n.c.e-6 wLthJ.,n the. c.ommu.n,,[,ty. 3.3 To devei.op hou.-6.lng c.ode-6 whic.h ptr.ovide .the. a.c.c.ep.table m.ln.imu.m -6.tand.aJr.d-6 6otr. hou.-6.lng, and to ma.k.e ava.,[la.ble infiotr.ma.tion and edu.c.a.tion to .tho-6e de-6hlng to bu.y, tr.en.t, otr. tr.eha.bil.l.tate. hou.-6.lng u.n.U:.6 within .the .town.-6/up. 3. 4 To tr.evie.w, and tr.evi-6 e. ifi nec.e-6-6a.lr.lJ, aLt c.ode-6 a.nd otr.dina.nc.e-6 whlc.h a66ec..t the building a.nd ma.in.tena.nc.e 06 -6:tlr.u.c..tU/te-6, to .ln.-6Wte .tha..t .they .ln.c.otr.potr.a.te .the mo-6.t modetr.n, e66iuen.t, and ec.on.omic.a..t methoclo ava.,[la.ble. TRANSPORTATION GOALS \ 4. 1 To de.vei.op a tlr.a.n.-6potr.ta.tion netwotr.k. within .the Town.-6hip .to -6etr.ve a c.omplete tr.a.nge 06 po.te.n.,U,ai_ land u.-6e-6, .to -6etr.ve foe.al an.d .ln.tetr.na.l tlr.a.n-6potr.ta.tion n.eed-6, and .to devei.op an ex..tetr.na.l -6 y-6.tem Unk.,i_ng .the. Town-6hip with c.e.n.teM 06 ac.tivliy, c.ommetr.c.e, and employment in .the. tr.egion. 4. 2 To c.ha.nnei. maj otr. ttr.a.6 Mc. volu.me-6 on.to a umlie.d nu.mbetr. o fi ptr.,i_n.upa.l -6:tlr.ee.t-6, and .to fuc.ou.tr.a.ge. la.tr.ge. tlr.a.66ic. volu.me-6 6tr.om pa..-6-6.lng .thtr.o u.g h tr.e-6.lde,n.,U,ai_ a.tr.e.M • 4. 3 To a.void ne.edle-6-6 du.pUc.a.tion. 06 tlr.a.n-6potr.ta.tion. 6ac.,[U.t,[e,,6, and whetr.e. po-6-6-lble tr.edu.c.e .the. a.mount 06 land de.voted .to tlr.a.n-6potr.a.t.lon -6 IJ-6 t e,m,6 • 81 �4.4 To ~educ.~ no..u.e a.nd tUJt po.le.u.:ti..on_by ln,lt.la,t.i,ng a.nd/oJt ,t,u.ppoJttlng leg.u,la.,ti_on. a.t :the -0:ta.te a.n.d YILLUon.a.l levw p1tomoting :the development a.nd U6e on poilu;U.on c.ontJt..ol de1Jic.u, a.nd a.t :the loea.l level, by p1tomoting :the development 06 pubUc. bu.nne1t zonu between. -0:tlt..ew a.nd a.dja.c.ent la.n.d U6U. 4. 5 To _in:te.g~e. tlt..a.Mp~~on. n~netio~ :th/tough innovative duign, wh1eh pll.ov-i..du 601!. ,e;mpll.oved CAJtc.ula.tion. a.nd a.ttention .to a.u.thetie-0. COMMERCIAL GOALS 5. 1 To d..u.c.oWta..ge .the development 06 c.ommeJte-i..al. U-Oe..6 1n -0c.a.tte1ted loc.ati.on6 Mound .the Jteg1on a.nd ,i.n Me.M whe1te .they would c.a.U-Oe d..u.ll.uption to ex.16.ting chtc.u.la.tion pa.tteJtn6. 5. 2 To pJtov-i..de. 6oJt the. 01tde/t.f..y a.nd -0y-0tema.tic. de.velopme.nt 06 c.omme1tc1.a.i. a.c.tiviliu wh1c.h pll.ov-i..de. .6pe.c.,Lai, .6 e11.v.lc.u to h-lgh-in:te.Mliy ll.U-i..den.tia.l development Me.a.-6 developed un.deJt a. pla.n.ne.d u.n.1:t de.velopment Oll.cli.na.nc.e., a.t a.n a.ppJtoplt-i..a.,te. .6c.a.le. a.nd loc.a.tion wit.fun .6u..c.h Me.M. 5.3 To .lMuJte. that e.xi.6t1ng nu.ghboJthood.6 a.nd c.ommun.1:ty .6hopp1ng Me.a.-6 ll.ema.1n Jte.a.-6 ona.bly c.ompa.c.t, a.nd p1tov-i..d.e .6 eJtv-lc.e. wit.fun .the. .6 c.o pe o6 a. nelghboJthood tlt..a.de Meet. INDUSTRIAL GOALS 6.1 To p1tomote. :the development 06 a. we.U-de6,lned 1ndU-Otlt..1a.l Meet within the Towtt-0h1p, whl.c.h would peJtmit a. Jte.a.-6ona.ble. c.onc.e.ntlt..a..thm ofi .lndU-Otlt..la.t development .to Jte.Ueve. :ta.x. buJtdett-0 on .lncli.vidu.a.l home.ownelt.6 by .6 p1teetcli.ng the :ta.x ba..6 e.. 6. 2 To en.c.oWta..ge. the. de.velopme.n.t 06 .6pe.c.1a.l JtUeMc.h-oJt.len.ted oJt otheJt Ug ht 1ndu.6:tlt..1a.l U-O u wh1c.h c.ou.ld c.ompleme.nt Jta.the11. .tha.n c.omp.vte with neMby in.du.6:t:Jua.1.. de.ve.lopment. COMMUNITY FACILITIES GOALS 7. 1 To p1tovide the. highu:t ..e.~v~ 06 c.omT7!un1:ty na.~u ~h _a.n e.mpha..6..u. on .the. loc.a.tion 06 6a.c.1Utiu, qu.a.lliy 06 -0e1tv-<.c.e a.nd tim,uig 06 impll.OV e.ment. 7.2 To p1tov1de. adequate. c.ommu.n.1:ty 6a.c.1Utiu without du.pUc.a.:Ung eUow by o:theJt gove11.nment bocli.u. 7.3 To a.Uow no ma.jolt de.velopme.n.t 06 .6c.hoo~ olt c.omm~n.1:t!f 6a.c.1Utiu 1n the. Towtt-0h1p without pJtope!t a.nd e.66ective. c.001tcli.n.a.,ti_on. on pla.tt-0 between. the. a.ppJtopltiate. le.ve.l-6 06 gove/1.n.me.n.t. 82 �7. 4 To de.vei.op all public.. 6acilJ.tiu and ,HJtvic..u a.:t. .:the .lowu.:t po.t..6ib.le pelt c..aplia expencU:twte wfui.e. pJz.ovhu.ng J.i e.1tvic..u and 6acilJ.tiu whic..h wlU. ade.qua.:t.ei.y J.i eJtve. .:the. in.:te.nde.d pWtpo.6 e. and be. 6Jz.ee o6 exc..U.6ive main.:tena.nc..e c..0-0.:t. 7.5 To make majolt public.. expe.ndi.:tWtu ac..c..01tcli.ng .:to a c.a.plial imp1tove.me.n.t.f, pi'.a.n and budge..:t whic..h u.:ta.bwhu pJz.iotr.,Uy and .6c..hedulu 601t 6ive !feaJz.J., in advanc..e, bMe.d upon pJz.oje.ilioM 06 need and u.:tima.:t.ed 1teve.nuu. 7. 6 To pltovide. 60ll. c..onJ.ieJtva.:ti.on and e.66eilive. Me 06 na.:t.wc..a1. i'.a.ndf.ic..ape. qu.a..U;Uu • 7. 7 To pJz.ovide a haJz.mon.ioM 1tei.a.:ti.0Mhip be;twee.n na.:t.wc..a1. i'.a.ndf.ic..ape and man ' -6 M e6 o6 .:the. i'.a.nd. 7. 8 To p,r..ovide 7. 9 To u.:ta.bwh a .61ft:..:te.m 06 1tec..Jz.e.ationa.l 6acilJ.tiu and p1tog1tam.6 J.iu66iue.n.:t .:to mee..:t .:the. ne.e.df.i 06 .:the Jz.Uide.n.:t-6 06 .:the. TownJ.ihip. 7.10 To pJz.omo.:te. .:the. high quaU.:ty 06 e.duc..a.:ti.on .6e.1tvic..u 066e.1te.d wlt.hin .:the TownJ.i hip. 7. 11 To de.vei.op pall.k and o.:theJt 1te.c..1te.a.:ti.ona.l 6acJ..,V.;tlu, bMe.d upon a. hieJta.Jtc..hy 06 MU ne.e.de.d by vall.ioM ei.e.me.n.:t-6 06 .:the TownJ.ihip. ,6a.:t.J.,f., 6ailion 06 .:the. people' t:. ou.:tdoolt 1tec..1te.a.:ti.on nee.df.i. \ 83 �7 8 GENERAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES �' I �GENERAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES INTRODUCTION Policies are adopted courses of action used in pursuing goals. Again policies are adopted at all levels of government and ultimately effect residents of the Township. The policies developed for the Lake Chapin regional planning area, are incorporated herein with the Oronoko Township Policies, because on thw. L>.,[gru.nic.a.n,t .bnpa.ct on the. townMup. It is the intent of these policies to set forth the principles and precepts to guide those who are responsible for implementation of the goals. Each policy serves as an independent statement of the general intentions of Oronoko Township and thereby serves as a guide to the decision making on the part of township officials and the public. LAKE CHAPIN POLICIES AU. de.vei.opme.nt L>ha..U. c.omply wLth the. -ln-te.n:t, -ln not the. le.tteJt, on 1te.gula.tlonL> u:ta.bwhe.d by the. TownL>h-lp Boa.ltdl> to guhle. a.nd dhr..e.ct the. de.vei.opme.n,t wUh-ln the TOWnl> h-lp. Re.zon-lngL> L>ha.U not be. glta.nte.d u.t'li.e.L>L> the. pote.n:Uai. -ll> L>hown to be. -ln a.c.c.01tda.nc.e. on the. Comp1te.he.nL>-lve. Pla.n a.nd the. Zon-lng 01td-ln.a.nc.e.. w.lth the. ,ln,te.n,t Ve.vei.opme.n,t p1r.opol>W wh-lc.h tend to p1toduc.e. undu-l!te.d e.nne.c..t.L> to the. pubUc. he.a.Uh, L>a.ne.tY, <!onve.ru.e.nc.e. a.nd ge.ne/l.a.l wei.na.1te. will not be. pe.tun,l.tte.d. Authe.t-lc. c.onL>-ldeJta-ti.onL> .6uc.h M a.1tc.hlie.ctu.Jta1. L>tyle. a.nd a.ppe.a.1tn.a.c.e., -0-lte. duign de.vei.opme.n-t on open L>pa.c.e. a.nd the. Uke., will be. ma.jolt 6a.ctoM -ln the. a.c.c.e.p~nc.e. on a.U de.vei.opme.nt a.nd 1te.de.vei.opme.n,t p1top0-0a.ll> both pubUc. a.nd plt-lva.te.. 84 �Regula.tony me.MUil.ei.> and p1toc.eduJte1.> will be neviewed and moclloied in nec.ogn,,i;tlon oo .the nee.d6 oo c.on.tempotuVr.y -0-ltu..a..:ti.on6 and .the need .to pltopvity c.o~ol hu.c.h -0Ltu.a..:uon6; .the developmeM poUc.y will no.t. be ~id a.nd inolexible, but nwhen -0ha.U li be hifuMimina..tely pMmiMive. I.t. -0ha.U be a. genMa.l poUc.y oo .the Town6hip BoMd .to e.nc.ouJta.ge a.nd extend c.oopMa..tion .to new developmeM pltopohW. Howeven, .the weloMe Oo the. ge.nMa.l pu.bUc. a.nd the iMeM oo .the Comp1tehen6ive P.la.n will be oo p~My impoua.nc.e. null Spec.ia.l attention will be given to pltovicllng the c.liizen6 oo the negion wlih c.omp1tehe.n6ive a.nd timely inoonma..tion on a.U Mpe.c.u oo .the Comp1tehen6ive Plan, new developmeM p1topo-0a.lh, zoning a.nd at.hen 1tegu.la..to1ty me.MWte.6 a.dop.t.ed by the. Town6hip BoMd. The Tciwn-0hip -0ha.U pltovide a.nd ma.iMa.in a c.omple.te -0et oo poUc.y -0.ta.tementl.i, phy-0ic.a.l p.la.n-0 and developmeM p1tog1ta.m -0.t/ta..tegie.6 .to -0Mve M a nelevaM and pU!tpMeou.l 1te0Menc.e .to guide pltiva..te and pu.bUc. development W-Lth1n. :the Town.6hlp. ORONOKO TOWNSHIP POLICIES HOUSING POLICIES 10. 1 High -0.ta.ndMd-O oo Jte6iden.tia.l developmeM will be Jtequ.ilted and pnomo:ted :th/tough .the Comp1tehe.n6ive P.la.n a.nd :the planning pnoc.u-0. 10.2 In the iMMe.6:t oo developing a cllve.Mioie.d hoMlng -0u.pply, a ba.la.nc.e. be,twe.en high a.nd low va.lu.e. home.6 will be -0ought wlih the. Jte6Mva.:tion .t.ha..t lowen va.lu.e hoMing .t,ha.l,l no.t. bec.ome -00 e.x.:te.n.6ive. M :to pla.c.e. an undue. Mna.nc.ia.l buJtde.n on the lac.al .ta.x.. bMe.. 10.3 Ab-0en:te.e. own~hip oo ne.n.ta.l hoMing, c.ommenc.ia.l and indMWo.1 e.n.tenpw e6 -0ha.U be. fuc.ouJta.ge.d. 10. 4 Citize.n-0 -0ha.U be. e.x..pe.c.te.d .to ma.in.ta.in .thw home.6 .to meet .the. minimum -0.ta.ndMd-O .6e.t by appltopltia..te 1te.gula..to1ty age.nc.iu. 1o. 5 AU :type!.> Oo hoMing will be pe.nmli.te.d, pltovided ea.c.h i-0 pltOpWY loc.a.:ted ac.c.olting .to .the C(imp1tehe.n-0ive. Plan, and the. -0lie. pla.n.6 a.rid -0:tltuc:twr.al. qua.lay Me in a.c.c.oJtd wlih :the. hig hu.t. 0e.Mible. -0:ta.ndaltd6 · 10.6 App1topltia..te 1te.ha.billia..tion me.MUil.ei.> will be -0.tuclle.d, and io 6eMib£~ undM:ta.ken, will MhuJte. ma.iMe.na.nc.e 06 :the e.~ilng hoMing .t,u.pply .ut good c.oncllilon. Su.l:ta.ble -0.ta.ndMd-O 601t .t,.t/tu.c.tuJte a.nd IJMd ma.bite.na.nc.e will be. developed and e.n601tc.ed. 10. 7 The Town.6hip -0ha.U Jte.qu.ilte :the Jtemova.l 06 va.c.a.n.t on aba.ndoned -0:tltuc.tU/l.e1.> whic.h Me deemed a. ha.zMd :to c.liize.n hea.Uh on -0a.6et.Y, a1 C.Oh:t .to .the. ownen Oo Jte.c.oJtd, io hu.c.h -0.tltuc.tuJte1.> c.anno:t be b1tough1 up .to ac.c.e.p.ta.ble. .6.ta.ndMd-0 wlihin a. Jte.Mona.ble peltiod oo lime. 85 �COMMERCIAL POLICIES 11. 1 Bou.nd.aJr..lu 06 c.ommeJtchtl Me.al.> .6hill be. we..U. de.-6,-lne.d .60 M to plte.ve.n,t ,iJ1Xlr.utiion. in-to adja.c.e.rit land U6U, and the. own.e1t mutit p!r.ov,i,.de. p1r.o pelt .6 c.1r.e.e.nln.g to pJr.u e1r.v e. the. e.w.:Un.g a.uthe..:Uc. va.lu.u o6 adjac.e,n,t p1r.ope!t.:Uu. 11. 2 While. .the. Town..6hip 1r.e.c.ogn.,i,.zu the. n.e.e.d 6oJr. a .6.t.Jr.on.g c.omme1r.chtl bMe. in. oJr.deJr. to ma,i,.n,ta.,i,.n. ..i.:t6 e.c.on.omic. we..U. bung a.n.d to .6uppon;t th/tough .ta.xu .the. n.e.c.U.6MlJ pubUc. .6eJtvic.u and J.mp1r.ove.me.n..t..6, li be.Ue.vu .that 1.iuc.h de.vel.opme.n,t muti.t be. p!r.opeJt.1.y Jr.e.gu..e.a.te.d .to in.6wr.e. c.on.6oJr.man.c.e. wlih .the. in,te,n,t 06 .the. Comp!r.e.he.n.6ive. Plan.. 11. 3 fo;tU/l.e. c.omme1tchtl de.vel.opme.n,t 1.ihill be. ba1.>e.d upon. .the. c.on.c.e.pt 06 an. irite.gJr.a.te.d butiin.UJ.i c.e.rite1r., de.vel.ope.d ac.c.01r.din.g to a 1.ipe.c.i6ic. .6lie. plan., and juti.:U6ie.d by an. e.c.on.omic. ana.ly1.ii.6 06 .the. Me.a to be. J.i.e/1.ve.d. 11. 4 No Me.a wlihin the. Town.6hip .6hill be. 1te.zon.e.d to c.ommeJtchtl utie., unlU.6 the. p!topM e.d .6lie. loc.a.:Uon. ha.1.i be.en. j U-6.:U,6,[e.d by an. adequate. mMke.t 6e.a1.>ibiUty 1.i.tu.dy, whic.h in.c.1.u.du tho.6 e. 6ac.toM whic.h wug h a.ga,i,.n.,6.t a loc.a.:Uon. whlihin one. 06 the. pJr.ue.nil.y zoned c.ommeJtcua.l Me.a.6, a.n.d i.6 in. c.on.6oJr.ma.nc.e wlih the ,ln,ten,t 06 .the. Comp1r.e.he.n.6ive Plan.. 11. 5 CommeJtcua.l u.ta.bwh.me.n..t..6 will be expec.ted to ac.hleve. a. high .6.ta.n.dMd 06 ma,i,.ritenan.c.e. a.nd 1tepw. The. qua.Uty 06 building and lan.d.6c.a.pe du,i_gn., .the. p1tope1t 1.ito1ta.ge 06 .t.Jr.Mh, :the ma,i,.riten.an.c.e. 06 :the yMd, :the c.on..t.Jr.ol 06 n.oi.6 e, Ught, a.n.d odoM, an.d ma.n.y o.t.heJt 0a.c.toM will be c.on.6,i,.de1ted J.mpoJr..ta.n,t .to .the a.c.c.ep.ta.n.c.e 06 pJr..opo.6e.d c.omme1tcua.l devel.opme.n..t..6. 11. 6 The. e66ec.t 06 pJr..opo.6ed c.ommeJtchtl devel.opmen..t..6 06 .the exi-6.:Ung a.nd pJr.opo.6ed :tJr.a66ic. c,,l.,r,c.u.la..:Uon. pa.tteltn.6 will be c.on.6ide1ted. PJr..opo.6ed c.ommeJtcua.l devel.opmen..t..6 will n.o.t be a.c.c.ep.ta.ble., whic.h in. the opin.,i,.on. 06 the Plann,ln.g Commi.6J.iion will ha.ve a.n a.dveMe e66ec.t upon the. .6!fJ.ite.m. INDUSTRIAL POLICIES 12. 1 Exc.el.lenc.e 06 .6lie and buil.din.g duign. will be a. 6a.c.to1t in. judging induti.tJuo.i. devel.opme.rit pJr..opoJ.ia.l-6. 12 . 2 Pe1t60Jr.man.c.e J.i.ta.n.dMd.6 will be. U6e.d to judge ill in.dU-6.tJuo.i. pJr..opo.6a.l.6, a.n.d no in.duti.tJuo.i. de.vel.opme.rit pJr..opo.6a.l will be a.c.c.e.pted whic.h would Jr..Uu.lt in. w olL wa.teJt pollu.;t,lon., e.xc.uJ.iive. n.o,lJ.,e, odoM, OIL in. any wa.tJ a.dveMel.y a.66e.c.t .the. Town.6hip. 12. 3 Spe.cua.l e.mpha.1.ii.6 will be. given. .to developing ILU eM~h-o)r.,le~e.d ,6a.c.J.LU),,u whic.h Me. dui.gn.e.d a.n.d 6u.nc..:Uon. .to pJr..ov,i,.de. .6 eJtv,<..c.U, p1toduw, ~Jr.. .tec.hn.ology a.,lme.d at p1Lovidin.g an.6Welt.6 to .6pec.ia.l .6ocua.l a.n.d en.vilton.me.rita.l pJr..oblem.6. 86 �TRANSPORTATION POLICIES 13. 1 The. Townf.ifup 1te.c.ogn,i,ze1, tW w .toe.al. tlta.nf.ipoJt:ta.;U,on 1.>y1.>tem1> mU6t be. c.o nf.i..Utmt wUh the. ov e.Jt-a.i..t ne.e.d-6 o6 .the. c.ounty, and W-i.11. c..ontlu..bute. what U c.an 06 U-6 JteooUJtc.eo a.nd plann,i,ng a.e:toU;ty towa.1td6 the. Jteoolu:ti.on 06 tlta.nf.ipoJt:ta.;U,on p1toblem6. 13.2 Non-.toc.a.1. automobile. tJr..a.66ic. will be. e.nc.oUJta.ge.d .to ~ z e a. 1te.la.uve..ty .6ma.1.l numbe.Jt o~ .tho1tough6a.1teo Jtathe.Jt .tha.n be a.1..towe.d to Ulie. woJt -0bte.e.t-6 :thJtough 1teoide.~ a.Jte.a.-6, whlc.h a.Jte. deoigne.d p~a.Jtily .to '->e.Jtve. a.dja.c.e.nt 1teoide.~ p1topeJtty. 13. 3 Ea.c.h 1.>bte.e.t w,i,ll be. c.laMi6ie.d a.nd de.ve.lope.d a.c.c.01tding to pltinupa.1. 6unc.tion M a.1>1.>igne.d in the. Comp1te.he.nf.iive. Plan. 13. 4 P~a.Jty 1toa.d e.ntlta.nc..eo a.nd, to .the. extent 6e.a.-6ib.te., a.1..t majOlt 1toa.d6 will be. given bte.a.trnmt -00 M to pltovide. ide.ntUy, and p1toduc.e. a. good v..uua.1. imp1teo.6ion to 1teoide.n:t6 a.nd v..uUoM. 13. 5 PubUc. 1.>.tlte.e.t-6 a.Jte. intended to .6e.Jtve. .the. 6unc.tion 06 moving bta.66ic. a.nd not M pa.Jt/ung -6pa.c.e.; M .6uc.h, e.a.c.h individual 6utUJte. la.nd Ulie. '->ha.i..t be 1te.quilte.d .to pltovide. 066--6.tlr.e.e.t pa.Jtlung .6u66iue.nt 601t Lo., ne.e.d-6. 13. 6 Lia...uon w,i,ll be. developed a.nd ma.in:ta.ine.d wUfun the. Town1>hlp a.nd othe.Jt gove.Jtnme.nta.1. unw, 1.>uc.h M S.ta,te, a.nd County Highway Ve.pa.Jttme.n:tl.i, a.nd o:the.Jt bta.nf.ipoJt:ta.;U,on pla.n.nin.g a.genueh, w COMMUNITY FACILITY POLICIES 14.1 The. .toe.won 06 ill pubUc.. 6a.uU:t.ieo W-i.11. be, ba.1>e.d on the Comp1te.he.nf.iive. Plan. 14. 2 The. qua.1.ity 06 -6e.Jtvic.eo a.nd f,a.uU:t.ieo will be. bMe.d upon :the. n.e.e.d-6 06 the. a.Jte.M -6e.Jtve.d, the. -6ize. a.nd .type. of, population. 1.>e.1tve.d, a.nd will be. .6c.a.1.e.d wUhin .the. Townf.ifup c.a.pa.c.Uy .to pa.y 601t :the. f,a.uU:t.ieo. 14. 3 The. Townf.ifup will e.n,oUJta.ge. .the. ~za.tion of, -0btuc..tUJteo and 6a.uU:t.ieo a.1.Jte.a.dy p1tovide.d by the. Sc.hool V..ubtic..t-6 c.hUJtc.heli, a.n.d -60 6oJtth to imple.mmt the.ill. 1te.c.1te.a.tion a.nd c.ommunUy 6a.uU:t.ieo planf.i • 14.4 The. Townf.ifup will c.001tdinate. a.1..t pla.nning e.660'1.t-6 wUh tho-6e. of, :the. Sc.hoo.t V..u:t.Jtic..t in a.n e.6f,oJtt to a.c..fue.ve f,uU c..oopeJtation, mutua.1..ty be.ne.f,iua.1. goa.1.-6, a.nd e.c..onomic.-6 to the. :ta.xpa.ye.Jt-6, 14. 5 PubUc.. ,6a.uU:t.ieo a.nd .6eJtvic..eo .6uc..h M poUc..e. a.nd fiilte. p1totectlon, ]:a.ltk.6, playg1tou.nd6, a.nd the, Uk.e. will be. pltovide.d whe.Jte. theJte ~ a.n a.c..tu.a.1. ne.e.d 601t .6u.c..h .6e.Jtvic..eo, in a.c.c.01tda.nc.e. wUh .the u.ni,601tm .6e.t 06 .6:t.a.nda.Jtd-6, a.nd .te.mpe.Jte.d by .the. -6ound judgement 06 the. gove.Jtnin.g body. Vu.plic..a.tion 06 6a.uU:t.ieo p1tovide.d bq ~theJt .te.v~ 06 goveJtnmen.t oil. by pltivate. oJt .6e.mi-pltivate. -<..n.te.Jteot-6 w,i,ll be. a.voided. 87 �14.6 Alt public. 6a.cJ.Li.:tlu w-lll be. de.vel.ope.d .6tandMd6 11..uuW.ng 611..om :thaltough .6tudy Re.quut-6 6011.. in.tita..llalion 06 6a.cJ.Li.:tle1> g1r..oup.6 will not be. a. c.o~olling 6a.c.:t.01r.. c.on6lic.:t with :the. pUlr..p0.6e. and intent 06 14.7 Plr...iowy will be. given :to :tho.6e 6a.cJ.Li.:tlu in demand by :the la.Jr..gu:t numb~ 06 people.. 14. 8 Whene.v~ p0.6.6ible utility line-6 w-lU a.void d.i-611..Upting air.. in6'1...inging upon ewting alt de1>.ignate.d open .6pa.c.e. pM/u,. a.c.c.011..cUng :to a.c.c.e.p:te.d by quaU6,le.d p1r..06e1>.6io~. by .6pe.cial. int~e1>:t i6 .6uc.h a. 1r..e.que1>:t .i-6 in :the. Comp1r..e.he.n.tiive. Plan. PARKS ANV OPEN SPACE POLICIES 15. 1 Plan, c.001r..dinate., devel.op, and op~e. an open .6pa.c.e .6y.6:tem :tha.t mew lac.al open .6pa.c.e. nee.d6. The. .6y.6:tem .6hould be. bMed on :the. natuJr..a.l c.hMa.c.:t~tic.-6 and 6unc.tion.ti :tha.t :the. land P~oOJtm.6 15. 2 Enc.ouJta.ge. a.U level-6 06 gov~nment :to pMtic.ipa.te. a.c.tivel.y in the. planning, de.vel.opme.nt, a.nd op~on 06 a. c.001tcUnate.d open -6 pa.c..e. .6 tJ-6:tem. 15. 3 Look 601t. :the. 6oUow..lng qualitie1> in .6e1.e.c.ting land 601t pMk -and open .6pa.c..e. a.c.qu.i.6ilion a.nd p1te1>~va.tion: 15.4 15. 5 15.3.1 Po.6.6e1>.6e1> .tic.enic. a.nd/01r.. unique. natuJr..a.l 6e.a.tuJr..u. 15.3.2 P~601tm.6 impol[;ta.nt natuJr..a.l 6unc.tion.ti . 15.3.3 Ful6.ill.6 .6eve.Jta.l open ~pa.c.e.. 6unc.Uon.ti. Give .6pecial. a.tte.nu.on :to :the. ac.qu.i.6ilion and/011.. p1r..e1>~va.tion 06 du.ilr..e.d open .6pa.c.e. :tha.t .i-6 likel.y :to go into inc.ompa.tible. U.6 e-6 in :the. ne.a.Jt 6u:t.Ulr..e. Ac.qu.ilr..e. oil p1te1>~ve. pMk a.nd open .6pa.c.e land6 :thlr..ough me.an.ti :tha.t Me c.on.ti.i-6:tent W..Uh :the a.nu.upa.te.d Me-6 06 :the. land. 15. 6 Ac.qu.ilr..e. alt p!te.6~ve .6u66ic..ient pMk and open .tipa.c.e. land :to 6ul6ill :the. ne.e.d6 06 :the. p1r..e1>e.n.,t population and 06 p1r..oje.c.:te.d 6u:t.Ulr..e population. 15. 7 Ve.vel.op pMk a.nd ope.n .6pac.e. 6a.cJ.Li.:tle1> a.t a lta.te and level. c.omme.n.tiWta.te. with :the. ne.ed6 06 :the population. 15.8 Enc.ouJr..a.ge. ta~ 1te.Ue6 601r.. land pe.Jr..ma.ne.n:tly c.ommille.d :to open .6pa.c.e. :tha.t .i-6 c.on.ti.i-6:tent W..Uh the. Comp1r..e.he.n.tiive. Plan. 15. 9 Ate.ow the. c.onve.Jr..-6.ion 06 pMk a.nd public. open .6pa.c..e. land6 :to oth~ U.6e.6 only when no oe.Mible. a.l:t~na.Uve. e.wt-6. Whe.n .6uc.h c.onve.Jr...6ion .i-6 unavoidable., :the taking a.ge.nc.y .6hould pa.lJ 601r.. :the. 11..e.plac.ement 06 equivalent land a.nd 6a.cJ.Li.:tlu. 88 �15. 10 Manage. Oil. p1r.olub..U de.velopme.nt .ln .tho.be. aJte.M .tha..t pvr.-60'1.m 1..mpoJt:t.a.nt p1to.te.ct.fon -6u.nc..t.lon.6 .ln .thw. n.a.twr.a..e. 1.>.ta..te.. 15. 11 Adopt a.nd apply loea..t.lon, du.lgn., a.nd opvr.a..t.lng ne.gu..la..t.lon.6 to manage development .ln du.lgna..te.d pno.tec..t.lon ope.n 1.>pa.ee. Me.al.>. 15. 12 Zone u.npno.te.e.te.d pa.nu o-6 -6lood pla..ln.6 -6on u.-0 u .tha..t W-i.ll. not nu.tit.let .thw. wa..tvr. ~y.lng Mpa.wy a.n.d W-i.ll. n.o.t ea.U-O e a. pu.bUe ha.zMd .l-6 .lnu.nda..te.d. 15. 13 Pnue.nve. na..tMa.l dM.lnagewa.y1.> a.n.d, wheJte. -oe.M.lble., ne.eon.6.tlr.uc.1 -60'1.meJt na..tMa.l dM.lnagewa.y1.> .to handle. 1.>.tonm wa..tvr. nu.no-6-6- 15. 14 Adop.t a.nd e.n-6onee. ne.gu..la..t.lon.6 .to manage. de.velopme.nt o-6 dna..lna.gewa.y-0, n.lve.M a.n.d 1.>.tne.am6 .tha..t meet on e.xee.e.d 1.>.ta..te. 1.>.t.a.ndaJi.d-0 on modelo. 15. 15 Re.qu..lne. de.velopme.nt on. 1.>lopu o-6 1O pvr.ee.nt a.n.d oveJt .to be. du.lgn.e.d, eon.6.tnu.e.te.d, a.nd managed .ln a. ma.nn.eJt .tha..t W-i.ll. mhwn.lze eJto.6.lon. po.tent.lat a.nd a.vo.ld 1.>lope. 1.>Uppa.ge.. 15. 16 En.eou.na.g e. nu.lde.nt.la.l a.n.d a.gn.leui..tu.tta.1 1.> oil ma.nag e.me.nt pna.e.t.lc.eA .tha..t m.ln.lm.lz e 1.>ilta..t.lo n a.nd poUu..t.lo n o-6 n.lv e.M , laku , a.nd .6tll.e,o.m.6, 15. 17 Plan 6on .the neela.ma..t.lon a.nd ne.-u.-0e. 06 m,i.n.vr.a.l e.xea.va..t.lon f.>liV., be.6one. m.ln.lng opvr.a..t.lon.6 be.g.ln. 15. 18 Pnue.nve. 1.>ee.n.le open. f.>pa.ee.. 15. 19 Aequ..lne 1.>ee.n.le land on e.Me.me.nu a.long noa.dwa.y1.> whe.n n.lghu-06wa.y Me. a.equ..lne.d. 15.20 Eneou.na.ge. h.lgh qua.lily loMtion.a.l a.n.d du.lgn. 1.>.ta.n.da.Jtd-0 0on bo:th pu.bUe .lmpnove.me.n.u a.n.d pn.lva..te. de.velopme.nt .to .ln.6u.ne. eompa.:ti.b.lUty w..Uh .the. na..tMa.l 1.>u.Mou.nd.lng1.>. 15.21 E.6.ta.bw h a.nd ma..lnta..ln eon.6 e.nva..t.lon. aJte.M 6on a.n.d e.du.ea..t.lo n.a.l a.nd f.> uen..t.l 6.le pun po 1.> u • 15.22 En.eou.na.ge e.du.ea..t.lon.a.l .ln.6.t..uu..t.lon.6 a.nd o.thvr. onga.n.lza..t.lon.6 to, a.equ..lne., ma.na.ge., a.n.d ~Vta..te. eon.6vr.va..t.lon f.i.l.te.-6 M paJt.t 06 :thwre.du.ea..t.lon.a.l pnog.lta.m.6. 15.23 En.eou.na.ge. f.>.ta..te. a.nd -6e.dvr.a.l a.equ..l-6.l.t.lon. 06 eon.6eJtva..t.lon 15. 24 Pnov.lde. pno6e.1.>1.>.lon.a.l f.ieJtv.leu .ln eon.6eJtva..t.lon. aJte.M .to -6u.Jdhe/1. pu.bUe u.n.d~.ta.nd.ln.g 06 e.eology a.nd e.nv.lnon.me.nta.l ma.n.a.ge.me.n.:t. 15. 25 Pnu0ve. h.l-6.ton.le a.nd Mehe.olog.lea.l f.iile.-6 a.nd .the..ln e.nv.lnonme.~, 1.>e..tt.ln.g, a.nd nu.tone. -6a.uU.t.lu whe.ne. f.iu.eh a.c..t.lon Mn 1.>u.bf.>:ta.YIM,LM-"-Y en.ha.nee. a.ppne.ua..t.lon and u.nd~.t.a.n.d.lng. 89 w.lW.J..6 e. ma.na.geme.n1 Me..ali, h �► 15. 26 Give. p11.A.,0Jr.,,ij,y to .tho-0e. fia~M ,Ut demand by .the. laltgMt nu.mbell. o,6 people. and c.apable. o,6 bung UJ.ie.d wlih low peJL-Oonal 6,lnanual ou:teay. 15.27 P~ovide. at le.a.t,t m,i,rumu.m oa~M ,60~ ill ~e.c.ogn,lze.d out.doo~ ~e.Me.at,lonal ac.:ti.,v-ttiM. 15.28 Loe.ate. ~e.Meatlonal fia~M not having un,lque. fund ~e.q~e.me.nu (.t,uc.h M ic.e. Me.nM, golo C.OuMM) in Me.a.t, hlghly ac.c.u-0ible. to the. Mban popula.,ti,on. 15. 29 Give. p11.A.,0Jr.,,ij,y to the. p~ov,{,.l,ion o,6 public. ac.c.M-0 to the. watell. and public. UJ.ie. o,6 the. -0ho~e.linM o,6 the. St. J0-0e.ph TU.veil.. AGRICULTURAL POLICIES 15.30 Gu,lde. Mban g~owth towaJtd non-pJU.me. ag11.A.,c.utiMal fund-0, and the. le.a.t,t p~oduc.:ti.,ve. ag11.A.,c.uUMal fund. 15. 31 Enc.oUMge. p~Uell.va.tion o 0 the. .towMrup-0 ag11.A.,c.uUUM,t land-0 by ~e.q~ng lMg e. mirumum lo.t J.iize. ,fo .the. ag11.A.,c.uUUM,t futJuc..t when zo~g. 15.32 P~omo.te. p~uell.va.tion o,6 n~land and ope.n -0pac.e. fund. 15.33 P~uell.ve. .the. 11.A.,gh.t.t, o,6 .the. n~Vl. .to pell.,60~ ge.nell.ally ~e.c.ogn,lze.d ag11.A.,c.uUMal and ho/f...t.lc.uUUMl ac.:ti._v-t:Uu -0uc.h M nell.Ulimg, -0 p~ylng, c.u.Ltlvctting, etc.. 90 �9 GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN �GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PURPOSE The purpose of the General Development Plan is to act as a guide to control the growth and development of Oronoko Township. The General Development Plan was studied for almost two (2) years by the Planning Commission and presented at a public hearing before publishing in this report. DESCRIPTION As identified on the existing land use map of the Township, there are twenty-three (23) land use categories. On the General devel- opment Plan the land use categories are reduced to sixteen (16). However, these categories absorb the existing land uses within the Township. Oronoko Township has been experiencing growth, particularly as it relates to the area around the Village of Berrien Springs, in a northwesterly direction from the community. This growth is ex- pected to increase during the planning period, and it would increase even more if utilities such as sewers were provided. The Township now has a Planned Unit Development Ordinance, and through this process, larger developments could come to this area and sewer and water could be made available. Oronoko Township will develop sooner than Berrien Township because it is located in the thrust of development between Berrien Springs and Benton Harbor--St. Joseph. 91 �Not all of the land shown on the General Development Plan can be developed because of unbuildable soils. As shown on the General Development Plan, the growth patterns are shown to extend just westerly from Red Bud Trail Road and U.S. 31-33. Growth is anticipated in this area during and beyond the planning period. Of significant influence will be the relocation of U.S. 31 as proposed by the Michigan Department of State Highway and Transportation. The Township will have to be on guard to protect against any large scale developments that may not be compatible with the geography of the Township and other land uses, etc. The Township will have to protect against the removal of tree growth and mismanagement of existing tributary areas. The land use areas as shown on the General Development Plan have been measured, calculated and are shown on Chart 30. It is impossibla to show a comparison of existing land uses as recorded in a survey taken in 1969 and the land use areas as depicted on Chart 30 for the General Development Plan. This is not possible because of the detailed break-down in the types of land uses existing at the time of the previously mentioned survey. The only comparison can be in general land use categories as residential, commercial, schools and parks, flood plain, public use �facilities, industry, street rights-of-way, water, etc. such comparison of land uses are shown on Chart 31. In this manner, it is then possible to compare categories in which there would be growth. PROPOSED LAND USES RESIDENTIAL Shown on the General Development Plan are four (4) residential land use categories which include: Agricultural-Residential, Urban Residential, Medium Density Residential and High Density Residential. These categories are interpreted in the zoning ordinance as to size of building site, etc. It was the consensus of opinion that agricultural areas were not to be so restrictive as to prevent some residential structures from being located in the agricultural area. It is the recom- mendation, based on planning standards, that agricultural land should be for associated agricultural uses and not mixed uses. At such time as agricultural uses change, the zoning process should be followed. The agricultural-residential area in Oronoko Township is proposed to be westerly from Red Bud Trail Road and US 31-33. Between Red Bud Trail Road and the proposed relocation of US 31 urban residential large lot developments are proposed as indicated on the General Development Plan. Increased residential density would mean that public or private sewers and treatment facilities meeting Enviromental Protection 93 �Agency standards would have to be installed. Sewers are like transmission lines such as railroads and highways along which people locate. There are soil problems in some of the general land use areas and such problems should be detected prior to development to avoid present and future problems. The Berrien County Soil Survey, recently completed in Oronoko Township, should be utilized to help identify such problem areas. COMMERCIAL The existing commercial land uses are primarily stripped along US 31-33. There are existing commercial uses elsewhere but not as great as along the US routes. On the General Development Plan, proposed commercial areas are located in areas along us 31-33 to include existing uses. There are two other commercial areas located on the Plan: the location of the commercial area around the interchange of the proposed relocation of US 31 and existing US 31-33. The exact location of this commercial area will depend on the approved location of this proposed relocated highway. The second commercial area is large and is proposed for the general area of the proposed relocated highway on the west with Shawnee Road dividing it in an east-west direction. This proposed commercial area could have an effect on the 94 �principal business district of Berrien Springs. This, of course, would depend on the uses to be included in such a development. Such commercial areas are located within the proposed land use areas anticipated during and beyond the planning period. They are also accessible from the areas in the Township via the present transportation system. In the future, and this would be beyond the present planning period, if growth took on a westerly direction, then additional commercial areas would have to be planned along with the development. Good planning standards prohibit the location of strip commercial areas along highways or principal thoroughfares, and this standard should be adhered to by the Planning Commission and the Township Board. COMMUNITY FACILITIES Adequate public facilities are becoming increasingly important to the people of Oronoko Township. They are requisite components to the development of an attractive and wholesome environmental character. The condition and adequacy of such public facilities as schools, playgrounds and parks are tangible indications of the quality and viability of the Township. While these facilities require large expenditures of tax monies, they are essential if the Township is to grow, prosper and sustain a competitive position with other areas for desirable commerce and industry. 95 �PARKS At the time the existing land uses were recorded, there were no parks in Oronoko Township. Proposed parks are shown on the General Development Plan and a suggested park is indicated in the future growth area which is shown as agricultural-residential. These parks are shown where there are problem soils but the areas are large enough so that situations associated with parks and recreation can be built on stable soils. The proposed parks are located in such a manner that access can easily be provided. They also act as buffers between commercial and residential land uses. Parks and recreation areas can be developed in the designated flood plain along the St. Joseph River. Some of these areas are large enough to develop wellplanned recreational areas which could also include marinai. FLOOD PLAIN The flood plain is shown along the east side of the St. Joseph River in Oronoko Township. The width of the flood plain depends on the topography as shown on the Topographic Map included in Volume. 1, Phy.t,,lc.ai. FadoM 601t Planning .the. Lak.e. Chapin Re.gionai. Planning Alr..e.a report, and as shown by pattern on the General Development Plan. 96 �Ultimately the Federal Flood Insurance Administration will define the exact elevation for the 100 year flood (1% annual probability of flooding) elevation. At such time, the township will be required to administer an ordinance to preclude development from the floodway and monitor construction in the floodway fringe areas to insure compliance with flood prevention standards. The flood plain area, therefore, should be used for park and recreation uses with no structures permitted. NEW RECREATION SOURCES A new concept of recreation and open space, and one which is finding more and more acceptance, is that open space and recreational facilities be provided, developed and maintained as part of a new housing development. These facilities are usually included in new projects for the benefit of the occupants only. Although not counted in the public sector of open space or recreational facilities, they do augment the public facilities. Neither the Township nor the local government has a direct responsibility in providing such facilities. However, the government's encouragement, through properly designed zoning and subdivision regulations, can be a major tool toward their development. 97 �SCHOOLS School facilities were discussed in the report titled Volume 1, Phy~ieai. Fac.toM 60~ Plann,lng ~he LaQe Chapin Regional. Plann,lng Altea. On the General Development Plan a single school is located in the new growth area. This location is generally in the area where a school should be located. Also, the walking distance for children is located on the General Development Plan. Standards indicate that children can walk the following distances: One half mile One mile Two miles Elementary School Junior High School High School The general location of the school site can include a school/park site which provides for greater use by residents in the general area. Gener~l school planning practice calls for school sites of the following sizes: Elementary School 5 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils 15 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils 25 acres plus 1 acre for each 100 pupils Junior High School High School The Michigan Department of Education recommends site standards in excess of these minimums that would, in effect, add five (5) acres to the above standards. Because of the relatively low density of development 98 �within the planning area, as well as the presence of significant amounts of public open space, it is recommended that the general standards as noted by the Michigan Department of Education be followed. PUBLIC UTILITIES Public utilities have been addressed, in detail, in the Community Facilities chapter. It is anticipated that the Township will be supplying municipal sewerage collection for a substantial area surrounding the Village. The major portion of the area designated for urban development shall have access to this collection system. In the future planning period extensions are proposed along Snow Road, Red Bud Trail and Shawnee Road. STREETS, THOROUGHFARES AND TRANSPORTATION Transportation in the Oronoko Township by the automobile. is primarily Public transportation is not part of the area, but are provided in the St. Joseph -- Benton Harbor Area. Streets and thoroughfares are the circulation systems along which people and goods are moved from place to place. The movement of traffic must be planned for, since routes of movements become fixed land use patterns as well as determinants of other land uses. The General Development Plan 99 �includes the land use plan, thoroughfare plan and the community facilities plan. A township in Michigan may not have control over streets and/or highways, but with the development of private property, which is guided through implementing tools such as local zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, capital works programs and thoroughfare planning, future local streets can be developed under supervision of the township. Such thoroughfare plans are important and local recommendations are considered by highway agencies. Reference is made to Chapter 4, for information on traffic volumes both 1969 and 1970, condition of streets such as surface type, pavement conditions, thoroughfare classification, traffic conflict points and other information pertaining to Oronoko Township. Traffic volumes on streets in Oronoko Township do not show a pattern o~ direction of development as they do in other Townships. The heaviest traveled road is US 31-33. Other heavily traveled roads are Red Bud Trail and Shawnee Roads. Shawnee shows a heavier volume of traffic because of the trips between the City of Bridgman and Berrien Springs. Other roads with measured traffic volumes are Snow and Tudor Roads. 100 �The road showing the greatest increase between 1969 and 1973 is a section of US 31-33, between Linco and Lemon Creek Roads with an increase from 7,300 to 10,619 cars during a twenty-four (24) hour period. Another noticeable volume increase is on Shawnee Road between Red Bud Trail and ~auer Roads. Other increases in traffic volumes are on rural roads and this data is shown in Chapter 4. For several years there have been plans for the relocation of US 31 - which will be a substantial improvement over the present US 31. This relocated route will serve as a by-pass around Berrien Springs. US 33. An interchange is proposed with Proposed land uses are shown around the proposed intersection and the new zoning ordinance and district map that will control the future land uses in order to prevent undesirable uses from being established. Traffic conflict points are identified on such a map included in Chapter 4. Some of these conflict points have been created by too may intersections such as the Mt. Tabor Road, Snow Road and Coveney Road intersection. It is recommended that traffic conflict points as noted on the above map be improved to prevent accidents that have occurred in the past which have resulted in property damage and fatalities. 101 �INDUSTRY Proposed industrial areas are shown in three (3) locations on the General Development Plan. These areas have the benefit of Regional Arterial, Local Arterial and Primary Collector Thoroughfares. All of these highways provide good highway connection to Interstate I-94. The thoroughfares on the General Development Plan have been classified according to the Fu.netlona.l Highway ClM.6ioic.a.,t,,i,on Sy.6tem. The following thoroughfares classified during the planning period may have to be improved to meet the standards of such in~ividually classified thoroughfares. Re.g,i,ona.l Loe.al Ptu.ma1ty Co Ue.c.:toll. Mte/Lla1_ Se.c.onda1ty CoUe.c.:toll. Mte/Lla1_ Loe.al Stll.e.e:a Using this classification the following roads have been classified: R~g,i,ona.l Loe.al Mte/Lla1_ us 31-33 Mte/Lla1_ Snow Road between Red Bud Trail Road and us 31-33 Shawnee Road Pll.op0.6 e.d Ptu.ma1ty CoUe.c.:toll. Linco Road Burgoyne Road Ptu.ma1ty CoUe.c.:toll. Hinchman Road Lemon Creek Road Snow Road (between .R ed Bud Trail Road and west corporate limits} Scottsdale Road Terre Coupe Road 102 �As noted above both Linco and Burgoyne Roads are proposed as Primary Collector thoroughfares to provide improved eastwest and north-south traffic flow. The designated areas should prove adequate to accommodate development during the planning period. These industrial areas as recommended would not include any heavy industry, except around Tudor Road and the corporate limits of Berrien Springs. SUMMARY The General Development Plan is designed to guide the growth and development in Oronoko Township and its relationship to its surrounding neighbors during the planning period. The Township will have to be on guard to protect against any large scale developments that may not be compatible with the geography of the Township and the land uses, etc. The Township will also have to protect against the removal of tree growth and mismanagement of tributary areas that presently exist. It is necessary for the Oronoko Township Board to be familiar with the General Development long-range Plan in establishing policy or considering period. the rezoning of land during the planning If this is not done, controlled growth and development will never take place. 103 �As the Comprehensive Plan for Oronoko Township is being implemented the adoption of a Housing Code should be considered in order to maintain a quality housing stock. Standard housing stock relates to the amount of real estate tax received by the Township. Tax revenue means improved services to the citizens of the corporate area. The zoning ordinance and map implement the Comprehensive Plan. The zoning district map may not include all the land use areas as shown on the General Development Plan. At the time of a petitioned amendment to the zoning ordinance the General Development Plan along with the existing land use map should be used as guides in formulating any decisions. It is the General Development Plan which is the ultimate way the Township is to develop through the planning period. 104 �Chart 30 GENERAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN LAND USE AREAS Proposed Land Area in Acres Percent of Total 10,980.6 50.3 Urban Residential l ,831. 0 8.4 19. l Medium Density 3,938.0 18.0 41. 1 High Density 306.3 1.4 3.2 Commercial Business 360.9 1. 7 3.8 39.7 •2 .4 Proposed Parks 256.9 1.2 2.7 Suggested Park Sites 144.2 .7 1. 5 72.0 .3 .8 Semi-Public Facilities 650.6 2.9 6.8 Public Recreation &Open Space (flood plain) 599.5 2.8 6.3 Industry 347.2 1. 6 3.6 Proposed Route 31 R.O.W. 131. 3 .6 1.4 Regional Arterial R.O.W. 28.2 .1 .3 Local Arterial R.O.W. 97.7 .5 1.0 Existing Primary Collector R.0.W. 137. 1 .6 1.4 Proposed Primary Collector R.O.W. 81.8 .4 .9 452. l 2.0 4.7 99.6 .5 1.0 Marsh Area 127.2 .6 Water 629.5 2.8 Incorporated Area 518.6 2.4 9,574.1 43.9 21,830.0 100. 0 Land Uses Agricultural-Residential Suggested Elementary School Site Public Facilities Local Street R.O.W. Quarries Total Developed Area Total Area 105 Percent of Developed l 00.0 �Chart 31 CO~PARISON OF PERCENT OF TOTAL AREA Land Uses Existing Land Use (Updated 1974) Agricultural-Residential General Development Plan Comparison Increase Decrease ( ) 50.3 50.3 Residential 4.9 27.8 22.9 Commercial .2 ). 7 1.5 Industrial &Quarries .6 2. l 1.5 Schools, Quasi-Public Parks and Cemeteries 4.6 5.3 •7 Agricultural, special crops and Vacant 80.3 Flood Plain 2.8 Water and Marsh 3.4 3.4 Street R.O.W. 3.6 3.6 Proposed Route 31 R.O.W. Incorporated Areas Total Developed Total Area .6 2.4 2.4 13.9 43.9 100.0 100.0 106 .6 30.0 �10 CAPITAL IMPROVEMEMT PROGRAM �CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM INTRODUCTION A capital improvement program and budget is a primary means for the township to implement their Comprehensive Plan. Essentially, it involves scheduling physical improvements for the township over a certain period of time, with consideration for priorities and financial capabilities of the township. A "capital improvement" for the purposes of a township capital improvement program is generally defined as "any major nonrecurring expenditure or any expenditure for physical facilities, such as costs for acquisition of land or interest in land; construction of buildings or other structures, including additions or major alterations; construction of hi.gh.ways o;r utility lines; fixed equipment; landscaping and similar expenditures". The capital improvement "program", itself, is a long-range schedule of projects, along with their estimated costs over a period of usually five to ten years. The most common period is six years. The capital improvement "budget" is the detailed list of projects, together with the amounts and sources of funds, for the coming fiscal year. The detailed capital improvement budget is often considered as the first year of the capital improvement program. The budget's schedule of projects can also be treated as the capital improvement section of the annual township operation budget. 107 h �I■ The capital improvement program and budget should provide a comprehensive schedule for executing both public and private physical improvements. The capital improvement budget should be a separate document from the Township Comprehensive Plan which ranks and phases specific projects and is based upon a sound determination of public and private funding sources. The report should be regularly updated by the Township Planning Commission and approved by the Township Board. PLANNING COMMISSION ROLE The Township Planning Commission, as part of the comprehensive planning process is limited to development of the "Capital needs list," listing by priority all capital improvement recommendations and a projected means of financing. Because the Planning Commissions role does not include the township budget process the actual "budget" should be excluded from the Comprehensive Plan Document and prepared for adoption by the Township Board of Trustees. TOWNSHIP BOARD ROLE In Capital Improv~ent Programming the Township Board has the responsibility to arrange project financing mechanisms for the implementation of the capital needs as identified by in the Capital Improvement Program. Usually this is accomplished in the annual operations budget as adopted by the Board of Trustees. 108 �It is important to identify these two distinct roles in the Capital Improvement Program in order to fully comprehend the intent and implementation process of the Township. Simply stated, it is the responsibility of the Township Planning Commission to develop the Capital Improvement Program by identifying and prioritizing specific capital needs while the Township Board of Trustees prepare the budget to implement the Capital Improvement Program. DEFINITIONS During the Lake Chapin regional planning process a Capital Improvement Program for Oronoko Township was prepared. To facilitate an understanding of the process used, the following definitions are warranted. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM -- A .oc..he.du.le. 06 pu.b.Uc.. phtj.oic..ai. impttove.me.n.t:6 nOIL a gove.ttnmen.tal, un.-U OVeA a. c..eArun. peM.od 06 time. Ex.pe.n.cU.twte..o 6ott opetta.tlng, Jte.c..u!Uvi,ng .oeAvic..e..o 6ott a peM.od 06 one. (1) qe.att. ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET -- ADVANTAGES OF CAPITABLE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMING FOCUSING ATTENTION ON COMMUNITY GOALS, NEEDS AND CAPABILITIES Cap,Ltal pttoje.w c..an be. bttough.t in.to .Une. wah c..ommun.-<.tlj obje.c..Uve..o, a.n..tlupa.te.d gttowth and 6.i-n.anuai. c..apa.b~e..o. Bq pla.Y!,ning a.he.a.d 601t ptto j e.c..:a, tho.& e. whic..h atte. n.e.e.~e.d o~ de..o-<Jte.d the. mo.6~ will be. c..on..otltuc...t.e.d 6fu.t. Ma.xhnu.m .oa.fu 6ac..:ti..on will .the.tte.bq be. ga.,c,ne.d 6Jt.om .the. mone.lj .ope.n.t. ACHIEVING OPTIMUM USE OF TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS Adva.nc..e. pJt.ogttamming 06 pu.b.U~ WOJz.k!.i on an 01tde.ltly b~-<-.6 w..f!-1 he.lp a.void the. a.dve.n.t o6 c..o.oiltj mW take.,~. The. p~o~ttam will gt.u~e.. lac.al. o66iuai..6 in ma.king .oound an.nu.al. budge..t_de.c..,U~~n..6. In a.dd-<.Uon, a. wUng 06 an..tlupa.te.d nu..tu.Jte. c..on..o:tltuc..:ti..on pJt.OJe.W ma.tj e.nc..ou.1tage. the. .oe.le.c...tlon 06 ne.e.de.d la.nd we..U in a.dva.nc..e. 06 ac...tu.ai. c.on..o:tltu.c...tlon a.n.d thllli, pe.tuni.t a.c.qU-<-.6UiOn at .loWeA C..0.6:U • 109 a �SERVING WIDER COMMUNITY INTERESTS The. c.a.p..-i;tal. ,impnoveme.n;t pnog4a.m onc.e. a.c.c.e.p:te.d, ke.e.p.6 :the. pubUc. in60Jr.me.d a.bout 6utMe. c.on.6btuc.tion pla.n.6 06 the c.ommunilq and hei.:p.6 ne.duc.e :the pncMMe6 on lac.a.£ 066-l~ 6on p4oje.w 6M down on the. p~o~y U6:t. In a.dd-lt-lon, knowledge. a.bout the. 6u.:tu.Jte. phy.6ic.a.£ ne.e.d.6 06 :the. c.omm..t.nillj and :the. 6inane.-la..1 a.b-lU.ty 06 lac.a.£ govMnme.n;t :to 6ul6ill :thue. ne.e.d.6 if., a. va.luable. aid :to p~vate. invu:toM. ENCOURAGING A MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENTAL ADMINISTRATION Co-ond-lnat-lon 06 c.a.p..-i;tal. ,impnoveme.n;t pnognrunming by :the. a.ge.nc.-lu 06 a c.ommunily c.an ne.duc.e .6c.he.duUng pnoblem.6; c.on6Uc.ting and ovMla.pping pnoje.w and ovM-emphM,lf., 06 antJ govMnme.n;ta.£ 6unc.tion. In add-lt-lon, Wo4k c.an be. e.66e.c.tiveltj .6c.he.dule.d and ava-lla.ble. p~onnel and equipment be;t;tM uJ.ie.d when li if., known in advanc.e. what, whMe. and when pnoje.w Me :to be. und~ke.n. IMPROVING THE BASIS FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION Cap..-i;tal. ,imp4oveme.n;t ~og4a.mrru.ng 066~ pubUc. o66i~ 06 all govMnme.n;ta.£ un-lu -- v-llla.ge., WtJ, :towMhlp, c.oun;ty and .6pe.e.-la..1 fubt-lw-a.n oppontunily to pla.n the loc.at-lon, iliing and 6inanc.-lng 06 needed ,impnoveme.nu in the. in;tMu:t 06 the. c.ommunily a6 a. whole.. Funthenmone, bec.a.uJ.ie. ma.ny pubUc. wonM .6Mvic.e6 and 6a.c.-lU.tiu do not .6:top at the. c.o4po~e. bound~u, a.de.quate. pla.nn-lng a.nd c.oopMat-lon by the. vwouJ.i a.genc.-lu a.nd govMnment6 tMough a. c.a.p..-i;tal. ,impnoveme.n;t pnognrun c.ould help ne.duc.e. dupUc.at-lon 06 e.66ou a.nd the. c.o.6t 06 .6uc.h pnojew, a.nd a.void pubUc. inc.onven-lenc.u. MAINTAINING A SOUND AND STABLE FINANCIAL PROGRAM ShMp c.ha.nge6 in .the. tax .6btuc.tMe. a.nd bonded inde.bte.dne6.6 ma.y be. a.voided when the. pnoje.w .to be. c.oMbtuc.te.d Me .6pa.c.e.d ovM a. numbM 06 tJe.afl.6. WhMe. th~e, if., ample. rue. 60Jr. planning, :the. m0.6t e.c.onorru.c.a.£ me.a.n.6 06 6inanc.-lng e.a.c.h pno j e.c.t c.a.n be. .6 ele.c.te.d in a.dva.nc.e.. Kee.ping planned p4o j e.w w.lt..hln :the. 6-lna.ne.-la..1 c.a.pa.c.liy o6 :the. c.ommunily help.6 :to p4e6 ~v e. w c.ne.d.lt.. nat-lng a.nd ma.ku :the. Me.a. mane a.tbta.c.tive. :to buJ.iine6.6 a.nd induJ.i tlttJ. \ ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL OR STATE GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS Th~e. Me num~ouJ.i S:tate. a.nd Fe.d~ p4ognam.6 .that a. lac.a.£ gov~nme.n;t ma.y dJta.w upon 604 pla.nn-lng c.oM:tnuc.tion and 6ina.nc.-lng c.a.p..-i;tal. hnpnoveme.n;t. The. p4e.pMat-lon 06 a. c.a.p..-i;tal. ,impnoveme.n;t p4ogna.m inc.ne.Me6 :the. lac.a.£ gov~nme.nu' c.ha.nc.e. 06 ob:ta-ln-lng J.iuc.h aid. 110 �FINANCING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM There are a variety of methods which can be employed in the financing of public improvements. These include the following: REVENUE BONDS In pnag/z.a.mm<.ng public. won~ pnajew, .the c.ommun,i...ty .6houi.d c.on.tinue :to ~uMue a palic.y w~c.h nelatu :f;he .type 06 6,i..na11ung U6ed .ta .the pa/t.ti.c.u1.M. .,unpnovemen.t .that « :to be pnov-<-ded. Many -<JY1p/tovement-6 .6uc.h M .6eweJt and WateJr. 6ac)LU,lu c.an be. 6,i..nanc.e.d by Jte.ve.nue. c.aUe.c.tiaM 6Jtam .the U6eM .th.e.m6e..lvu. In :tlu1i c.an.n.e.c.tion., a ,v., :to be. no:te.d .that .6uc.h bond..6 nequ,iJr_e. .the. ple.dging 06 all :the nevenuu ob.:ta,i,ne.d 6Jtom .the ope..tr.a.tioM o6 :the .6 y.6 :te.m. GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS The c.ommun,i...ty impnave.men.,t,6 whlc.h c.anno:t be 6inanc.e.d th/tough c.oMumeJr. nevenuu OJt a .6pe.ual M.6U.6ment c.an be 6,i..nanc.ed th/tough geneJr.a..l obUga.ti..on. bond..6, paid 60Jt by geneJr.a..l pnopenty ta.xa.ti..on. In Mic.hlgan'.6 muniupa.Uu.u, gene/1.a..l obliga.ti..on bond..6 ma.y be. ,v.,;.,ue.d up :ta :ten (To) peJr.c.e.n.t 06 .the. ;.,ta..te e.qualize.d valua.ti..on. SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BONDS Th,v., .type 06 6,i..nanung M.6Ufi..U only pnopelt-ti.u be.ne6Lti.ng 6nom .the .6pe.u6,i,c. -<JY1p/tovemen.,t,6 made. :to .them. Pnopenty own.eM mU6:t a.gne.e. :ta M.6ume. .thehc.. p!topotttiona.te .6ha!te 06 .the pnoje.c.t c.o.6:t and liabili.ty 601t payment 06 .the bon.d..6. Speual Mfi..U.6me.n.t bon.d.6 Me. ge.ne./z.a.Uy employed whe.n p!tovidin.g a pa/t.ti.c.ula.Jt .6egme.nt 06 .the c.ommun-U:.y w.lth a. ;.,pe.u6,i..c. fi..eJr.vic.e.. APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE CORPORATE FUND Ce.tt,t.a,i.n. pnoje.w, whlc.h do not ne.qu,Ute. .6ub.6ta.n.,ti.a1. outlay;., 06 c.Mh and 6on whlc.h o.theJr. me.aM 06 6,lnanun.g Me not p1tac.tic.al, c.an. be. 6,i..n.an.c.ed :th/tough :the gen.e/1.a..l alt c.01tpolta.te 6und. RUeJr.ve. 6un.d 6,i..n.an.un.g ,v., a vo.JU.a;()_on. 06 ;th,v., me.th.ad. Un.deJr. .thi-6 p!toc.e.duJte, 6un.d..6 Me. ac.c.umula.ted in. adva.n.c.e. 601t .the c.oMtlr.uc.tion. 06 c.api:tal p1toje.w. RECEIPTS FROM MOTOR VEHICLE HIGHWAY FUND The. U6e. 06 6un.d..6 61tom .the. Moton Ve.hie.le. Highway Fund 06 .the muniupal-U:.y ,v., 1te.la.te.d pltima.Jtillj :to .the c.oMtlr.uc.tion and mainte.nan.c.e 06 aJt:teJ!.ia.l .6tlr.e.w in. .the mun.iupali:ty. 111 D I i �JOINT FINANCING The. pl'C.opMe.d pl'C.oje.ct might be. .6Wr..ve.ye.d to deteJunine. whet.he.Jc. c.eJr.;ta,ln pl'C.oje.ct.6 aJte. e.qua.U.y be.ne.f/,c.,,la,l to at.he.Jc. gove.Jc.nme.nt a.genue.6, a.uthoJc.aieLi, oJc. Lipec.,,la,l furuct.6 a.nd i6 joint 6ina.nung c.a.n be. aJtJc.ange.d. Suc.h c.oope.Jc.a.,t,Jon ma.11 bung a.bout p!r.oje.ct.6 thett would otheJlwiLie. have. to be. de.6MJc.e.d 601t. many lfe,o.Jt,6 a.nd, thU.6, c.a.n Jc.eLiult in be.t:te.Jc. .6 e.Jc.vic.e. a.nd £oweJt c.OLit,1, f,,oJc. the. aJc.e.a.. OUTSIDE SOURCES Stette. and 6e.de.Jc.a.£ gJc.a.nt.6-in-a.id pJc.og/ta.m.6 aJte. o6te.n a.vcu.1.a.ble. to plan, c.onLitl'C.uc.t a.nd 6ina.nc.e. c.a.plia.l impJc.oveme.nt.6. The. poMibili,t,y ofi obta.in.£ng. puvette. gi6t.6 fioJr.. c.Mta.in fia.c.LU;tleLi -- paJtk.6; c.ommunity c.e.nteM, oJc. Ub/f.Mie.6 -- fiJc.om indivi,dua.l.6, c.01r..po1r..a.tion.6 a.nd fiounda.tion.6, Lihould a.l.60 be. e.xploJc.e.d. FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAMS The.Jc.e. aJte. a. wide. numbe.Jc. ofi p!r..ogJc.a.m.6 a.vcu.1.a.ble. to va.Jr..ioU.6 gove.Jc.nme.nta.l unit.Li whic.h would enable. .t.hem to ma.ke. c.eJr.;ta,ln c.a.plia.l impJc.oveme.nt.6. PROJECTIONS OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES The previous section outlines various methods to finance capital improvements in the township. It should be realized that the greatest financial effort to improve facilities will have to be made by the township itself. This means that those revenues currently available will provide the major source of funds to finance any adopted Capital Improvement Program. The remainder of this chapter will concentrate upon the revenues and expenditures of the township to determine how . \ . much money will be available to be spent for any capital improvement. Drawing upon the social and economic data which has been compiled, it is possible to analyze the financial aspects of the township. the information gathered (chart 32 From for the Township General Fund Revenues and Expenditure the Total revenues reflected an increase during each of the fiscal years examined. 112 �For the fiscal year ending in 1970, total revenues were $846,738.19. By 1974, the total revenues were $1,275,826.76. tended to fluctuate Expenditures at a relative percentage of total revenues. A deficit of revenues vs. expenditures occurred in 1970, while the total excess of revenues over expenditures climbed to more than $60,000 by 1974. VALUATION Charts 33 and 34 reflect assessed valuation figures (state equalized valuation) for the Township. O~onoko Town6hip The following increase can be noted: 1970 $24,679,346 1974 32,624,202 The average assessed valuation was determined after the audits were reviewed and evaluated. Thus, the projected assessed valuation is based on this average increase for the total years analyzed. The tables also show the General Obligation Bond limits for the Township based on the 10 percent of state equalized valuation figura Since there were no outstanding bonds at the time of the analysis, the available bonding capacity is 10 percent of the total assessed valuation. The capital budget cannot be formulated and enacted without considering it in conjunction with the operating budget, as part of the complete governmental financial plan. Capital investments must not only be weighed against operating costs in aliocating limited financial resources, · but the demands that new facilities will make upon future operating and maintenance cost must also be considered. 113 '~ �CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Based on the previous analysis of financing methods and projected township revenues and expenditures, as well as a review of capital needs in the Township, the Capital Improvement Program has been prepared (Chart 35). This schedule reflects the programs to be completed by the Township for the ten (10) year period of 19751985. Because of the magnitude of the total program some projects will most assuredly extend beyond this period. The program is divided into two (2) categories according to the Comprehensive Plan----- The Thoroughfare Plan and the Community Facilities Plan. The Thoroughfare Plan which can be brought into reality via the capital improvements program includes an ambitious street and highway improvement program. Many of the highways throughout the Township do not meet the classification standards of which they are part. Therefore, as these highways are improved, they should be brought up to the standards of classification. In order to accomplish element~ of the Thoroughfare Plan, a variety of financial sources should be explored. Currently, the Townships contribute funds to a matching funds system whereby Berrien County maintains township highways. The coordination of planning efforts between the townships and the county is imperative if the highway improvement plan is to succeed. 114 �Estimated costs are not included in the Capital improvement Program schedule because of the inflationary economy at the present time. If estimated costs were included in the report they may be inadvertently used in construction bid comparison, thus causing funding problems. It should become a standard policy of the Township Board of Trustees to seek estimated costs and prepare an annual operating budget for implementation of the Capital Improvement Program. 115 �GEXERAL FrND REVENUES, D'.PENDITl'RES .>Sc- !:"CIT~· Fiscal Year 1%9-7C _ _ _1_2_71)_::?l__ ':"otal Revenues Total Expe~diture~ Excess (De!ici~~cy) of ?.evenues ov~r Expenditures Equity Beginn:n& ':'ear 1971-72 1972-73 1973-74 19-!.--; 1975-76 1976-77 - 1977-78 19;e-i; 19;9-8(1 198[ $846,736.19 $979,435.10 $1,082,091 . 02 $1,120,801.04 $1,275,826.76 S1,380,(,SV $1,490,000 $1,625,000 $1,850,000 $1,97',rr.() $2,205,000 $2,Bls,onn 846,941.07 949,811 . 97 1,075,511.87 1,063,113.75 1,215,691.60 1, 310,0':·'J 1,410,000 1,500,000 1,725,000 1,8!..:" ,r,or; 2 ,085, 000 2, 70(),000 (202 . 58) 29,623 . 13 6 , 580.05 57 , 787 . 28 60,135.16 iO,O'JO 80,000 125,000 - 25,000 120 ,'100 125,000 115,000 185,969.25 185,766.37 215,389.50 221,969.55 279,756 . 83 339,Bn 409,892 489,892 614,892 739,B92 864,892 %9,892 185,766.37 215,389 . 50 221 , 969 . 55 279 , 756.83 339,891.99 409 ,P.92 489,892 614,892 739,892 8~!.892 989,892 1, !04 ,892 ' Fiscal Equity Endo~ Fiscal Year I-' I-' O'I n ::r Ill 11 rt- w l',J �PROJECTED ASSESSED VALcAT10~ -~~D BONDING CAPACITY 107 General Obligation Bond Limit General Obligation Bonds Outstanding Available Bond Assessed Valuation S24,679,346 $2,467,934 0 $2,467,934 1970 26,743,277 2,674,327 0 2,674,327 1971 1972 28,899,484 2,889,948 0 2,889,948 29,817,849 2, 981,784 0 2,981,784 1973 1974 32,624,202 3,262,420 0 3,262,420 State Equalized ..... I-' -J Capacit.•J 1975 34, 500,000 3,450,000 0 3,450,000 1976 37,000,000 1,700, : , ' () 3, 700,(·CO 1977 40,000,000 4,000,000 n 4,000,000 1978 42,000,000 4,200,000 0 4,200,000 44,600,000 4,460,000 0 ~ 1979 1980 Fiscal Year 1985 NOTE: ,4CO,OOO 46,000,000 4,600,000 0 4,~00,00(1 soo,ooo 5,850,000 0 5 ,R50 ,0011 58, The figues shown for available bonding capacity reflect the 10?. C:eneral Obllgation Bond Limit with no outstanding bonds. However, it should be noted that tee Capital Improvement Program is predicated on the necessity to issue b0nds in order to achieve elements of the program. The amount of bonds issued is left to the discretion of the To,.,,ship. n ::,Al ti rt w w �SCHCDL'LE OF Fl.'NDS ESTIMATED TO BE AVAILABLE FRO~ THE GENERAL Fir.ill AND COMPARISON WITR PAST TRENDS ~ I-' 00 State Equal! zed Assessed Valuation Real Estate Property Taxes State Shared Revenue (sales tax) Jluilding Penni ts ~ighways and Streets (includes countz: matching f_ll_[ld) 1970 $24 , 679,346 $711,882, 63 $75,014.72 $542.50 $10 , 602.33 19H 26,743,277 848,882.95 94,481.63 8]1. 23 6,918.62 1972 28 , 899,484 944,836.57 100,965.46 2, 266.23 6,353.29 1973 29,817,849 9/S0,700.04 91,221.38 2,596.84 7,320.00 1974 32,624,202 1,092,910.13 104,962.88 2,190.01 7,996.86 1975 34,500,000 1,200,000.00 110,000.00 2,200.00 8,000.00 1976 37,000,000 1, 34 S,00(). 00 110,000.00 2,200.00 8,000.00 197 7 40,000,000 1,500,000.00 115,000.00 2,200.00 8,000.00 1978 42,000,000 1,765,000.00 118,000.00 2,200.00 8,000.00 1979 44,600,000 1,955,000.00 120,000.00 ~.200.00 8,00(),00 1980 46,000.000 2,200,000.00 123,000.00 2,200.00 8,f)CJll.00 58,500,000 2,950,000.00 138,000.00 3,000.00 8,()f)n.oo F:scal Year 1985 n ::r Pl 11 ri" w ii:>, �C,\1'lTAL IMPRO\'DIENT PROGRAM 1975 -- 1985 Suggested Sources X X X X General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X X X X R~aj General Obligation Bond County Highway Hatching Fund X X X X Y. Red Bud Trail Road to U.S. 31 and 33 General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching X X X X X X X X X ;:; X X X General Obligation Bond County Highway 'latching Fund Lemon Creek from Hollywood Road to U.S. 31 and 33 Shawnee Road: Widen pavement to local Collector standards Shawnee Road from Hartline Road to Snow Red Bud Trail Road: Widen pavement to PrJmnry Collector standards 1.0 1979 Hinchamn Road from Hollywood Ro3d to U.S. 31 and 33 Lemon Creek: I-' I-' 1978 Hinchman Road: Widen Widen pavement to local arterial standards Fund pavement to Primary Lemon Creek and Collector standards Linea Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Hatching Fund Snow Road: West Township Corporate Linear Red Bud Trail Road General Obligation Bond Countv Highway Matching Fund Entire Township General Obligation Bond Countv Highway Matching Fund Township Highway Fund Scottsdale Road: Widen Widen pavement to Primary Arterial Oronoko Township: street imorovement Local Scottsdale Road from progr...-tm including pavement and widening Arterial Street Control 1985 1977 Location pavement to Primary Coll~ctor standards 1980 1976 of Revenue Project Thoroughfare Plan Intersection of Sha,'tlee Road and Lauer Road 1975 X X () General Obligation Bone ::r X X Ill Ii rt w U1 ,-.-,~-----~--~---------~ ··-- - - --- �CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 1975 -- 1985 (continued) Suggested Sources of Revenue Project Location Arterial Street Control Intersection of Shawnee Road and Burgoyne Road General Obligation Bond Intersection of Lemon Creek Road and Garr Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund Intersection of Shawnee Road and Garr Road Coveney Road at Mt. Tabor Road Arterial Street Control Arterial Street Control Re-alignment of local street I-' N 0 Arterial Street Control Arterial Street Control Arterial Street Control Arterial Street Control Arterial Street Control 1975 1976 1979 1980 1977 1978 X X X X X General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X X Intersection of Mt. Tabor Road and Snow Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X Intersection of Snow Road and Garr Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X Intersection of Snow Road and Burgoyne Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X X Intersection of Grange Road and Garr Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X X Intersection of Red Bud Trail and Grange Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund X X 1985 -n n::,0 PJ ::s Ii rt" rt" X X I-'· ::s w ~ (I) p, u, �CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 1975 -- 1985 (continued) Project Location Arterial Street Control Intersection of Red Bud Trail Road and Snow Suggested Sources of Revenue Re-alignment of local street Intersection of Red Bud Tra 11 Road and U.S. 31 and 33 General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund, Township General Fund Arterial Street Control Intersection of Red Bud Trail Road and Lemon Creek Road General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund, Township General Fund Turning Lane Improvements Intersection of General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund, Township General Fund University Blvd. and U.S. 31 and 33 Arterial Street Control Intersection of Timberland Drive and Hillcrest Ocive Arterial Street Control Intersection of Lemon Creek Road and U.S. 31 and 33 1975 1976 1977 General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund, Township General Fund General Obligation Bond County Highway Matching Fund, Township General Fund Riverside Trail and St . Joseph River Federal Matching Grants Contributions, Joint Financing 1979 198G X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Community Facilities Parks Acquisition of 57 acres of land for parks 1978 General Obligation Bond County Bighway Matching Fund 1985 X -nn 0 ::r ::, Al rt Ii I-'· rt ::, i:: w Ul p, (1) �CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 1975 -- 1985 (continued) Project Locatton Acquisition of 40 acres of land for parks Northeast of Red Bud Trail and Snow Road AcGuisition of 55 acres of lane' for parks Acquisition of 112 acres of land for parks Suggested Sources of Revenue federal Matching Grants Contributions, Joint Financing Westerly of County Fairgrounds and Korth of Shawnee Road Federal Matching Grants Contributions, Joint South of Shawnee Road, n~rth of Snow Ro2d and east of proposed relocated Federal Matching Grants Contributions, Joint financing U.S. 31 1975 197" 1977 1978 X 1979 X 1980 1985 X Financing X X X X () () 0 ::r' ::, Pl rt 11 I-'· rt ::, Cw U1 p, (D �BIBLIOGRAPHY �BI'AT.10 RAI nv J,J\KE CHAPIN REGTONAL PLANNING 1\JEl\ REPOJ'I'Ss Soils and Their Limi February, 1970, tion for th r. ke he pin R qion, PJ,anned Unit Development Ordinance, 1971 (indiv:i.dually for the Townships of Berrien, Oronoko and Royalton). Preliminary Physical Factors for Planning the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, June 1971. Proposed Zoning Ordinance for the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, February, 1972. (Individual ordinance for the three (3) Townships and the Village of Berrien Springs). Economic Factors for Planning the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, April, 1972. Suggested Subdivision Ordinance for Berrien, Oronoko, Royalton Townships, and the Village of Berrien Springs, August, 1973. Preliminary Land Use Plan for the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, February, 1974. Physical Factors for Planning the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, Volume!, June, 1974 Subdivision Ordinance for Berrien Township, December~ 1974. Individual zoning Ordinances for Berrien, Oronoko, Royalton Townships and the Village of Berrien Springs, 1973 and 1974. Interim Comprehensive Plan, the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, December,1974, The comprehensive Plan for the Lake Chapin Regional Planning Area, Volume II, June, 1975 General Development Plan for the Lake Chapin Planning Area , Volume III, not dated. BERRIEN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT SERIES: Berrien county Natural Features Study, October, 1968 Regional Economic Trends Study, April, 1969 123 �Long-Range Development Guide for Berrien County, June, 1970. Berrien County Development Plan, June, 1974 Overall Economic Development Plan for Berrien County, March, 19751 Update Report, August 19761 1976-1977 Annual Report, June, 1977. OTHER SOURCES1 Oronoko Township Soil Survey Special Advanced Report, Soil Conservation Service, u.s. Department of Agriculture and Berrien County Planning Commission, July, 1976 Berrien County Population Projections, State of Michigan Department of Management and Budget and Berrien County Planning Commission, August, 1977. EPA 201 Facilities Plan for the Berrien Township Plan of Study Area, Williams and Works and Wightman and Associate Engineers, November, 1977. \ 124 �APPENDIX A �APPENDIX A LAND USE MAPPING To accomplish land use mapping, color infrared aerial photo- _ graphs of the region were obtained and interpreted to create land use maps. These maps, at a scale of 1:36,000 (1-inch equals 3,000 feet), depict in fifty-two categories, all of the use and cover-types in the region which cover three or more acres, and where possibly those uses and cover-types which cover as little as two acres. After the land use maps were completed, field checked, and reviewed, a grid, which divided the area into four hectare (about ten acres) cells in rural areas and one hectare (about two and one-half acres) cells in urban areas, was placed over these maps and the major land use for each cell was noted for entry into the computer data bank. At the same time, other data were determined for each cell such as location (county, township), watershed, soil type, slope, number of housing units, flood susceptibility, etc. All of this information was coded, key punched, stored on magnetic tape, and entered into the computer data bank where it was checked for accuracy and then corrected. The data, now on maps and in the computer, are valid for the date of the photographs. For broad decision making, they will continue to be valuable for several years. However, because people continually change their habits and manipulation of the landscape, what is forest today may be a shopping center tomorrow. For the maps and computer data to continue to be valid, they must be updated on a regular basis: With this_ updating, the data will continue to be a dynamic tool to aid in regional planning. A complete list of codes used and their definitions follows the discussions on land use. The computer has added an "O" to all three digit land use codes so that what is mapped as 211 will be printed by the computer as 2110. A-1 �LAND USE MAPPING Because photo interpretation is often an inexact science and because the classification of land usage is sometimes subject to differing thoughts on definitions, the Southwest Michigan Land Use Maps can be better analyzed if the user is aware of the assumptions and definitions used by the photo interpreters in creating the maps. Except where noted below, the categorization of land use was done in accordance with the Michigan Land Cover/Use Classification System. (Sub-Appendix A) All land uses were categorized by their apparent major activity as could best be ascertained from the aerial photographs. For example, wet areas which were seen to be cultivated were mapped as active agriculture, not wet lands; forests which might also be used for outdoor recreation were mapped as forests; and grass lands which also showed evidence of cross-country motorcycle activity (including some with closed courses), but no evidence of moderate or large spectator involvement (parking lots, grandstands, ticket booths, etc.) were mapped as grass lands. Because of the scale of the mapping, 1:36,000 (one-inch equals 3,000 feet) some small land uses will not be depicted on the maps. Many such areas have been coded as "special point'' use for later access through the computer. Other small areas will appear exaggerated on the land use maps. This happens because the mapper draws around these small areas in order to be able to put a symbol inside the mapped envelope. Residential (1121 - 1170) In the urban areas, the units 1121 - 1133 were determined by their relative densities. The number assigned to a unit repxesents the average for that unit, recognizing that small areas of other d~nsities may be present. The densities of multi-family units (1121 - 1123) are the most difficult to determine and estimates for these were based on heights of buildings, numbers of entrances, and size of parking areas. The code 1135 - Mobile Home Residential - was not used for single mobile homes or for mixtures of permanent and mobile homes, but only for areas, other than Mobile Home Parks (1150), dedicated to mobile homes. The code 1168 is used for the buildings and immediately surrounding grounds where migrant workers are housed. A-2 �While the code 1170 is defined as Rural Residential, this code is based on building density and occurs in urban as well as rural areas. Commercial, Services, and Institutional (1210 - 1260) Central Business Districts (1210) were mapped for large and small communities. The border between the central business district and strip business is often arbi~rary. Strip Business (1230) includes all areas of three or more establishments oriented to the road. All other roadside businesses, except for Neighborhood Businesses (1240) and Shopping Centers (1220), are mapped as 1258. Agricultural Businesses (1253) was used for grain elevators or farm equipment businesses, not food processing (industrial) or roadside fruit and vegetable stands (1258). Throughout the region and especially in the urban areas, there were many religious institutions which were large enough and contrasted enough with surrounding uses to be delineated on the maps as distinct uses. These were assigned the 1260 code, but they were not given any special point use codes. In some instances these institutions were adjacent to secondary schools, thus enlarging the apparent areas occupied by the schools and their associated facilities. Transportation, Communication, and Utilities (1410 - 1460) These categories were mapped according to the definitions in Subappendix A. Industry and Extractive (1370, 1380, & 1700) Light industry with few visible exterior indicators can often be misinterpreted to be in the commercial category. Most often this occurs when the industrial activity occupies a structure erected for other purposes. In addition, retail firms occuping buildings formerly used for manufacturing are not apparent on the aerial photographs. Consequently, a few of these may have been placed in the wrong category, especially in the urban areas where the plat books do not show ownership. In those areas where ownership could be determined, the data were checked with telephone yellow pages to determine usage. By definition the small industry (1370) code was usually too small to map at this scale and, therefore, was rarely used. A-3 �Active Construction (1800) This category was mapped according to the definition in SubAppendix A. Open Space and Other (1920 - 1950) For the most part, these categories were not subjective and were easily determined. As noted above, the recreational category (1930) was used only for apparent major usage. Thus, cross-country motorcycle tracks without associated commercial indicators and non-commercial horse training tracks were not included in the race track category. However, travel trailer/ tent parks were included in the outdoor recreation category. All athletic facilities physically connected to secondary schools and universities were included in the 1260 category. Those facilities separate from schools, were mapped as (1930) outdoor recreation. Cemeteries (1940) and urban vacant (1950) were mapped according to the definitions in Subappendix A. Agricultural (2110 - 2900) Because the aerial photographs were obtained in late spring all cultivating was finished and no row crops were yet mature enough to be seen on the photographs. Thus, all vegetated fields were mapped as (2120) grass-type crops (timothy, alfalfa, clover, etc.) unless they showed strong lineations and, under stereoscopic examination, appeared to be too tall for grasses. Fallow lands, while probably cultivated in other years, were mapped as 2120. While some of these grass crops may be fertilized annually, and thus be important contributors to the nonpoint source pollution, the photo indicators and the ground indicators\suggest that cultivation is not an annual activity and fertilization may not be either. Also included in the 2120 category were grass lands not used primarily for pasture or hay crops. However, cultivated and grassed areas which are adjacent to similar areas showing signs of urbanization were mapped as Inactive Land (2800). Except for areas showing conversion to residential use, all regularly spaced plantings of fruit trees were mapped as orchards, regardless of their apparent condition. Some of the areas mapped as active are probably not commercial producers and thus, are not being managed and/or sprayed. Most, if not all, of the apparently non-managed trees are in small stands and it is doubtful that many of the small stands which have better appearances are sprayed either. A-4 �Confined feeding operations covering two or more acres were mapped as 2300. Smaller feedlot operations were indicated by the special point use code 24. The number of special point 24's code represents more than 90% of the existing operations and would include all but very recent farms or those completely under cover. An informal survey of small operations showed a minimwn size of fifteen head. The remaining feedlots indicated were poultry houses and stables. The category Other Agriculture (2900) includes large farmsteads and out building complexes as well as green houses. Brushland (3200) This category tended to be very subjective with the primary determinations made on the basis of surrounding usage. Scattered brush areas near agricultural activities would be included in this unit while the same degree of cover in or near well forested areas might be in such contrast with their surroundings that they would be mapped as grasslands and more cover would be required for brushland categorization. In all cases, the use of the unit required evidence of the early stages of regrowth covering a substantial portion of the area. Forest Land (1400 - 4360) These categories were mapped according to the definitions in Subappendix A. Water (5140 - 5300) The only rivers appearing on the land use maps are those which are of a width to be a significant portion of a grid cell. Wetlands (6110 - 6200) The types of features included in these categories w7re.small lakes or ponds with large algal blooms ~nd/or other indica~ors of eutrophication swamps, bogs, etc. with mats of vegetation or reed-like gras~es (6200); areas of very wet soils (swamps, bogs, etc.) with scrub growth (6120; and wet areas or standing water in which large trees were present. (6110). Wetland ar 7as did not include areas of seasonal standing water (flood plains); soils with high water tables (year rou~d) but without vegetative indicators; or areas with seasonally high water tables. A-5 �While one may argue that these are wetlands, these definitions would cause most of the agricultural glacial till soils to be also mapped as wetlands. Barren (7210 - 7310) These categories were mapped according tn the definitions in Sub-appendix A. A-6 �SPECIAL POINTS (coded but not mapped) Most of the special point designators are straight forward and require no comment. The following comments are made to help the user understand the types or sources of data for those special points which are not complet.ely clear. 10 All roads appearing on the USGS topographic maps were drawn as heavy lines on the Land Use Maps for control, but only state and federal highways were coded as l0's. 11 This category includes all limited access highways (I-94, I-96, and portions of US-12) and interchanges. 14 Only active sanitary landfills were included in the landfill category. For example, swampy areas being filled with unconsolidated earthen materials were considered Active Contruction (1800 or 27) rather than landfill. Landfills adjacent to industry were included as part of the industrial area, not mapped separately. 18,19 Active and abandoned railroads were located from topographic maps with conditions determined from inspection of aerial photographs. Abandoned railroads include rights-of-way with and without tracks. 20 First order rivers were defined by SMRPC as the St. Joseph, Galien, and Black Rivers. 21 Second order rivers are all perennial streams flowing into first order rivers. 22 Third order rivers are all perennial streams flowing into second order rivers. 23 Other rivers are all other perennial streams. 24 This included all feedlots too small to map as 2300. (See discussion on Agriculture.) 26 This category includes only commercial salvage operations. 27 These areas were too small to be mapped as 1800. 30 Industrial parks include all lands adjacent to industries and destined to become industrial, but does not include areas currently used for industry. A-7 �32 Flood plains were determined from stereoscopic examination of the aerial photographs and include those areas showing patterns of repetitive flooding, but does not include all areas subject to flooding. Some areas delineated will not flood every year. Depressions are those areas outlined by hachured contour lines on the USGS topographic maps. 36 Coastal Boundary included all areas within the Coastal Zone Management Boundary proposed by SMRPC August 1977. \ A-8 �RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UPDATING To remain useful, the SMRPC Land Use Maps should be updated on a regular, periodic basis. The intervals between maps can vary, depending on the pressures for change on the various parts of the region. In urban concentrations and surrounding rural/suburban sections, updating should occur every five years, and ideally, every two or two and one-half years. Rural areas, with few pressures for change or development, should be updated at the least in ten-year intervals and, ideally, at five-year intervals. The assessment of need for updating can be made through the comparison of LANDSAT (ERTS) imagery covering the region each year. By preparing an urban-forest-agriculture map from LANDSAT images acquired about the time of the project photography, the gross land use of spring 1977 can be compared to current patterns in later years. As considerable or significant change in an area is noted, more detailed mapping can then be planned. Future detailed mapping does not require the acquisition of color infrared photographs as conventional panchromatic photos will be sufficient to map all of the categories included on the current maps. This black and white imagery should be flown at comparable scales or larger for the update process. Larger scale photographs will permit even more detailed interpretation and, at a scale of 1:24,000, will be compatible with other maps available for the region. �SUBAPPENDIX A LAND USE/COVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM DEFINITIONS Residential 1133 Single/Duplex (Low Density)* A development or grouping containing an average gross density of more than 1.5 dwelling units per acre, but less than or equal to 3 dwelling units per acre. 1132 Single/Duplex (Medium Density)* A development or grouping containing an average gross density of more than 3 dwelling units per acre but less than 5 dwelling units per acre. 1131 Single/Duplex (High Density)* A development or grouping containing an average gross density of 5 or more dwelling units per acre. 1135 Mobile Home A single or several mobile homes not located in a mobile home park. 1123 Multiple (Low Density) An apartment development containing an average gross density of 12 or less dwelling units per acre. 1122 Multiple (Medium Density) An apartment development containing an average gross density of more than 12 dwelling units per acre but less than 18 dwelling units per acre. 1121 Multiple (High Density) An apartment development containing an average gross density of 18 or more dwelling units per acre. 115 1168 117 Mobile Home Park An area of land used for a grouping of mobile homes shall be classed into this category. Usually these areas will include mobile homes in numbers over three. Related services and recreational spaces are to be included. Single mobile homes will be classed as part of 113. Migrant Quarters Season dwellings used for housing seasonal workers. Rural Residential* A development or grouping containing an average gross density of 1.5 or less dwelling units per acre. A-10 �Commercial, Service, and Institutional 121 Central Business District The main commercial service center in a city. Each city has only one CBD, and it can be identified as being the most densely constructed urban portion of a city. It can be further identified as being normally located at the confluence of the major transportation network. 122 Shopping Centers Usually a single structure, or a group of structures, containing a large amount of floor space and a variety of commercial and service establishments. They are identified by the large common parking lot, usually larger in area than the structures group itself. These are often referred to as neighborhood, community or regional shopping centers. 123 Strip Development A linearly patterned commercial service area only one building deep, occurring with a minimum of five establishments. This land use should be backed by a nonrelated land use. 124 Neighborhood Business District These areas consist of relatively compact groups of stores, institutional structures, and/or services outside of the CBD. These uses should be located on major streets and surrounded by non-commercial uses. Parking is either in several scattered small store lots or municipal lots. 1253 Atricultural Business* T ese are agricultural-related commercial and service enterprises, typically located in non-urban settings, such as grain, feed, seed, livestock sales, and farm implement sales and service. 1258 Other Commercial Other commercial. 126 Institutional These are large single institutional land uses, normally in a non-urban setting, such as a prison or military base. Industrial 137 Small Industry* This category covers single industries whose physical plant, including parking, occupies less than one acre of land A-11 �138 Medium/Large Industry* This category covers single industries or industries which are immediately adjacent whose physical plant, including parking, occupies one acre or more of land. Transportation, Communications, and Utilities 141 Air Transportation The airport category includes all facilities directly connected with air transport, whether it be commercial, municipal, or private. These high utilization areas include the runways, intervening land, terminals, service buildings, plane hangars, navigation aids, fuel storage areas, parking lots and a fuel storage area, parking lots and a limited buffer zone. Most of the airports will be surrounded by a high perimeter fence, visible on high altitude imagery, which will clearly define the areas to be included. 142 Rail Transportation This category includes all facilities which would be connected with rail transportation; overland track (which has a width which can be delineated at a scale of 1:60,000), roundhouses, repair and switching yards, and related areas. Also included in this category are the accompanying and necessary rights-of-way. 143 Water Transportation This category includes those areas related to water transportation, excluding the water. The major components of this category are the port areas, docks, shipyards, drydocks, and locks. 144 Road Transportation This category includes all roads and road rights-of-way associated with the roads (including the median), bridges, rtst areas, and weighing stations. Also included are truck and bus terminals. This does not include parking areas which are connected with a particular use (i.e., CBD, residential, factory). 146 Utilities Those areas associated with the transport of gas, oil, water, or electricity are included into this category. Pumping stations, electric substations, etc., will constitute the major components of this category. Small facilities and those associated with an industrial, commercial, or extractive land use are included into the appropriate category. Long distance pipelines, etc., rarely constitute the cominant use of land over or under which they pass. If these uses are dominant and can be recognized for the imagery alone, they may be identified as a utility use. A-12 �Extractive 170 Extractive Extractive land encompasses both surface and subsurface mining operations, such as sand and gravel pits, stone quarries, oil and gas wells, and metallic and nonmetallic mines. In size, these activities range from the unmistakable giant strip or pit mines covering vast areas to the often unidentifiable gas wells less than a foot square. Surface structures and equipment may range from a minimum of a loading device and trucks to extended areas with access roads, processing facilities, stockpiles, equipment sheds, and numerous vehicles. Spoil material and slag heaps are usually found within a short trucking distance of the major mine areas and may be the key indicator of underground mining operations. Uniform identification of all these diverse extractive uses is extremely difficult from remote sensor data alone. Industrial complexes where the extracted material is refined, packaged, or further processed are included in the industrial category even if the plant is adjacent to the mine. Areas of future reserves are included in the appropriate present-use category, agricultural or forest land, regardless of the expected future use. Unused pits or quarries that have been flooded are placed in the water category if the water body is larger than 40 acres. Areas of tailings, abondoned pits and quarries, and strip-mined areas may remain barren for decades unless steps are taken to hasten the establishment of vegetation. Until vegetative cover is established, such parcels remain in the extractive category. Active Construction 180 Active Construction* This category covers all discernible active construction which is on-going at the time data is collected within the "Urban and Built-Up" category. Open Space and Other 192 1925 Outdoor Public Assembly This category includes such facilities as movie theatres, auditoriums, exhibition halls, areanas and fieldhouses, and multiple purpose civic centers. Fairgrounds Fairgrounds. A-13 �193 Outdoor Recreation All recreation facilities and areas which are basically on open land. They may, however, include incidental buildings such as shelters, toilets, beach change areas, etc. Does not include rangeland, forest, water, wetland and barren lands within parks or recreation areas. These would be classified in categories 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9, respectively, at level I, at the third, fourth, and fifth levels. Ownership and institutional characteristics such as park boundaries would be indicated by a separate mapping legend. 194 Cemeteries Cemeteries. 195 Urban Vacant* This category covers all vacant land in the urban area that is not included under "Open and Other'' categories. Agricultural 211 Cultivated Crop Land Land which is or will be planted to crops. This land is tilled annually. Cropland planted to legumes and grasses are not included. 212 Hay, Rotation, and Permanent Pasture Land which produces grasses for animal consumption. Woodland pasture is not included in this category. 220 Orchards, Bush-Fruits, Vineyards, and Ornamental Horticulture Orchards, vineyards, and bush-fruit areas produce the various fruit and berry crops. Horticultural areas include nurseries, floricultural areas, and seed-and-sod areas used perennially for that purpose. 230 Confined FTeding Operation Feeding operations are large, specialized, livestockproduction enterprises, chiefly beef cattle feedlots and large poultry farms, but also including large hog and fur-bearing animal farms. These operations have large animal populations restricted to relatively small areas. The result is a concentration of waste material that is an environmental concern. Feeding operations in conjunction with another farm enterprise are not included. Also excluded are shipping corrals and other temporary holding facilities. Game farms and zoos do not meet the animal-population densities to be placed in this subcategory. A-14 �280 Inactive Land Herbaceous rangelands are dominated by native grasses and forbs. Such areas are often subjected to continuous disturbance such as mowing, grazing or burning to maintain the herbaceous character. Typical plant species are quackgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, upland and lowland sedges, reed canary grass, clovers, etc. These plant communities will be mapped under herbaceous rangelands ( 31) • 290 Other Agricultural Other agricultural land not included in the preceding categories or combinations of agricultural land that cannot be clearly defined. Land with farmsteads, greenhouses, and race tracks are included in this category. Forest Land 410 Deciduous In Michigan typical species are oak, maple, beech, birch, ash, hickory, aspen, cottonwood, and yellow poplar. 420 Coniferous Coniferous forests include all forested areas in which the trees are predominantly those with needle foliage. In Michigan these would include species such as pine, spruce, balsam, larch, hemlock, and cedar. 430 Mixed Coniferous and Deciduous Forest Mixed forest land includes all forested areas where both broadleaved and coniferous trees are growing. 436 Active Timber Harvesting* This category covers all discernible active timber harvesting that is on-going at the time data is collected. 320 Brush Land Shrub rangelands are dominated by native woody plants. If left undisturbed, ~uch dominated by young tree growth. Typical include blackberry and raspberry briars, willow, tag alder, etc. shrubs and low areas are soon shrub species dogwood, Water 514 Stream* streams are linear waterways less than 15 feet wide. 515 River* Rivers are linear waterways 15 feet or larger in width. A-15 �520 Lake* Lakes in this category are those bodies of water having in excess of 5 acres in area at the time data is collected. 521 Pond Ponds are lakes whose areal extent does not exceed 4.9 acres at the time the data is collected. 530 Reservoir Reservoirs are artificial impoundments of water, whether for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply, hydroelectric power, or recreation. The reservoir category should not include lakes which have had control structures built to stabilize lake levels without significantly increasing the water area. Reservoirs can usually be identified by the presence of dams, levels, or other water control structures. Wetland 611 Wooded Swamp This class applies to wetlands dominated by trees. The soil surface is seasonally flooded with up to one foot of water. Several levels of vegetation are usually present, including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Broadleaved swamps would be placed in the forestry category 413 and 433; coniferous swamps are placed in forest category 422 and 435. Use only types 4221 and 4351 when inventorying this condition at the fourth level of detail. Wooded bogs are placed in forest category 422 and 435; omit types 4221 and 4351 when inventorying at the fourth level. 612 Shrub Swamp This class applies to wetlands dominated by shrubs where the soil surface is seasonally or permanently flooded with as much as twelve inches of water. Characteristic emergent p\ants providing cover beneath the shrubs are the sedge and sensitive fern. Meadow or marsh emergents occupy open areas. Willow-buttonbush associations under 6125 are those aquatic shrub swamps with greater than 50 percent shrub cover and average water depth of less than six inches. 620 Non-Forested (Non-Wooded) Wetlands (Marsh) Nonforested wetlands are dominated by wetland herbaceous vegetation. These wetlands include inland nontidal fresh marshes, freshwater meadows, wet prairies, and open bogs. The following are examples of vegetation associated with nonforested wetland. Narrow-leaved emergents such as cordgrass and rush are dominant in coastal marshes. Both narrow-leaved emergents such as cattail, bulrush, sedges, and other grasses, and broadleaved emergents such as water lily, pickerelweed, arrow arum, and arrowhead, are typical of fresh water locations. Mosses and sedges grow in wet meadows and bogs. A-16 �• Barren 721 Beach Aggregate smaller than 2 mm. in diameter along a shoreline area. 731 Sand Dune A hill, mound or ridge of wind-blown sand in a primarily unvegetated condition. ALL DEFINITIONS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE MICHIGAN LAND USE/COVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, JULY, 1975, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE CATEGORIES NOTED BY AN ASTERISK (*). • A-17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wyckoff Planning and Zoning Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Planning & Zoning Center (Lansing, Mich.) (Organization) Wyckoff, Mark A. Description An account of the resource Municipal master plans and zoning ordinances from across the state of Michigan, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2020s. The bulk of the collection was compiled by urban planner Mark Wyckoff over the course of his career as the founder and principal planner of the Planning and Zoning Center in Lansing, Michigan. Some additions have been made to the collection by municipalities since it was transferred to Grand Valley State University. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960/2023 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Comprehensive plan publications Master plan reports Zoning--Michigan Zoning--Maps Maps Land use--planning Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-240 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Language A language of the resource eng Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Oronoko-Twp_Comprehensive-Plan_1979 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource William S. Lawrence & Associates, Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1979-01-22 Title A name given to the resource Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan Description An account of the resource The Oronoko Township Comprehensive Plan was prepared by William S. Lawrence & Associates, Inc. with technical assistance from the Berrien County Planning Commission. The Plan was adopted on January 22, 1979. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Berrien County Planning Commission (consultant) Subject The topic of the resource Comprehensive plan publications Oronoko Township (Mich.) Berrien County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0333e524150256c79df2887f41b75147.pdf 41928962813aafc2456a09146af188ad PDF Text Text US 31 Acme Twp Par s ons US 31 --- -----~ Traverse City I 5 Mile I I I I ! I I I I I I I I Townline 3 Mile ~~~- I ~ Prouty Vanderlip 2 ~ I I High Lake Carlisle pl y Hobbs Rasho Garfield Twp Su p White Water Twp 4 Mile _J Potter ·,.,■-■-• ,-• G ar fie I I Hammond 1 I II Chandler Lake High Lake ld Spider Lake Eikey Bass Lake s Ho bb Arbutus Lake ak e utus L Salon Union Twp ts Sleigh rb East A Blair Twp Rennie Lake nc h Ra Ru f dol River I I I East Bay Charter Township Gran d Tra ve rse Co u nt y, Mi ch ig a n Zoning Effective: May 22, 2003 as amended through December 31, 2019 _[IIJ__ Paradise Twp Legend Mitchell and Baker Creek Overlay District Cl C3 100' Stream Buffer AG, Agricultural RR, Rural Residential LDR, Low Density Residential - MDR, Moderate Density Residential HDR, High Density Residential ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! MHC, High Density Residential & Manufactured Housing ! ! ! ! --! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 0 LA, Lakes Area NA, Natural Area BR, Boardman River -- Conditional Rezoning: 1. Ord. #1-19, PPN 03-230-005-00 from IND to HDR 2. Ord. #3-18, PPN 03-220-039-00 & PPN 03-220-035-00 from MDR to MHC EBC, East Bay Corners LB, Local Business PO, Professional Office RB, Regional Business AS, Airport Services IND, Industrial 1 inch = 5,000 feet 0 µ 1,250 2,500 5,000 Feet williams&works eng ineers I surveyors I p lanners � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wyckoff Planning and Zoning Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Planning & Zoning Center (Lansing, Mich.) (Organization) Wyckoff, Mark A. Description An account of the resource Municipal master plans and zoning ordinances from across the state of Michigan, spanning from the 1960s to the early 2020s. The bulk of the collection was compiled by urban planner Mark Wyckoff over the course of his career as the founder and principal planner of the Planning and Zoning Center in Lansing, Michigan. Some additions have been made to the collection by municipalities since it was transferred to Grand Valley State University. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Michigan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960/2023 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Comprehensive plan publications Master plan reports Zoning--Michigan Zoning--Maps Maps Land use--planning Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-240 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Language A language of the resource eng Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context East-Bay-Charter-Twp_Zoning-Map_2019 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams & Works Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-12-31 Title A name given to the resource East Bay Charter Township Zoning Map Description An account of the resource The East Bay Charter Township Zoning Map was prepared by Williams & Works and was originally effective in May 2003. It was amended through December 31, 2019. Subject The topic of the resource Zoning--Michigan Zoning--Maps East Bay Charter Township (Mich.) Grand Traverse County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/870">Planning and Zoning Center Collection (RHC-240)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/13dabf9fe3324d3422eaca92206cfbf2.mp4 d93fe5575a4bebc92d914abf7a862fd1 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/be0df397b8dfec2396aa46eedbcd2531.pdf aba96552cf94e79b7883673c513ff13c PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview World War II Colin Williams Total Time – (57:00) Background • • • • • • • He was born June 9, 1927 (00:11) He decided to enter the war because he had four brothers that were in the service (00:47) o Everything during those days was very patriotic He was 17 years old when he entered (01:10) He chose the Navy because he did not want to sleep in the mud like the Army soldiers did There was an expectation that men of his age would join the military (01:42) Different branches of the military would go to high schools and put on presentations There were 52 men from Michigan that enlisted Enlistment/Basic Training – (02:25) • • • • • • • • • • He went to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois (02:53) In boot camp, they were trained with high discipline o They would get yelled at in their face o They would be woken up at 2 A.M. (04:03) There was nothing that was too difficult about the training He immediately missed home and his girlfriend (04:31) Before the war, he had never traveled out of the state (04:52) His experiences at boot camp helped prepare him for what he would experience in the war There were classes where they had to learn spotting of different planes and ships (06:35) The trip from Great Lakes, Illinois to the west took nearly five days (08:07) o He had never been out west before so he traveled with the windows open on the train every night and day When he first saw his ship in the west he said, “Oh mamma, what did I get myself into?” (09:26) He never had a feeling that it would be the last time he would see America (09:52) �Active Duty – Part I – 14 Voyages Across the Pacific (09:56) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • When he first went on, he was a deckhand until he worked in the chaplain's office The ship was a transport ship – Nearly 11 million men were transported by that type of ship (11:09) o The ships also carried gasoline They landed on Eniwetok Island His first trip across the Pacific carried nearly 2,000 troops (13:31) o The ship was not outfitted for that kind of trip o There was a lot of rough weather on this trip o He was called out on deck to look for other ships o Many of the men got sick on board (14:29) o The transported troops got very sick as well The first 2,500 miles going to Hawaii was very rough weather He made nearly 14 trips across the Pacific Ocean (16:14) At one point he was on an Attack Transport Ship Amphibious Assault (16:35) o There were many mining craft, 32 landing craft, etc. (16:46) o His ship was named after Charles Carroll o There were typically 600 sailors attached to this kind of ship Some of his landfalls were on Hawaii, Marshall Islands, and Eniwetok Island o After Eniwetok, they returned to the United States where they picked up 2,000 troops and headed to Ulithi Island (18:54) o In Ulithi, they dispersed troops After Ulithi, they returned to San Francisco, California where they picked up more troops before heading to the Philippine Islands (19:25) o They landed in Mindanao, Philippines (19:39) After dropping off troops in Mindanao, they returned and picked up more troops from the United States o Coming back from the United States, they went into Leyte, Philippines where they dispersed troops before returning home again (19:48) Once he had picked up more troops in the United States, he went into Samar, Philippines His ship then traveled to the island of Mindoro and Luzon (20:20) o They then traveled to the capital of the Philippines, Manila  It was supposed to be the most bombed city in the world o From Manila, they traveled to Corregidor Island (20:53)  It was the last island to surrender and where MacArthur departed from They heard about the atomic bomb when they were in the Philippines, but they did not believe it (22:15) o They heard about it through newspaper articles o They were told that the bomb could possibly end the war o However, they were preparing themselves to invade Japan (23:19) They expected 1 million casualties during an invasion of Japan �• • • • • • Once the war was over, he traveled to Nagoya, Japan (24:09) o When they landed, they threw some bread into the water for the birds, but local people began jumping in the water to get it because food was so scarce After spending time in Japan, he then traveled to the United States before returning to Tientsin (Tianjin), China (25:52) o After leaving Tientsin, he traveled to Qingdao, China before returning once again to the United States  On the trip back to the United States, they transported some troops to Guam (26:07) He then went back to Sasebo, Japan where they dropped more troops off (26:50) o Sasebo was a ship building area o They left Sasebo for the United States to pick up more troops On the trip back from the United States, they dropped the troops in the Philippines While on this trip, he went to Shanghai, China where they traveled to the Yangtze River (28:21) After leaving China, his ship sailed for Manus (28:52) Active Duty – Part II – Other Memories of the War – (28:59) • • • • • • • • There were soldier initiations in islands that were south of the equator o If you had never crossed the boundary, you would have to be initiated His ship had been through six invasions before he had been on it (31:06) o It started in Africa and went to Salerno, Italy, Southern France, Normandy, Omaha Beach, and Okinawa While on the USS Charles Carroll he had shifts of guard duty – 4 hours of watch (34:22) o They were watching for submarines, airplanes, and other ships  There was an instance that they believed a submarine was nearby  One time they had a stand-by for an air raid They were always in a zigzag maneuver (36:33) He believes that he was near the sinking of the USS Indianapolis (36:51) o It was destroyed by a torpedo (38:28)  There was a great deal of controversy around its sinking because he was not zigzagging • The Captain felt so terrible about what happened that he had committed suicide (39:29) o The ship was missing for five days before anyone knew it was missing o The zigzag maneuver was to avoid torpedoes from submarines (40:53)  By the time the submarine could get a location on the ship, it would have changed before they could get hit He was never very worried about his ship being torpedoed (41:35) While on the ship, he was able to stay in touch with his family through mail The food on the ship was not very good (42:47) �• • • • • • • • • • o The ship was not built for troops which made the kitchen facilities hard to operate in When transporting troops, the transported would be on the 3rd deck o It was extremely hot on the 3rd deck (45:23) o They had racks of beds that were stacked seven high – they were only 18 inches apart His bed was only in a rack of five high o He always liked the top (46:05) There were generally 10 men sleeping in a 10x10 area There was a lot of pressure on him as a transporter (47:19) They were allowed to have soft water or salt water for showers When he was in the Philippines, he was able to go ashore sometimes (48:33) He believes that Manila was the most impressive city that he went to because it was so bombed out o He was very impressed with China as well (49:12) He was in the Philippine Islands when he heard that the war was over – they were picking up troops (50:17) o The soldiers had been there for three years  They were extremely silent – there was not very much celebration o When they dropped the soldiers off, they were all very happy when they saw the Golden Gate Bridge (51:41) Soldiers did not know where they were going during the war (54:15) o They never really guessed – they put it out of their mind and kept busy (55:09) His last time on the ship was an extraordinary feeling o He was wondering what was going to happen with the ship and where it was going (55:45) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilliamsC1320V Title A name given to the resource Williams, Colin (Interview outline and video), 2005 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, Colin Description An account of the resource Colin Williams was born June 9, 1927 and decided to enlist into the Navy due to the expectation that men his age served their country and because his brothers had also served. He was sent to Great Lakes, Illinois for boot camp where he learned a good deal of discipline. After boot camp, he was sent west to get aboard the USS Charles Carroll where he then made fourteen voyages across the Pacific Ocean. Colin traveled to Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Eniwetok Island, Ulithi Island, Philippines, Japan, China, Guam, and Manus during his time in the service. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Weber, Mark (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-04-11 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4bcd711490e9aca7250a65a337a31a25.mp4 8b80c822e284d6c6bd266e7794d6a819 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/349e6de5cc6e848443bc302342da8ab4.pdf ee17e41b86ab846207075de9dfa8fc42 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Jane Williams (22:58) (00:20) Background Information • • • • Born in Indiana in 1915 Jean was born during a flu epidemic Her grandfather died from the epidemic Her father was a farmer, but lost the farm in the depression and then went to work in South Bend (2:02) After High School • • • Jane attended at Purdue University in Indiana for one year Afterwards she worked at Northern Indiana Public Service Coompany at a telephone operator Later she worked for an insurance company (3:30) Marriage • • • • • • She got married to Bob and then they moved to Louisiana She met him at a gas company in Indiana; he was a meter reader She got married in 1943 after they had been dating for 7 years They were dating while he was in service and they did not get to see each other that often Jane lived with her parents until she got married when she was 28 years old Jane and Bob moved from Louisiana to Texas, Nevada, California, and then Jane moved back to Louisiana while Bob was overseas (5:40) Louisiana • In Louisiana they shared a house with another couple that was very nice • There lots of nice people in the state • Jane had a baby after they had been married for one year (6:20) Texas • They stayed in the state for less than a year • They lived near a grocery store and there were crickets all over the sidewalks �• • Bob was not home very often and Jean cooked a lot to stay busy Cooking was not that difficult even with the rationing of goods on the bases (9:30) California • They lived in a trailer with lots of chickens in the yard • They had no heat except a kerosene stove that made everything smell bad (11:50) While Bob Was Training • Jane was worried about the progress of the war • She was very busy after having her baby and was not working • Her sister lived across the street and they many days having dinner together • She heard from her husband quite often with his letters, but he never mentioned anything regarding the war • It was difficult for Jane to raise their baby by herself and her mother lived with her for a while to help her (14:30) Finances • Jane and Bob received money from the Army even after he had came home from service, but they had to send it all back (16:30) An Overall Positive Experience • Though it was difficult, Jane said that she benefited from the experience and that she met many nice people while traveling (17:15) The End of Bob’s Time in the Service • It was very exciting when she got a letter from her husband saying that he was coming home (19:50) Pearl Harbor • Jane did not have a good memory of the incident • Her husband was already in the service at the time (20:50) Roosevelt’s Death • She does not remember the incident very well, but she is a Republican and did not care for either of them (21:50) Dropping of Bombs in Japan • There was much celebration and lots of talk � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilliamsJ Title A name given to the resource Williams, Jane (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, Jane Description An account of the resource Jane Williams was born in Indiana in 1915 and was the wife of a man in the service during World War II. Bob and Jane had been seeing each other for seven years before they got married. Because Bob was in the service, their relationship was not average. They traveled all over the country before they got married and Jean did not have her first child until she was 29 years old. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Civilian World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Women Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-07-16 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8654b417ebfcbe7ffd1d69c541a959f9.mp4 c923c370bc32bf7d5d99302ce37c41de https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ac2c0518c15933cf0afd1a9b130c3596.pdf b35674114ec9931e93ce5b94c1f4075b PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Robert Williams (1:14:13) (00:25) South Bend, Indiana • Born May 22 1917 • Robert was an only child • Graduated in 1935 from South Bend Central High School • Worked for the Northern Indiana Public Service Company after graduation. He worked as a customer service representative when he was drafted (1:49) April 9 1941 Drafted into the Army • Robert knew before being drafted that the United States needed to do something about the war • Had his physical in January in a building with volunteer doctors-passed the exam • Took train to Columbus Ohio. They picked up guys on the way in other cities. Arrived at 2 a.m. and assigned beds to sleep in for the night. • Robert was on KP duty, day before Easter • (5:00) Robert pulled off KP and told he was departing. Took train to Camp Shelby, Mississippi Camp Shelby, Mississippi • The men were housed in tents • Indiana national guard was there • 700-800 people there total • Told to wash mess kits • Training-went to communication school for two months • (7:20) Battery D of 491st field artillery • Built up to maneuvers in Louisiana in 1941 • 155 Howitzers trained on • Tornado hit their camp • Given leave • Everyone over 28 years old were released from service • (9:30) Robert was promoted to Corporal • He was Corporal of the Guard the day Pearl Harbor was hit-utter chaos • Orders received for those with high IQ to sign up for officer candidate school • Robert qualified-sent to school in early May to Fort Sill Oklahoma �(10:30) Fort Sill Oklahoma-Officer training school • Went thru class 23 of officer training school • First large class they had go thru • Every week 500 more arrived • Passed OCS • A week or two before leaving charts were posted on walls of vacancies in class 500 people down to 375 people-the rest washed out • (12:50) Tac Officers were training the soldiers • Told officer he wanted to join the 11th artillery division-felt there was opportunity for promotions in the squad • Went on leave (14:00) Camp Polk Indiana August 1942 • Assigned to Battery D of the 471st field artillery (6 guys from the OCS) • Robert was Executive Officer because he was in the longest • A combat command was forming-they wanted a field officer to join-Robert was excepted as the artillery officer for Combat Command A for the 11th Armored Division • Robert was the company commander of the unit • They company went to Texas then onto desert training then into California • May 29 1943-Robert was married while still stationed at Camp Polk-She came with him until California and went home to give birth to daughter-stayed home while Robert went overseas (18:50) Left for New York City • Received orders to report to England • Didn’t have equipment till getting to England • Left in the middle of September 1943 • Left England in early December-half of division was on land half was still coming when Bulge happened. Pocket of Germans kept them from getting there. Heavy fighting. • Arrived at the Bulge on Christmas Day-they didn’t do much but did help out (21:00) Attached to 3rd Army-12th Corps • Robert saw Patton a few times-says it’s a lot like the movie of Patton-it was in a parade • Robert was an assistant to G3 training camp • Worked a G3 section while traveling-includes communication work picked up information and get it to headquarters. Worked with liaison officers also. • 4th armored division was massacred-sent combat team(infantry men, tank, engineers, artillery) camp was bulging-all of the sudden it was gone-heard platoon was down to 5o men by the end of the battle • (27:29) Robert said the resistance was there but they were able to make 35 mile �• • • • • • • • • • • • • • advancements everyday. His group moving a little faster than the infantry divisions. Squad leader joined the G3’s because he couldn’t handle anymore fighting-he became the driver for the G3’s. He said it wasn’t the combat but more the anticipation of going around hills not knowing what was on the other side. (29:40) Early May they were ordered to stop advancing. 6 star boundary-between U.S. troops and the Russian troops. They waited for the Russian troops to arrive. Russian soldiers were trying to get to the American Zone (32:57) Robert saw civilian population everywhere in Germany-there were ruins everywhere-When Robert flew over Cologne there was no roof tops that he could see left Relationships with civilians were good; they mostly left the soldiers alone. Robert could feel the mood change a little to resentment but not substantially. His company relieved Camp Mauthausen, a concentration camp, where there were a stack of bodies. Guards fled as they arrived. The people were so ill that they died anyways. Afterwards they had strict orders that if they liberated a concentration camp not to feed them because it would kill them. They needed to eat broth slowly. Robert didn’t feel anger toward Germany people but the first time he seen an SS officer he wanted to shoot him but didn’t (36:20) On one occasion they sat on side roads watching prisoners come back-he fired a round on commander’s orders and 12 SS soldiers came out of the woods They were stationed in Austria when the war ended. Most of the men were scheduled to go to Japan. Very few had enough points to go home. They were all split up into different camps. Robert went to the 4th armor division to head back home instead of to Japan At Camp Lucky Strike, France before leaving-they packed up to get on the boat-boat was damaged so they guys had to wait for a new boat to arrive (39:00) Robert was at Camp Lucky Strike when war in Japan ended Robert was promoted to Major before heading home (40:00)Back to the states-Michigan • Went back to the electric company he had worked for • Left and worked for an appliance repair company in South Bend Indiana • Went to Morley Brothers for 10 years Wholesale appliance company-1952. Williams Kitchen and Bath • Annual sales were $451,000 • (43:00) Became a distributor for Amana-this was before they were a popular brand-1956 • Son came to work for him for a year-is now running it • Company is split up with his sons now • Robert has been retired for 25 years now �• Grandson now works for him (46:00) Service in the guard • Took a reduction in rank till Majors job opened up • Became S1 126th infantry regiment-stationed at headquarters 10-11 years • During the Korean War-he was scheduled to go but Truman turned them down • Became Executive officer of the 2nd battalion of the 126th infantry • Became Battalion Commander then Combat Commander • Became Assistant Commander of the 46th infantry division • (48:20) General Simmons was the Commanding General • The division broke up and Robert went to Brigade Commander • Stayed in the guard for 26 years till they retired him in 1982 • Total service of 31 ½ years • (51:00) Robert says it was rewarding receiving the General’s star. This was a strenuous procedure. Robert’s friends told him that the FBI came to them asking about him. Reflections on the War • When Robert heard about the bombing in Japan he says they were all disgusted by it. At that point their invasion money was taken away and eventually given back because of the men were all upset about it. Things settled down as they knew there was nothing they could do about it • (55:10) One of the saddest moments was when his division commander was relieved because they had come to a line awaiting another infantry division and they never showed up. Commanders were upset that he didn’t go in and take the hill and so they relieved him of his duty. This happened shortly after the Bulge. • (57:30) Robert feels that the reason they were able to push the Germans back was because they simply over powered them. He said that there were graves of German soldiers and all that died were between 16-18years old. • Robert and Jane have been married for 64 years. They have 3 children and many grandchildren all of but one live in Grand Rapids. From the Time Robert was drafted till he was off the military board, he put in a total of 60 years of service in the military. • (1:00:33) Robert talks about meeting the Russians after the war was over. Russians came over on the 4th of July for a celebration and all that came could speak English. He says they were very friendly people and they ate dinner that night and they left for home. Robert seems like it was a good experience but they never saw them again. • Robert joined the National Guard because as he talked to a man who came into his �appliance store that was in the National Guard, he was instructed he would get paid for coming in one night a week. For Robert it was enough to pay his house payment at the time. • (1:04:00) While Robert was Assistant Division Commander they went to Detroit in 1967 in charge of 3000 troops on the hot spots. This was during riots. They took firepower off of the streets, which took pressure off. First time there was for 10 days, the second was for only 2 days. They received riot training after this episode. • (1:10:15) Austrian military was equipped with horse drawn vehicles. Across the road you could see dead horses just laying there, hundreds of them. When the U.S. came across and shot at them, they couldn’t get the horses across fast enough. Many had frozen there because of the temperatures being so cold. • Toward the end of the war, food was becoming scarce. The commander would trade horses that they found for food from the farmers to keep everyone fed. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilliamsR Title A name given to the resource Williams, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Williams served in the U.S. Army and National Guard for nearly 50. He served during WW II in the 11th Armored Division and saw action in the Battle of the Bulge and in Germany and Austria, where they were ordered to halt and wait for Soviet troops to arrive. After the war, he remained in the Guard, commanding a unit sent to respond to the riots in Detroit in 1967 and eventually retiring at the rank of Brigadier General. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Army World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-07-09 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ba5f97b176dffec193c0212fdc5d7075.mp4 66f5de71a763809b5b33e52fd34454fd https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/75fcad0eb4e0119d74693edc4129cda9.pdf 82d7b1e08ccefd6414c61021d6dd8ed8 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of War: Vietnam Name of Interviewee: Roger Williams Length of Interview: 00:27:10 Background:  He spoke in his native language to the interviewer.  What he said was that his name means “little fat pig.” His grandmother gave him that name. He also has a spirit name.  He feels very honored for being invited to participate in this project.  He was born August 1940, in Holland, Michigan.  He served in the United States Air Force. His highest rank was E4.  He served two periods, from 1957-1961 at San Antonio.  He served at a hospital there for some time.  He got out in 1961 and got back in to serve in the Vietnam War in 1962 and would serve until 1967.  He did not go to Vietnam and was not in combat.  He enlisted in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  He was raised in Holland until he was 12 years old. Although he has a Native American heritage, he is mostly Dutch. He would have loved to take part in the Tulip Time parade, but that never happened.  He went to high school in Muskegon but did not finish. He would finish high school while he was in the service and started college while he was in the service also.  He made a great number of friends while he was in the service. He actually was able to reach out to a friend who he went to medical school with in Montgomery. His daughter would find him over Facebook. He doesn’t know what will happen but he hopes to reconnect with him.  He had quit high school and things were not going so well for him. He had great work ethic, but the jobs were not that good.  At 17 he was starting to get in trouble.  When he was still in school, he went into his school’s counselor’s office, and asked about what he should do. The man told him that if he graduated with a B average, he would help him get into the US Naval Academy.  As a poor kid with little support, it didn’t occur to him that it was a wonderful offer. So when he was 17, he started to think about it some more, and thought the military was a good place for him to be.  So he joined the Air Force. Training (6:54)  When he first went into the Air Force they had a 12 weeks basic training program.  He was a pretty unrestricted man, so basic training was very good for him. It gave him discipline, it gave him boundaries; it gave him a better way of life.  Following basic training, he went to a medical prep school for about 8 weeks. �    In this he learn the basics of how the hospital is run, the history of medicine, etc. Following that he went to a school in Montgomery, Alabama. He thought about being a field medic, but they wanted him to be an Administrative Medic. So when he got to San Antonio, he was basically helping to run the hospital. Adapting to military life was a big change for his life. It was a little difficult and it kind of stressed him out. He wasn’t a very big guy, but he did what he had to change. Active Duty (9:30)  During the first part of his career, most of his time was served at the hospital, in San Antonio.  He did a lot of administrative work, such as choosing which patients to admit. He was responsible for sending telegrams when someone died.  There were responsibilities for taking inventory of who came in and who died in what way.  One of the most traumatic experiences he had was when he had to do an inventory on dead person’s personal effects, which was zero. The guy had crashed a plane and his body was in a lot of different pieces in the rubble and dirt.  Opening the bag up and seeing the dirt, he thought they were playing a joke on him at first, but it was quite a shocker for him when he found out a body was actually in there.  Another one was a Mexican boy’s body came in and he had to do inventory on him. When he pulled the sheet back, the boy looked exactly like him, with his head caved in. And that was a shocker.  The second part of his service was spent in Miami. It was party city for him.  The Cuban Crisis came along and he was at the Homestead air base.  He had first-hand experience with his time during this time.  Following the Cuban Crisis, John Kennedy came to the base and awarded them a special award.  He would then go to Germany, which was also a lot of fun. There was still a lot of work to be done.  While there, he was the administrator.  He would then move to France, just outside of Paris. He was able to Paris in his off time and go to the Paris Opera House. He got to see a lot of artistic things he got to see including the Mona Lisa and Cleopatra’s Needle.  He would also go to museums there as well. (15:20)  While he was there, the war was still going on. He would be there prepping guys for war and taking care of those who came back from war.  He would read the newspapers and read about how so many of those guys were dying and it bothered him tremendously.  The people of the USA were starting to speak out against the war.  It was his time to get out and he did.  He feels bad because the job was not getting done and it was the soldiers who were paying the price. Post Duty and other stories (18:05) �        It is always difficult when a friend dies. When he was in France, a buddy of his was driving to Paris one night and had a seizure and he and the passenger died. It was a pretty bad time for him because he was on duty when they brought the bodies in. They came in and he didn’t know about the accident yet. He walked in and saw their bodies lying on the slab and that’s when he found out. He was not mistreated when he came home from the service, while serving in Vietnam. His family was there for him when he came home and they were very supportive. He has a way in his community where they truly honor veterans. The guys who came home from Vietnam were treated badly. It was horrible and quite real. One of the things that the community doesn’t know is that natives have a higher rate of enlistees than the whole. 1 of 4 compared to 1 of 10 Part of that is no so much that we are loyal, but they have a real sense of connection to the earth around them. Veterans are represented in a different way because of the culture. In order to honor the customs of his community, he gives the interviewer some items from his culture, in exchange for letting him be a part of this project. He continues to serve his community; to show it he collects buttons, awards and other patches. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilliamsRo Title A name given to the resource Williams, Roger (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, Roger Description An account of the resource Roger Williams is a Native American who served in the United State Air Force as a medical Administrator in two separate tours between 1957 and 1967. He was stationed in Texas, Florida and Germany, and was at the Homestead , Florida, air base at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kimes, Emily (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Indians of North America Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-06-04 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b76d741867f4a1d251f44243cdc9394f.mp4 1dae2ff1357659f8364199ea9814807e https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/baa250354e4d03528faad2c84b23e297.pdf 3f9a6f4becf15e4737ce353bc3973c6f PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Tommy Williams World War II (11:53) Background Information (00:11)    Born August 26th 1920 (00:12) At the age of 18 before he joined the Army, Tommy worked in the field. (1:02) He was raised in Mississippi. (1:25) Military Service (1:49)           His basic training included emphasis on physical activity as well as a lot of peeling potatoes. (2:00) Tommy was in Germany when the war ended in 1945. He does not recall what town. (2:40) Tommy served in combat in Italy and Germany during his service. (2:53) He served as a loader. (Possibly for artillery or another large gun). (3:28) The gun would fire at tanks or men. (4:24) Tommy spent approx. 2 years on the front lines (Approx. 1943-1945). (4:44) There were some casualties in his unit but not a drastic amount. (4:50) When not on the front line, the men commonly spent their time doing pickup sports games. (5:30) Tommy frequently wrote home to stay in touch with his family. (5:55) He was not taught any new skills through his service. (6:36) End of Service (6:53)    He exited the military in October of 1946. (7:16) After the war ended, Tommy returned to Mississippi where he spent much of his time resting. (7:29) He moved to Michigan in 1951 (7:48) Effects of Service (8:17)      Tommy made some close friends while in the military. He is no longer in touch with any of them. (8:17) He worked picking cotton after he returned home from the war. (9:00) His military experience exposed him to a lot of different people and cultures. (9:45) Tommy is a member of the American Legion. (10:00) Tommy is in the Legion for the same reason he was in the service, he likes to help people. (10:58) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilliamsT1368V Title A name given to the resource Williams, Tommy (Interview outline and video), 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, Tommy Description An account of the resource Tommy Williams, born August 26th 1920 in rural Mississippi, served in the U.S. Army from approximately 1943-1946. During his service, Tommy worked as a loader for a heavy gun and served in combat in Italy and Germany. He was discharged in October of 1946 and in 1951, moved to Michigan. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Barron, Kayla (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings United States. Army World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011-10-04 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8f4cb38d8ec7b7ec185da95011f3b834.m4v 952919b31b46b3ee45c103e04b77b79d https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4edf0bb8f46ae0951863b8a8a22b27ec.pdf 77b605dc1db55608ce00fa76f7637b5d PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Bill Williams Vietnam War 2 hours 11 minutes 40 seconds (00:00:15) Early Life Pt. 1 -Born in Muscatine, Iowa -Grew up on a farm near Wapello, Iowa -Born on December 20, 1941 -Went to high school in Wapello -Played football -Took a road trip one summer with some friends to Colorado -Convinced him to attend college in Colorado (00:01:24) Colorado State University & Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps Pt. 1 -Attended Colorado State University -Always wanted to be in the Army so he joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps -Mandatory two years of service -Enjoyed being in the ROTC -Got into the Advanced ROTC in his junior year -Went to Fort Riley, Kansas for summer training -Did well there -Became the cadet regimental commander for half of his junior year -Wanted to join the Army because of memories of World War Two and the Korean War -Sounded enjoyable -Wanted to travel and experience different things (00:03:15) Early Life Pt. 2 -Family were farmers -Grew up near the Iowa and Mississippi Rivers near Burlington, Iowa (00:04:04) Colorado State University & Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps Pt. 2 -Graduated from college in 1963 -ROTC instructors were good -Combat veterans from WWII and the Korean War -One sergeant fought in the Pacific Theatre during WWII -Another sergeant fought at Pointe du Hoc on D-Day then in Korea -Taught Bill common sense things about being a good soldier -Instructed the cadets how to kill -Taught Bill about an officer's honor and how to manage well -Went to Fort Riley, Kansas for summer training -Learned about different leadership positions, from squad leader to company commander -Enjoyed training at Fort Riley �-Lived in barracks -Enjoyed being the cadet regimental commander, but felt he didn't do well with it -Received his commission as a 2nd lieutenant when he graduated from college (00:07:15) Overview of Events at Fort Benning -Upon graduating from college he went to Fort Benning, Georgia -Received Infantry Officer Basic Training -Went to Jump School (learning how to be a paratrooper) -From Fort Benning he was deployed to South Korea (00:07:47) Infantry Officer Basic Training -Taught how to call in artillery and mortar strikes -Learned how to lead troops -Learned about how to maintain vehicles -Taught by an old warrant officer -Trained solely at Fort Benning, Georgia -Good variation of terrain -Trained during the summer of 1963 (00:10:08) Jump School -Stayed at Fort Benning for Jump School for three weeks -Had to be in good shape -Trained with 600 other soldiers -First week of training was ground work -Learning how to safely land -Second week was tower training -Jumping from a 34 foot tower and riding down on a wire -Part of that second week was learning how to properly exit the plane -Had to run everywhere -Punished with push-ups -Tower had a mock aircraft fuselage so trainees could learn how to jump out of a plane -Fell six to ten feet then slid down the wire -Meant to mimic the feeling of the chute opening on a real jump -Third week of training he got to parachute out of an actual plane -Flew over to Fryar Field in Alabama -On his first jump he landed on his butt -Got yelled at over that -Supposed to run off the field -Managed to walk off the field without getting yelled at -Exhilarating experience (00:16:02) Deployment to South Korea -Received orders for South Korea -Allowed to go home on leave before going to South Korea -Visited his brother who was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky -En route learned that President Kennedy had been assassinated -Went home to Iowa for 30 days of leave -Shipped out to South Korea in December 1963 -Flew out of Travis Air Force Base, California (00:17:06) Stationed in South Korea �-Landed at Kimpo Air Base near Seoul, South Korea -Assigned to the 7th Infantry Division -Used Military Pay Certificates (MPC) instead of dollars -Went to the Officers' Club the first night in South Korea -His unit was stationed south of the 1st Cavalry Division which was on the demilitarized zone -Had to do a 40 mile hike in the winter -Led by two incompetent captains that got them lost -Ran out of water and had to eat dirty snow -He was platoon leader for 1st Platoon -Platoon sergeant was a Korean War veteran -Murdered by another GI when said GI tried to kill some military police -Platoon sergeant went to confront the GI and was shot -GI was shot and killed by a finance unit's guard -Bill was acting company commander at the time -Transferred to a mortar platoon to be its leader -The soldiers he led were good men, but not well-educated -Some couldn't even write letters properly -They were good men though -Got to see Seoul on one weekend -Saw a lot of the Korean countryside -Went on a 20 mile road march in the winter -Saw women washing their clothes in a freezing river -South Koreans were hard working people -Had problems with thieves, and they were smart thieves -Farmers were still as poor as they had been when Korea was a Japanese colony -Seoul was modernizing, but there were still problems -Air control tower at Kimpo still had bullet holes in it -Had Korean Augmentation To the United States Army (KATUSA) soldiers attached to his unit -South Korean soldiers that were attached to the U.S. Army -Had a South Korean sergeant, corporal, and private attached to his unit -Sergeant gave orders to the corporal who then gave orders to the private -Higher ranking soldiers beat lower ranking soldiers -Commonplace and for mistakes and/or disobedience -Left South Korea after a year and flew back into Travis Air Force Base -Came home in November or December 1964 (00:27:56) Special Forces Training -Volunteered for the Special Forces while he was in Korea -Tonkin Gulf Incident happened while he was in Korea -Applied for transfer to Vietnam -Approved for Special Forces training before he was transferred though -Sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina for Special Forces Training -It was interesting, but difficult -Learned about explosives and guerrilla tactics -First phase and it lasted three months �-Learned how to fight guerrilla soldiers -Second phase and it also lasted three months -Trained by combat veterans from WWII and the Korean War -Received Vietnamese language training from a sergeant that had served in WWII -He had been part of the elite Devil's Brigade -Moved around Fort Bragg for training -Did training exercises and airborne jumps at night -Training was geared toward fighting in Vietnam -Had to do a swimming test after being given a large meal of soup and meatloaf -Had to do three laps around a large pool -Some men completed training early and got deployed to Vietnam -Led to them getting killed in action -Completed Special Forces Training in late 1965, or early 1966 (00:32:38) First Tour in Vietnam - Duties of the Special Forces -Received leave upon completing Special Forces Training then deployed to Vietnam -Flew out of Travis Air Force Base -The function of the Green Berets was to set up outposts in enemy territory -Similar to forts in the American West during the Indian Wars -Trained indigenous Vietnamese to be anti-communist soldiers -Conducted patrols around the outpost -Keeping enemy forces out of the area of operations (00:34:19) First Tour in Vietnam - First Outpost -The first outpost he was stationed at was near Nha Trang and was the executive officer -Very little enemy activity -In May 1966 they discovered an enemy camp -All but one of the Viet Cong soldiers retreated, the last man stood and fought -A Montagnard soldier shot the Viet Cong soldier -Montagnards: Indigenous people in Vietnam who were U.S. allies -Took home a communist flag as a souvenir -Dealt primarily with Viet Cong soldiers -The first dead Viet Cong soldier he saw was an 18 year old girl -Stayed at the first outpost until he was promoted to captain (00:36:41) First Tour in Vietnam - Second Outpost -Sent to Pleiku to be the funds officer at the Green Beret outpost there -Stationed there for four months -Responsible for $1 million -Had to go to Saigon to get the money and bring it back to Pleiku once a month -Had to find travel on his own for a while -On one night he got stuck in Laos -Used the money to pay the indigenous soldiers -Some areas were quiet in terms of enemy activity while others were more active -Remembers escorting a stripper from the USO to Plei Me -Area was under attack most of the time, but it was never overrun -At the time it felt like the United States was winning -Knew there were problems with American politics -Had issues with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnamese �soldiers) -Many were corrupt, but others were good fighters (00:42:27) Returning to the United States -Flew back to the United States -People were indifferent or outright rude to Vietnam veterans -That was of course unless you were wearing a Green Beret -Returned to the U.S. in early 1967 -Spent leave home in Iowa -People in Iowa were more friendly toward him than other civilians (00:43:29) Stationed at Fort Benning Pt. 1 -Assigned to Fort Benning to be an Infantry Instructor at the Infantry School -Had to do a three week course to learn how to be an Infantry Instructor -Went to class eight hours a day -More difficult than college -Taught a small arms course -Taught soldiers how to "snap shoot" -How to unconsciously and accurately shoot to kill (00:44:54) Weapons in Vietnam -Used the M16 assault rifle in Vietnam and later a carbine variant of the M16 -Had a "four deuce" (M2 4.2 inch mortar) on one of the outposts in Vietnam -The Viet Cong had mortars, but weren't very accurate -Usually fired off rounds quickly then fled which meant his unit never took casualties (00:46:55) Stationed at Fort Benning Pt. 2 -He was stationed at Fort Benning for 18 months -Went to Infantry Officer Advanced Course -Learned about logistics and strategy for larger units like companies and battalions -It was useful training (00:49:08) Redeployment to Vietnam -Had to return to Vietnam for a second tour in Vietnam -Men that had gone to West Point only had to do one tour in Vietnam -Knew he would be assigned to the 101st Airborne Division -Unit had a good reputation and he was happy to be assigned to the 101st (00:50:47) Arrival in Vietnam -Returned to Vietnam in November or December 1969 -Knew that he would be stationed in I Corps near the demilitarized zone -Landed at Tan Son Nhut near Saigon -From there flew up to Cam Ranh Bay and right into a sandstorm -Huts were filled with sand -From Cam Ranh Bay flew to a shoddy camp in I Corps -Taken by truck to the Screaming Eagle Replacement Training School -Went on an introdcutory patrol and got ambushed -Called in helicopter gunships -Was a company commander during his time at SERTS (00:55:13) 3rd Brigade Headquarters �-He was sent to the 3rd Brigade Headquarters -Requested an assignment to a rifle company -There were no open slots for a company commander though -Most battalions had too many captains anyway -Requested to stay at 3rd Brigade Headquarters until a slot opened -Assigned to be the assistant-S3 officer (operations and planning) -S-3 officer was a good officer to work for -Colonel Bradley was the brigade commander -He was a WWII veteran and a West Point graduate -Good man to serve under -Responsible for getting Bill an assignment as a rifle company commander -Worked as the assistant-S3 officer for four months -There was some minor, local fighting during his time at 3rd Brigade Headquarters (00:59:35) Assignment to Bravo Company -Assigned to a rifle company in late March 1970 -Bravo Company 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division -Had to wait four or five days to get out to the field due to bad weather (01:01:15) Establishing Firebase Ripcord -Operation Texas Star began on March 12, 1970 -Attempt to rebuild the abandoned Firebase Ripcord -Bravo Company got eight replacements -On April 1, 1970 Bravo Company air assaulted onto the hill that Ripcord would be built on -There were 100 men in his company plus support personnel -Took mortar fire as soon as they landed -Colonel Lucas and Major Koenigsbauer began directing artillery fire against the enemy mortars -Started to take casualties -One of his platoon lieutenants was killed in action by a mortar -Seven or eight men were killed and about 20 men were wounded -Half of the Pathfinders were able to land -Other half could not land due to heavy enemy fire -At dusk they received orders to withdraw to a nearby hill Alpha Company was on -Helicopters tried to come in to collect the dead, but couldn't land -They buried the dead at Ripcord instead so they could be recovered later -Walked down the side of the hill Ripcord was on -Contacted A Company and told them that B Company was approaching their position -Safely got to A Company without running into enemy soldiers -They were supposed to be airlifted out of the field the next day -Heavy fog rolled in which made it impossible for helicopters to come in -Moved down to Delta Company's position -Had trouble contacting D Company -B Company was running out of food and ammunition -D Company commander was a good man -Made sure that B Company was able to rest -Separated from D Company the next day �-They ran out food because they thought that they were going to reestablish Firebase Ripcord -Walked around in the jungle for a while before getting resupplied (01:15:27) Patrols near Firebase Ripcord -After trying to reestablish Firebase Ripcord they were airlifted back to the rear -Stayed in the rear for a short time -Command didn't want the soldiers in the rear too long because it led to problems -Returned to the field in mid-April 1970 and conducted patrols aroud Firebase Ripcord -Didn't make a lot of contact with North Vietnamese troops from April-June -Discovered a lot of freshly built bunkers and huts -Usually empty, but had been occupied -Called in artillery to destroy the fortifications -He made sure that the men in his company shaved while in the field -Maintaining discipline, but also to prevent infection -Normally the platoons operated separately -Stayed with a platoon for a few days then rotated to another one -Platoons went on patrols around the company command post to secure the area -Company command post was whatever platoon he was with -Never got ambushed -Some of his platoons made contact with North Vietnamese troops closer to Firebase Ripcord -One of his platoons encountered an NVA platoon heading toward Ripcord (01:22:15) Fighting on Hill 805 -Moved to Hill 805 in early July 1970 -Air assaulted to a landing zone near Hill 805 -Watched as Cobra gunships bombarded the NVA on top of Hill 805 -He was on one of the first helicopters into the landing zone -The landing zone was lower than Hill 805 which meant the enemy had the high ground -Someone finally neutralized the NVA soldier firing down on the landing zone -His company took two casualties -One man was shot in the arm and another was shot in the back -He moved to the far side of the landing zone until another a platoon landed -One platoon went up Hill 805 and the other platoon stayed at the landing zone -That night the landing zone took enemy fire -NVA were trying to figure out U.S. troop strength at Hill 805 -Fortunately, they couldn't figure out where the U.S. troops were -The night after that Charlie Company was wiped out on Hill 902 -C Company's commander made two critical errors, one of which was his fault: -Stayed on Hill 902 two nights in a row (ordered to, not his decision) -He set up a hammock on top of the hill in plain sight (his fault) -C Company was overrun and had to wipe out the attacking NVA -B Company was ordered to withdraw from Hill 805 to be replaced by C Company -While waiting to get airlifted off Hill 805 he set up his radio �-Lightning struck the tree next to him which traveled down his radio antenna -Shock threw him fifteen feet down the hill (01:33:37) Stationed at Firebase Ripcord -Received orders to pull back to Firebase Ripcord -Once they landed he went to see the firebase surgeon, Dr. Harris -Learned that one of his eardrums had been blown out -B Company took over security at Firebase Ripcord -Bill was made the S3 officer to replace Major Koenigsbauer -Koenigsbauer was sent to division headquarters -Due to Army protocol officers had to be rotated to different positions after six months -Led to experienced officers getting replaced with inexperienced officers -Meant that Bill would be in the tactical operations center with Colonel Lucas -B Company took up defensive positions in bunkers on the perimeter of Ripcord -Every night at 5 PM they had staff meetings in the TOC and always took enemy artillery fire (01:38:49) Siege of Firebase Ripcord -Over the course of July the fighting around Ripcord got worse and turned into a siege -More artillery fire and enemy soldiers trying to get through the wire and mines -A Chinook resupply helicopter came in on July 18, took enemy fire, and crashed -The fuel spilled out, caught fire, and caused the ammunition dump to explode -Took seven or eight hours for all of the ammunition to cook off -One soldier panicked and ran down the hill through the wire defenses -Mistaken for being an NVA soldier and got shot at -Fortunately, he wasn't killed or wounded (01:43:29) Getting Wounded -At another staff meeting Dr. Harris said there was a group of GIs standing around the TOC -Bill went outside and told them to get away from the TOC -Would attract attention from the NVA mortars near the firebase -An artillery shell came in and exploded near Bill -It threw him down the stairs into the TOC and he sustained severe wounds -Crushed skull, broken jaw, severed jugular vein, and shrapnel wounds -Dr. Harris stopped the bleeding -Wounded before Firebase Ripcord fell on July 23, 1970 (01:46:59) Recovery Overseas -He was evacuated to Charlie Med (hospital) in Khe Sanh -Unconscious for five days -Woke up to find tubes running out of his body and a Red Cross nurse standing over him -Able to dictate a letter home to her -Moved to Camp Drake, Japan -Spent three weeks there �-Kept in a large warehouse-type building that was used as the hospital -Severely wounded on one side, minor cases on the other, latrines in the middle -Had nightmares every night because he couldn't find his rifle -Finally convinced himself that he was no longer in danger -Moved to the convalescent ward -Received a lot of letters from family and friends from home -Flown to the Philippines and told get food at the Officers' Club (01:53:56) Recovery in the United States -Flown to Travis Air Force Base, California and sent to a hospital -Told he had a free phone call home -Red Cross nurse called home for him because his jaw was wired shut -Transferred to Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco -Could see Alcatraz Island from the hospital -Could see the Native Americans who had occupied the island -Escaped the hospital during the day to go into San Francisco -Watched the cleanup operations after two oil tankers collided in the bay -Drank wine with other patients at night -On Thursdays they had to be examined by oral surgeons -Hated it -Spent eight and a half months in the hospital -Given leave twice -Got married in Akron, Alabama on one leave -Married 45 years as of February 2016 -Met his wife while he was at Fort Benning -Had to eat liquid foods -Worst ones were liquid fish and liquid beets -Experienced an earthquake (02:01:15) End of Service -After he recovered he was sent to Fort Carson, Colorado -Made the assistant S3 officer for the brigade there -Able to get up late and leave work early -Had a lot of men from Vietnam who only had three months of service left -Came up with a plan to walk from New Mexico to Wyoming along the Continental Divide -Something to occupy the soldiers that had time left, but nothing to do -Received approval for the plan and 24 men volunteered to go on the hike -Trained by doing hikes on Pikes Peak -Hiked from the New Mexico state line to the Wyoming border -Had supply points along the way -Took 50 days -Started with 24 men and only three had to drop out for various reasons -Only took six pictures -Preoccupied with the mules they brought with them -Issued a ration and a half a day because they were burning so many calories �-Got a week off after the hike -Able to spend time with his wife and baby son (02:07:03) Life after the Army -Developed psychomotor-epilepsy from his head wound -Given a medical retirement by the Army -Developed Bell's palsy, thiroiditis, and a blood disease after he left the Army -Given Social Security due to unemployability -Unable to be around people for long periods of time -Lives in the mountains of Colorado -Wife is understanding -Used to raise horses and take care of his children -Wife worked at the Post Office -Moved to some property in Lake George, Colorado and built a house and a barn (02:10:40) Reflections on Service -Hard to leave the Army and still misses the brotherhood he felt in the Army -The best and worst parts of his service happened while he was in Vietnam -Made friends, but also lost friends too � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WilliamsW1892V Title A name given to the resource Williams, William J (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-10 Description An account of the resource Bill Williams was born in Muscatine, Iowa on December 20, 1941. He attended Colorado State University and was part of the Army ROTC, graduating and receiving his commission in 1963. He went to Fort Benning, Georgia for Infantry Officer Basic Training and Jump School (paratrooper training). He spent a year stationed in South Korea serving as a platoon leader in the 7th Infantry Division. After South Korea he returned to the United States and received Special Forces Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and in early 1966 he was deployed to Vietnam. He served at a Green Beret outpost in Nha Trang and at another outpost in Pleiku until early 1967. He took the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and was a small arms instructor at Fort Benning, Georgia for eighteen months. He was redeployed to Vietnam in December 1969 and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. He served as the assistant S3 officer at 3rd Brigade Headquarters for four months until he was assigned to be the company commander of Bravo Company 2nd Battalion 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. He carried out patrols around Firebase Ripcord in spring 1970 and fought at Hill 805 until B Company moved to Firebase Ripcord in July 1970 and experienced the siege of Ripcord. Shortly before the fall of Ripcord he was severely wounded and was medically evacuated. He received treatment in Vietnam, Japan, and California before completing his service at Fort Carson, Colorado. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Williams, William J. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Moving Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4ab31ef1152394ddb36fd36e42d76503.pdf 503d85b7914624e0c5f9f69bab65e73f PDF Text Text 1 Grand Valley State University Special Collections Kent County Oral History collections, RHC-23 Miss Elizabeth Welter Wilson Interviewed on June 5, 1975 Edited and indexed by Don Bryant, 2010 – bryant@wellswooster.com Tape # 51 (1:19:27) Biographical Information Elizabeth Welter Wilson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 4 April 1921. She is the daughter of Henry Dunning Wilson and Marie Ethel Welter who were married in Grand Rapids on 12 June 1920. Elizabeth currently (2010) resides in Manhattan. Henry D. Wilson was born 4 May 1892 in Grand Rapids, the son of Charles Moseman Wilson and Jane Wadsworth Dunning. Henry died on 16 June 1948 in Grand Rapids. Marie E. Welter was born 19 August 1890 in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Ferdinand Welter and Elizabeth Ewing Muir. She died on 23 November 1980 in Grand Rapids. Family members are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids. ___________ Interviewer: I am testing at this point. I am Lee Hutchins and I am going to interview, shortly my second cousin Elizabeth Welter Wilson, who has become a rather well known actress in her own right and has been in the theatre world ever since graduating high school. I am going to stop and see if we are…. This recording is being made at the home of her brother Charles Wilson, a new home built within the last few years on the Thornapple River, not far from the village of Caledonia, somewhere in the Alaska area. This is the first time I have ever been out here and it is a lovely day and it is the afternoon of June the fifth, a Thursday. We have had a delightful lunch prepared by Charles‟s wife, Sally. We have toured the house, met the dog, and saw the swimming pool. And are now on a lower level, I guess you would call it the family room, Elizabeth is still upstairs getting ready. We will start in just a minute. Before she arrives, I would like to explain that we were both brought up in the same neighborhood on North Lafayette in Grand Rapids. She is about three years older than I. The children of the respective families, my sister and myself and her brother and younger sister, we were all close as children and saw a great deal of each other. Both of us were brought up in Victorian mansions that our grandfathers had, each purchased in the late nineteen twenties. Elizabeth‟s family moved out of their house in about nineteen forty-four or five, I would guess, and my family has stayed on, still at the same address, one-eleven Lafayette north east. Elizabeth‟s old home was turned into first, it was turned into a radio station WGRD and is now the office or I guess you would call the headquarters of the architectural firm of Steenwyk and Thrall in Grand Rapids. �2 Yesterday afternoon at my mother‟s house in Grand Rapids, Elizabeth was interviewed by the editor of Accent (Grand Rapids), Jim Mencarelli. He obviously had insights into Elizabeth‟s profession which I don‟t possess because I am not particularly a theatre buff; but he did conduct an interview and the results will appear in the July issue of Accent (Grand Rapids). I am going to talk about or ask Elizabeth to talk about some of the topics he talked about yesterday afternoon. Probably the same questions but probably not in the same way and I may add or subtract as we go along. Interviewer: And now Elizabeth has arrived on stage as it were, and put this about out to here which is the right distance and start by asking some questions, the same that he asked in your interview of yesterday. And we will start by asking you where you were born and where and approximately when? Elizabeth: I was born in Grand Rapids approximately, I am going to tell the truth, Lee, how about that? That will be a first. Interviewer: Why not. Elizabeth: Nineteen twenty-one in Blodgett Memorial Hospital on April fourth; and there you are. Interviewer: What are your first memories of going to school? Where did you go for primary school, for instance? Elizabeth: My first memories of school are not really of grade school or primary school. My grandmother, Mrs. Charles Wilson, I think she was responsible for this, she knew a fascinating lady that was teaching French; it was prekindergarten school and I think our mutual cousin Mrs. Seymour Wilson, had something to do with this prekindergarten school. At any rate, when I was three and four I went to this prekindergarten school. Lee, I actually started grade school in Detroit, Michigan, I think I am right about this, now wait a minute, we moved to Detroit, yes I believe that‟s true. It‟s strange that I should be unsure of… But I think it was the kindergarten and first grade was in Detroit, we moved to Detroit in the late - middle thirties, no that‟s not right. Interviewer: You moved back from Detroit. Elizabeth: I don‟t know where I started school, but I know I spent most of my primary years at the Fountain Street School. Interviewer: In Grand Rapids. Elizabeth: In Grand Rapids, and after that, we will have to clear that up, I am not completely sure. I know I went to school in Detroit for at least two years, and I‟ve always been under the impression that I started school there; somehow we will have to figure that one out. I went thru �3 the sixth grade at Fountain Street School and instead of going directly to Central Junior High school I went to Marywood Academy for three years and entered Central High School in the tenth grade. I finished, I graduated in nineteen forty from Central High School. So that‟s plenty of information. Interviewer: One of the questions that he brought up early in the interview yesterday, which I thought quite interesting, was your appearing, attending summer school at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids. Anyway, it was not a part of your regular schooling. Elizabeth: Yes… Interviewer: You took part in a pageant. I wish you would repeat that again. Elizabeth: One summer when we were living at thirty-five North Lafayette Avenue, we attended the Sunday school summer school at the Presbyterian Church. We were members of Park Congregational Church, but our grandmother belonged to the Presbyterian Church. I was eight years old; I remember how old I was. At the end of the six weeks the minister came and said we are going to do a pageant and the tallest person in the room will play the American flag. For whatever reason but they had decided that was what it was. I always was very self-conscious about my height. I am almost five feet, ten inches tall now and was almost five ten when I was twelve years old. I don‟t know how tall I was at eight, but I was very, very tall and while I was growing up very self conscious about it. But any rate, he said you, Elizabeth Wilson will play the American flag, and that was that. Well, we rehearsed the program and we did it and first of all, I had to recite the Declaration of Independence, dressed as the flag if you can imagine. And when it was over, I got it all mixed up, all backwards, I was so humiliated. Somehow, when I went out by the church, a young girl, woman came up to me and said, “You were very good.” And it flashed across my head that must have been the first time that anybody ever paid me a compliment, really. I don‟t know why she did because I can‟t imagine. But I thought at any rate that is kind of nice. Interviewer: That was the beginning… Elizabeth: That was the beginning, Lee; the start of it, then. Interviewer: That was the start of it, in a real sense. Elizabeth: It kind of stuck in my head, well what a strange experience it was, it hadn‟t been a particularly happy experience, I‟d forgotten the lines, I hadn‟t been very happy about being chosen as the tallest person to play the American flag, but there was if you will, there was something psychological about the way she said it and my reaction. Well, the warm waves of praise. I just lapped them up. Interviewer: Alright, let‟s pause for just a second. �4 Elizabeth: Alright. Interviewer: So, after your initial performance at the Presbyterian Church, you obviously took another step or two along the way, what was your next experience in the theatre in this area, Elizabeth? Elizabeth: Well, Lee, there were a number of people when I was nine and ten years old, who had a very, very strong influence on my life. Your mother for one, Mrs. Lee Wilson Hutchins for one, my cousin Helen, and I will get into that in a minute, but I would like to tell what she meant to me and how she effected my wanting to be an actress. But when I was nine and ten years old, I was very involved in Park Church and there were quite an extraordinary woman named Mary Einecke she was married to our musical director Harold Einecke. She had been an actress… Interviewer: That is spelled E-i-n-e-c-k-e Elizabeth: I am not sure. Interviewer: Well, that‟s close enough. Yes. Elizabeth: She had been an actress, she was Russian. She married Harold Einecke and he was a very fine musician at Park Church and they had a very fine reputation there and built the choirs and I was very much a part of the choirs. I expect that experience, too. I started about when I was nine or ten; I was in the Girl‟s Choir, then I was in the Chapel Choir when I was in my teens. I was in the Park Church choirs for about ten years, and Harold and Mary Einecke were very theatrical. She was a darling woman and because she had been a professional actress she meant a great deal to me. There was also another woman in the church who was named Elsie Stroop who was secretarial minister who was very encouraging, even at ten and eleven years old I‟d begin to evident the fact of wanting to be an actress, I don‟t know. Then I went to Marywood Academy as I said earlier, and there was a woman there a Miss Buck, who was the drama teacher. But, I must tell the Joseph Jefferson story, Lee because I think it is so interesting. Years ago, a hundred years ago perhaps, there was a famous American actor named Joseph Jefferson and his great claim to fame was playing Rip Van Winkle and his understudy was on tour one night stands, or one day stand as it was. And here we were twelve and thirteen years old and we did a couple of scenes from the Washington Irving book, I don‟t know who wrote the play Rip Van Winkle and then Joseph Jefferson‟s understudy played the old man Rip Van Winkle and I was asked to be, not really asked to be just part of his little family in this Washington Irving play with Joseph Jefferson‟s understudy. This is just a part of history that tickles me. I don‟t know, I‟m sure he goes way, way back maybe even to Booth‟s time. Edwin Booth and John Wilkes [Booth] go, go way back. Well, that‟s sort of a touch with history. Then when I left Marywood Academy, I went to Central, and there was a very strong-willed woman named Dorothy Sonke, a very remarkable lady and she was most encouraging. Interviewer: Sonke is spelled S-O-N-K-E, I believe. �5 Elizabeth: Yes, I do believe. Dorothy Sonke right from the beginning, I don‟t know how it happened but when I entered Central in the tenth grade, I had a great long soliloquy, by that time I skipped two teachers that I studied with in Grand Rapids that I had, Camilla Boon and Myrtle Koon Cherryman who had incredibly strong influences on me. They were both interesting women, and I do want to talk about them. Myrtle Koon Cherryman was a legend in Grand Rapids and a remarkable lady and I had been studying with them and I took that much more seriously than my own school work, Lee. You remember I use to have to come to you to get French lessons for me. I was so much more interested in my dramatic lessons and I studied every week with Camilla Boon or Mrs. Cherryman. I used to have readings every week and I use to memorize these darn things, each week. And that is how I learned to memorize from doing these each week. Now, I can memorize things very quickly, and I use to write these things down and memorize these things, at any rate, I came to Central. And so I know this long soliloquy and she was so impressed, Lee. She was so impressed because this new person coming to Central knew this long thing. I don‟t even know what it was. She took me in front of the graduating class and had me give this long speech and they were most impressed. Of course, I was terribly pleased and from then on I got the lead in the senior play, I‟ve forgotten now what I did in the junior play, but I directed. I was the only student in Central that was ever asked to direct, it was called an Acting Project, a great Vaudeville show. That is what it was called, The Vaudeville Show, I directed that. By the time I left Central and started going into the summer stock theatre, I felt that I had done quite a lot. Interviewer: What was the senior class play? Elizabeth: Pride and Prejudice. Interviewer: And who were some of the other actors? Elizabeth: David Idema played my father. Let‟s see David Ware, I believe, I‟m not sure about my brother. Alex Dillingham played opposite me, my best friend in the senior class was Evelyn Klein, she was in it; she played my mother. Betty Williams was in it, she lived here for a long time, oh gracious, let‟s see. Interviewer: Well, that‟s a good number of people. Elizabeth: Yes, we played for three performances. Of course, Pride and Prejudice is such a lovely story. I remember, my grandmother Mrs. Charles (Angeline) Wilson, came to see one of the performances. She was, you know she was one of the most critical people in our lives. She had a great deal of musical experience; she lived and studied in Europe. The most serious critic in my young life. When Nana Angeline said to me, we called her Nana, in her strict way, “You were good.” that was, well …. Interviewer: That was a high complement. �6 Elizabeth: Indeed, indeed! Interviewer: Go on, what was the next step? Elizabeth: Well the next step, I started to get involved with the Civic Theatre in Grand Rapids in nineteen thirty-nine and forty, and Bertram Yarborough again, a remarkable man with professional experience. He asked me, rather invited me to go to his theatre on Nantucket, Massachusetts to be an apprentice; that was in nineteen forty. I had graduated Central in nineteen forty, and Lee, that meant so much to me. Now, Lee we had to pay, you just didn‟t, because for some reason in those days there were lots of summer theatres. Of course, all the summer theatres had apprentices that were nothing but workhorses. I certainly expected to act, but lots of them never did. Some summer theatres were notoriously corrupt, they would have dozens and dozens of apprentices, and they would pay two and three hundred dollars for the summer and never got to do anything but carry scenery and work like dogs. But I went to Nantucket, and the whole family made the trip because it was the second year of the New York World‟s Fair. So my father, Henry Wilson and my mother and my brother, Charles and my sister Mary and I got in our car and we drove. We stopped in Williamsburg, and New York, then they took me to Nantucket. I spent the summer in Nantucket. And after the summer in Nantucket, well after the summer I got to play three parts in the plays and it was a very good company. And they were all outstanding people. I can‟t tell you the names of the plays that I was in, but one of the great thrills was meeting Katherine Cornell, who was my idol. As I was growing up, I read her book, I [Always] Wanted to be an Actress. She was my idol, and she lived on Martha‟s Vineyard and she was a great friend of the two men who were the producers of this theatre. And she came over one day and Lawrence Olivier and Vivian Lee were playing in New York at that time, Romeo and Juliet and they paid a visit to the island. I didn‟t meet them, but I remember seeing them from a distance on the lawn, thinking oh my goodness! But that was a very important summer. Then, I came back to Grand Rapids and went to Junior College. And then the war. I remember one of the things about Nantucket, it isn‟t a very theatrical thing, but the submarines were encircling the island then I didn‟t know if they were American or German, but I remember sitting in the restaurant on Nantucket and you could hear those great depth charges; the submarines during World War Two that close and you could hear these big thunking things exploding in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nantucket Island. It was very frightening to say the least. Interviewer: Then eventually you got involved with Gerald Hanchett and his sister Elizabeth in their… what would you call that? How would you describe that? Elizabeth: Well, then I came back and went to Junior College. And then the next summer of forty-one, there was a summer theatre in upper New York, [not] New York Michigan, I think Lee it was... Interviewer: Was it Onekama or Portage? �7 Elizabeth: Oh, dear….There was a woman who was very… Elvira Baker, who was with the Civic Theatre, and Robert Cunningham, Bob Cunningham who was head of the drama department at Junior College; they were all involved. And Amy Lewis, remember her? Amy Lewis was one of the leading lights in the Civic Theatre, and she was a charming actress, a charming woman. In this little theatre, up along the coast, Lee. The Onekama area, whatever the name. Anyway, we spent the summer there and then I came back and went to Junior College again and it was at that point I got involved in this theatre, now then there were two people in Grand Rapids; the Hanchett family H-A-N-C-H-E-T-T, Elizabeth and Gerald Hanchett, they were brother and sister and they had been very involved in the theatre in New York, and they had produced revues. Just a minute Lee, I think we have to turn it off…. Interviewer: Sorry for the interruption, Elizabeth was called to the long distance telephone. Interviewer: We were just talking about the Hanchetts and the Playhouse, or whatever you want to call it, the Art Center which they ran in the old Hanchett house down on College Avenue. I‟d like to add a little footnote to the story at this point. That house which is still standing is the house that is immediately south of the Voigt house at one-fifteen College southeast. It is a notable structure, actually the Hanchetts didn‟t build it, but they moved in around the turn of the century. And Mr. Hanchett, the father of Gerald and Elizabeth was the president of the Grand Rapids Street Railway Company, and at one point they were very, very well to do, if not rich people. These children were that were contemporaries of my parents, they were very gifted and unusual people. Now, Elizabeth you go ahead: Elizabeth: Well, they were. They produced a play and some revues with Shirley Booth a very talented actress; they produced some revues that she was in called Sunday Nights at Nine. Elizabeth Hanchett and Gerald Hanchett played a great part in my life; they were very kind to me. I went into their school on College Avenue; I was an apprentice in a way. I worked part time. I was going to Junior College in nineteen forty-three, no that‟s not right, I think it was nineteen forty-two, yes. Because it was the subsequent summer that I went to the Barter Theatre. At any rate, I taught school. I went around and taught; I wasn‟t qualified at all but I taught children speech and readings and elocution. They had made arrangements in the various grade schools all over Grand Rapids, to pay for my tuition at this Art School on College Avenue, I did this. There was a man who taught, named Alex Evoie who taught in this school. And this school was in this house that Lee just described. There was a beautiful big room in this house and in the back there was this huge room that we used as our theatre room. The class wasn‟t large, twenty or thirty students, but they managed to get very good faculty. They had a dance instructor and a speech instructor. What they were trying to do was have a theatre school in Grand Rapids, and it was called the Arts Center, the Theatre Arts Center. And that is what they were trying to do. There just wasn‟t enough need for it in Grand Rapids and it didn‟t work out. At any rate, it was through Elizabeth and Gerald Hanchett that I met Alex E-v-o-i-e, and it was thru him that I heard about the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. And in nineteen forty-two, my life really started. That‟s really true. Because in nineteen forty-two, I went down there, and again it was as an �8 apprentice, my father had to pay; because the war was going on hot and heavy then in nineteen forty-two. They wanted boys; there were no men around of course. The boys didn‟t have to pay but the girls always had to pay to be an apprentice. I think it was something like forty-five dollars a week; that was a lot of money. That was room and board, but even so it was a lot of money. I don‟t know where we got it, because we certainly did not have very much. I went down there and started out. Now I wasn‟t sure, that I really was on the right track, because up to that point I hadn‟t made any real progress. No one had really praised me that seriously and I was always very nervous about it. I remember when we did the play at Central, I was terribly unhappy about one performance and was uneasy about it. Robert Porterfield, who ran the Barter Theatre, it was called the Barter Theatre because during the Depression when people didn‟t have money, they brought foodstuffs to this famous theatre, brought food to the box office instead of cash. Eleanor Roosevelt, Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was very largely responsible for getting this theatre on the map. It was on the cover of Life magazine, it was a very famous theatre because of this clever gimmick of people bringing foodstuffs to the box office. When I got there, they weren‟t doing this so much anymore. Robert Porterfield, who was a wonderful man, a unique man and a great help to me, he use to say that the actors ate the box office, which is what we did and we had some really splendid meals. Lots of vegetables, I might add. But anyway, I went down there and in that company, Lee, in nineteen forty-two were some remarkable talents, Patricia Neal, right fresh from Knoxville, hadn‟t even graduated from high school. And a wonderful actress name Margaret Phillips, who isn‟t too well known now but I think she was a genius and she made a great career in the forties on Broadway. She went on, but she was too sensitive. Anyway, there were lots and lots of people in that group. And in that summer, I had to either make it or not, I remember the point of being given some good parts and I just said to myself, alright Lizzie you‟re either going to do it or you are not. By golly and I am not bragging, but by the end of the summer I had not only established myself, and I say this openly but as the best actress in that group I had gotten a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, which was really something to get. I really felt like a changed person. I don‟t know what happened to me, Lee, but I just won over my fears and just had decided, it was purely emotional. I found a way of working and I remember coming back to Grand Rapids that fall and I knew I just was different now. Then I went to New York in the fall of nineteen fortytwo and went to the Neighborhood Playhouse. And of course, that is another whole story, because there it is exciting. There for the first time little Lizzie Wilson from Grand Rapids, Michigan met the greatest acting teacher in America, Sanford Meisner who taught the Stanislavski method, and is acknowledged by any one that knows anything at all and Martha Graham who was America‟s greatest dancer. And those are the two people that I studied with for two years, so you can imagine. Interviewer: I would like to backtrack for a moment because you mentioned my mother much earlier in this interview and it was recalled to me that my mother took you and me to Detroit. Would you like to continue and if able will you date the year for me? Will you tell about our experience there? �9 Elizabeth: Well, Lee lived a block and a half from my house. Interviewer: Less than that. Elizabeth: A short block. We really grew up together, his sister and my brother and sister. And I spent a great deal of time in their home, for some reason I don‟t know why his mother liked me, and she used to go to Detroit which was quite an occasion. In about nineteen thirty-seven, I think Lee it was nineteen thirty-seven, the three of us would drive, I think it was a convertible too, we would drive to Detroit and go to the theatre. And the first play I ever saw in my life was Walter Huston in Knickerbocker Holiday. Interviewer: You mean legitimate. Elizabeth: The first legitimate play, first live actors. Interviewer: What was the name of the play? Elizabeth: Knickerbocker Holiday! Interviewer: Oh yes, Knickerbocker Holiday. Elizabeth: And Lee‟s mother would travel to New York, and that was such a thing. And the New York Times was always in your home and it was also in my grandmother‟s home. That made an incredible impression on me, I used to read the theatre section; I used to devour what was happening in New York. New York was the place. Interviewer: I guess, it still is. Elizabeth: Well, that‟s not quite true, it‟s changed. Interviewer: You started to talk about the Neighborhood Playhouse. Elizabeth: Well, I was fortunate to go to the Neighborhood Playhouse for two years. I can‟t even begin to tell you what an experience that was. But it was very important to me to know those people and those two years of study in New York, and meeting people was so interesting and exciting and stimulated me so, gave me such confidence. Both Martha Graham and Sandy Meisner were very complimentary and helped me and worked very hard with me. And the point is they were also very, very hard on me too. But Sandy said to me you are good and you are going to have to be disciplined. He worked very hard and was very serious, and so Martha also worked very hard, and it wasn‟t easy, wasn‟t easy at all. Interviewer: Forgive another slight digression, I couldn‟t help but think, Betty Ford, Gerald Ford‟s wife, was also a pupil of Martha Graham, did you ever know Betty in Grand Rapids? Elizabeth: No, I never knew the Fords. �10 Interviewer: She was dancing, but I didn‟t know if your paths had ever crossed. Elizabeth: No, we never did, which was strange. Interviewer: But you both studied under Martha Graham. I‟m going to shut it off for a second. Interviewer: Before we continue with your career, onward and upward through the ages, I thought we could talk a few minutes about you coming from Grand Rapids, which isn‟t a big city and is belittled from time to time, even though we have managed to produce a President of the United States. When you arrived in New York City from Grand Rapids, did you feel you were coming from a very provincial background? Elizabeth: No, Lee, I don‟t know why but let me put it this way, I don‟t know why but I always wanted to live in New York. I never wanted to go to California. I never wanted to be a movie actress. There is an irony in that because I have made more movies and done more movies than I‟ve done plays, and I„ve spent more time in California. I was never interested in the movies, I always wanted to be on the stage, and I had this thing and I don‟t know where it came from, about living in New York, and being in the east. Now, I„ve always loved small towns, and when I left Grand Rapids, I think there was a period when I thought it was pretty hokey, and hicky, pretty small town and I in my twenties and thirties when I would come home, I would sort of look down my nose, at certain thing around town. Or if I was with people, they would say it must be so wonderful in New York. There is certainly a lot to be said for living in a large city. The point is I couldn‟t have had a career here, and I couldn‟t have done what I have done, if I had stayed here. But it is totally different here, but I always had a great feeling for the town. Now, if I had that feeling because, I had a very happy childhood, let‟s face it and I had so many people here that I loved so much and I had a big family and lots and lots of relatives so I had such a warm spot in my heart for this place, Michigan, you see. Oh sure, I think, when you are growing up and you go away to school, I bet you felt it too when you went away to Harvard. First you think oh well, that little town, but it looks better and better to me now. With the population explosion, I am anxious to come back to a few free acres. Interviewer: Do you think it is more interesting place when you do come back, as you have more recently? You have been coming back more frequently, I wonder if you have noticed significant change? Elizabeth: I can‟t tell, because I don‟t see that many people, Lee. When I come here, I have a fairly superficial look at the town. If I lived here and sort of got into the swim and was part of the community, then I could make a fair appraisal of that. When I came here the last year a great deal, because my mother had been ill, you are practically the only the person outside of the family that I see. Most of my friends have moved away. But I think, I have changed and I think I appreciate your family and my family and just what the place is like more. I am not prejudiced about small town living, because I live outside of New York. �11 Interviewer: Okay, I think it about time to turn the cartridge over. SIDE TWO of Tape #51 Interviewer: Elizabeth has stepped out of the room for just a moment and I thought I would fill in with a few remarks of my own. I have lived most of my life in Grand Rapids except for the three years at the Ashville School near Ashville, North Carolina. It was the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades. It was the school that my father had attended. I graduated in nineteen forty-two, he graduated in nineteen fourteen and while I was at the school he was elected as a trustee of the school and he was always interested in the school and talked a great deal about it and I listened as a small boy. And he had no strong feeling about where I was going to college. He went to the University of Wisconsin, where I think he got a good education. He didn‟t have the feeling about Wisconsin that he had about Asheville. So when I was about to graduate from Asheville school, I hadn‟t made up my mind where I wanted to go to college. One group of friends were interested in going to the University of Michigan, they were mostly Grand Rapids boys that I had known, Dick Steketee, Monroe Tolliver, and Steve Bryant. I think, I am missing somebody but that is pretty much it. And then I had some other friends who were going to Harvard, Jack Darryl, Robert Sposum from Cleveland. A friend that had dropped out of Asheville, but has since become a very good friend, Matt Clark. He didn‟t finish at Asheville but he joined us at Harvard and there was another very close friend David Ketcham who came from Cohasset, Massachusetts. I finally decided I wanted to go with them, I thought was closer with them and had many more interests in common than I had with my Grand Rapids friends. Then I had the advantages of an accelerated, or perhaps the disadvantages of an accelerated college experience, because I went all year round for three years and graduated in nineteen forty-five but as a member of the class of nineteen forty-six. I worked after that starting around the first of January or the second I suppose, of January of nineteen forty-six until October nineteen fifty when I journeyed to California where I stayed for four and half years. I won‟t go into all that now, because this is not an interview about me, but I lived in the city of San Francisco most of those years that I lived out there in California. Of course, I got another point of view about Grand Rapids, frankly I was always very torn when I lived out there because I loved San Francisco but I also knew where my roots were and for family reasons, I returned to Grand Rapids and have lived here, with the exception of two years on the eastern side of the state in the village of Clarkston, ever since. Now my cousin has returned, and we will continue. Elizabeth, where were we? Elizabeth: Let‟s see. Well, Lee, I think we‟d come to the end of the Neighborhood Playhouse, those two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse, we were going over things so fast, Lee. I could talk about those two years, for a long time. I should also say, between those years at the Playhouse I went to a stock company in Cape May, New Jersey, that was a very important summer, I went as an apprentice. I didn‟t have to pay that summer but in the middle of the summer, the leading woman had to go back to New York. And the manager of the theatre said I would like you to be the leading woman. It sounds a little fancier than it was, the actual fact was �12 the producer was a well, a penny pincher, rather than paying transportation for anybody to come back from New York to Cape May, New Jersey, he just turned around and pointed at me, that‟s what really happened and said you will be the leading woman. And that was how I became the leading woman. But, what it meant was that I became a member of actors union, equity. Well now, if you aren‟t an actor you can‟t know how important that is. You can‟t be a professional actor, if you are not a member of the union, and you can‟t be a member of the union if you are not a professional actor. That was quite something in the middle of my school year, my two years to my path to become a professional actor. What it meant was, we had to find a hundred dollars, because that‟s what it cost to join the union, heaven knows what it cost now. My father sent me a hundred dollars, that was something, and I became a member of the Professional Actors‟ Union, Actors‟ Equity in nineteen forty-three. See how long I have been an actress, a professional actress? Anyway, that summer I had three jobs, I was in the apprentice company, a member of the professional company, and I continued acting in both of those companies. Because in those days, the wages were so low, I was also waiting on table. I had a job as a waitress; I‟ve had so many part time jobs that I have had more than anyone I ever heard of. Anyway, I had the job of waitress, so I would work in the morning, breakfast and lunch as a waitress and then go to the theatre in the afternoon and evening. And somehow I was never tired, I don‟t quite know. Anyway, but now I have graduated from the Neighborhood Playhouse in nineteen forty-four, and that was quite an occasion because Helen Hayes who everybody has heard of, was a member of the Board of Directors for the playhouse and she saw me in our final play. I had the lead in the final play called A Murder in the Nunnery. Murder in a Nunnery, She wrote a letter which to this day I remember. It was to whom it may concern, but it was written to a number of producers, “I would like to introduce Elizabeth Wilson, who I think is an exceptionally talented actress and I think someday we will all be very proud to have helped her.” I memorized it, as you can imagine. That was a great boon, Lee, because I took that letter to producers. People again, who aren‟t actors have no idea, now looking back I don‟t know how I did it. There are thousands and thousands of people that come to New York every year wanting to be actors. How I ever did it I don‟t know, but I couldn‟t do it now. But I had a lot of nerve, and so I would call producers and call agents and say I have a letter from Miss Hayes, from Helen Hayes and that was unusual; and they would say, ”Oh, we‟d like to see you.” So I got into their offices and got to meet people because of Miss Hayes. And she wanted me to tour with her that summer. I remember when I came back in the summer of nineteen forty-four; again the war was much present on our minds. And Miss Hayes wanted me to go on a play that she was touring called Harriet, but I was too tall to play her daughter, because she is only five feet tall and so I didn‟t get to go because I wouldn‟t have been believable, because I was almost a foot taller. So I went back to New York that fall and had a very hard time and didn‟t get anything that whole fall, and I guess that I had some pretty rough times, I babysat, I worked in an insurance office and I had all sorts of odd jobs. And so in the spring of forty-five, I got my first real job, and the war was still on and it was with the USO. And that was my first honest to goodness job. Interviewer: Let‟s pause for just a moment. �13 Elizabeth: Alright. Interviewer: And now we‟re in the USO as it were. Elizabeth: Well, it‟s strange you know, I assume, well, all sorts of people will listen to this tape. In nineteen forty-five, the whole attitude towards the Second World War was a good deal different, than it has been toward recent wars. There was something really splendid, hard to believe, but true about entertaining the troops, which is indeed what I was doing. It sounds so corny and strange even as I say it. It was a funny little play called What a Life about, it was Henry Aldrich, it had been a popular radio program and the play was a big success on Broadway, What a Life and there were many companies of it. The USO was quite an important adjunct of the Armed Services of the Special Services Branch, that‟s what we were. Our group was going to the South Pacific; we didn‟t know where we were going that was great security. We traveled on a troop ship from San Francisco; it took us one month to get to New Guinea because we had to crisscross back and forth across the Pacific because of the Japanese submarines. We were without an escort; we weren‟t in a convoy, so it took us a whole month to get to New Guinea. Anyway, we played to the Army and Navy and the Air Force in New Guinea and all thorough the Philippine Islands, and of course, the war ended as we were leaving the coast of America. VE-Day came in, was it, April of nineteen forty-five, or something like that, and we were four or five days out of San Francisco when V-E Day came, and that was something. And we were in the Philippine Islands when V-J-Day occurred. So when our little troupe again after playing through the Philippine Islands we went up to Japan and continued to play. I could talk about that year; we played under the most extraordinary circumstances. We played for a dozen men and we played for fourteen thousand men. Sometimes we played in great outdoor theatres, the Seabees, the branch of the Army that, I guess, built the bridges. They built these really magnificent theatres in the middle of the jungles, the men would sometimes sit in bleachers, but sometimes they would hang out of trees. And the play was perfectly innocuous, and so they enjoyed it. They had stars who, personalities, but I think our play was, well I know they enjoyed it. And then I came home, and came directly to Grand Rapids, and that was in nineteen forty-six; I came back to Grand Rapids and did a play for the Civic Theatre, Bert Yarborough was still the director of the Civic Theatre. In the spring of nineteen forty-six I did My Sister Ilene with Buddy Dillingham, playing well, I was Ruth and she was Ilene, and that was a big success. Then I went back to New York and couldn‟t get a job, it was very hard. Couldn‟t get a job and my friend Robert Porterfield at the Barter Theatre, I remember I auditioned for the director. Which is the reason why I always, well, he has been dead for about three years, Robert Porterfield; I loved him so much because he‟d hired a number of directors for the summer of forty-six. And I auditioned for him and no, there was no room; the season was full, there was nothing to do. So, I went back to the little place I was living in New York, and I was very depressed, and it happened a lot. And the phone rang, and it was Robert Porterfield saying that well, it‟s perfectly true we don‟t have any place for you, and all the jobs are filled, but come anyway. Well, I did and I somehow made a space for myself and before I knew it, I was playing the lead. By that time, the director‟s changed their �14 minds and said no, I think you can play that part. By the end of the season, I was the leading woman and I went on tour. And it was the Barter Theatre the first State Theatre of Virginia. Robert Porterfield had gotten money from the state capital in Richmond and we had to play all the cities of Virginia. Well, practically all the cities of Virginia, except little itty bitty ones, we played all over high schools, gymnasiums all over the state. Then we toured outside the state of Virginia; many actors, Gregory Peck, Ernest Borgnine, Pat Neal, Hume Cronyn, and you name it and most of them were in that theatre and most of them I knew an worked with. It was a wonderful place, the two places that stand out in my career are the Neighborhood Playhouse and the Barter Theatre, because I went back to that place for many years and learned how to become an actress in front of an audience, which let‟s face it, it‟s the only way you are going to learn. And between nineteen forty-six and nineteen fifty-three I did a lot of other things. I state it that way, Lee because it was in nineteen fifty-three I got my first Broadway job. It was almost ten years from the day I graduated, I did work out in summer stock, I toured with Veronica Lake one summer, and with Edward Everett Horton, and I always managed to get a job in the summertime. And because of Robert Porterfield I learned and grew, I dare say, got big parts, and played with his theatre, toured all over the country, one night stands. But it wasn‟t until nineteen fifty-three, Helen Hayes, again because of the letter she wrote. Josh, Joshua Logan who had directed South Pacific, Mr. Roberts and probably the most famous director on Broadway at the time, was going to direct the play called Picnic by William Inge. And I went to an audition and I dressed the part, I heard the woman was a kind of dowdy school teacher. School teachers won‟t like that description, but she was a Kansas City teacher and taught feminine hygiene and she was a pretty strange character, at any rate, I dressed the part and went back several times and finally, I think the second or third reading, this doesn‟t happen very often and this was produced by the theatre guild. And we can go back and back about them; they produced all of the Eugene O‟Neil plays. And they were all out there, all of the theatre guild under the lights, and Josh Logan and everyone; they told me I had the part. I remember rushing home to my apartment which I then shared with my sister Mary, and bursting into tears, I couldn‟t believe it, after all these years. Because that was my dream. I think, Lee I could have died right then. That is what I wanted to be in a Broadway play. I thought my goodness, that was some day. Interviewer: And you remember going to San Francisco? Elizabeth: Very well. Interviewer: Because I was there. Elizabeth: Of course, you were there. We had a wonderful time. Interviewer: I think that is one of the last times I ever saw you on the stage. Elizabeth: Yes, I remember that very well. We were living on Nob Hill. You had a wonderful apartment. �15 Interviewer: Eleven-thirty Sacramento Street. Elizabeth: What Lee is talking about now is the national tour of Picnic. Picnic became a huge success on Broadway; we played at the Music Box Theatre on West Forty-Fifth Street for two years. Ralph Meeker, Kim Stanley, Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward was an understudy, that‟s when they met, Janice Rule, Eileen Heckart, Arthur O‟Connell. It was an extraordinary cast. And Kim Stanley was probably the greatest living, well she is. Everybody acknowledges she isn‟t working now because again. Interviewer: She is what? Elizabeth: American Actress. I think that is safe to say. No one will debate me. However, she was the younger sister. She played the younger sister, but we‟re talking about the national tour. After we played Broadway, Josh Logan asked me to play the mother in the national tour and that was quite a thrill. So I moved from the small part of Christine Schoenwalder, Christine Schoenwalder probably had eleven lines, if she had two. The teachers had quite a lot of scenes and then I went on the national tour. The when the national tour was over, Josh Logan asked me to be in the movie, so Picnic was my first movie. And I was flown to California and there were only some of the original cast, three of us from the original Broadway cast. That was Kim Novak, played in the movie and William Holden, and the three school teachers were Rosalind Russell and Rita Shaw and myself; we were from the original cast. So that was my first film, as you can imagine that was pretty exciting. We filmed it in Kansas, and took all summer, and then in the middle of summer, I was told, I had done a television show in New York, called Patterns by Rod Sterling, since has become famous. He‟s done Twilight Zones, famous writer and so forth. He‟d been a great success, and so I was asked to be in the movie version of Patterns. So that summer after I finished the movie of Picnic, the second movie with Van Heflin and Everett Stone, Ed Begley in Patterns which we filmed in New York. And oh, gracious, Lee, where do you want to go, now we are getting into the sort of nitty gritty, this was the fifties and I suppose the main plays I did then were things like Tunnel of Love, Desk Set, and did the movie versions, the movie version of Tunnel of Love with Doris Day, let‟s see, I am, not really skipping. I am just trying to think. In the early sixties, a very important thing, I got to be in a play called Big Fish, Little Fish. And, Mike Nichols saw me in that and that was a great turning point in my life because from then on practically everything he did, since then I have done six things for him, the mother in the Graduate opposite Dustin Hoffman playing my son. I played in Catch 22, and The Day of the Dolphin and then in New York I was in Plaza Suite and the revival of Little Foxes. And the most recent play in New York with Mike Nichols was Uncle Vanya which was a great success with George C. Scott, and Julie Christi and Nicole Williamson, the great English actor, and Lillian Gish, and Katherine Nesbitt. Interviewer: As I recall you got wonderful reviews. Elizabeth: Yes, wonderful reviews, a great success. �16 Interviewer: Was that two summers ago? Elizabeth: Exactly two summers ago we were doing. Interviewer: You‟ve skipped a lot of … Elizabeth: Yes, we‟ve done a big skip, but I‟m getting a little tired and I‟m sure you‟re ….well, can‟t we just? Well, you ask me some. Interviewer: What about, why don‟t you talk a little about Eastside/Westside. Explain that. Elizabeth: Eastside/Westside was a television series that we did ten years ago, on CBS with George C. Scott and Cicely Tyson and myself, and… Interviewer: That was quite a success as I recall. Elizabeth: Yes, it was a good series, a bit before its time, I think. Interviewer: Yes, since then you have gotten to know Mr. Scott and one of his ex-wives Miss Dewhurst, quite well. Elizabeth: Yes, Colleen Dewhurst. Well, I worked with George so many times. George and I did Uncle Vanya and Colleen and I did a play in New York, Colleen Dewhurst, who is really a superb actress, we did a play at Lincoln Center, a Brecht play called The Good Woman of Szechwan. Interviewer: How do you spell that? Elizabeth: Lord, I don‟t know how to spell Szechwan, it‟s The Good Woman of Szechwan. Interviewer: Is that a town or place? Elizabeth: Well, it‟s Chinese. Interviewer: I see, a Chinese word. Elizabeth: It‟s, you know we all know Szechwan cooking. Interviewer: Yes. Elizabeth: Is that Northern China, or I‟m not sure? Interviewer: I‟m not very good at Chinese. Elizabeth: I am a good student. Interviewer: I take it you still see a great deal of Colleen Dewhurst? �17 Elizabeth: Yes, she is one of my closest friends. Interviewer: Who are some of your other close friends in New York? In the theatre world? Elizabeth: Dustin Hoffman is a good friend; we have worked together a lot. We did an off Broadway play before we did The Graduate; we did a play called EH? Then we were in a movie together that nobody ever heard of called The Tiger Makes Out in which Dusty had a tiny part and I had a tiny part. Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson were in that. Then we did The Graduate. Dustin and I are good friends. Maureen Stapleton and I since Plaza Suite have become very close friends, she is a lovely woman. George Scott, of course, George Grizzard is a friend of mine, I am trying to think. The people in the movies, Paul and Joann Newman are friends, Gene Hackman is an old friend; we worked together in television in the old days. Peter Falk, I studied, when I returned in the fall from Sandy Meisner, after the play, I went back for a refresher course about ten years later and that is when I met Peter, he is a friend, did television with him. Oh, gracious Lee. Interviewer: Why don‟t we just move up to the present and tell us, me about your forthcoming TV series. How it came about. Elizabeth: Well, I am about to embark on something that is rather exciting, I suppose, I hope. I suppose how it came about, because these things are complicated. I have been going back and forth from California a great deal, because there is a less and less activity in New York City and fewer plays are being performed. Most of us that are still professional actors have to work and in television and movies, which indeed I have been doing the last few years. The Prisoner of Second Avenue and so forth. And the last two years I have been doing lots of television. I dare say, have done about fifteen, All in the Family, Maude, and specials, Easter Specials and Christmas Specials and thing like that. About two years ago I was in California doing what they call a pilot, each season the television networks do shows which they show to the network and the networks decide if a show is worthy of being made into a television series. And they make hundreds of them, and the first year, I made something called We’ll Get By and it finally got on the air, but it got on the air with an entirely different family which often happens. Then the second year, I did another one, again for CBS called Another April, which didn‟t quite make it. But as a result of seeing Barnard Hughes and myself in Another April, CBS decided they would make a third pilot film, this one was called Doc and it‟s about a husband and wife in MidManhattan today, contemporary story, a comedy written and produced by the people who do the Mary Tyler Moore shows. Low and behold about a month ago and they said that CBS had bought the pilot and we were going to start making the television series, starting July tenth nineteen seventy-five. And Lee, I just couldn‟t believe it, the odds. I tell you, they make hundreds of these things every year. The reason is they test them, show them around for whatever reason, and they‟ve chosen to do this. And let‟s hope it turns out and we start making thirteen and if they like it the network will pick it up and do thirteen more. So there you are. That‟s what my next... �18 Interviewer: How soon will you know if they like it or not? Elizabeth: I think about midway through the thirteen, Lee. I think the middle of August we should know. Interviewer: I see. Elizabeth: It will go on the air anyway; they‟ll put sixteen, not sixteen, six on. The television season starts the middle of September and… Interviewer: Do you what time? Elizabeth: Yes, Matter of fact they told us. It precedes the Mary Tyler Moore Show at eightthirty. Interviewer: Saturday night? Elizabeth: Saturday night and there is, and what they have told us, but that can change, but at the moment that‟s what they‟re saying. So in the meantime, I am having a lovely time in Grand Rapids. It is very beautiful here and I really…..It is really nice to be an actress, you work really hard but you get lot‟s more free time than most people. Your work is very concentrated, work hard for three or four weeks or three or four months on a project and then you have two or three weeks off, which is wonderful, I like that. Interviewer: Sure. Relieves the monotony. Elizabeth: I like being an actress, I do. I am very lucky, very lucky indeed. Interviewer: Let‟s pause for just a moment. Interviewer: Elizabeth, you‟ve said to me that being an actor can be very nerve-racking. Will you like to enlarge on that, and talk about that? Enlarge on it. Elizabeth: Sure, the psychology, the need for somebody or desire for somebody to perform hasn‟t been fully explored, and I think most actors had better not think too much about it. You know exhibitionism or something is not a very attractive trait, but I think when it becomes an art form. You are truly portraying a character in a play that‟s worth portraying. But it‟s a very nerveracking business, Lee. I think I try, lately try not to let it bother me, as much as it use to, as it sometimes does. But, it is nerve-racking because there you are, out in front of if not a hundred, or several thousand, you are in front of a television camera. And you are totally exposed, and it‟s the only reason you know, you can survive it all because again, this complicated mechanism that takes over when you are actually acting, because when you are acting, you are not yourself, you are not yourself, you are playing another person. And any psychologist or psychiatrist will tell you, I often say if I wouldn‟t have been an actress, I would have been put away. I don‟t suppose that is literally true, but I do enjoy fantasizing, I have a big imagination. When I was a little girl, �19 I would pretend to be in another situation. We all do that when we are growing up, but the only difference is that actors continue doing it. That is why most grown-up people think being an actor is kind of you know, silly. Well, I suppose in a way it is. It could be a little degrading for some men find to be an actor is to be you know, having to wear makeup. And I know a lot of men that find it degrading, or could be considered degrading. I feel, I am enjoying it more and more, and to get back to your original question, about it being nerve-racking. I find that I am enjoying it more and not allowing it to put me through the agony, but I am telling you it can. Opening night on Broadway, you see, when everything is at stake, now that is just excruciating. There are not very many times in most people‟s lives when they are that frightened. I mean, actors or anybody that has to get up and perform knows what I am talking about, but it is just terrifying. Because as somebody once said jokingly before an opening night on Broadway, don‟t worry it‟s just your career at stake. Because it is just that kind of thing, as I said to you, I believe the other day. It is a very unnatural thing for just the two of us, perfectly charming room and this beautiful June day looking out at the trees, we are performing in a way. Now my heart isn‟t pounding the way it does before I have to step on stage, or before we started the pilot for Doc, which is the last work I have done, my heart was pounding, Lee and I was pacing back and forth and so was Barnard Hughes and we were doing that because so much was at stake. I mean, I don‟t know what was in Barney‟s head, but we were thinking if we really are good this day on this show, this will be become a television series, just think what that will mean to our families, and to our lives. There is just so much at stake every time you step out. It is hard being an actor because you get rejected. People say I could never be an actor because you get rejected all the time. Well, you do; you are constantly, being put up against other people, the competition is so keen. You know just recently, I have been considered for a part, I may as well say, in a new film All the President’s Men. Now Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman want me to play this part, Kay Graham. Whether I get this I don‟t know. Each day in the paper there is a report. One day it says I am going to be playing, the next day it says Lauren Bacall will be playing. Today it says Pat Neal and Lauren Bacall, but who knows, but I‟ll be rejected, probably maybe not, but I have to take it. But I always figure each time I take a rejection, it is like a little niche somewhere in my sensitivity kind of does a zero. When I go back to New York, perhaps I‟ll have to go audition for some things. It doesn‟t matter where you are in the theatre, you can be a great and important star, and you still get turned down. And most people in their lives, when they reach a certain position don‟t get turned down for things as often as actors do, it‟s a very… Interviewer: You, sort of, have to start all over again. Elizabeth: You begin, I am starting all over again with this television series and the critics can either make or break me. It is rough, really rough. Interviewer: I understand, I don‟t think they can break you. Elizabeth: If it was a real disaster, they can make it hard for me to get another job. �20 Interviewer: I trust that doesn‟t happen and I am not going to worry about it, I want to regress a little for a moment because the reason for doing some of these tapes is to talk about people from Grand Rapids and this area and get their impressions. I was interested in, as we drove to the little town of Ionia, which is a small town some thirty miles east of Grand Rapids, it just so happens some of our grandparents, came from Ionia, were brought up there in the nineteenth century to Grand Rapids as in the case of your grandfather Wilson, he came some time during the eighteen eighties and my grandfather Hutchins who was his brother in law came in eighteen ninety-eight and have been here ever since. In a real sense we have never had much of family in Ionia, except when we were rather young, we had one or two relatives, most, all of them are now in the graveyard. The reason for our going was that there was a house tour that day, and it had been written up in the Detroit paper, and one of my hobbies is Victorian architecture. And I realized, because I do get back to Ionia from time to time and, there would be some interesting houses to see and that you in particular might be interested to see. It just so happened, that it was a very successful experience, but just let me say I thought when we left that we might be home in three or four hours. As I recall we left at nine-thirty in the morning and rolled into our driveway at quarter after four. I had the feeling that you were enjoying it but… Elizabeth: Wouldn‟t you like to know why? Interviewer: Yes. Elizabeth: Architecture is interesting to someone who is romantic. I am a romantic, I‟m interested in the past and I am interested in the future too. I am interested in all that, it seems to have a great effect, Lee, on what I do. When I did the Chekov play Uncle Vanya for example I was very much effected by that period, that was eighteen ninety. I know for example when we went into the Voigt House, it is that same period, I am so fascinated because by then I knew exactly, Tony Walton who is a superb set designer, one of his great movies is the Orient Express, Murder on the Orient Express. He did the costume and set designs our production of Uncle Vanya, and they were absolutely authentic and divine. The Voigt house meant a great deal to me just as the houses in Ionia did. I sort of transplant myself into that situation, into that time and I can just imagine, imagine living in Ionia in those houses that we visited and I particularly like visiting your friend and having lunch, you know, with Mrs. Osley. Interviewer: Yes. Mrs. Osley. Elizabeth: Mrs. Osley and having lunch with her. She was just so interesting, Lee. People ask me, “Do you study characters, do you watch people? Are you always on the alert for somebody you might play?” I don‟t do that; I don‟t see how anybody could. I just happily live from moment to moment, but I probably store it up in my head. But there was something so romantic, so very romantic, so dramatic that she was leaving that house after all these years and we were probably her last visitors. �21 Interviewer: That‟s right we probably were. Elizabeth: I just don‟t know, it‟s a different type of thing. To go to a town like Ionia, in a way it is very relaxing, but it also is very interesting, to see those authentic…. Interviewer: Did you, the fact that you knew that your family had come from Ionia was that a factor in your enjoyment of that day or was that a secondary factor? Elizabeth: No, I think that is one of the reasons why that whole thing means so much, meant so much. Interviewer: I was interested because, at one point, just before we went to the Presbyterian Church, before or after, you wanted to see the site where our great grandmother and great grandfather had lived. The house was torn down a few years ago and now there was nothing except a gravel parking lot. I couldn‟t help but notice you went to the center of the parking lot, and stood there and looked around and yet you weren‟t looking at anything interesting, it is just a parking lot, yet you seemed to want to walk into the area and stay there a few moments perhaps. That seemed to mean something to you. Elizabeth: You are very observant, Lee, you are extremely observant, I wanted to be there, I wanted to have a sense of, my grandfather, whom I never knew Charles Wilson was born there and I just wanted to have a sense of him, a sense of the spirit of the man. I don‟t know, I just felt moved by the fact that my great grandfather and great grandmother and uncles and my grandfather lived on that spot. And goodness only knows what must have happened in that house, and there it was, and I felt it…. Interviewer: Except no house. Elizabeth: No house, but a vacant lot, I felt a very spiritual thing, when I stood there. It‟s true. Interviewer: Let‟s hope we can go back again, someday and go on another house tour. Hope your visits to Western Michigan are frequent. And continue to commute between Hollywood and New York. Because I do think you should keep your apartment there. I don‟t think living in Southern California will ever suit you, but that is just my opinion, as I said. This has been delightful and the hour is growing nigh to close. And leave this to prosperity to ponder. Elizabeth: Alright, thank you, Lee. Interviewer: Thank you, Elizabeth. �22 INDEX A Aldrich, Henry · 14 B Bacall, Lauren · 21 Baker, Elvira · 7 Barter Theatre · 8, 9, 15 Begley, Ed · 17 Blodgett Memorial Hospital · 2 Boon, Camilla · 5 Booth, Edwin · 5 Booth, Shirley · 8 Borgnine, Ernest · 15 Bryant, Steve · 12 Buck, Miss · 4 C Central High School · 3 Central Junior High school · 3 Cherryman, Myrtle Koon · 5 Christi, Julie · 17 Clark, Matt · 12 Cornell, Katherine · 6 Cronyn, Hume · 15 Cunningham, Robert · 7 Einecke, Mary · 4 Evoie, Alex · 8 F Falk, Peter · 18 Ford, Betty · 10 Fountain Street School · 2, 3 G Gish, Lillian · 17 Graham, Martha · 9, 10, 11 Grand Rapids Street Railway Company · 8 Grizzard, George · 18 H Hackman, Gene · 18 Hanchett family · 7, 8 Hanchett, Elizabeth · 7, 8 Hanchett, Gerald · 7, 8 Hayes, Helen · 13, 15 Heckart, Janice · 16 Heflin, Van · 17 Hoffman, Dustin · 17, 18, 21 Holden, William · 16 Horton, Edward Everett · 15 Hughes, Barnard · 19, 21 Hutchins, Mrs. Lee Wilson · 4 D Darryl, Jack · 12 Day, Doris · 17 Depression · 9 Dewhurst, Colleen · 18 Dillingham, Alex · 6 Dillingham, Buddy · 14 Dunning, Jane Wadsworth · 1 E Einecke, Harold · 4 I Idema, David · 6 Inge, William · 15 Irving, Washington · 5 J Jackson, Anne · 18 Jefferson, Joseph · 4, 5 �23 K R Ketcham, David · 12 Klein, Evelyn · 6 Redford, Robert · 21 Roosevelt, Eleanor · 9 Rule, Janice · 16 Russell, Rosalind · 16 L Lake, Veronica · 15 Lee, Vivian · 7 Lewis, Amy · 7 Logan, Joshua · 15, 16 M Marywood Academy · 3, 4, 5 Meeker, Ralph · 16 Meisner, Sandy · 10, 19 Meisner, Sanford · 9 Mencarelli, Jim · 2 Muir, Elizabeth Ewing · 1 N Neal, Patricia · 9, 15, 21 Neighborhood Playhouse · 9, 10, 12, 15 Nesbitt, Katherine · 17 Newman, Joann · 18 Newman, Paul · 16, 18 Nichols, Mike · 17 Novak, Kim · 16 O O‟Connell, Arthur · 16 O‟Neil, Eugene · 15 Olivier, Lawrence · 7 Osley, Mrs. · 22 P Park Congregational Church · 3, 4 Peck, Gregory · 15 Phillips, Margaret · 9 Porterfield, Robert · 9, 15 S Scott, George C. · 17, 18 Shaw, Rita · 16 Sonke, Dorothy · 5 Sposum, Robert · 12 Stanley, Kim · 16 Stapleton, Maureen · 18 Steenwyk and Thrall · 2 Steketee, Dick · 12 Sterling, Rod · 17 Stone, Everett · 17 T Tolliver, Monroe · 12 Tyson, Cicely · 17 V Voigt House · 22 W Wallach, Eli · 18 Walton, Tony · 22 Ware, David · 6 Welter, Ferdinand · 1 Welter, Marie Ethel · 1 Westminster Presbyterian Church · 3, 4 Williams, Betty · 6 Williamson, Nicole · 17 Wilson, Charles · 1, 6, 23 Wilson, Charles Moseman · 1 Wilson, Elizabeth Welter · 1 Wilson, Henry · 6 Wilson, Henry Dunning · 1 Wilson, Mary · 6 Wilson, Mrs. Charles · 2 Wilson, Mrs. Charles (Angeline) · 6 �24 Wilson, Mrs. Seymour · 2 Woodward, Joanne · 16 World War Two · 7, 14 Y Yarborough, Bertram · 6, 14 � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/831da3c2271303ad1c188b393b59021b.mp3 30c92c171935cd349e77388053ffe167 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Grand Rapids Oral Histories Subject The topic of the resource Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Local histories Memoirs Michigan--History Oral histories (document genre) Description An account of the resource Taped and transcribed interviews conducted in the early 1970s primarily of the children and grandchildren of many of the founders of Grand Rapids, Michigan; many of whom were residents of the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Interviews were collected to develop a significant collection of oral resources that would supplement other primary and secondary local history materials. Initially funded as a private project, Grand Valley State College (now University) assumed responsibility for continuing the project until 1977. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/452">Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf; audio/mp3 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text; Sound Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1971 - 1977 Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-23_51Wilson Title A name given to the resource Wilson, Elizabeth Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilson, Elizabeth Description An account of the resource Elizabeth Welter Wilson was born in Grand Rapids on April 4, 1921. Miss Wilson attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She was acquainted with well-known stage personalities, among them Helen Hayes and Shirley Booth. Miss Wilson co-starred on the TV series. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan--History Local histories Memoirs Oral histories (document genre) Grand Rapids (Mich.) Personal narratives Heritage Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Grand Valley State University Women Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf audio/mp3 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Grand Rapids oral history collection (RHC-23) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/80f57708de4785f062f78c272e1442d9.mp4 1635a50133631e0c0e07ae233ebe5712 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/353ab2fdc8719651453b2ca6d436a8d4.pdf f848fb381162f8575727703c0dd7105b PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Morley Wilson (01:28:03) (00:15) Background Information • • • • Morley grew up in a small town in Northern Michigan and went to school in Cadillac His father was a farmer, working a small plot of land and he really enjoyed living on a farm Morley graduated in 1933 and then went to college in Cadillac for business He graduated in just one year and then began working in Detroit (03:50) Joining the National Guard 1937 • • Morley joined the National Guard to earn some extra money, but had not expected to be fighting in any wars He went through training in the summer and worked his way up to staff sergeant (05:45) Resigning After Three Years • • • • • Morley resigned from service, but rejoined and had to start back as a private He went to Louisiana for training, which was very rough and muddy He worked for a signal company, helping the division and regiment to communicate They helped to set up schools for radio training that held 50-60 students Morley did not do much actual physical training because he was busy with office work (14:15) Pearl Harbor • After Pearl Harbor was attacked, training became more serious and most of the men then realized that they would soon be sent overseas • After the attack he became a supply officer (17:00) The Trip Overseas • They left on a ship from San Francisco and ran into a bad storm • This caused even more people to be sea sick and everyone on the ship was in terrible shape • Morley had never been on such a big ship before and it was very frightening • They stopped in Hawaii and then went to Australia (20:30) Adelaide, Australia • This area was a planned town that was very nice • It was 30 miles away from their base and they often went there to visit and drink • The Australians were very nice and let many service men stay at their houses • They stayed in the area for 4 months • While in Australia they still had not heard much about the Japanese or what they might be doing in the future �(23:40) Brisbane, Australia • Here they established a camp • Morley worked on establishing communications system • They were preparing to go into New Guinea, but did not know much about the area or the operation • They also worked on practice landings on the beach (25:50) Port Moresby, New Guinea • They traveled by ship and Morley soon became a supply officer • He was with the 126th infantry traveling through very rough and mountainous terrain • Port Moresby was in a very small town • General MacArthur placed his headquarters in a hotel while everyone else lived outside in tents • They were getting bombed by the Japanese at night (31:20) A Visit by Eleanor Roosevelt • Morley went back to Australia with his division • In Australia they were visited by Eleanor Roosevelt, which boosted everyone’s morale • It was a good experience, like a visit from your own grandmother and all the men loved her (36:40) Back to New Guinea • He had been in Australia for about six months waiting for replacements for wounded troops • Many men had malaria and about half of his company was in the hospital • He went back to New Guinea and helped to build the air strip with engineer companies • Many planes had to take emergency landings on the strip before it was even finished (50:40) The Philippines • These were the first civilized natives that Morley had met and the living conditions were much better than in New Guinea • He became acquainted with many locals and still keeps in touch with some of them • In New Guinea he did not have much contact with the locals • Morley was working with the Joint Assault Signal Company and it was led by an excellent executive officer • He was in charge of shaping up the company and had to court martial some men that were running a whore house (01:01:10) Preparation for Japan • Morley had to help requisition all new equipment because all the old stuff was weathered and rusted • He worked with 616 enlisted men and some officers that were employed as lawyers; they were much harder to work with • Near the end of the war Morley had to go to the hospital for hepatitis • He was chosen in an allotment to return to the US, but was told that he would have to return when they started to invade Japan �• • He returned on a banana boat and the trip took 32 days Japan was bombed 7 days after he had left for the US and he was very glad that he would not have to return (01:07:50) Back in the US • Morley arrived in San Francisco and then took a troop train to Chicago • He was the leading officer on the train and in charge of all the other men • He became administrator of Kent Community Hospital and worked there for 20 years �I have hesitated to include this poem be­ cause I had a lot of help in writing it. A very good friend who served with me in New Guinea supplied much of the wording. Tragically he was killed near the end of WWII. Therefore, I dedicate this poem to the memory of CWO Burl Chase. CURRICULA REVISED Though dull in academic Arts And somewhat slow in simple math With Grammar onlygrasped in part My answers drew the teacher's wrath. I never learned to calculate In fact my Latin wouldn't pass; I just declined to conjugate My marks were lowest in the class How Economics worried me (appropriations ne'er sufficed) No matter how I tried to see My feeble mind was not erfticed. If students had a stronger voice, And all my classmates share this view; Unanimously we make this choice The subject most desired is youl 5 As my friends already know, I am very much against war yet I realize that it may be forced upon a people. I just do not believe that we have done enough to prevent it and sometimes we have deliberately provoked it. THE THING ABOUT WAR by Morley Wilson It has such few attributes: Comradership of a valorous sort Self-sacrifice and loyalty come to mind And maybe marching music. It's not easy to think of others now Weigh that against the odds: Senseless destruction and waste. Using our resources and Waste of the.young-both friend and foe. Impoverishing our heirs with debts They did not contract. Grief and suffering beyond belief Fostering' hatred that lingers Generations beyond the conflict. And always blameless bystanders Pay the price, for their leaders perfidy. �I have always had a fondness for limericks. If that's a sign of my intellect, so be it. This was written in early 1943 somewhere in New Guinea. AHYOUTH A lovely young lady of fashion Was overloaded with passion. To her lover she said As she leaped into bed Here's one thing, thank God, They can't ration. 6 This was written in New Guinea in early 1943. Since then, my religion has become more liberal and my desire for peace stronger. NEW YEARS DAY PRAYER This day of resolute that brings New calendars and bells that ring With horns that blow and notes that chime Another milestone passed by time. This introductory day of cheer Bears tidings of the coming year. It carries all our hopes and dreams Our wishful thinking and our schemes. It represents our every prayer . (For often more than just our share) And while in reverence we're bent Our selfish aims are all repent. Material things we cherished dear Have lesser value than last year. Instead we ask for faith and love And if our words are heard above The prayer I want my God to hear Is one for peace, this day, this year. 7 �These lines were written in July 1944 during a lull in Then we'd like it, that's for sure, operations. They express my distaste for military life and for behind each palm tree peeking for war in general. SWPA is an acronym for South West there'd be natives "A-La-Mour". Pacific Area, a zone of military operations, in World War II. Let me tell you something, fellas. Two long years since I left Frisco, and I'm where it's hot as hell is, SWPA eating bully-beef and bisco. And the buxom bosomed native When they spoke to us of service she's as black as shot-gun powder. Under neath the Southern Cross, But if you get ideas "Mative" they said "No need to be nervous she's protected by her odor where McArthur is the boss". There are coral snakes and vipers Said that coconuts and oranges and mosquitoes carry tanks. grew like weeks in victory gardens. Swaying palm trees hide Jap snipers And the girls would all be gorgeous dealing death to homesick Yanks. without help from Lizbeth Arden. It's a land where Aussies ravage. Gullibly we heard them saying Pilfering for them is lawful. that our lot would be of ease SWPA in any language As they painted palm trees swaying Stands for Somewhere Pretty Awful. softly in the tropic breez.~\ioo' Now if Tojo wants New Guinea We were told that we'd be greeted I'll not be the one to covet; by lush natives bearing leis, give it to the Nipon Ninny and that we'd be dined and feted with directions where to shove it. "Save our dough for rainy days". Now, if we were romance seeking �r"'' ;"·.. ''":;'---- -, I"I WPN·1l4 2880 B.C.-1964 A.D. The ex-Oldest Livitlg Thing on EArth- Was ancient wh#lJ Vwuz conquered Mexico. Wal berrt with ye'lrl wh,,, CAesar entered GII.I, Was old beyona ""INI1". u·/J,Il Moses delivered the Law, Was Time's plSti",t watch. mall whetl Cb~Rl built his p)'ramid, W 4S sliced by 4 chainuUl to see boUi olJ it W/l.S. Requiescat in Pacem j J ~~t' ;" . jool.1f.OUI -t 110m MORLEY R. WILSON ---0--,­ Local Teacher's Husband Host to Mrs. Roosevelt \ :.-- ....+-' t Capt. Morley Wilson. husband of Mrs. Mary Wilson. a local wom­ an. who is teaching' the second s;rade at Ferry school, is the com­ manding' officer of a company in Australia. which was visited by " Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt in her swing trip to the southwest Pa­ .r::» cific, Mrs. Wilson was not sure of the location of her husband until she saw a news dispatch from that part of the world stating' Capt. ~, Wilson had been host last Thurs­ ~ day to the famous lady. Mrs. Roosevelt, had lunch at the Ameri­ can Army company mess hall and was served by Corp. Jacob A. Young' of Caledonia. The post is located neal' Brisbane. Mrs. Martha Golden. a Red Cross worker of Grand Rapids was a mon, Ii: the service women Wh, 0 met Mrs. Roosevelt and Sitts. Gerald "Foley and Joseph DeMaar also of Grand Rapids were two arrnv ser­ s;eants who lunched with the fa­ mous guest. Mrs. Wilson was formerlv Miss Mary Pellezrom and her husband is a native of Ynsilanti. t r ------{)---,- --­ I �PART II: THE WAR YEARS The Company motored to Alexandria, Louisiana, taking about seven days enroute. It was the first time most of the men had seen people picking cotton and was a complete change in the lives of about 300 young men. It was still hot during the day, but nights were much colder than expected. Camp Beauregard was a quagmire, not really prepared for an influx of 30,000 32nd Division troops which arrived within days of each other. Morley was assigned as clerk in the Division Signal Office. His job was to do typing, filing and work on the Standard Operating Procedures for the communications system of the Division. This was a great experience and did much to familiarize him with all the units in the Division. The first winter was very cold, and there never seemed to be enough blankets. The monotony of army life was occasionally broken by trips to Alexandria or to honky-tonks. One night they had the good fortune to hear Satchmo Armstrong and his band. Another time, Morley accompanied Captain Oyler in the command car driven by Private Cobb. On the way back to camp, captain Oyler ordered the car to stop in the middle of the bridge crossing the Red River. Oyler climbed up on the back seat and urinated over the railing and into the Red River. He said, "There, by God. I always wanted to piss in the Red River." The stream of cars behind waited impatiently, and the captain slept off his drunk on the way back to Beauregard. He was, indeed, a character. He really was not a chronic �alcoholic, but he occasionally went on a binge. He was very popular with the enlisted men because he always put their welfare ahead of everything else. Mardi Gras time came, and Hank Farrell, John Langer and Morley went to New Orleans. They managed to crash one of the balls, and John Langer found himself a girlfriend. Morley and Hank were a little shocked when she asked us to wait while she changed her sweater. This she did in our plain view, and it turned out that she had no undergarments. While Morley was in New Orleans, Art and Josephine Wilson came from Detroit, and they were treated to some good food -- perhaps the best they had experienced. In the spring, the Division moved from Beauregard to Camp Livingston, a distance of about 50 miles. After the move, the ,.. .. ,.....' troops were very busy preparing for the "Louisiana Maneuvers." One day, Lieutenant General Drum sent a teletype that he would visit the Division at an early morning hour. He would arrive at the airport at 800 hours. Corporal Sinclair was in charge of the Division Message Center, and the message was, unfortunately, pushed off the desk and onto the floor. Later that day, you could hear Colonel Arnold (the Division signal Officer) berating Sinclair. It went something like this, "Private Sinclair, and I do mean BUCK-ASS Private Sinclair. Do you realize that a three-star general arrived at our air-strip today, and he rated a lS-gun salute!? Due to your ineptitude, there wasn't even a private there to let a loud fart!" �When Col. Arnold was angry, the veins always stood out on his neck, and this time it seemed that the veins would burst. Col. Arnold must have had a pretty good reaming from the General to have been that agitated. There is a lesson here: if you are in charge of a function, you are automatically to blame for all errors, even if you didn't know about them. Of course, the opposite is also true. Most people are willing to take the credit even if they do little to earn it. One day while filing Army Regulations, Morley happened to run across one which stated that if a vacancy in a unit occurred, a member of such a unit, with permission of his Commanding Officer, could apply to fill that commission. It also provided that the candidate must be examined by a board of senior officers, and be appointed to fill that vacancy. ,," .• ,.;.0' Morley knew there was a vacancy for a lieutenant, so he immediately wrote a letter to Captain Oyler, asking to be duly examined and appointed to fill the vacancy. This letter was endorsed to Corps Headquarters, and a Colonel Leon Ryder was appointed to head the three-man examining board. He was an old "horse-cavalry" officer, and tough as a mule. Col. Ryder spent about two months at 32nd Division, and really rode the applicant every day. He would say things like, "You don't look like officer material to me," or "What ever gave you the idea you might become an officer?" We happened to have a private in the Signal Office whose name was Priestly. He was responsible for filing, and he never managed to understand the Army filling system. Consequently, �when something was lost, Priestly was always blamed. It was standard to say, "Priestly must have misfiled it." One day Col. Ryder asked Wilson to accompany him on an inspection of a telephone cable which had been laid through a swampy area and out to the airport. Col. Ryder, as always, was neatly dressed and wearing his shiny cavalry boots. As often happens, when a cable is buried, it leaves a soft area along the axis of the cable. Col. Ryder inadvertently stepped into one of these soft spots and fell face down in the wet mUd. He got up, wiped the mud from his face, hands and uniform and said, "God-damn priestly, anyhow." At this point, Morley literally cracked up laughing, and he knew, at last, that Colonel Ryder had a marvelous sense of humor. When the Colonel completed his rating recommendations, Morley had a 98(+)% on his " .......·examination, and his commission as 2nd Lieutenant was assured, though it took several months to clear. He was greatly pleased, because not many direct field commissions were given without the benefit of Officers Candidate School or ROTC. In May, 1941, Morley asked for permission to return home to marry his love in Grand Haven. It was granted, and he caught a train horne. Mary met him in Holland, Michigan, and on May 17th, the minister, who had been Mary's landlord in Battle Creek, performed the ceremony. He returned the unopened envelope containing the money for his services, and the whole world was to change for both of them. In late May, 1941, Mary returned to Louisiana with Morley in their "new 1941 Plymouth 2-door sedan". After much �difficulty they found a place to live, but unfortunately, Morley was in the field on maneuvers for weeks at a time. Mary was miserably lonely, as she knew no one, and living arrangements were not great. In August she decided to return to Grand Haven. Mary drove the car home, and Morley, of course, had to stay on. Finally, his commission was approved, and Morley was assigned as Motor Officer, Mess Officer and Supply Officer. Anyone of those was a load, but it was usual that the new officer get all the less desirable jobs. One of the privates in the kitchen was variously called "Hollywood", or "strawberry", or by his correct name, "Smallwood". He was a willing worker, but there seemed to be some missing rungs in the upper section of his evolutionary " .. ,....' ladder. one day he asked for a week's furlough to visit a girlfriend whom he wished to marry, up in Arkansas. He returned on time and told this story around the campfire while the men were out on Louisiana Maneuvers. He said that he caught a train north, but had to make bus connections to the town where his girlfriend lived. The bus didn't leave until the next day, so he found a hotel room and decided to explore the little town. While strolling along the street, he noticed an attractive girl on the opposite sidewalk. He gave her "the eye", and she gave it back, so he motioned for her to cross the street and join him. She motioned back for him to cross over, so he did. He asked her several questions, only to discover that she was mute and �totally unable to speak. So he invited her up to his hotel room. She agreed, and they proceeded up to his room. At this point, he removed his own clothes, but she declined to undress. When pressed by "Strawberry", she held up five fingers. He responded by holding up 2 fingers, meaning two dollars. She stuck to the original price, and he upped the ante to 3 fingers. She held firm. "Hollywood" said, "Well, she could see that she had me, so I gave her the five dollars." The next day he caught the bus to Arkansas and was met by the sister of his girlfriend. It seems his prospective bride could not get off work at that time of day. He reported that the sister was quite attractive, so he said to her, "Why don't we get married?" She agreed, and he came back without ever seeing the girl he originally intended to marry. But he ~'-'reported, "Lootenaw Wilson, I ain't never been sorry because I have slept with a lot of women, but none better than this sister that I married." Mary returned to Louisiana in September, and she and Morley managed to find a place to live. A vote in Congress extended the tour of active duty of all enlistees and National Guard units. By then most of the men realized they were "in for the duration." On Dec. 7, 1941, Bob Bethke and Ella Bethke invited Mary and Morley for a drive around the Alexandria countryside. When they returned to Camp Livingston, the guard at the gate said, "Did you hear that the Japs just bombed Pearl Harbor, and that all leaves are being cancelled?" Thinking at first it was just �a joke, the foursome soon found out what a serious event this was. During December, Morley was ordered to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for a three month course in telephone and telegraph installation and repair. He managed to find a furnished apartment in nearby Bradley Beach, located right on the seashore. There, he and Mary met and liked Lt. Jim Batson and his wife, Jane. They had an adorable baby named Penny and lived in the same apartment building. Thus started a long friendship. Jim talked with a Texas drawl and used phrases the Wilsons had never heard. One morning, when out in the dusty field, a big black convertible driven by a beautiful blonde raised a lot of dust and scattered the troops along the road. Jim dryly u· . stated, "My, she's so sweet I'll bet her shit candies." That is just one example of the type of humor he was often spouting. Another time, Mary and Jane Batson (Jim's wife) went to New York City. Jim and Morley stayed with little "Penny" Batson, and when the women did not return at the appointed time, they figured out a plan. They emptied the whiskey bottle into an empty milk bottle, and when the car pulled up they gave Penny a bottle of milk. Then as the women came up the steps, they took the bottle away from her to start her crying. Then Jim and Morley laid down on the floor beside the empty whiskey bottle and pretended to be "out cold." You can imagine how angry the women were until the men burst out laughing. �f l While at Fort Monmouth, Mary and Morley visited New York city several times and saw several shows. Among them were "Hellza Poppin" and the Rockettes. They were thrilled by the glamour of it all. Then one night they looked out the apartment window and saw a tanker burning out in the ocean. It brought one up short, and they knew there was a war on. A few days later, they visited NYC dock area and saw the Normandy, a large French passenger ship, sabotaged and lying on its side at the pier. Morley did not find the course too difficult, and one day captain Frank Lidke, who had been transferred to Ft. Monmouth, and the Wilsons took a ride in the countryside. They visited the spot where General Washington crossed the Delaware. This N ...... recalled a cartoon in which Sad Sack is looking at all the orders on an Army bulletin board. He keeps tearing off the top memos until he reaches the one at the very bottom. It says, "Fallout and cross the Delaware." Signed: G. Washington. While at Fort Monmouth, Morley took his bride of less than a year to visit Captain Oyler, who had been transferred to the Signal School area. Mrs. Oyler answered the knock, and Leon sat on the commode with the bathroom door wide open, and in plain sight. Mrs. Oyler said, "Leon, shut the door!" He replied, "What for? She's seen more than I've got." He had not changed. During the wire course at Fort Monmouth, the 32nd Division moved to Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Everyone speculated that �the next move would be to fight the Germans in Europe. Morley returned to his unit and found a rather unsatisfactory place for Mary to live with Gene and Flossie Hutchinson in Athol, Mass., near the Fort. They had stopped at a gas station while looking for a place to rest, and Gene Hutchinson said, "Come and stay with us." They accepted on the spot. Flossie was good company for Mary. Morley was given the job of getting the Company and Division equipped with signal equipment. One trip to located needed supplies took him out to the very tip of Cape Cod. In other times he would have appreciated it much more. Soon, in April, the men were loading their equipment on a train, and Mary had to leave again for Michigan. Eileen Kidder, Betty Worden and Mary drove back (in convoy) to #' .. ,.... Michigan. Betty drove much too fast, and Mary was fearfully trying to keep up. Such was the Army life, always saying, "Good-bye" with no certain knowledge that they would ever see each other again. The train was loaded, and men of the 32nd Division were soon in San Francisco. Morley was assigned to be loading officer for our troops on the converted passenger boat, the Ancon. His responsibility was to get the equipment on the ship. From there, the Merchant Marines were responsible for placing it and securing it. The loading was done very quickly, and the reward was 2 days of freedom while the other boats were going through the same process. Two days to explore San �56 Francisco! He made the most of it and took Mary to some of the same spots twenty years later. Finally, the convoy of nine ships sailed under the bridge and out into the Pacific. They started zig-zagging and stayed fairly close to their lone escort, a corvette. They were not far from land when the sea became very rough. Since Morley had just come off from a day's rest, he was assigned as duty officer and went down two decks where the men of the 32nd Signal Company were quartered. The ship began to toss and roll, and no one relieved Morley until the next day. The seas were so rough that all the men were sick, and most of them used their helmets for up-chucking. As soon as the helmet was put down, it went rolling across the deck spilling its nauseating contents and making it very difficult to walk ", ....... without slipping and falling. Finally, it began to grow calmer, and relief came, but almost all the men and officers were desperately sick. Most of the ship's crew were also sick, and many said it was the worst storm they had ever experienced. A lot of the dishes in the dining room had been thrown out of their racks and were broken. Morley was quite frightened when he tried to get back to the dining room, because big waves rolled across the deck. One l05mm Howitzer and one 2 1/2 ton truck broke loose from their moorings and went overboard. When Morley finally reached the dining room, he had it all to himself. No one was able to eat, so he enjoyed a good meal. �After the storm cleared, it was found that the nine ships were scattered, and only occasionally did one see another ship. They rendezvoused at Oahu in plain sight of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. None of the Army personnel was allowed to go ashore, and after a few hours the re-assembled convoy again headed southwest. They crossed the equator on April 30th, and saw no more land for several days. News was released that Corregador had fallen and that McArthur was in Australia. By this time, the men were quite certain of their destination. One morning someone called attention to a huge land mihe bobbing along beside the Ancon. It was perhaps 100 yards on the port side. The pilot kept a safe distance, and the corvette escort circled back. The men were told that it was a Japanese mine, and that the corvette destroyed it, though it ~"''-'''' was impossible to see the action. On one cool May morning, after 20 days at sea, the convoy pulled into the harbor at Adelaide, Australia. They were welcomed warmly by the Australian townspeople. Most of the men were impressed by this beautiful city in a remote part of the world. After the boats were unloaded, the Signal Company trucked its men and wares to a camp near Sandy Creek, about 35 miles from Adelaide. It was rustic, slightly mountainous and rather primitive. The troops soon settled into a routine of training and preparing for what was assumed to be a conflict with the Japanese. Already, the Japanese had bombed ports in northern Australia, and it was assumed they would attempt to land. �McArthur and the PT boats from Corregidor were in Adelaide. One evening, Morley and several other officer went to a pub and several of the nurses from Corrigedor were perched atop the piano and lustily singing. The song went something like this. "We're the battling bastards from Bataan No Mother, No Father, No Uncle Sam." They were a hardy crew, but they had already seen more action than the men of the 32nd, so they were respected. The men were welcome in Australian homes. Some even bragged that they had a key to someone's house and that they could go there any time, eat, drink and sleep, whether the family was home or not. Needless to say, some of these privileges were abused by the troops. They had never seen such ,.. .. ,....' openness and generosity as offered by the grateful Australian hosts. One of the homes visited by Morley and some other officers of the Signal Company was that of a very wealthy banker, sheep-station owner and collector of fine arts and also fine wines. Tom was never noticeably inebriated, but he almost always had a glass of champagne in his hand. His home was a very large, many bedroom type, by far the plushest Morley had ever visited. He gave several parties and loved to show off his many paintings and tell you about his vast land holdings. It should be added that he did this in a matter-of-fact way, not as a braggart. He was thoroughly likeable. �It was not until about 1981, when Morley and Mary were hiking in the lower flats of the Grand Canyon, that they met a couple from Adelaide, Australia and asked about Tom. The woman knew immediately to whom Morley was referring and said that her sister had been Tom's private secretary. She also said that he had died a few years previously. This is related simply to support the "small world" theory. Tom's last name has long since been forgotten by the writer, but he was one of the most generous persons Morley ever encountered, and that was in a country where generosity was endemic. After a couple of months in the Adelaide area, Morley was assigned to an advance detachment of signal and Engineer personnel to go to Camp Cable, about 30 miles from Brisbane, Queensland, to set up communications for the 32nd Division. i-f'., .... ~_. Trucks and personnel were loaded on the narrow gauge trains, and they started north. Eventually, they unloaded and travelled by convoy for a few hundred miles, across some very memorable parts of Australia. Later, a novel by Colleen McCullough, Thornbirds, described the very area through which the convoy travelled. At one point, the convoy encountered a group of Aborigines who were tearing apart stumps and logs in an effort to obtain grubs and ants. It was startling to witness a naked native sitting on a log eating the unwashed grubs, without caring that his genitalia had been in direct contact with the quarry. The flies were so thick that sanitation was pretty non­ existent. �Finally, the convoy reloaded on another rail line and arrived in Camp Cable. Morley's task was to install a switchboard, telephone lines to major units of the division, organize a message center and set up a radio station. This was accomplished before the arrival of the main body of troops. A great deal of training was initiated during the next few months, and in September, 1942, units of the Division were moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea, by airlift and by boat. Some units were airlifted and some came from Brisbane by boat. Morley was placed in charge of Signal Supply operations and helped to load cargo planes (mostly C-47s) for air dropping supplies to units who were in the Buna area or who were making a valiant effort to cross the Owen-Stanley range. This was one of the epic marches of WWII, and casualties from dysentery, ,..··..·malaria, Dengue Fever and so-called jungle rot outnumbered casualties from enemy action. Morley accompanied some supplies "over the hump" for an airdrop which was as frightening as anything he had ever done. The C-47 pilots were magnificent and knew just when to tilt the wings through the narrow mountain passes. A day later, Morley learned that a similar air drop had failed when the chute tangled with the plane's aerlon controls and all were lost, including a Lt. Col. who was a friend. Lt. General Eichelberger arrived and was sent to take charge of the Buna campaign. He sent a radio message (through out radio facilities) back to McArthur saying that Col. Mott was to be decorated for heroic action in the Buna area. �Subsequent investigation apparently proved that Matt had not represented his actions accurately, and Eichelberger sent a later message sending Matt back to McArthur's headquarters for "reassignment". In one of the few humorous moments of this whole campaign, McArthur sent a radio message to Eichelberger saying, "You decorated him, now what do you want me to do with him?" In a less humorous tone, McArthur sent repeated messages to Eichelberger saying, in effect, to "capture Buna today" or else. Under that kind of pressure, Eichelberger relieved the beloved General Harding and replaced him with General Gill, not so beloved. Two of the men of the 32nd Signal Company were decorated with the Silver Star during this campaign: Lt. Philip Winson # .. _ . and Private Eddie Miller. In the case of Eddie Miller, a former ballet dancer from New York city, it was interesting to note that he was slight of build, quiet and something of a loner. Some of the 'macho types" in the company had fun kidding about having a date with Eddie. At Buna, one unit was cut off around Buna Mission. It was important to maintain communications with them, and this was made difficult by the fact that the Japanese had machine gun fire covering the Kunai grass flats leading to the unit. No one wanted to volunteer for the runner's job of carrying messages to these forces. Eddie Miller stepped up and carried the message canister, running like a deer through the Kunai grass being raked by enemy fire. He made several trips. From that dayan, Eddie �Miller was never the butt of any wisecracks by his fellow soldiers. It was at this time that we learned that a friend, who happened to be an aide to the General, had been hit by Japanese fire, and he eventually died. Sadly, he was injured and our troops could hear his pleas. for help. Several attempts to reach him only caused more casualties, and after the second day, his voice was stilled forever. All of us wished that he could have been killed outright. Another acquaintance, Sergeant Herman Boescher, was a German by birth and escaped from Germany early in the war. He came to the USA by way of French Morocco and was known to be a very brave soldier. At Buna Mission, he found his unit cut off, his commanding officer killed, and himself fighting for #···-his life. His heroics won the day, and shortly after his unit was re-united, he was busy preparing for further action. At about this time, General Eichelberger was in the area and idly talking with some of the men. Boescher, not aware of the rank of Eichelberger, is reported to have said, "Come on, get off your ass and help us." The General was so impressed that Herman Boescher was promoted from Sergeant to captain on the spot. It was a wise step, as he was later to be a thorn in the side of the Japs. More about him later. Morley spent all of his time at the "rear echelon" at Port Moresby. Finally the 32nd Division was able to secure the Buna area, and the company was awarded the Presidential unit citation. �The Japanese sent frequent air raids over the Port Moresby area, and while it did disturb their sleep, none of the signal Company personnel were battle casualties. It became fairly easy to detect the "Washing Machine Charley" sound of the Jap planes from those of the Allied Forces. Occasionally, a bomb was dropped near the Signal area, and a lot of ack-ack shrapnel fell. Morley remembered one night when Lt. Jack Clark and he raced to a bomb shelter. Morley won the race, and Jack landed on top of him. The shelter had a corrugated steel roof (makeshift) and just after they both got into the crude dugout, several pieces of ack-ack shrapnel fell on the roof. The pieces were very hot and could not be handled for several minutes. Burl Chase, a Warrant Officer who did a major share of the ""-.+0- loading of Signal supplies for the Buna area, often shared books to read and became a very good friend to Lt. Wilson (now a 1st Lt.). Burl taught him how to play cribbage. They spent many a long evening enjoying this game, and Morley found it very relaxing. In fact, he won quite a few hundred dollars over the course of several months. Sometimes the card games would be interrupted by rats trying to get into personal belonging~_ One person would hold the flashlight and the other would attempt to stab the rat with a pocket knife. Only once was Morley successful, but neither Burl nor Jack Clark had better success. One evening, Burl found a long, large piece of rope -­ about 12 feet long and perhaps four inches in diameter with a �knot twisted in one end. It made the rope look like a large snake, which gave them an idea. They tied a small fishing line onto the "head end" and ran the fishing line through Jack Clark's tent. Later, when Jack was resting on his bedroll, they gently pulled the fishing line, dragging the "snake" through Jack's tent. Of course Jack heard the commotion, saw the fake snake, and raced out of his tent screaming. From their secret hiding place, they pulled the fake snake on out and quietly disposed of it. No mention was made of it, but several weeks later, someone from the Detroit area (also Jack's home) posted an item on the company bulletin board from the Detroit News, telling how a giant python had come through Lt. Jack Clark's tent. It seems Jack's wife had given Jack's letter to the Detroit News, and they had made quite a news item out of it. Those who knew the real story got a big laugh, but no one dared to tell Jack the truth. Those were the kinds of things one did to keep from going crazy. What with lack of progress in the Buna area, frequent air-raids, boredom, and infrequent mail delivery, everyone had his own favorite diversion. One evening, a number of Jap planes came over, and a group of new P-38s spotted them. A dog-fight ensued, and the Jap planes had finally found their match. The P-39s and P-40s could not climb as well, and certainly could not maneuver with the Jap Zero, but the P-38s shot down several Jap planes and routed the rest of them, until they were out of sight of the ground troops. �Finally, after the battle for Buna had been won, the General's Aide passed through Port Moresby on his way back to Australia. He stayed in Port Moresby overnight and regaled the Signal Officers with stories about the battle. He said that he accompanied General Gillon an inspection trip right after the fighting ended. They came upon a small grass shack, far removed from the fighting. The General walked into the shack where a T-5 corporal was sorting mail. The Corporal was befuddled and mumbled something like "Hello, Sir." The General said, "Corporal, didn't your commanding officer teach you how to report to a General?" The corporal replied, "I guess he did, but I am a little bit rusty, and you surprised me." with this the General said, "Now, I'll be the Corporal and you pretend you are the General. Go out, and I'll get behind the " ....... mail counter and show you how it should be done." So the Corporal obediently walked out and then re-entered the mail shack in a rather sloppy manner. General Gill snapped to attention, clicked his heels, saluted the Corporal and said in a voice that could be heard for a city block, "ATTENTION!" The Corporal replied, "That's O.K. corporal, go ahead with your work." One day, Burl Chase located an airman who had somehow obtained some beautiful Oriental pajamas. Morley purchased a matching pair of woman's pajamas and robe. When he mailed them to Mary, Burl insisted that he should say that they were from Burl Chase, because Morley had recently won more than 50 dollars, the cost of the pajamas. �General Gill felt that he had a special mission to make the 32nd Division into a "spit and polish" outfit. He frequently relieved officers for what seemed like very minor deficiencies, and his Chief-of-Staff, Colonel Hettinger, was even more bent upon the strictest discipline. It is doubtful if more than one out of a hundred had escaped the dreaded malaria. Morley was very lucky. When quinine supplies ran low, he decided to conserve the company's supply and to use the new sUbstitute called attibrine. As was later proven, attibrine was more effective than quinine, and it was a lucky thing for Morley. He did develop a fever and was sick for about two weeks. It was finally diagnosed as dengue fever, better know in southern states as "Bone-Breaker Fever". While it was quite painful, it was not a recurring se, ......., illness, like malaria. At any rate, he recovered. Malaria is spread by the Anopheles mosquito, and Dengue by the Aedes variety. Both were in oversupply in New Guinea. The Signal Company rode a Dutch tramp steamer back to Australia. It was a very old boat, the anchor hoist was broken, and the troops had to "hand up' the huge anchor by manpower. The food was poor, but Burl Chase did manage to obtain a large round of genuine Roquefort cheese from the Dutch officers' mess. They shared this wonderful specimen for the entire trip back. The troops landed in Brisbane and went immediately into quarantine to a beach about 40 miles south of Brisbane near Southport. After about three weeks of fenced-in �seclusion, the Division returned to Camp cable, west of Brisbane. Just before leaving New Guinea, Morley learned that he was promoted to Captain and would now command the Signal Company. It was a busy time. Replacements soon brought the company back up to strength -- over 400 men and a dozen officers. The new troops had to be trained. Schools were set up for Morse code, radio and telephone repair, and new procedures had to be written for future operations. Many of the troops ran high fever (104-105 degrees), and some were so sick that they were sent home. General Gill had little sympathy and ordered Col. Warmenhoven, the Division Surgeon, to discharge everyone from the hospital whose fever did not exceed 103 degrees. Warmenhoven was so upset by this order that he wrote to Washington, D.C. The letter was intercepted by censors, and Warmenhoven was apparently fearful of court martial. At any rate, he took his ~ life with his Colt 45. On a lighter note, Colonel Lester Dorr, also from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the Division Chaplain, and a very fine person. A group of officers was sitting in the mess hall one evening, when he started to tell a story about his son back home. It seems the son took his date for the evening to the movie. He stood in line to buy his ticket, but inadvertently dropped the tickets after leaving the window. Another large fellow picked up the tickets, and Lester's son said, "Say, I'm sorry, but those are my tickets." The overbearing stranger �said, "Oh, I have as much right to them as anyone, and possession is 9/10ths of the law." At about this point in the story, General Gill walked into the mess hall and immediately showed a strong interest in Lester's story. Well, the big bully was too much for young Dorr to fight, so he just got in line again and bought two more tickets. It just happened that young Dorr and his date were seated right next to the couple who had stolen his tickets. Since Dorr and his date had been late in being seated, the bully and his date left before young Dorr did. Dorr noticed that the bully's date had left her purse in the seat, so he took it home with him. General Gill said, "Good for him. What was in the purse?" Lester hesitated and then replied, "Three dollars and sixty cents." Some of the people at the table, including Morley, knew that the answer was supposed to be, "Bull shit, same as the story." Of course, Lester had to change the punch line, and nobody let on. Lester did get roasted after the General departed. An unusually tough inspection of various companies was conducted by the Chief-of-Staff, and Morley was told to prepare for a visit from a VIP. He was not to mention her name, but almost everyone knew, because Eleanor Roosevelt was currently reported to be making a tour of the SW Pacific area. In censoring the letters of the men, it was noted that most of them were upset by the extensive preparations being made for the "secret visitor". Some made remarks in their �letters, saying, "Why don't the wives of famous people stay home where they belong." Eleanor Roosevelt was escorted by Lt. General Eichelberger, and Morley met her at the road leading into the company mess hall. He had pre-selected a group of battlehardened non-corns to eat with her. He introduced each one, and while the meal was far from typical army food, no one complained. After eating, she spoke to the me\n and chatted informally with the men and officers. She said her husband had asked her to make the trip as he was unable to do so himself. She had been into other theatres of war, and soon the men were completely won over by her simple motherly charm and sincere interest. Mrs. Roosevelt recounted how she had been in London ,.. .. ,.....' recently, which was being heavily bombed at the time. She asked one woman about her husband, and the lady said he was "doing fine, the coward joined the army." That brought quite a laugh. During the visit it started to rain, so Morley went outside and got the chauffeur of Mrs. Roosevelt's car to maneuver through the trees and get as close to the mess hall as possible. General Eichelberger came out and saw what Wilson was doing. He said, "Wilson, what in hell are you doing?" Morley replied, "Sir, I am moving the car as close to the building as possible so Mrs. Roosevelt will not get wet." General Eichelberger said in a loud voice, which could easily be heard in the mess hall, "Hell, she's human, just like the �rest of us. Put that car back where it belongs." It was plain that he did not like his assignment of being the First Lady's escort, and she must have known it. McArthur should have honored her by accompanying her himself, but short of that, he should have provided a respectful escort. It was a day Morley would always remember. He would see her again in better times, but her dignity and gentle calm were very special. It was noted, after her visit, that the tone of the letters which the GIs wrote home were entirely different. Some of them said, "it was like a visit from your own family." She had completely won their respect in the couple of hours she had visited the company. She was a truly beautiful person and so gracious. Lt. Col. Lidke was the Division Signal Officer. For many "'........ reasons, he shunned meetings, and when General McArthur held a planning conference, he sent Wilson to represent the Signal interests. The Chief-of-Staff walked out on a small stage and yelled, "Attention!" Everyone stood, and after a considerable pause, McArthur strode (or strutted) out on the stage, and after another rather lengthy pause, he said, "At ease, gentlemen." He was obviously an actor. Most Generals do not pause for effect. At least one officer felt it was theatrics. It did not generate respect, but it did cause resentment. It was Morley's first of two encounters with the four-star General. The second was under similar circumstances, and a carbon copy of the first. He was later to know some hospital �Co5 administrators and a few school superintendents who were almost as pompous. The elements of the Division were being trained in landing exercise. It was obvious that they were going to be island hopping from here on in. Finally, they were loaded in ships and, after a brief stop, were dispatched to Goodenough Island. The Japs had abandoned this island shortly before the 32nd landed in September of 1943. within a month, several of the men became ill, and some died with typhus. A field hospital with nurses was sent to the island, and they cared for those unfortunates who were ill. That was the first time Morley had seen a nurse in the combat area, and he was impressed by their conduct. Lt. Clark and Morley pitched their shelter under a very #'., . . . .' large tree. One day, the Division was ordered to get ready to move. After a brief stop in Finschhafen, part of the Company was sent to accompany a task force to Saidor. The rest of the Division, now stationed at Hollandia, followed within a few days. This was the first time Morley had crawled off a liberty ship and down the net onto a landing craft. He was not a very good swimmer and, with about 50 lbs of gear, it was well that his timing was correct and he jumped squarely into the LCT. When the rear echelon caught up, it was learned that a storm had toppled the huge tree back on Goodenough Island, and surely Clark and Wilson were lucky to have moved the day before the storm. �The Division stayed at Saidor for a few months. Their mission was to cut off the retreating enemy. The Japanese tried to by-pass Saidor, and went deep into the swamps and mountain ranges. The Americans went far up the trails forcing the Japs further inland. Since their supplies were cut off, many starved to death, or were so ravaged by disease that they died. Seldom did they just surrender. One stormy day, Col. Lidke called Morley. He had been listening to a radio in his command car and learned that American pilots had been bombing Rabaul and were running out of fuel on their return trip. The two officers rushed out to the partly completed air-strip about a mile away and sat in the car adjacent to the air-strip. The saw several planes crash land, both fighters and bombers. Some were out of gas, some were already damaged from ack-ack fire, and some were just looking for a place to land. As they watched, they also listened to the frantic pilots' conversation on the radio. One P-38 pilot refused to make another circle around the strip, saying he was out of gas and if anyone got in his way he was going to shoot them down. He belly-landed, and they wondered about his lack of fuel because he left a burning strip of gasoline for a half-mile down the air field. Another fighter plane almost landed on top of a huge B-24 bomber. As the bomber taxied down the very short runway, the crew opened up the doors and waved to those who were watching. They celebrated too soon, because they ran head-on into another smaller plane, and both exploded in a fiery ending. �After watching the loss of several planes and personnel, Morley re-thought his envious attitude towards the Air Force. True, they usually had choice food, drink and entertainment, but theirs was a hazardous career and as uncertain as the infantryman's. Something like 40 American planes were lost that day, and it was hard to estimate the number of bright young men who died on this terrible Thursday. A PT Squadron was based down the coastline about 20 miles, and one of the naval officers called on the Division to furnish telephone communications. Of course, they had radio but needed an alternate in case of radio failure. Wilson arranged for a telephone cable to be run to them. It turned out to be the "millionaire squadron", with a lot of names like Vanderbilt. He was not then familiar with the Kennedy name and would always wonder if it could have been him or someone else who rewarded him with a rubber mattress (pure gold) and two bottles of genuine Scotch (pure platinum). One of the Division officers was taken out on a night patrol by the PT Captain and witnessed the sinking of several Jap barges. He told a gruesome story about the Japs being tossed a rope and, as they approached the PT Boat, being disposed of in an efficient manner. They then went just out of range of Jap guns, and blinked messages to the Jap positions ashore. The content of the messages did not vary much from their favorite, "Fuck TOJO~" One always wondered if the Japs could read the uncoded English messages. �The Division decided to make an amphibious landing about 40 miles up the coast at Yalou, New Guinea. The second battalion of the 126th Infantry was chosen for the assault, and a team of Signal personnel was dispatched to augment their communications. Morley was to ride in a PT Boat along with General Gill, Col. Bradley (Omar's nephew), and a few other brass hats. Morley took two carrier pigeons and some pre­ written messages, from which to select the appropriate one, and he had a wonderful view of the landing. Fortunately, there was no enemy opposition, and the troops waded ashore with no casualties. Morley selected the prepared message which read, "Landed successfully -- no opposition." This was arguably the last combat message sent by carrier pigeon, as the Army signal Corps discontinued their use of pigeons after WWII. Anyway, t<"- .....~, the pigeon returned to Saidor and delivered the message before the field units could set up their radios and make contact. It was not a very exciting day, excepting for the light shelling that some smaller navy vessels did just before the landing. It was fortunate that there was no resistance because the PT Boat came within a few hundred yards of shore and would have been an easy target for a mortar shell or even a 50 calibre machine gun. One night, some of the main telephone lines went out between Division and the regiments. since the Japs frequently operated at night, Wilson, Lidke, and a wire repair team set out in Jeeps to find the break. Wilson took along one of the bottles of Scotch, and it was not long before they found the �trouble. It was not the Japs who had done the damage, but their own Tank Destroyer units. They were happy, in more ways than one, because repairing lines in the dark is neither fun nor without peril. The Division next moved to Aitape where they were to stay for several months. At first, the Company was located in a thick jungle area where they had to cut their way in with machetes. Dead Japs were scattered along the shore, and there were damaged landing crafts, guns and equipment strewn around the area. They finally bulldozed roads through to the ocean, where a picture-perfect tropical setting awaited them. The beach was mainly sandy, and the waves were ideal for surfing. The weather was warm. One could inflate the cotton mattress covers and ride a wave in for several hundred yards. A coconut ~.'-"~' plantation had been partly destroyed, but there were enough trees left standing so that one had to be careful at night or a huge coconut might fallon him while he was sleeping. The enemy was very stubborn, and our troops pushed them back into the treacherous jungles and into the mountainous interior. It was here that Col. Bradley's command met serious opposition. General Gill went up to the river's bank where Bradley's regiment was stalled, and inquired as to what was holding up the progress. Bradley replied that the Japs had a machine gun set up on the other bank. He told Gill that he had a company dispatched upstream to cross the river and do a flanking movement to wipe out the Japs. Gill walked out to the bank of the stream and turned to Bradley and said, "I order �you to cross this stream at once. There is no sign of the enemy on the other bank -- nothing but some native pigs." Gill went back to Division headquarters. Soon, the Division message center delivered the following message from Bradley to Gill. "As directed, crossed the Driniumor River at 300 hours. No contact with the enemy, but Lt. Col and 17 enlisted men killed by native pigs." The next day Bradley was relieved of his command and sent back to the States. There ended the life of a west Point officer and 17 enlisted men, who were needlessly sent to their deaths by a general too anxious to make a name for himself. Bradley later became a 2-star general, himself, and was assigned to the Pentagon where he had charge of the promotion of general officers. Needless to say, Gill never got his third star, and neither did his son­ in-law colonel get to be a brigadier general. It was a sad farewell for the troops and friends of Bradley. Morley always felt that Bradley was the best officer he had ever known. Wilson had rolled up the second bottle of Scotch (given to him by the PT Squadron Commander) inside his bedroll. When the bedroll finally came off the ship, weeks after troops, the bottle was broken in a thousand pieces. Every night when he went to bed he could smell the Scotch which had saturated his bedroll. There is a lesson here somewhere. One day, a message was received that one of the combat teams was in need of some signal equipment. It was decided to drop the equipment from a Piper Cub plane. It was also a chance to tryout some portable radio equipment. Morley and �'71 the pilot flew over the interior and found the drop area, without difficulty. The equipment was dropped, and they circled until they could see it being recovered by the ground troops. It was a beautiful day, and they kept testing the range of the portable radio set. Frank Lidke, from the home base, kept saying, "Can you hear me?" The radio was working perfectly, so Wilson would answer, "Four By Four." Then Lidke would say "All right, come on down, then." Wilson would reply, "We have lost contact, please repeat." After going through this routine several times, Lidke finally caught on that the set was working, but the pilot and Wilson were enjoying the joy~ride. When they finally landed, there were some bullet holes in the fuselage of the plane. They had not been aware of anyone firing at them, but they had been over enemy positions and apparently picked up some small arms fire. It was about this time that Morley was promoted to Major, and Lt. Walter Merrit was promoted to Captain. Wilson was now the Assistant Division Signal Officer, a staff officer instead of a command position. The biggest advantage was that it gave him more time for learning the "big operation" instead of working on his own Company's problems. As the fighting subsided, there was time for swimming, surfing and fun. Morley had a ten-day leave with others from the Division for rest and recreation. He flew in a converted light attack bomber from Aitape to Sydney, Australia. On the way over the Great Barrier Reef he was allowed to sit up with the pilot. Suddenly, they spotted a submarine, and the pilot �7z literally put the plane into a steep dive. The sub disappeared long before the plane pUlled out of its dive. The pilot did not know if it was an enemy or friendly sub, which didn't make much difference to the frightened passenger. He was too frightened by the sudden dive to think much about the nationality of the vessel. They touched down at Carnes and again at Townsville. At the air-strip at Townsville, Morley saw his first WAAC. She was smoking a cigarette and talking with another GI. Her expletives rivalled any GI Wilson had ever heard. He couldn't help wondering if this was what American womanhood was coming to. Fortunately, she was not the rule, but a lurid exception. When they reached Sydney, the Red Cross found a house for them to rent. It was easily accessible from downtown, and they stocked up with fresh meat and goodies. Actually, fresh vegetables were almost as much craved as steaks. Two other officers shared the house, and they did a lot of sightseeing and visited places of entertainment. They also toured the Blue Mountains, about 40 miles from Sydney, and went to shows and pubs. Morley had his teeth cleaned -- the first time in about 3 years and, strange as it may seem, no cavities! When they returned to Aitape, they were loaded down with beer, liquor and anything that would not spoil or mold. It was during this time that several traveling usa shows came to New Guinea. Part of Morley's duties were building a stage, setting up the sound system and, of course, seeing and talking with �73 several of the entertainers. Among those who came were: Joe E. Brown, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Frances Langford, and always a bevy of good looking dolls. Of those that Wilson met, Joe E. Brown was by far the most natural and sincere. He had just lost a son in the fighting in another theatre, and he did not make a play for the big brass. The same can not be said for most of the others. Hope only seemed to associate with the Generals, and Cooper and Wayne were just as anxious to please the Generals. The Japs did drop a few bombs one night during a movie and injure some of our troops, but otherwise there was a respite in the fighting. One day, the General ordered Wilson to go down the coast of New Guinea to the Milne Bay area to get some special equipment. The General's boat was about 35 feet long and was equipped with sails and a diesel engine. The skipper had a beautiful black scottie dog, and every time he had been ashore for a few days, he was prone to seasickness. It was pitiful to see the poor dog lie, foaming at the mouth, head between his paws and hating everyminute of it. Some of the others also got seasick but, fortunately, Morley enjoyed the cruise down the scenic coastline. They did put in at Hollandia and other ports for brief stops. When Morley returned to Aitape, he was given another week of rest and recreation. He headed for Australia again, with the same group that had accompanied him on the previous trip. Along on this trip was a General's Aide, who carried a parrot, �and Morley talked with him most of the way. He was a writer who earned extra money by writing trash stories for Best Western and True Romances. His adventure stories were sent to name writers like Max Brand, and he was paid by the number of words. His ambition was to write something worthwhile in his own name. They rented a house and had just returned from stocking up on provisions when someone knocked at the door. It was the pilot with orders for all of the vacationers to return to Aitape at once. Unfortunately, they lost their rent deposit and the provisions, and it was the shortest R & R anyone of them had ever had. When they returned to Aitape, they planned an invasion of the southernmost Philippine island. Lt. General Kreuger was ". .....' now in command of the sixth Army, and the 32nd was placed under his control. Much planning and practice went into this phase, and suddenly, the whole operation was cancelled. Morley was not sorry, as he would have been in one of the first groups to land. Japanese air power was not dead, but American air power was beginning to have great effect. One day, the 32nd Signal Company area was raided by some Jap planes. They were strafed, and a few bombs were dropped. The Engineer Company stationed nearby had machine guns, and all of the men fired whatever weapons they had at the planes. One of the planes was hit and went down in the woods only a, couple of hundred yards from the Company. Lt. Jack Clark salvaged a Jap camera from the plane's wreckage. Little did �75 they know that, in 20 years, the Japs would be selling cameras to Americans. Anyway, the Engineers claimed credit for the downed plane, though for all anyone knew, it could have been a shot from any rifle, tommy-gun, or even a lucky pistol shot. The other planes were finally driven off by American fighter planes. One night, one of the Signal Company radio teams was up with a regimental combat team located on a beach. Some Japs with empty gallon pails strapped to their waists came out of the water and threw a grenade into the radio jeep. It killed one man and wrecked the vehicle. This was the first time Wilson had to write a letter to the family, and it was a very difficult thing to do. One officer who Morley happened to know was about 6'9" ,,··'....'tall, wrote to a friend back in Wisconsin complaining about McArthur. He was a First Lieutenent, and his letter read something like this: "Dug-Out Doug, the pink-robed bastard, his fox hole was only 6 feet deep and 10 feet long, and he made them dig it to 10 feet deep and 20 feet long," etc. The letter was detected by the censor, and the writer was arrested. He had an excellent young defense counsel who convinced the court martial Board that the Lieutenent was really talking about a friend of his and not about McArthur. He was found "not guilty", and the entire Court Martial Board was summarily dismissed by General Gill. A new Board was appointed, and that is how Wilson came to serve on a Court Martial Board. �During this rather quiet stretch, Wilson sat on several court martials. Often, the President of the Board was Colonel Merle Howe, from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Merle was very tough, and Morley often found himself unwilling to agree with the severity of the sentence. Merle was an infantryman who had seen many men die, and he had no sympathy for anyone who was accused of cowardice. Fortunately, most of the severe sentences were shortened at the end of the war. None was actually executed. It was also during this period that Sergeant George Fries from Kalamazoo, Michigan, was granted a lO-day furlough to go to Sydney, Australia. George was a young, handsome swain, and he was walking down the street when he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever met. He approached her and told her he was an ,.. .. ,....' agent for a movie studio. After a few drinks he took her to a Sydney studio where they just happened to be casting for a movie about Australia's part in the war. She auditioned and actually got the leading part, and she gave George all the credit. The story made Australia's equivalent of Life magazine. As a result of the story, George received a great number of letters from girls allover Australia. He generously shared the letters with other men in the Signal Company. As a by-product, many men who went to Sydney had wonderful furloughs. The story has a fairy tale ring to it, but in this case it was true. At this time, Col. Lidke went back to the States and, within a few weeks, Lt. Col. Garlick came to the 32nd, �assigned as Division signal Officer. Burl Chase took a 30-day rotation back to Michigan and, much to Morley's dismay, word was received that Burl and his wife were killed in an automobile accident. Mary had met Burl's wife, Valerie, at a cottage party that the wives of signal Company men had arranged. She had especially liked Valerie, and Morley had hoped they would remain friends after the war. It was a severe shock, and he would remember Burl fondly for the rest of his life. Occasionally Morley would write a poem or two and send them to Mary. A few of them will be added by the end of this story. Col. Dayton Garlick proved to be a good officer. He loved to swim, and one day a wave caught him with such force that it turned him over and broke his shoulder. His arm was immobilized and in a cast for several hot, uncomfortable weeks. He and Morley became good friends and they played a lot of cribbage. Dayton had worked for Bell Telephone in the utica area of New York state. One night he told Morley that, as a trusted manager in the Bell system, it had been his responsibility to install and service the communications equipment for the mountain vacation home of J. Edgar Hoover. He further said that Hoover had a "boyfriend" who always accompanied him, and that it was more than just an ordinary friendship. Because of J. Edgar's peerless reputation, Morley didn't know whether to believe the story, but Garlick was not one to exaggerate, and �he was later to learn that, indeed, J. Edgar lived a clandestine life. It is ironic that he was so severe on others. Who can forget his treatment of Martin Luther King, for reportedly similar reasons? The Division was getting ready to move again. This time, everyone knew it was for the big one, the return to the Philippines. After a short stop at Hollandia, a convoy of ships moved north into Leyte Gulf and came ashore to relieve the 24th Division. For several days they were stationed near Tachloban and gradually fought their way north and west towards Ormac. It was particularly difficult fighting. The Japs were dug in to roadside caves and had to be eliminated with grenades and flame throwers. When the Signal troops first came to Taclobin, most of # .. , ....' their equipment was still in the ship's hold, including latrine canvas. This was not serious in New Guinea, but now they were in a more civilized country, and reasonable and modest steps had to be taken. One day, Morley sat on the latrine, and a young Philippino lady walked up to him. He tried to get rid of her, but she needed some laundry to wash. He said, "See me later,' but she persisted. Several of the GIs noted Morley's embarrassment and, no doubt, enjoyed it. Finally, he completed his personal chore and gave her some laundry to do. She was totally unaffected and displayed no concern at his discomfiture. One memorable day, Morley decided to visit some of the units about 3 miles closer to the front. As he was about to �leave, Col. Garlick asked it he could use Morley's rubber mattress for his noon nap and, of course, Morley was glad to make it available. Morley loaded his pockets with chocolate, carried his Tommy-gun, and started out. He had not gone more than 2 miles when he happened upon the eeriest sight he would ever encounter. The previous day, one of the infantry units had blasted a dozen or so Japs out of some roadside caves. As they came running out of the caves, they were literally roasted by the flame throwers. Many of them were still in running or upright positions, but blackened beyond identification by the scorching flames. It was a haunting sight that Wilson was not able to erase from his mind. The stench was so bad that he did not linger long. A little further along, he came upon a couple more dead Japs. A GI was sitting on the bloated stomach and going through the pockets of one man. He asked Wilson if he had any chocolate, and Morley gave him a large bar. He was generous because he knew he would not be able to eat anything himself. While still sitting on the dead body, the GI ate the chocolate, still continuing the plunderous search for booty. Maybe one can become inured to almost anything, but this was more than Morley had bargained for. He left this scene, trying not to gag, and feeling that war was a pretty horrible influence on the human person. Wilson arrived at an area where some Japanese tanks had been destroyed the previous day. The GI who had destroyed 5 tanks was Dirk Vlug from Grand Rapids. For his heroic action �he was decorated with the congressional Medal of Honor. Although Morley did not know Dirk, some years later he would work with him at the Veterans Administration. Morley had seen enough for one day (or for a lifetime), and he hurried back towards Division Headquarters so as to reach it before dark. One the way back, he was aware of several artillery shells going over his head. They were not close to him, so he hurried on. When he reached the headquarters site, he found that the artillery shells had arrived ahead of him. Several men were wounded, and a switchboard operator had been instantly killed. A tiny piece of shrapnel had entered his body by way of the armpit, and had cut a vital artery of the heart. He had been operating the switchboard, and there was no outward sign that he had been """~' injured. Col. Garlick had been taking a nap on Morley's rubber mattress and had been hit twice. One piece cut his shoelace and ankle, and the other went through his earlobe. The rubber mattress was completely shredded. He had warned Morley that morning "not to try to win any purple hearts." Morley did not begrudge Garlick this medal, and he often thought how fortunate he was to have been up "at the front lines" on that particular day. Mopping up continued, and the Signal Company moved across the Limon Valley to high ground not too far from Ormoc. A communique from McArthur's headquarters informed the units that a shipment of fresh turkeys would be received by �f{1 Thanksgiving. The holiday came and went and no turkeys. Finally, about ten days later, the turkeys arrived, and the troops gorged themselves on the first fresh meat they had seen in many months. sometime after midnight on that very black night, Morley had stomach cramps and knew that he had to find the latrine. He knew that the troops would be trigger-happy because the Japs had frequently infiltrated their positions. He nervously started in the direction of the latrine, calling out, "Hold your fire, this is Major Wilson." SUddenly he bumped into someone, and the person said, "You have to go back to the end of the line. The whole company is down here." The turkey had been enroute too long, and half of the Division was sick that night. At about this time, Morley lost another friend. Captain ,.. ........ Herman B?O.echer, the German soldier of fortune who had fought in the Spanish civil War, the hero of Buna and the person who had lived far behind Japanese lines for months, was hit by a mortar shell and bled to death before help arrived. If any man ever deserved the congressional Medal, it was this man who chose to fight for freedom even when his homeland was being destroyed by Allied Forces. He hated tyranny, and he did something about it. It is almost certain that Herman would have been awarded the Congressional Medal, if he had not been a German immigrant. Such is the way of politics. His men worshipped him and followed him through many hellish situations. �r'-~ 2:> L Finally the mopping up ended, and the Division was once again loaded in ships and sent off, this time to Lingayen Gulf on Luzon. There must have been around 100 ships, including cruisers, destroyers, and perhaps battleships guarding the convoy. Morley rode on a communications ship, easily identifiable by its many antennas. Unfortunately, the Japs must have known, as several Jap planes attacked the convoy coming in. Some Navy Hellcats were in hot pursuit and were firing away at the Jap planes. A radio message came to the communications room saying, "Two Rats downed by one cat." As they got into the harbor, a dive bomber dove straight down, so close that you could see the pilot's facial features. When he hit the water his plane exploded, and it was like a slowmotion picture. Water rose many feet into the air and even tf""L~> splashed on the deck of the communications ship. A Jap torpedo bomber dropped its huge torpedo, and it seemed to bounce right over the bow of the ship. You could see its wake as it sped through the maze of ships, miraculously missing all the ships in the harbor. Next was the unloading. Troops climbed over the side and down rope nets, hoping that the bobbing landing craft would stay in one place long enough to catch the tumbling troops. It didn't help that each person carried from 50 to 100 lbs of equipment on his back. Finally they reached the beach, a coconut plantation, and unloaded the landing craft as quickly as possible. Morley's troubles were not over. just before sunset, Jap Zeros made �several runs over the area, strafing each time they made a pass. Jack Clark and Morley would crouch behind the large coconut trees. All of a sudden, Jack jumped out and hollered. Morley thought he must have been hit, but he had crouched in a hill of ants. When the Japs made another run, Jack decided the ants were the lesser of two evils. To make matters worse, the American Navy launched an anticraft attack upon the Jap planes, and Morley and Jack were more frightened by the ack-ack fire than by the enemy. There was hardly a frond left on the palms, and shrapnel damaged some of their equipment. The troops slept on the beach that night. The Japs had a very large cannon mounted on a rail car several miles up in the mountains above the beach. You could see it fire at the ""''''''beach area, but their aim was not very accurate. Eventually, the cannon was silenced, presumably by ship fire, and the troops loaded the trucks and started off for a village in Pangasinon Province, some 70 miles inland. When Wilson arrived in Tayug, four little girls, ragged, dirty and absolutely precious, came out to greet him. They sang "God Bless America", and it was hard to hold back the tears. Thus started an association with the Mamenta family that was to last the rest of his life. Mrs. Mamenta owned and directed a school from kindergarten through a four-year college. She was. a remarkable person. At least one of the girls had been born out in the fields during the Japanese occupation. They were not allowed to teach �"English" and thus books had been confiscated and burned. Mrs. Mamenta had buried some of her books in boxes and managed to deceive the Japanese and survive. Mr. Mamenta had been a "sort of " District Attorney for the area. A good story could be written on the life of Mrs. Mamenta. The Mamentas gave the use of their partially bombed out school buildings for Division Signal installations. A switchboard and radio facilities were established. Message Center was located nearby. The Division was fighting its way up the Villa Verde Trail towards Bagio. It was very hard going, but everyone began to feel that the end was in sight. The war in Europe had released men and material, and nothing could stop us now. The only trouble was that the invasion of Japan, itself, posed a very heavy shadow on the horizon. A call came for Wilson to go to General Gill's quarters, and he reported there promptly on March 19, 1945. General Gill was not prone to pay compliments to anyone, but he did tell Wilson that Army did not ask for him or he would have said, "No Way." He said they ordered the transfer, and he had "no alternative." That was as much of a compliment as J j.. ~J\ Iv1lH LEi' W<,U~";Jt1(L{) Ct> Titt? ever gave. ~l.h., 1::.. f L '- G' \ IVH) sr HAVf 'llit"V 6li"'i ,.J\r1 tr"t> 4=l-) ~ (1 £:;{J..lt: (,A L .,., L. l _ . . I' Wilson left the next morning, March 20, after General Gill fllL{) ;If 'l-~ 'So Til Wi:L L cf- bidding the 32nd Signal Company adieu. A formation of the troops was held, and it was a very emotional time. He had eaten, slept and served with these men since October 15, 1940. [L.. M··';),\. �Morley drove into the bivouac area of the 293rd Joint Assault Signal Company on the beach, not too far from where he had landed a few weeks earlier. The scene was sickening. Vehicles with flat ties, radio equipment that was inoperative from exposure to salt water, and an attitude of indifference by both enlisted men and officers was everywhere to be seen. There were over 550 enlisted men and some 53 officers from four different branches of the Armed Services: Signal Corps, Artillery, Navy and Air Force. The former Commanding Officer had become a chronic alcoholic and was sent back to the States. Two officers and three enlisted men were AWOL. Interviews with key personnel indicated that most of the personnel felt that they should not have been sent to the SW Pacific. They had participated in the Omaha Beach landing with ,.. ......... some casualties and in the early assault on the towns near the beach. Although they had many stories about the good times in France, and later in Paris, they felt they had "done their part". It was difficult for Morley to work up a wave of sympathy. He listened and then started the process of organizing the Company. Many of the officers were from the professional services. For instance, there were 13 attorneys, one professional football player, and one basketball player, several mechanical and electrical engineers, one Hollywood script writer, one radio announcer, and an unknown number of college professors. Morley did the obvious thing; he placed the Navy personnel under the Senior Naval Officer, the artillery men under the �Senior Artillery Officer, etc. (Prior to that, the men had been assigned to officers of different branches.) Then he started a maintenance program, getting rid of equipment that was not repairable and requisitioning replacement items. He put out a report on the AWOL personnel, and when they were found (operating a Philippino whorehouse), he placed them under arrest and asked Army Headquarters for instructions on how to court martial Navy personnel. Since the Army Judge Advocate did not know the answer, Wilson put his request in writing and followed it up weekly with telephone calls. He organized the company into teams for air, naval and artillery fire control. This was a lucky move, because shortly after they had conducted practice maneuvers, the 293rd JASCO was called upon for support to some of the Infantry Divisions. "'.c....' The Army Inspector General paid a visit to the company and was very pleased with the changes made. Lt. Oakes, a naval officer, was a great help during these difficult days, and at about this time a Signal Corps captain was assigned. Morley depended upon Oakes and Captain Fred Huffsmith for advice, support and for help. One day, a telephone call came in from an admiral saying that, if Wilson didn't turn the Navy personnel loose from the brig, he was going to have his ass in trouble. Wilson again called Army and was told "not to worry." . They organized a volleyball team, and the officers were never beaten. The professional athletes were so good that they were able to beat every team around. They would let Wilson �;)l play if they were far ahead, or for a minute or so when he was in the back court. He was not tall enough to play the net, but he was fairly good at "setting the ball up" for others to score. Wilson began to have health problems. He could not eat anything without severe nausea. After a week or so, he went to see a doctor, and he was not even allowed to go back to his unit. He had infectious hepatitis and was sent to a field hospital. There, he lived on sugar wafers for about 10 days, and very slowly began to regain his strength. In the bed next to wilson, the hospital had admitted a black GI who was enjoying himself. The RN came in and asked, "What's your trouble?" Without a smile he answered, "Gonderputis." He kept the ward in good humor. On a more serious note, several children were in the next tent. They were among the survivors of the liberated Japanese st. Thomas prison. They were so starved that one could almost cry just to see their emaciated bodies. Most of them spoke English with a British accent. Some of them were children of the diplomatic corps. It was wonderful to see the fast improvement that just a week or so brought about. Capt. Huffsmith visited Morley and brought the exciting news that the unit had been allotted one person to be rotated to the u.s. Since Morley had more than twice as much time overseas than the next eligible person, he instructed Fred to submit his name as a candidate for rotation. Suddenly, he felt cured or at least happy. Forty-two months is a long time to be �away from the ones you love. He wrote the good news to Mary, and then came the waiting period. He was discharged from the hospital and went back to the Company. He drove down to Manilla to see the ruins, and someone called his name from across the street. it was Major Jim Rahrer, one of his men, who he had sent to OCS about three years previously. Jim had a full bottle of Four Roses that he had brought from the states, and Wilson celebrated, even though the physicians had warned him not to do it for "a few months." Morley ended up driving Jim's jeep back to his unit. Jim was in no condition to drive. Morley pointed the jeep in the direction of Manilla, and went to his quarters. When he awakened at about 800 hours, the jeep was still in the same position. Jim had "slept it off." #'''.'io<' The Army Signal Officer told Wilson that his rotation might be short-lived. He said they would need him for the planned invasion of Japan, and to "enjoy yourself while you can." Finally came the day, Wilson was taken to Manilla by Fred Huffsmith and found that his transportation was to be an ancient banana boat. He slept on deck the entire trip back. On August 7, a radio message gave the news of the first atomic bomb drop. And then the second bomb! Everyone hoped this would shorten the war and save many lives. Wilson thought about the warning from the Army Signal Officer and, for the first time, felt he might not have to face another long tour of fighting. �The boat pulled under the Golden Gate Bridge on about ~ -, "," (jr :,!" August/Bad, 1945. Morley always did love that location, even before Tony Bennett. After a meal of fresh meat and green vegetables, he was placed in charge of a train heading for Chicago. Of course he called Mary, and she agreed to meet him at the Congress Hotel. She had arrived before Morley. It was quite a reunion! sometimes it takes more character to stay home during a war than it does to be a part of it. The one who is at home has all the worry and never knows if the other one is safe or even alive. Mary had saved the money which Morley had sent, and they were two very happy people. They began the life that had been interrupted by his call to duty on October 15, 1940.. For all practical purposes, the war had ended. Morley was in Cadillac, Michigan, on August 14, 1945, and Mary joined him there. She had stayed behind because her father had surgery in Grand Haven. It was a joyous day, and Truman's decision to drop the bomb was applauded by Wilson. He felt that may have saved his life and the lives of thousands of others. �90 PART "' THE POST-WAR YEARS It was so good to be home! Morley and Mary stayed for a few days at the farm in Moorestown. He went to church on Sunday and was asked to talk about the war. He did not tell them what they wanted to hear. Mostly they wanted to be told that "God was on our side", and that there were "no atheists in fox-holes". He tried to say that war is not glorious and that he doubted the value of a religious conversion which happened under such violent stress. I He also tried to side-step polite but curious inquiries about his own beliefs. Mostly, he did not want to embarass his parents. A curious thing about his home-coming happened when Morley drove up to the farm gate. The old dog "King" came out to greet him and literally did acrobatics with joy. Remember, he had not seen the dog for over four years, yet the dog yipped, rolled, tossed and showed his pleasure plainer than any words. It was unbelievable. Morley was aware of the aging of his Mother and Dad. They were approaching their mid-sixties and the years of strain, hard work, and worry had bequn to take its toll. Fred would quietly take Morley to one side and inform him that Minnie was "slipping". Minnie would confide in Morley that Fred was "getting childish". Actually there was some truth in both statements but not as pronounced as either of them maintained. "'....,.... One evening, Morley went "down-town" to Moorestown. The popular gathering place was Whipples' grocery store and post-office. As he stood out on the cement porch, someone quietly came up behind him and covered Morley's eyes with both hands. Then this prankster said, "I bet you don't know who him are, do you Morrie?" Who in hell~ Morrie?" Morley said, "GEORGE GOODALL". At this point George said, "How in hell you know who him are, Morrie?" If anyone had ever heard George talk, they could never mistake him for anyone else. Morley's stay at home was short; he was still in the army and was ordered to San Antonio for dUty with the Air Corps. The Air Corps was still a part of the Army but in the process of becoming a separate branch of the service. He was asked if he wanted to be discharged and was directed to be processed for separation. He expected to be a civilian the next day but was told that his "paper" had been lost. He waited and finally he and Mary rented a room in a motel near Breckenridge Park in San Antonio. Each day he would drive about 20 miles out to the Air Base called "SAAC" (San Antonio Air Cadets) and was told that his papers had not been found. �91 This continued for almost three months. He played golf, visited the countryside and grew more impatient. Finally, it was learned that he had been sent to this base for duty instead of for discharge. His papers were not lost but were next door in the base headquarters. They had been carrying him AWOL for all this time when he was within 100 feet. It seemed a logical question. How did we ever manage to win the war? Anyway, he was finally discharged but did not get the separation promotion to Lieutenant Colonel which would have been almost automatic if he had been discharged from an Army ground unit. At that time it did not seem important. Morley was on terminal leave from November to March, 1946. Mary wanted to go to Mexico City so in late November they contacted Jean Mitchell (later to be Jean Kooiman) and she came to San Antonio by train. She and the Wilsons spent a delightful 3 weeks in Mexico. They stopped overnight in Monterey and in a small town, then called Nantes. They stayed in a small motel and ate green salad, drank goats milk and did everything that one should have known was a "no-no". That evening, after dinner, the natives came into the spacious hotel lobby carrying guitars, violins, and other instruments. They sat upon the steps of the large open stairway and serenaded the guests with some of the most memorable Mexican t<-.....~, music that Morley would ever hear. Among the tunes was "Fascination" which Jater became quite a best seller in the United States. In Mexico City, the Wilsons stayed at a small hotel where the owner took a personal interest. He arranged for tickets to special events, bull fights and provided a driver for the 1941 Plymouth. Mary had purchased the car, new, for under $800.00 and they were quite proud of it. The driver said, after testing all the extras, "This car is no good. In Mexico City you need a loud horn. The brakes are no matter!" The hotel owner, came to our room and made Morley play the part of the bull while he demonstrated the adeptness of the toreador. He used a large red handkerchief and he was almost as exciting as the actual bull fight. He explained the various maneuvers so that they were better prepared for the actual performance. Unfortunately, a long love affair with horses took the edge off the fight for Morley. He felt very sad when a horse was gored by the bull. Mary got quite ill with Montazuma's revenge so Morley and Jean did quite a lot of sight-seeing on their own. They did the usual things like climbing the pyramids, �92 Xochimilco Floating Gardens, and interviewed the leading Artist of Mexico at Guernavoca. He quickly corrected Morley's statement that Diego Rivera must be the greatest Mexican Artist of all time. He was not humble. They also went to Toxco and then returned to San Antonio. The Wilsons motored back to Grand Haven and Morley began to investigate the job market. He went to Ypsilanti and his old boss Alex Seedorff told him that he was in the process of selling the factory to some New York investors. Morley was to be the controller. Morley talked with other employees and decided to decline the offer. Another acquaintance, Larry Johnson, had arranged for an interview with the Personnel Director of Philco Corporation. He was offered a job as credit manager of the Detroit Branch but also turned down this opportunity. Next, he was told about some jobs at the Veterans Administration in Detroit. He finally accepted a very mediocre job there with the promise that he would be "moved up" in a short time. Mary and Morley stayed with Mary's brother and sister-in-law in Dearborn and he drove to work. One cold wintry day Morley and Mary were driving down Fort Street in Detroit when he got behind a large truck. The truck was in the middle of the street and after following him for several blocks, Morley swung out over the center line and passed him. A police siren sounded and one of the two patrolmen came up to the car with an intimidating swagger and demanded to see Morley's driver's license. Morley puned out his very moldy New Guinea wallet and showed the policeman his Army license. He had applied for a Michigan license but it has not yet come. The policeman said, "Where did you pick up all that mold?" Morley said, "I just got back from New Guinea." At this point, the policeman called his partner-in-crime-prevention, and said, "Hey Stan, wasn't your brother in New Guinea?" "Yes" said Stan. Trying to seize on anything, Morley said, "What was his name?" "Joe Kryzinski", Stan replied. Morley said, "Oh yea, wasn't he with the The Air Force?" It was a lucky shot in the dark. The policeman put his ticket pad back in his pocket and said, "Be careful now." Wilsons were aware that property values were on the rise and soon (too soon) bought a 2 family brick home in Melvindale. It was a very good house and they soon furnished it. This took most of their savings, over $11,000, yet neither of them were quite content with living in the Detroit Area. Morley did meet George Wilson, coach of the Detroit Lions, and through him obtained tickets for several football games. He would continue this association for �93 several years after George came to Grand Rapids and Morley was later transferred there, also. The Veterans Administration was located on the top 5 floors of the all-brick Guardian Building in downtown Detroit. The Wilsons wanted to get out of that area but the problem was to find a suitable job. One day, he was called into conference with some of the VA Brass and told about the need for rehabilitation specialists for seriously disabled veterans. The idea sounded good and after some "in-house training", Morley was assigned to this area and transferred to Muskegon. The Wilsons put their Melvindale house up for sale and stayed a few weeks with Mary's parents. Muskegon, he met Frank DeYoe, and formed a life-time friendship. In Frank was a liberal, a Democrat and a wonderful person. His wife, Mildred, was a schoolteacher and they had many enjoyable conversations. Morley and Mary rented a house in Muskegon from a family that Mary had known. so it was a happy situation. They considered buying a home in that region but in the spring of 1947, he was transferred to the Grand Rapids area. With that promise, the Wilsons sold their Melvindale house and bought a home at 121 Manchester Road, Wyoming, a suburb of Grand Rapids. It was a small but comfortable 3 bedroom home. Morley continued in the "Special Rehab" assignment and one of the first clients was ;i"'L~' Dirk Hollebeck, a quadriplegic. They formed a social relationship with Dirk and Jean, in addition to their relationship through the VA. Dirk was a most unusual person and his wife was a sweet and kind person who looked after Dirk's needs. Morley liked the personnel at the Grand Rapids VA office, especially Charlie Doyle from Lowell. Charlie resembled Mickey Rooney and had a sense of humor that surpassed anyone Morley had ever known. More about him later. Mary was happy in Grand Rapids and since they did not have a baby they decided to try to adopt one. They applied at the Kent County Probate Court and were advised that they would have to join a church to qualify. So they started "shopping", as it were. After visiting several churches which were mostly of the "Born Again" traditional type, Frank DeYoe, suggested they try Fountain Street Baptist Church. About half-way through Duncan Littlefair's sermon, Morley leaned over and said to Mary, "I think we have found a home." There started a life time affiliation and it was, perhaps, the most influential thing they would ever do. Morley had some clients at a local Stenotype school. The director of the school, �94 ( Mrs. Leach, told him that her daughter was in the process of adopting a baby. The baby had not been born yet but the family had agreed to let this daughter have the baby as soon as it was born. He kept nagging the Probate Court Agent and advised him that the Wilsons had joined a church. He said "Which one?". Morley replied "A Baptist Church". This seemed to satisfy him. One day in early November, Morley learned that Mrs. leach's daughter, who had been planning to adopt a baby, was pregnant; this meant that the baby might be available. Morley and Mary made a fast trip to the Northern Michigan hospital right after the baby was born. She was a real doll, long curly hair and she really smiled and cooed. A lot of paper work had to be cleared but the Wilsons were the proud parent of Ann Dee. They brought her back when she was two weeks old, and she never cried all the way to Grand Rapids. Talk about walking on air! She was a delightful loving child. They felt so lucky and spent many hours playing with her. She was also the.object of her grandfather Pellegrom's affections. Morley frequently ate lunch with Charlie Doyle. One day, as Charlie was driving down Jefferson Avenue, Charlie spotted a parking place near the restaurant. He pulled up near the vacant space when a young lady in a top-down convertible slipped in and literally "stole" the spot away from him. It was a obvious ruse and to make matters even worse, she smiled and gave him a little "ta-ta", waving her fingers in a teasing gesture. Charlie found another parking spot, and walked back to a service station, right beside her convertible. He said to the attendant that he had been having trouble with his battery in that red convertible and asked him to pull it out and put it on the charger. He said, "There is no hurry, I'll be back in a hour or so, after I eat lunch." We never went back to find out if the young lady got her car started. Morley and Charlie were bemoaning the fact that they were not benefiting from the G.1. Bill so they enrolled in the Dale Carnegie Course through Davenport Cottege. Morley won a couple of awards but Charlie was a natural. He won several awards and could mimic every speaker in the class. One lesson required students to give an impromptu speech. On the way up to the lectern, the speakers were given a slip of paper containing the subject. Charlie's subject was "Good Sportsmanship". Adopting a very serious pose, Charlie said, "Whenever I think about good sportsmanship, I think of dear old Lowell High School. Emblazoned in gold letters, above the door to the football locker room were these famous lines from a poem by �95 Grantland Rice. "When the game of life is over and the maker calls your name; it isn't whether you won or lost, but how you played the game." And then after a pause Charlie added, "So the next fall, the school would hire another new football coach." That brought the house down and easily won Charlie another award. Many of the clients assigned to Morley's care were scattered. He frequently traveled to cities like Petosky, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Ludington, and he would be on the road for two or three days at a time This left Mary alone. About this time the Kent Country Probate Court Officer learned that the Wilsons were members of Fountain Street Baptist Church. Fountain Street was not admired by the other Baptist churches and certainly not by the other fundamentalist religious organizations in Grand Rapids. He paid a visit to the Wilsons and told them he felt they had deceived him. He said that by placing Ann in their home, he had condemned her "stra.ight to hell". You can imagine their surprise when the same Probate Court Official called a few months later to let them know that he had another baby to place with them. It was a boy and the Wilsons eagerly accepted him and named him Jeffrey Lynn. He was about 10 daysold. Now there was great joy at 121 Manchester Road. Jeffrey had a period (about 5 months) of "colic", a term his Grandmother Wilson used to describe his stomach cramps and inability to digest his food. The ooctor, Dirk Mouw, did not seem to be able to recommend a suitable formula. GrandmaWilson visited us and it seemed she was better at calming Jeff than Mary or·Morley. Mary had a group of Grand Haven friends that took care of the Wilson's soclal activities and Fountain Street Church also supplied new friends. Morley's earliest memory of Fountain Street Church was being greeted by Jack Darrow. In his personable salesman-like manner, he put out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Jack Darrow." A long and pleasant friendship followed. One morning Morley got up early and started the monthly trip to Northern Michigan. He got just North of CedarSprings when 3 deer crossed the ~Iighway (Old US-131) in front of him. He braked sharply and narrowly missed the deer. Two of them jumped the fence but the third one ran into the fence, and fell back, dead from a broken neck. It was only about 7 A.M. and Morley decided to load the deer in his trunk and driveback home. In his mind, he would skin the deer, and have a healthy supply of fresh venison. Just as he was dragging the deer to his car, another vehicle pulled �96 ( up and three men got out. The conversation went something like this: "Where are you going with that deer?" "I'm going to drop it off at the Rockford State Police Post." "We are going right past the Post so we will drop it off." Morley sized up the odds. He knew he didn't have a chance, so he pretended to write their license number down to bluff them into letting him keep the deer. It did not work and he headed North towards Cadillac. He was sure that they enjoyed their venison and, of course, he never informed the police. On another trip North, Morley stayed in Cadillac. He was driving a very old Studebaker which he had just got from a garage after it was tuned up. That night, in Cadillac, the temperature dripped to 42 degrees below zero. The car started at once, and he pushed one Cadillac, one Uncaln, and several other cars which wouldn't start. It made him feel very rich to think his old junkyard jalopy was a more reliable car than the later and more expensive models he had helped. As Ann and Jeff grew, Mary made attractive clothes for them. Ann was the shy one and Jeff was the one who introduced himself and was very active. Morley liked to take them shopping because they always were the centers of attention: Ann with her smile and long curls and Jeff with his "Jack Darrow kind" of socialability. Grandpa Pellegrom really doted on his grandchildren and it was always a pleasure to see his face light up when we visited them in Grand Haven. The work at the Veterans Administration began to slacken and there was a lot of time for horse-play. One of the workers, Art SCUlly, told of his experience with the Alcohol and Tax Division. He said that during prohibition, he was working out of the Grand Rapids office and he had confiscated a car loaded with liquor (contraband). It turned out that the car was destined to Grand Rapids as a part of the "rum-running" operation related to or at least known by Frank McKay. This man was also a power in the State RepUblican circles. Scully reported that he received a telephone call at home from Frank McKay. The caller informed Scully that another car was to come to Grand Rapids and he didn't want it stopped. SCUlly replied, "I don't take my orders from you. I don't see your name of my paycheck." McKay said, "Maybe you don't see it, but it's there." According to Scully, the next day he was transferred to Cleveland and didn't get back to Grand Rapids until the mid-1940's. Morley had no reason to doubt the details of this story and it serves to illustrate how corruption can filter into every facet of our government. This story is cited for those who are apt to think that it �97 happens only at the National level. There were two medal-of-honor winners in the Grand Rapids office of the Veterans Administration. One was a hard working, conscientious fellow name John Sjogren. Charlie and Morley made up a dummy file on a phony veteran WAAC whom they dubbed "Wanda Leigh". They contacted Charlie's cousin who was active in Civic Players and groomed her for the part of Wanda Leigh. They then put the phony 1:i1e on Sjogren's desk with a note to call Wanda Leigh at a given number. John fell for the ruse and called her at once. The cousin played the role perfectly telling John that she was diagnosed as "having a service-connected tumor at the time of her discharge". Less than nine months, later, she said the tumor turned out to be an eight pound baby boy. So what was she supposed to do now? Charlie and Morley were watching from the next office and listening in on the extension telephone. Wanda Leigh· was the subject of much joking after that episode. When John learned of the trickery, he took it good naturedly. One day Charlie came into the office after witnessing our own Doctor Kenneth Gamm being a victim of a minor traffic accident. A city owned bus had rear-ended his automobile. Charlie got on the extension phone and called Dr. Gamm, identifying himself as the "City Attorney". He informed Dr. Gamm that there had been some damage to the city bus and that the Doctor would have to make restitution to the city for about $200 worth of repairs. Dr. Gamm's face and neck grew red and he cursed the "City Attorney" out. Half of the office were watching and suddenly Dr. Gamm looked up and realized that he was not only the victim of an accident, he was the butt of one of Charlie's jokes. The assistant to the manager of the Veterans Administration office was one of the finest persons Morley would ever know. Jack Van Vessem was the man that kept things on an even keel. Jack was kind to the extent that he would go far beyond his duties to help anyone and he would become a life-long friend to Morley. More about him later. This is mentioned now because he was living proof that one didn't have to "believe in God" to be kind and be a "Christian" in the finest sense of the word. Another Congressional Medal of Honor winner was Dirk Vlug. Dirk sat around talking with Art SCUlly and Charlie one afternoon. A very pretty, shapely employee name Edwina walked by and Charlie said, "Gee, Dirk, how would you like a little of that?" Dirk said, "I don't know. She's not very'friendly," Art SCUlly scoffed, "Not very �98 f \ friendly? I wouldn't care if she never spoke to me again the rest of her life." As V.A. programs tapered off, it became evident that some employees would be terminated or transferred. People like Sjogren or Vlug would be assured of a permanent job according to certain policies of government. Always looking for ways to agitate, Charlie said to Dirk. "Do you think you might get laid off, Dirk?" Vlug replied, "No, I think I'll have a job as long as I want it." Charlie said, "Yes, but the policy doesn't say where. You might get transferred to San Francisco, San Jose or for that matter, to San Salvador." Dirk looked worried as he went back to his office. After a brief interval he returned and said very seriously, "Charlie, where is San Salvador?" One of the employees whom Morley respected was Kenneth Downes. He was a psychologist and he sometimes accompanied Morley on trips to evaluate a disabled veteran. On one such trip, in the area south of Traverse City, they were looking for a particular veteran's home and were unable to find it. They spotted an along the road, smoking a corn-cob pipe. olde~ woman Kenneth asked, "Do you know where veteran John Doe lives?" She looked suspiciously at Kenneth and said, "I might or I might not. It all depends." It turned out she wanted to be sure that no harm would come to her neighbor and Kenneth assured her that we were only interested in the ,;.~~- ',? veteran's welfare. After spitting and chewing on her pi~tem, she directed them to "John Doe's" home. It was one of the dirtiest abodes Morley had ever seen. After interviewing the veteran, they were just getting ready to leave, when the wife announced that lunch was ready. After watching the 'flies swarming around the kitchen and smelling the odor from the baby that was long over-due for changing, Ken was not about to subject his squeamish stomach to more torture. He suddenly remembered another urgent appointment. They escaped without having to eat the black greasy fried potatoes and the colorless turnip greens. Morley had joined an Army Reserve unit and participated in weekly drills at a local armory. He also attended two weeks of active duty training at schools, government departments or at summer encampments. One week-end he brought his father and mother to Camp Grayling to see the troops march as a Guard Field Day. part of the National A very young governor "Soapy" Williams noticed Fred Wilson holding his grandchild. The governor patted the child and visited briefly with Fred. Now Fred had always been a hardcore Republican but on the way home, he said, "I never thought the governor would be such a nice down-ta-earth fellow." It's a safe �99 l guess that Soapy picked up more than one vote that day and it helps to explain his reelection, time after time. Charlie found a job with the Social Security Administration and Morley transferred to the U.S. Labor Department. Ward Parks was the manager of that office and almost immediately gave Morley the new responsibility of administering the wage control program. This was to help control the upward spiral of wages and prices. Other restrictions were placed on rental rates and prices during the Korean Conflict. It was a most difficult program to administer but controls did have an effect on the strong inflationary forces. One must admit that it was not a perfect solution. One day Morley received a telephone call from the Kawneer Corporation in Niles, Michigan. They proposed to have him come to Niles to explain the wage control program to their staff. Ward Parks agreed to accompany Morley and Kawneer sent a small 5 passenger plane to Grand Rapids to transport Ward and Morley. -It was a windy day and Ward got "air-sick". The President of Kawneer met the plane at the Niles airport in a huge limo with a built-in bar and luxurious velvet cushions. Ward was impressed. He asked the President, "What kind of mileage do you get with a car like this?" The President smiled and said, "Who gives a shit about the mileage?" After much wining and dining, they went back to Grand Rapids. The wind was so strong that tt""L~' the plane landed quartering into the gale at a 3/4 angle. Ward's face was a soupy green color and Morley felt he has a lesson in how big corporations operate. Jeff and Ann were grOWing and the Wilsons were healthy. One night they gave a party for their Grand Haven friends. During the party, the telephone rang and the caller identified herself as "Western Union". She read a telegram which ordered Morley to Camp Custer to take a pre-induction physical examination for the Army. Morley suspected that it was a practical joke, a la Charlie Doyle. He immediately called Western Union back and asked if there was a message for him. The operator said, "I just read it to you." So much for horse-play. Morley reported for the physical and the Doctor said after his examination that there was no chance the he would be called. A week later he got another telegram to go back to Fort Custer and repeat the physical. This time the Doctor said, "You won't have to worry now, I will report to the pentagon in no uncertain terms that you are not fit for active duty." He cited Morley's liver damage from hepatitis and his chronic skin condition from the so called "New Guinea Crud". So again, he came back to Grand �100 f Rapids and three days later he was ordered to report to Fort Monmouth for active duty. In the meantime, he received a telephone call from a Major George Kirjean in the pentagon. It turned out that Morley had sent, then Corporal, Kirjean to Officers Candidate School back in 1942 and George honestly thought that he was doing Morley a great favor. He went on to say that he would order him to Germany after a refresher course at Fort Monmouth. He said, moreover, that the Wilsons would live in luxury. Housekeepers were very cheap and Mary could "play bridge every day." It was during this time that Morley got word that his oldest brother, Art. had died from a fall. Mary went to the funeral but there was not enough time for Morley to go by the time he got the word. Morley never knew exactly what happened but he suspected what might have caused the accident. Art and Jo had been very kind to Morley and he certainly grieved this loss. Art could have been a wonderful person if only he could have shaken the alcohol. In those days they did not have AA or other organizations to help. Jo certainly did all she COUld. and stood a lot of abuse in the process. Morley went to school, studied hard and was near the top of his class. He came home for Christmas. bought a one-wheel trailer and found that his friend Jack Van Vessem had built a rack on the trailer so that he could haUl a larger load. They found an apartment but the landlord wanted a one year lease. Morley explained that his orders were only for 3 months. The landlord finally relented and gave him a 1 year lease with a provision that is could be broken with one month's notice. The apartment was not first-class but it was convenient and they permitted children. Ann went to nursery school and Jeff (now 2 years old) found plenty of mischief. He could ride Ann's 2 wheel bike (with training wheels). Morley attended school in the old Martin Bomber plant. The course Morley attended was called "Signal Supply". The students were mostly from the regUlar army ranks which included officers from Captains to Colonels. Some were West Pointers whom Morley felt were clannish and even snobbish. There were several field trips to places such as Bell Laboratories, and RCA factories. The instructor was a brilliant young officer who was long on teaching and short on military demeanor. The Wilson family got to visit Washington, D.C., and the Maryland, Delaware, Virginia country-side on weekends. Morley paid a visit to General Bradley in the Pentagon. He spent over two hours escorting Morley inside some of the "forbidden" �101 areas of that architectural monstrosity. He had not changed from the keen, insightful officer that he had been as G-3 of the 32nd Division and as the commander of the 126th Infantry Regiment in the New Guinea campaign. He smiled when Morley reminded him of the radio message that he had sent to General Gill which resulted in his being sent back to the pentagon but he was still regretfUl about the needless waste of life that prompted him to send the message. The training in Baltimore ended and Morley was still on orders to the Korean Zone. Even though his marks were near the top of his class, nothing happened to change his orders. He asked for a 1a-day delay en route to accompany his family back to Grand Rapids, which was readily granted. When he got back to Grand Rapids there was a radio gram awaiting him changing his destination to Fort Hood, Texas. Happy Day! Morley drove alone to Fort Hood and found there the answers as to why his assignment had been changed. He was assigned as the Post Signal Supply Officer because his predecessor had been an alcoholic and the Signal Supply Depot was in shambles. The Civilians (Civil Service) employees were generally fine people but it seemed that they were deliberately "messing up" in order to get rid of the Supply Officer. In a way, that is an ideal situation to inherit. Whatever steps you take to improve the system makes you look mighty good. The Commanding General was Lt. General Bruce Clark, a rather strict disciplinarian but qUite fair. Morley was assigned quarters in a row of brick homes that were built for Non-Commissioned Officers. The quarters were modern, comfortable and adequate. There were two problemsI 1. No air-conditioning because it was 1953. 2. Cockroach infestation because bug bombs were not as effective then. Mostly the spray only chased the roaches into the next adjoining apartment and relief only lasted until the neighbors sprayed their quarters. Anyway, Morley arranged for Mary, Ann, and Jeff to fly to Temple, Texas and for the furniture to be shipped down at government expense. Wilsons had a variety of neighbors including the Post Executive Officer, Col.. Thomas, General Clark, and Lt. Col.. Imsande, a quartermaster officer. They immediately became good friends with the Imsandes. Marie Imsande grew to love Jeff and he spent many hours with her. She was always buying him presents, taking him �102 { t to various events and feeding him candy and goodies. He loved her, partly because she was to good to him and partly because he was able to escape the discipline of home. Marie owned a dashound whose name was "Auga". Jeff promptly renamed him "Doga". Ann was still very shy but enrolled in kindergarten. She learned songs and we laughed when she sang about the crocodile on the Nile River. Meanwhile, Morley was very busy trying to straighten out a mess in the Signal Supply Depot. The outfitting and supplying of two armored divisions with radios, telephones, and other signal equipment had to have first priority. The warehouse, which was several hundred feet long, was a complete jumble. In fact, pigeons and sparrows were roosting on the bins and their droppings made the place look like a huge chicken coop. The civilian crew under L.R. Taylor, worked very hard to get some kind of order restored to the post Signal Supply Depot. The Inspector General paid a visit to the depot just before Morley had arrived and found it unsatisfactory in almost every respect. It was another case where the previous officer-in-charge had a severe drinking problem and Wilson was lucky to inherit a situation that could only get better. L.R. and his crew worked hundreds of hours of over time and in a month the improvement was very significant. Just in time, too, because Lt. General Clark paid a rare visit to the depot. He was very complimentary and asked how the crew had gotten rid of the birds. Unfortunately, he put his hand up on one of the shelves and into the only bird droppings that had been missed by the clean-up help. Talk about life's embarrassing momentsl Among the civilian help was a young lady who had been in the "Miss America" contest. In fact, she was a very beautiful lady and when she worked overtime, it was no problem to get other volunteers to stay overtime. She only stayed a few weeks after Morley arrived but in the meantime, the area had a serious flood which caused all kinds of problems. Streams over-flowed with flash flooding, some lives were lost from one of the Armored Divisions when a small truck was washed off a bridge and, of course, much equipment was damaged. L.R. Taylor was working late at the depot on this very rainy night along with the beautiful Miss Texas. Her car would not start so he dutifully gave her a ride. About a block from her residence, they found her street completely flooded. He removed his �103 new shoes (a present from his wife). Miss Texas carried his shoes in her hands and he proceeded to carry her. About half way to her home, he stepped into a newly excavated sewer. Both went completely under water and he never did recover his shoes. They went to her home, he took a shower and dried out his clothing and since the water recedes very rapidly, he managed to return to his car and go on home. For weeks afterwards, Mrs. Taylor keep asking L.A. what ever happened to your new shoes. He would say, "I'll be danged if I know." So when Morley would want to make L.R. squirm, he would ask in the presence of Mrs. Taylor, "L A. , did you ever find your shoes?" Mary was not very happy with Army life. At parties, all of the Officers wives would gather around General Clark's wife and tell her how beautiful she looked. In fact, she was not a pretty woman, however, she may have been very friendly. Mary could never force herself to join in this so called "brown nosing" and the Wilsons were left out of most of the social affairs. There were bridge parties, and dances at the Officers Club but Mary did not choose to enter into most of these functions. She is a very private person and only socializes after she knows people for a long time. Mary did some substitute teaching and so she hired a cleaning lady who did the ironing. Some of the neighbors cautioned the Wilsons about not paying "too much" for such help. This lady happened to be black and, at first, she wanted to eat alone in the kitchen. Morley insisted that she eat with the family. He finally said, "If you are good enough to work for us you are good enough to eat with us." While the Wilsons were not flush with money, they also paid more than the "going rate" pretty much decided by some of the higher ranking officers and their wives. One day, Jeff bit Col. Thomas' daughter so hard it left his teeth marks in her arm. It seemed he liked her tricycle and she did not want to give it to him. A lot of tricks were used to break him of this troublesome habit. Reasoning, rewards, threats, physical punishment, and even biting his arm but all to no avail. More later. One night it snowed about two inches and the results were unbelievable. Car after car skidded into the ditch, and there were bent fenders all over Fort Hood. The Texans talked about it for weeks afterwards. They called it the day of the "big snow". Lt. Col. David Becker was the Post Signal Officer and as such, an important officer on General Clark's staff. He was Morley's boss but seldom exercised any supervision over the operation of Signal Supply. One day the General had his aide �104 { phone Lt. Col. Becker to have him put a special radio in the General's Command car. Lt. Col. Becker replied that he was not sure he could issue the radio since it was not allowed in the Tables of Organization. The next day Lt. Col. Becker received his orders for Korea and Morley suddenly found himself promoted to the position of Post Signal Officer, in addition to his supply functions. It was amazing what a difference this made. No longer did he have to grovel to other staff officers. It even changed Mary's social status and a few women went so far as to tell her how pretty she looked in her old party dress. Such was life in the Army. One weekend the Wilsons motored to Galveston, Texas. They went swimming in the gUlf and Mary was far out on a rubber-raft. Morley was pushing her, and suddenly he saw a large fin approaching at a high speed. He naturally assumed it was a shark. Talk about fear! They finally realized that it was only a friendly dolphin. It was about this time that President Eisenhower cut back on the this forced the release of many civilian personnel. finan~ing and Among those terminated were several long-distance Civil Service switchboard operators. There was a Signal Battalion on the post and Morley contacted the Commanding Officer to see if he could "borrow" about ten of the enlisted personnel to help operate the post switchboard. A crash training course was set up and ten enlisted men, all black, were detached to the Post Headquarters for this purpose. All of the civil service employees were white. The only problem was that the women were used to striping down to the minimum amount of clothing to be more comfortable in the intense heat. It was over 100 degrees for 30 consecutive days. Morley was proud that there was not a single incident involving the black detachment and they did a very satisfactory job on the operation of the switchboards. Morley wondered if this were the first integrated switchboard operation in the South???? Shortly after this change, it was decided to install an automatic dial system, eliminating a fairly good percentage of the operators. This took several months to complete and the contract was not quite completed when Morley left the post for his home in Michigan. Before this a very important thing occurred. Much to everyone's surprise, Mary became pregnant. If there were any doubts about staying in the Army this removed them. Mary wanted to get to their home in Grand Rapids. Morley was elated and he hurried to finish up some Army college courses he had been halfheartedly studying. �105 '1 He finally completed the associate degree course. Col. Thomas, acting as an emissary for General Clark, approached Morley on staying in the military. He said General Clark would be going to Europe as Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe (the equivalent of NATO) and he was sure Morley would be chosen to be on his staff if he agreed to change his category from IV (17 months) to III (36 months). Morley was flattered and agreed to consider this change. In fact, he had no intentions of staying in the service, but knew that if he declined it would effect his relationship with the brass. It was not a difficult decision, but the pressures made it a touchy situation. Hints of an immediate promotion, free health service for the family, and other carrots were dangled, and all the time Mary and Morley knew that they just wanted to get back to Michigan. Meanwhile, he pretended to be seriously considering the opportunity. Eventually, he announced his real intentions and the Wilsons started packing. They shipped their household goods by van and after a gala farewell party, they started back to Grand Rapids. They arrived in Grand Rapids just before their household goods. Unfortunately, the cockroaches arrived with the furniture and it would be months before they were finally eliminated. #., .....~_. �106 ( PART IV - THE MIDDLE YEARS Clarence and Edith Phillips had rented the Wilson home while they were in Texas. They had treated it very well and gradually they became good friends. Edith was a sister of Grace who lived in Chicago. Grace was a room-mate of Mary when she taught school in Battle Creek, right after her college days. She was a very close friend and they sometimes went to Chicago where they had wonderful weekends with the Grossens. Often Clarence and Edith were a part of this delightful group. They usually attended a play on these occasions and they always ate at one of the better restaurants. Morley found a job with "Plywood Grand Rapids". It was interesting and educational but he could not control some of the rather objectionable practices, so he eventually took a position with Empire Lumber Company. He was to learn that this company did much of the same and he was somewhat disillusioned with the ethics of wholesale lumber. "Get the order" and worry about the details later, seemed to be the basic religion of management. In the meantime, Jeff had continued to bite the neighbor kids until he spotted a bow and arrow in the store. Morley explained that such toys were for children who were old enough so that they never resorted to biting. He said, if he could have the bow and arrow he would not bite anymore. Much to everyone's joy, that proved to be the cure. He never bit anyone again! Morley became involved with the Godwin School District, and helped promote a new physical education building which included a large swimming pool. This lead to his election as treasurer of the school board. Roscoe Miner was the superintendent and was one of the best administrators Morley would ever know These were the busy years juggling school board meetings, out-of-town trips and church board meetings. Jeff was not easy to control and Mary was frequently unhappy with Morley's inability to say "no" to lots of causes. One early morning Mary awakened Morley and said she thought the baby was coming. They made a dash for the car and Morley "over-shot" Blodgett Hospital. He finally located it and not any too soon. The nurse let Morley hold the wet bloody baby and he was elated. Afterward, she said it was against the rules but she could not �107 refuse the anxious father. Later that morning Morley went out to the Blodgett Parking lot and started up the car. It went about 25 yards and died--out of gas! That was a close call! Morley located a local Army Reserve which provided programs that enabled him to earn retirement credits. The main drawback was that it required two weeks of active duty training each year. Sometimes he could do this at Camp Grayling, other times he was assigned to the State Department in Washington and once he was on duty at the Pentagon. Later he would go to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and graduate from the Associate Command and Staff College. He even spent a couple of tours as instructor after his associate degree was earned. One evening Morley was dressing to attend a drill at the local Reserve Armory. Dr. Lewis's son Todd was about 5 years old and very interested in the Army. He asked Morley, "Were you in the war?" "Yes", Morley replied. The next question was, ,"Did you kill any Germans?" The answer was "No." "Well, why not?" Todd asked. Morley explained that he was in the Pacific Area and was fighting against the Japanese. Then Todd wanted to know, "Did you kill any Japs?" Again Morley said "No." Todd said in his 5 year old lisping speech, "Well, Why not?" Morley said, "I wasn't mad at any Japs." That did not satisfy Todd. He asked, "Thay, you were on our thide, weren't #,' ....J.~' you?" The Church offered a lot of pleasure for the Wilsons. They went to many dinner­ dances. Dick Brooks adapted some of the Musicals, such as "South Pacific" to the local situation and a group of aspiring thespians staged some wonderful productions. Morley stayed active as an usher and Wilsons formed some lasting friendships, including Jack Darrow, Ben Peterson, John Kay and others. More and more, the church became an important part of their lives." Duncan Littlefair was voicing the philosophy which they had already believed bUt~had not been able to sort out the right concepts. He was a master at articulating the religious ideas which were waiting to be expressed in reasonable words. In fact, he was, without a doubt, the most outstanding preacher that the Wilsons had ever heard. Morley's job of selling lumber involved a lot of travel. While the company was not applying pressure, a self-imposed pressure was always present. One day, Morley received a telephone call from his friend Jack Van Vessum with whom he had worked at the Veterans Administration. It seemed that Sunshine Hospital had lost their �108 Business Manager and Jack thought Morley should apply. At about this time Morley and another friend, AI Boscher, decided to quit their jobs because they were unhappy with some of the ethical problems at Empire lumber. Both quit 011 the same day and Morley applied for the job at Sunshine Hospital. There were about 40 applicants and many of them had masters degrees in hospital administration. Morley was interviewed by Dr. Ireland and by the Board of Trustees, Larry Callahan, Ralleigh Stotz, and Phillip Buchen. It did not hurt that Dr. Ireland and two of the trustees were members of Fountain Street Church. At any note, Morley was hired and would continue to work for Kent County which owned Sunshine (later Kent Community) and Kent Oaks Hospitals, until his retirement 20 years later. Here he formed some of the closest and most important friendships. It is only fair to say that he also made a few enemies. The ushers of Fountain Street Church were chaired by Bill Dolle, and he asked for ideas for a project. Morley volunteered to contact Eleanor Roosevelt who had been active in the United Nations and international affairs after President Roosevelt's death. She told Morley that she would come to speak at Fountain Street Church in January, 1958 for a fee of $1,000.00 if he could work out the details with her agent. At that time, $1,000.00 was still a large sum of money so Bill and Morley agreed to underwrite the U"···L~' cost, in case the program did not raise enough money. June Dolle was to present Mrs. Roosevelt with a bouquet at the airport, but she became ill and Mary had the delightful task. Morley escorted her in a limo donated by one of the local auto agencies. He had almost forgotten what a gracious lady she was. Me did not anticipate the demands that would be made for her time by every political ..\~C)( l"aeter who had ever known her. A dinner was held at the Pantlind Hotel that evening with all of the ushers and she spoke for over an hour at Fountain Street Church. Every seat in the 1750-seat sanctuary was sold, the choir loft waselso sold, and an overflow crowd was able to listen to her in the church dining room. Earlier in the day, a telephone caller caused quite a bomb scare but the evening was a whopping success. She spoke about her trip to Russia and about the Russian Educational system. Morley knew then that he wanted to visit Russia and that some day he would go there. During the time that Morley was escorting Mrs. Roosevelt he asked her how she felt about the up-coming Presidential elections. She said she favored Adlai �109 Stevenson but doubted if he would get the nomination. She said he lacked the grass root earthiness necessary to capture the American voter's imagination. She indicated that John Kennedy had that appeal but "might not be as dedicated to the job as a good president should be". She talked about the challenge our country would face from the communist countries and said we needed to keep a firm effort if we were not to be left behind. After Mrs. Roosevelt returned, Morley did exchange a couple of letters with her and she autographed a picture of herself taken when Morley was introducing her to some noncoms in Australia. She later used some of his pictures in her books, including one that had appeared in the Saturday Evening Post and Life Magazine. Morley would never forget this marvelous lady. The Godwin School Board elected Morley as Treasurer and sent him to New York City in an attempt to upgrade their Standard and Poor rating for the bonds wtlich they would sell. It was a good experience but otherwise unfruitful. Rene Hobeke and Morley attended a seminar in Miami, Florida for Administrators and Board Members, dealing largely with financial problems and administration. One evening, they went down to the hotel bar for a night-cap and struck up a conversation with a pretty lady. When she learned they were from Grand Rapids, she asked if they knew Frank McKay. It was not long before she confided that she was his girlfriend and lived at his hotel in North Miami. They bought her a couple of drinks and her tongue got looser and looser. McKays political enemies might have capitalized on some of this information, but neither Rene nor Morley ever used it. Rene and Morley returned to Grand Rapids via Chicago on the first passenger jet night between those cities. The owner of the airline rode in the plane and bought champagne for them, several times. They were happy when they got back to Chicago. At about this time, the Wilsons decided to build a new house. They wanted a walk-in basement and found a lot within. Godwin district which met their needs. On Thanksgiving Day, 1959, the Wilson famly moved from Manchester Road to 1225 Van Auken, and almost immediately were faced with another problem. The City of Grand Rapids wanted to expand and promised the residents in the new residential area, that their taxes would be lowered and that their services would be expanded if they would annex to the larger city. The voters fell for it and it later proved that both promises were false. Morley had to resign from the Godwin School Board and the School Board threw a farewell party for him. When he returned home that night and opened his �110 ( garage door, a huge sign (about 4' by 10') shown in his headlights. The sign had been stolen and carried there, presumedly by his Godwin friends as a prank. It read, "Grand Rapids, the All American City". He hid the sign in his garage for several years and later built a dog house for Jane's "Nikka", an Alaskan malamute. Ann and Jeff by agreement were allowed to continue in the Godwin system until graduation. Jane did not meet the grade criteria so after a couple of years in the city system, Wilsons paid her tuition so she could graduate with her friends at Godwin. In about 1960, Morley was asked to join a golfing group. Ben Peterson, John Kaye, and Gare Totten played once or twice a week for the next several decades. They rotated between Saskatoon and Alpine with occasional games at Palmer Park, the Elks Country Club, Grand Rapids Country Club, Hickory Hills, Broadmore, and other area courses. One day Morley was playing a short executive course on 28th Street with Ann. Ann was not particularly athletic and her tee shot on a 135 yard hole went astray. Morley was trying to teach her and he said "Now watch this shot. If I hit it right, it should land on the edge of the hill, roll down the slope and into the cup." It happened exactly in that manner for his first hole-in-one Ann was totally disgusted and said, "I'll never play golf again with you." .:;.- ..... ~, Later in that same year, a group from the hospital went to Orchard Hills course in the Gunn Lake Recreation Area. The group was playing "Bingo-Bango-Bongo". On the 1Oth hole, near the club house, Morley again hit a hole-in-one, and he made the mistake of thinking golf was an easy game. In 40 more years, he never again came close. He should have qult while he was ahead, but few things in his life gave him more pleasure. It also caused quite a lot of distress. Mary objected to the long hours spent of the golf course and especially to the card games following the golf. She had a point,. and their only serious arguments came on Sunday evenings, when she carried the responsibility of raising the family. Every summer, Morley attended 2 weeks of active duty in the Army Reserve. One of his assignments was with the State Department. A good friend who was a college professor from Michigan State University also happened to share this assiqnrnent. Morley's work was pretty routine and dull but Lt. Col. James work was to review and comment on the Cuban Bay-of-Pigs episode. His conclusion was that the C.I.A. and the State De artment helped finance both but opposite sides of the fiasco. �111 He studied thousands of classified documents dating back to before the ousting of Batista and the rise of Castro. Every evening he would discuss his findings with Morley and he made a pretty strong case that the U.S. taxpayers financed both sides of the Cuban revolution. Morley enrolled in the Army Command and General Staff School and attended several periods of active duty training at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Each time he went, he became more thankful that he had not stayed in the active service. He did teach Command and General Staff both at the Local level and at Fort Leavenworth. He finally graduated and shortly after, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, a rank which he might have had immediately after World War II, if he had not been short changed by the Air Force assignment. Years afterwards, he applied for retirement from the military, and was surprised that his retirement pay was so generous. After Morley resigned from the Godwin School Board, Mary transferred her teaching from Kelloggsville School District to Godwin, where she taught first grade until her retirement. Morley and Mary took the childen up to Moorestown to visit his parents. Jane loved to ride horses-even the old farm animals She rode around and around the barn and on one trip, she was gone a long while. Morley became anxious and ran around :<-'.• L . . . .' the barn to discover that she was standing on the ground and the horse was rolling over and over. He said, "How did you get off the horse?" She replied, "It was simple, I just waited until the horse laid down, and I stepped off." Later Morley's parents gave up the farm and moved into a house in Moorestown. After a couple of years there, EI4Cm bought a house in Lake City and they moved there. This would be their principal residence for as long as they lived. One day Charlie Doyle asked if Morley's father and mother were getting Social Security. He volunteered to visit them as a part of his job and in a few weeks they were granted a small monthly pension. They managed to "payoff" the $600.00 mortgage on the farm and live in meager circumstances, though never really comfortable. The family went East for vacation trips a few times when the children were in grade school. Ann had a remarkable ability to remember routes and places of interest. One year they stopped at a Homestead Restaurant in Ohio. It must have been 3 or 4 years later that they were going East on the same 11ighway, and Morley remarked that �112 he wish he could remember the name and location of that restaurant they had like so well. Ann said, "Dad, it was the Homestead Restaurant just off Exit 13, a few miles ahead." The family could not believe that she had remembered this information so precisely. As the children grew older the family would go West to places like Estes Park, Colorado Springs, the Grand Tetons, Yellow stone, etc. Each child was given an allowance and encouraged to save it for the summer vacations, and they were very frugal with their small savings. On one of the early trips West, Jeff went to an out-door bathroom in a park where they had stopped. He came crying back to the car, saying that he had dropped his pocketbook with all of his money down the toilet. Jeff said, "If you hold me by my feet, I can reach it." Morley held him rightly around the ankles, and Jeff actually picked up the wallet with his money still intact. Fortunately, the pocketbook and the money were not seriously contaminated and the incident would provide the family with laughs for years to come. On one trip to Wyoming, the Wilsons visited Fred Huffsmith in Casper, Wyoming. He had been Morley's Executive Officer when he was commanding the 293rd Joint • Assault Signal Company on Luzon. They attended a rodeo, swapped stores about the /'­ war and revived an old friendship that was deepened and ripened by the experience of being in combat together. That is one of the few good things that can be said about a war. Morley was asked to run for the City of Grand Rapids School Board and was narrowly defeated. Mary was delighted and did some campaigning against his election. She didn't want him to be away from home and the problems of raising the children. Morley was not aware of her activities until long years afterword. Morley became quite active in population control and became the founding president of the local chapter of Zero Population Growth. Later, he was elected to:.ttle Board of Planned Parenthood. At about this time, Mary's father became quite ill and 'finally he was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the prostrate. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away February 17, 1965. He had been a great help to Morley and was as good a father-in-law as anyone could have. Morley missed him, Not just for the things he did, but for his friendship and support. Peter had loved Ann, Jeff, and Jane and Morley would never forget how his face would light up with joy whenever he saw his �113 grandchildren. He regretted that he had not taken the children to see him more often. He was such an unusual person. With only a third grade education, he had developed an appreciation of classical music and he liked fine literature. What a person he might have become with the opportunity to have had a fine education! He ad intellect and was a hard and skillful worker, all his life. Morley's father, Fred, fell on the ice in Lake City during the late winter of 1966. He had lain in the road for awhile until a minister and his wife discovered him. She came out of their car and approached warily to within about 30 feet of him. The conversation went something like this: Minister's wife: "I don't want to come any closer because I am afraid of you." Fred: "Hell, Maam, you don't have' to be afraid of me. I've got a broken hip and I couldn't do anything to you if I wanted to." Anyway, they called for help and Fred went to Mercy Hospital in Cadillac. His good nature and sense of humor made him a favorite of the musing staff. For instance, when the nurse brought him a wash cloth and suggested that he try to wash himself, He said, "What for, I haven't done anything dirty." He praised the hospital staff highly and this, in turn, assured him of even better care. ~' ........ Morley and Mary visited him and were embarrassed at the manner in which he -, talked (in a loud voice) about someone who shared the ward. He ventured an opinion about everyone elses illness and their dire chanced of recovery. He was finally discharged but on the way home from the hospital, apparently suffered a stroke, and had to return shortly after. Unfortunately, Fred's condition worsened and he passed away while still in the hospital. He only lived a short time. Eldon did the major part of making the funeral arrangements and an old Methodist Minister, Roland Puffer, did a masterful job of preaching his funeral sermon. He had a large funeral becaJ.!~.ps well liked by all who knew him. The minister (Puffer) did a masterful j09!~.ur:lting his many attributes. Fred enjoyed his life and Morley could never remember of him complaining about his poor luck. He accepted his role with relish and with a unique sense of humor. He was always honest and if there is any comical slant to this biography, it surely comes from the genes passed down by Morley's father. He qenuinely liked people. In 1966, Morley had the opportunity to visit Russia for 3 weeks with the Citizens Exchange Corps. Mary said, if I can have a swimming pool, I think it would be a fair �114 tradeoff. The Russian trip cost about 1200 dollars and the swimming pool several thousand, but there were other considerations. They wanted to encourage Jeff with his swimming team aspirations. Minnie agreed to come to stay with Morley and Mary for a few weeks. On the way back to Grand Rapids, it became apparent that she was getting much more senile. SI1e repeated the same incidents many times, sometimes within two or three minutes, and they began to realize just how much she had aged. Fred's death was a severe shock to her. In that same period about 3 months after Morley's father passed away, while Minnie was in Grand Rapids, she intended to sit down on the cedar chest bedroom. She misjudged it's position and fell on the floor breaking her hip. i~ the He~w~s was set in Blodgett Hospital and she seemed to be making an excellent recovery, so she was transferred to Sunshine Hospital. Morley was undecided what he should do about the Russian trip. He talked with the Doctor and felt reassured that she would recover without incident, so he went to Russia. In Brussels, Belgium they transferred from an American plaQ.e to a Russian plane. What a difference! Seating, baggage racks and other amenities were very sparse and the pressure controls were so bad that Morley's ears pained for several days. They landed in Moscow where they were based in a large hotel. They visited t/'., ...... several hospitals and found that the medications and equipment were very inadequate-almost primitive. Dr. Kenneth Nickel and his wife Marge, as well as several other people from Grand Rapids were along on the trip. One thing they all agreed upon, the loving, tender care given by the nursing staff was as good as. . they had ever seen. They interviewed several Doctors, news media and government department heads. Morley and Marge Nickel walked several miles and let themselves into an old Russian cemetery. The pictures of many of the departed souls were affixed to the tombstones. Finally, they decided to return to the hotel, and when they tried to get directions, the man-in-the-street, would not talk to them. After a struggle, they found their way back to the hotel. r 1. (1Il.A.Y-\lA~4:' ~ They lined up to see Lenin's body and the people GOwrte5y insisted that they go the the ~f the line. This avoided a 1/2 hours wait in the rain. They visited a school and talked with some of the most attractive children one could imagine. Morley gave away several packages of bubble gum which captNated the children but n.Q1 the teacher. The children were obviously gifted and very curious �115 about their visitors. They were very well behaved. They next flew down to Sochi on the Black Sea. It was like another country, The people were friendly,' informal and fun. Each morning Morley took his stock of ball point pens, pictures and a small Sears catalog out to the beach. Within 15 minutes a crowd of 75 to 150 people gathered around to ask questions, look at the pictures and exchange views. One persistent question kept coming up: "If the Americans want peace, why are they going 10,000 miles to attack Vietnam?" Morley finally developed an answer which went something like this: "Not all American agree that we should be in Vietnam. Just like not all Russians would have agreed that your should have attacked the students in BUdapest, Hungary in 1951. Perhaps when we both grow enough to trust each other we may not have to resort to war and killing to protect what some government officials think is their safety." It was risky to confront them with this idea but it seemed to surprise them and he was sure some.did not even know they had gunned down the students in their own neighboring countries. One attractive young lady always sat in the front row of these meetings but never contributed to the discussion. Morley was afraid that she might be with the KGB so he tried to draw her into the conversation. He asked, "What do you thinj.about the Berlin Wall?" She only smiled and he kept pressing for an answer. #",,,~, Finally, she ­ replied very slowly, "I love you." Needless to say, Morley was shocked because even ........ ---. in his younger days, no girl had ever said that excepting Mary after a long courtship. The very muscular, tall Russian who seemed to be her friend said, "Do not be alarmed. Those are the only three words she knows in the English language." Then he leaned over and added, "Frankly, she doesn't know a hell of a lot more than that in Hussian.a either." Next they flew to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and visited a mental hospital. It was a rather dreary experience. The building reminded one of some of our very poorest State Hospitals. The lawns were kept mown by goats and one wondered if many of the patients were really sick or were some being punished. There was a lot of "work therapy" going on and perhaps that wasn't all bad. The entire group took a day to tour the Hermitage, the former home of the Tsars. It brought back pictures of the revolutionists storming through the gates and palace grounds during the Red Revolution. The exhibits were fantastic and one could have spent another day without boredom. �116 l { Another day was spent visiting Peter The Greats' summer palace about 40 miles outside Leningrad. It was interesting to see the restoration of the ceiling paintings in progress. The artists were lying on their backs on flimsy scaffolding, 30 feet above the floor, a-la-Michael Angelo. The grounds were absolutely marvelous, if slightly run down. The cascading fountains were a sight to behold and Morley tried to imagine what it must have been like during the pre-revolutionary era. A huge banquet was given by the Russian Health Department. Morley was seated next to a no-nonsense lady doctor who headed up the hospitals they had visited. His 8 ounce water glass was filled with vodka and many toasts were offered. The Doctor kept insisting that Morley "drink up" and Morley kept looking for a place to empty the contents of his glass. They had a rather heated discussion about freedom and lack of freedom. She reminded Morley that it was one of his own presidents had said freedom from want was so important. She opined that unless one had experienced severe hunger under the Tsars, they had no right to criticize lack of freedom now. She recounted how she had been punished by being allowed only bread crusts and water for three days-all because she had eaten one of the potato peelings that she had been paring. At the time, she was only 5 years old and it helped explain why she so readily accepted the communist restrictions. The last night in Leningrad, Morley with his 35mm camera, strolled down one of the main streets taking pictures. He saw a group of teem age boys about the age of his son, Jeff and asked if he could take their picture. The reply was a harsh "Nyet". Another pair of young Russians, about 20 years of age, overheard and approached Morley. One young man said, "I wish to apologize for the poor manners of my fellow countrymen. Please take my picture, if you wish." Morley did and after a pleasant conversation, invited them to come to his hotel that evening for a drink of wine he had been hoarding. They said they would try but cautioned that it might be dangerous. They did show up at the hotel and after visiting in the cafe, they reluctantly accepted his invitation. Morley was sharing a room with Rev. Jack Bowers, the leader of the group, so it was a pretty fair bet that the room was bugged. The first thing they did was to turn the radio volume very high but even then it was plain to see that they wer uncomfortable. It was decided to "walk the streets" in the rain. They asked question that indicated they were hungry for freedom and it goes to show ho~.js~ed drive people to take disparate risks. Morley asked why they didn't apply for a wil �117 passport and visit the United States. They replied that the moment they asked for a passport they would be a "marked person", and nothing but trouble would follow. "It is just completely out of the question," they said. "It is absolutely hopeless." He said a very sad and troublesome farewell at about 2:00 AM and he has nothing but his pictures of these two young musicians to remind him of their plight. If Morley ever gets discontented with his lot, he drums up the memory of these two young men living out their life of desperation. He wonders what ever became of them. We should never take our freedom lightly. The next morning, they ended their stay in Russia and flew back to the United States. When Morley landed at O"Hare Airport he called Mary and she told him the sad news. Morley's mother has passed away while he was in Russia from a massive stroke. She had lived only a little over three months after Fred had died. Morley had some guilt feelings that he had not been there during her last days, though the medical staff did their best to reassure him the it was unexpected and that he could have dome nothing if he had been present. Mary had called Eldon and he had taken care of all the arrangements. Fred and Minnie cared deeply for each other and they had lived together for well over 50 years. Morley had never known them to have a serious argument. their livelihood left a lot to be desired but they had each other and their family. The lack of money and things did not keep them from being happy. Minnie had many bouts of severe illness, and there were medica.l bills, always medical bills. Yet, they never accepted welfare assistance and were as proud as could be of their independence. After Peter Pellegrom had passed away, Dena(Mary's mother) sold the house immediately and she lived most of the time with Mary's brother and sister, Gare and Ruth. She would come to stay with Mary and Morley for a month or so at a time but it was not always easy. One of the children or Mary and Morley had to sleep in the basement. They often wished that they ~ finished another bedroom. Mary was still teaehinq school ,and Mother Pellegrom did~tlike to be left alone. Sister Ruth was an angel, and never complained about ~.fnC6nvenience of have a mother-in-law disrupting her life. The Wilson's 'finished their swimming pool and it was Mary who really loved it. She used it almost every sunny day and many that were not so sunny. Jeff dropped out of the Godwin swimming program but all the children would continue to come �home ,( 118 for many years and it was the pool plus Mary;s good cooking that acted like a magnet. Jeff was learning to drive and had a series of accidents that worried his parents. After being~ounded for 30 days, he took the car to one of the local malls. He spotted some of his friends and while waving to them, back-ended another car. One night, he 'Flipped over the Volkswagen beetle and the Wilsons found themselves in the emergency room at 2:00 AM. At least, the Wilsons did not own a motorcycle, so they lived through this phase. Ann graduated from Godwin High and had to choose a college. Her advisor, Mrs. Thibodeau, had informed her that she was not "college material". She came home weeping and told Morley and Mary that she wanted to be a teacher. Morley said, "Why 'r'On't we ignore that advise and try it for a year. You are a year younger than your classmates, so if you waste a year, it won't make that much difference." She enrolled in Central Michigan University and it was soon apparent that she was an excellent student. So much for student counseling. Godwin High School held an open house and Mary and Morley visited the teacher's rooms where Jeff was assigned. One such room was the "History class". The teacher, an athletic coach and part time teacher, addressed the parents. He explained that he didn't know what to tell them because "History is such a dull SUbject". One has to wonder why they assign such a person to teach one of the most interesting and important subjects. During these years, the Wilsons would put a down-payment on a house and then rent it. While they never experienced huge profits, it was a profitable venture and it kept Morley occupied evenings and weekends. When they had the opportunity they would sell the house and usually reinvested the money in another one. Altogether they owned four rental properties, but usually only one or two at a time. Eventually they sold all of them as the maintenance time became too much of a burden. Such things as repairs, cleaning and painting and showing the property to,p~,ctive renters, got very burdensome. Meanwhile, the job at Sunshine Hospital kept Morley very busy. He studie&, visited other facilities and attended seminars at University of Indiana, University of Michigan and University of Chicago. He applied for admission to the College of Hospital Administration. At first he was rejected because of insufficient scholastic �119 credentials but later was permitted to take the examinations and had no difficulty in passing the written and oral examinations. Sunshine Hospital had passed the accreditation requirements thanks to Dr. Ireland's efforts as well as a very efficient staff. Morley was happy in his job, though he was severely shaken when his secretary was caught in an insurance billing scam for which she was convicted and incarcerated for approximately one year. It was not easy to testify against someone whom he liked and trusted so completely. A new hospital, Kent Oaks, was built on the same campus and the Administrator, Ben Jones, became very ill, almost immediately. Morley was asked to assume responsibility for the administration of that mental health facility. So for approximately three years, he supervised both hospitals. Unfortunately this built a little resentment on Dr. Ireland's part but it was a catch 22 situation. There was no way Morley could refuse the added duties and stay in the good graces of the county officials. Vollie Jones was the head nurse and fortunately, she did a lions' share of the work. She was a great person with which to work. She never resented Morley's impositions and soon they became good friends. In the meantime, Ben Jones passed away and the job lasted longer than was anticipated. Ann spent her summers at home and she worked as a waitress in order to help finance her college expenses. Her ability to organize and to remember apparently stood her in good stead as the Wilsons had very good reports about her work. Morley used to pick her up after her work at about 11 :00 PM. He usually waited outside the restaurant. On one such occasion, he was waiting in Holly's parking lot on Jefferson Avenue when he heard a public telephone ringing. It kept ringing so he finally climbed out of his car and answered it. A creepy voice said, "I have the back of your head in my rifle sight. Morley suspected it was someone trying to frighten him so he replied, "Well, why don't you go ahead and pull the trigger?" After he had time to think it over, he decided that was a very stupid suggestion but fortunately nothing ha,med. The next year Ann worked at Sayfees restaurant where the neighborhood was different. Her true character began to shine through. Another waitress had served several people at a table and the diners had left without paying the check. The policy of the restaurant was to deduct such losses from the tips and wages of the waitress. Ann felt so sorry for the waitress that she and some of the other waitresses voluntarily shared �120 in the deficit. It seemed an unfair policy to Ann but it goes to show that corporate greed can happen at any level. The Officials of Kent County decided to close Maple Grove Medical Care Facility and to enlarge Sunshine Hospital from 180 beds to 540 beds. There had been a gradual reduction in tuberculosis patients from 180 down to about 50. In order to utilize the empty beds, the hospital started admitting chronic medical patients. These were mostly, but not entirely, stroke cases, heart cases and cancer cases. It was not long before there were for more so-called chronic medical patients than tuberculosis patients. After several meetings with out Board and County officials, it was decided to build a large addition to Sunshine Hospital. It was to be a 370 bed addition totaling 550 beds. A local architect, Robert Wold, was contacted and given a contract to draw up the plans. Morley was named the coordinating person to assist in the planning and development of the new facility. It would henceforth be known as Kent Community Hospital. Many meetings with staff and architect were held. Morley sensed a resentment on Dr. Ireland's part which grew. He felt that was, in part, because the county was consultinq with him instead of with Dr. Ireland. He was not able to breach this growing se, ......., schism. He finally decided that he would ignore it and held many staff meetings in which he needed medical input but managed to get along by consulting with others. This only served to exacerbate the situation and just before the County Board appointed their own hospital board, Dr. Ireland resigned. He was certainly a pioneer in tuberculosis treatment, and Morley respected him for that. He had reduced T~B in Kent County more than any other person and he should always be honored for that. He had a paranoia about county supervisors, mostly based upon his experience at other governmental facilities. He was not all wrong but he let it gnaw at hi~ psyche until it affected his ability to perform his principal task. He called Morley into his office and said that the two of them should resign at the same time. Morley said that he could not afford to do this. From that day on he did not speak to Morley again. He carried out his plans to resign and Dr. Boet acted as temporary medical director. To Dr. Ireland's credit, it should be mentioned that he was under an enormous tension during his last two years. His wife died with cancer and he simply did not have the patience to endure a building program, government red tape and the uncertainties of �121 reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. Morley felt like he had lost a friend but he did not quite know what to do about it. The next few months were hectic at the hospital. The County "Axed" the old board by the simple expedient of not reappointing them. This was a terrible blow to people like Larry Callahan who had given so much of his time and had truly donated thousands of hours of his time. Phil Buchan had already resigned to take up his duties as chief legal advisor to President Gerald Ford. The County let it be known that the new Administrator would not be a physician and invited Morley to apply for the job. After due consideration, Morley said he would accept the job if appointed by recommended that the new Board hire a graduate from the Hospital Administration program. It wasn't long before the politics of the situation began to evolve. Howard Claus called Morley to say that he was interested in the job but would not want to apply unless Morley indicated that he would be willing to act as assistant. Claus further stated that he had an inside track for the appointment if he submitted his application. Morley assured Howard that he would not oppose him and would be willing to stay on in an assistants role, if that was the decision of the new board. It was all pretty much cut and dried. Fred Winter was appointed chairman of the new board and from that #", ...~. date, Morley soon learned that Fred Winters was the Administrator, Howard was the . , Associate Director and Morley was the 2ncf Associatea with little influence. The housekeeper complained to Morley because the activity/chapel room was taking so long to set up. Howard had objected to the ceiling mounted movie screen being mounted in the front of the room (over the pulpit). He had ordered the housekeeper to move it to a more obscure place in the rear of the room. This meant moving and turning all of the chairs twice a week. Morley was incensed and felt that Howard was wrong in interfering in his departmental operation. Howard seldom made prompt decisions. He usually said, "I want to sleep on it." Deciphered, that meant he would ask his wife about it and if he was still in doubt he would check with Fred Winter. Morley confronted Howard and Howard said he would think about his decision. The screen stayed in the rear and the only point gained was that he agreed to discussion before interfering with those functions assigned to Morley. Another time, the Gideon Bible representative asked Morley for permission to place one Bible in each of the patient desk drawers. Morley replied that he would �12Z. accept a dozen Bibles to be kept in the Patients' Library and the patients who desired them could have them in their rooms. About a week later, a large shipment of Bibles arrived (approximately 550 Bibles). The Gideon representative had gone over Morley's head and obtained permission from Howard. Again, Morley confronted Howard and again Morley lost the argument. One day, Howard informed Morley that Fred Winter had a friend who was a medical social worker and Fred wanted the hospital to hire him as Chief Social Worker. Morley stalled to check the applicant's credentials. He found that they were in order but his references were very shaky. He had been discharged from two positions because of his penchant for improper physical contact with the female staff. Morley checked with Kent Community Social Worker. She knew the applicant and said she would tender her resignation rather than work with this person. Based upon this information, Morley went to a meeting with Fred Winter and Claus and took the firm position that he would not hire this applicant. Fred Winter was incensed and said that he didn't care what information Morley had, that he knew this man to be a fine Christian gentleman and that Howard should go ahead and hire him. After a very heated discussion, Fred said, the "This man goes to my church and I say hire him." Morley said, "I don't give a s'~jt what church he belongs to, I simply do not want him as my employee." At this point, Fred rose from his chair and said, "Well, I care what church he goes to and don't your ever forget it." Morley said, "Alright but if you force me to hire this man I will go public with it and this argument could end up on the front page of the Grand Rapids Press." The meeting ended, and the next day, Morley was transferred as the new director of Kent Oaks Hospital. He was relieved of his duties at Kent Community Hospital. The never did hire the applicant in question. You can fight City Hall. but sometimes it is not financially rewarding. Howard was (IV given a generous raise .pay and Morley received a 2% increase instead of the 5-'-- /0 -Z...., increase other employees received. Morley was warmly welcomed at Kent Oaks by both the employees and the medical staff. For the next seven years,m he was pretty much isolated from Kent Community Hospital happenings and was allowed to run Kent Oaks as he saw fit. Morley had a difficult time recruiting Medical Directors. Eugene Sevensma was first but after about three years he went into private practice. Finally, Morley persuaded Kenneth Nickel to accept the job and 'from that day , his life was easier. �12~ Betsy Vandercook was his secretary and she proved to be like his right arm. Vollie Jones was Director of Nursing and was wonderful i:> work with. When Vallie retired, Sharon Ward took over her duties. With only very minor problems, Kent Oaks became a first rate hospital for the treatment of the mentally ill. It became the eecond mental hospital in Michigan to become accredited by the Joint Commission, and life seemed too good to be true. One day, the Chairman of the Board of county Commissioners visited and upon leaving said, "Morley, we have always been good friends so I want to give you a.tle advice. We were both in the military and you know how important it is to polish the brass. When members of the Board of County Commissioners call on you, be sure to roll out the Red Carpet. It doesn't hurt to serve a nice steak or do whatever you can to get on the right side of them." Morley thanked him but continued to serve the same food that the patients were served. He felt that it would have been dishonest to have done otherwise. During this time several programs at Kent Oaks were enlarged. In particular, the out-patient treatrwnt and the day care programs were increased and yet the patient care continued to grow. Mary's Mother became quite ill and had to be placed in a nursing home. She was only there a few weeks and had serious problems. She died in the night and her family missed her ~:rgf~1 Her good work ethic, her counsel, her wonderful cooking and her respect for what is good and true fill memories which will last as long as her family lasts. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WilsonM Title A name given to the resource Wilson, Morley (Interview outline, video, and papers), 2008 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilson, Morley Description An account of the resource Morley Wilson joined the Michigan National Guard in 1937, resigned briefly in 1940, and rejoined to serve in World War II in the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd (Red Arrow) Division, in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines. He served most of the war as a supply officer, but also worked with engineers and had other administrative duties. On one occasion he served as host to Eleanor Roosevelt when she visited his unit in Australia. Poems and personal narrative appended to outline. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401 Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States--National Guard Video recordings Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-02-07 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f5d34d01fef9a10b207ecf4186844b22.m4v 06074182fbd010251bca845bee2900e1 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/e66a8a8003a1fe2ed2fe2c145455acf9.pdf c58899f5c74c20be2ee4a2105142f4fc PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Paul Wilt Cold War-Early 1960s 26 minutes 26 seconds (00:00:07) Early Life -Born in Fairmont, West Virginia on June 30, 1942 -Had a brother who is now deceased -Father worked and mother stayed at home -Played football, baseball, and wrestled when he was in high school (00:00:56) Enlisting in the Marines -Father had fought in World War II and brother also served in the military -Decided to enlist in the Marines in 1960 -Felt he had an obligation to serve his country -Considered going to college, but wasn't ready -Felt Marines were the best branch with the best training -Well prepared for combat (00:01:56) Basic Training -Leaving for basic training was emotional because he wouldn't see his family for a while -First few weeks of basic training were tough -Learned that he had a responsibility to himself and to the Marine Corps -Days started at 5 a.m. -Had 10-15 minutes to get dressed and get in formation -Ate breakfast, make bed, and get ready for drills and maneuvers -Days ended at 10 p.m. -Wakened by drill sergeants beating on something to wake up him and the other recruits -Remembers being forced to hold his M1 Garand rifle (~9 pounds) straight out from his body -Drill sergeants wanted to see how long the recruits could hold a rifle like that -Did push ups, chin ups, went on runs, and ran on obstacle courses -At first, the physical training was difficult, but he adjusted after a while -Received weapons training -Went on the rifle range and fired various weapons -Mostly the M1 Garand rifle, but also machine guns -Learned how to use hand grenades -Food was average during basic training, not too bad for the military (00:06:44) Assignments in the United States -Stationed at Marine Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia -Stood at a guard post, and allowed traffic in and out of the base -Sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 1962 for Infantry Training -Ran maneuvers in combat situations and learned how to react in various combat situations (00:08:10) Cuban Missile Crisis Pt. 1 -During the Cuban Missile Crisis he and the other Marines at Camp Lejeune boarded planes -Flown to a destination without knowing what the final destination was -Carried a 45 pound pack -Finally landed at a warm location -Given ammunition and grenades �-Found out that night that they were in Cuba at Guantanamo Bay -Saw tanks and demolition equipment -There were 200,000 Cubans ready to fight if war started -Expected 100,000 of those Cubans would stand and fight if challenged -Only two battalions of Marines against 100,000 enemy soldiers -Note: Two battalions is approximately 2,000 Marines -Scared, and didn't know what to expect -Knew they were outnumbered by the Cubans -Didn't know there were 25,000 Marines offshore ready to invade, supported by an armada of ships -Didn't know if the United States was going to war in Cuba, and thus a nuclear war with the USSR (00�:12:20) Friendships -Formed friendships in the Marines -Best friend in the Marines was from California -Good man -Liked to party -Spent a lot of time together, got in trouble together, and had a lot of fun together (00:13:15) Contact with Family -Adjusted to not seeing his family every day -Knew it was part of growing up regardless of military service -Didn't think about not seeing them because he had other things on his mind -Just hoped he would see them again (00:13:56) Downtime -Not much downtime while in the Marines during the Cuban Missile Crisis -Placed on temporary duty in 1963 -Golfed, went to clubs, and took liberty in the United States -Visited Wilmington and Raleigh, North Carolina while at Camp Lejeune -Got weekends off sometimes -Visited Baltimore, Maryland; Washington D.C.; and South Carolina (00:15:12) Cuban Missile Crisis Pt. 2 -Didn't leave Cuba until December 1962 -Didn't find out why they were in Cuba until November 1962 (a month after the Crisis) -Cubans had turned off the water to the American territory at Guantanamo Bay -Found out that there nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union in Cuba -Didn't find out how close the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were to war until years later -Glad to be back in the United States after the Cuban Missile Crisis -Didn't know if he would have made it home -Remembers carrying multiple bandoliers and at least a dozen grenades -Didn't want to run out of ammunition if he went into combat (00:18:33) End of Service -Considered making a career out of the Marines, but he had a wife and child -Didn't want to make them move around with him -Kept in touch with California friend from Marines after he got discharged (00:19:42) Reflections on Service -Lives in a great country -Too many people don't appreciate the freedoms they have -Lost a lot of friends in the Vietnam War -Military protects citizens' rights to protest and criticize the country -Doesn't feel that the military is given enough credit -Politicians need to listen to military leadership �-He would gladly serve again if necessary -Feels people aren't willing to fight for their freedoms � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WiltP1849V Title A name given to the resource Wilt, Paul L (Interview outline and video), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-12 Description An account of the resource Paul Wilt was born in West Virginia on June 30, 1942. He enlisted in the Marines in 1960 and after basic training received assignments in the United States. He was stationed at Marine Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia carrying out guard duties, and received infantry training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He also went on temporary duty to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilt, Paul L. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Wilt, Alexander (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Marine Corps Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Language A language of the resource eng Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/496fd374585cb081a7100dc471f1ca53.m4v fb17102d2e60166d6dad92d3ccfe0213 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/948a3f70078c644ee3e79bd7799000fe.pdf 6cb5490a3e041c10b45c582da6a10336 PDF Text Text Interview Notes Interview Length (47:55) Forrest Winchester US Navy Pre-Enlistment Born in Kent County in 1925 (0:30) Father was a tinsmith (0:45) Was able to keep his job during the Great Depression (1:30) Finished high school in 1943 (2:00) Heard about Pearl Harbor while he was at his grandparents' house (2:15) Thought he would be a part of the war (3:00) Drafted straight from high school (3:05) Training Reported to Detroit, Michigan (3:30) Went to the Navy because his cousin liked it (4:00) Went to Great Lakes, Illinois, for basic training (4:45) Adjusted as well as possible to training (5:05) Didn’t do anything vigorous because of poor weather (6:00) Took tests to determine what specialty (7:15) Went to radio technician’s school in Gulfport, Alabama (7:30) Never ridden a train before he went to Gulfport (7:45) Lived in Quonset huts in AL (8:40) Specifically trained to repair radios and radar (9:00) Had no prior experience to this (9:10) Stayed there for several months (9:40) Went off base several times (10:00) Was sent back to Great Lakes, then to San Francisco (11:40) Boarded a troop ship, then headed out to Hawaii (11:50) Was on the Lurline, a luxury passenger ship (12:00) Came down with scarlet fever on the voyage (12:30) Took 5 days to get to Hawaii (12:45) Was in sick bay on the base for 2 weeks (13:20) Service overseas Took liberty in Honolulu once out of the hospital (14:15) Was put on a British carrier afterwards, ferrying planes to the South Pacific (14:30) Offloaded on the island of Manus, a supply island (15:40) Worked there for several months, moving supplies on to ships (16:55) Mainly went from the barracks to work (16:15) USS Formoe After, he was assigned to the USS Formoe in the engine room (17:20) Was seasick for 3 days, but was not relieved of his work load (17:45) �Read gauges and other basic things (17:50) Formoe had been in the Atlantic, now was in the Pacific (18:10) Ship had convoy duty between the Philippines to Okinawa (18:50) Most danger came from submarines and floating mines (19:50) Floating mines were taken care of by a rifle crew (20:45) Chased several submarines, but never saw one surface (21:20) Took close to 12 convoys across (22:30) Had to take some convoys to Formosa, but terrible storms came up (23:00) Came close to flipping, but never did (24:00) Had worked his way up to the radio shack by that time (24:30) Was great need for repair work (24:50) Radio shack was a portion of the bridge (25:40) Had a communications officer that kept tabs on all the personnel working in the radio (26:20) Mostly slept when he was not on duty (27:20) Had his own bunk, but had to share a rack with 2 other guys (27:45) Showed movies only when in port, when they could put up a screen (28:20) Had tables that would fold down in bad weather, only got soup then (28:50) Food got them by, but wasn’t anything great (29:10) Spent several weeks in each convoy (29:40) East Asia When they were in port in Okinawa, they would make smoke to disguise the ships from Japanese air raids (30:40) Saw some of the destruction from the harbor (32:00) Offloaded many Australian troops in Tarakan, an island off of Borneo (32:45) Were the artillery for those troops invading the island (33:40) Had quite a few ships there (34:10) Australians were pretty gung-ho veterans (35:00) Stayed there several weeks, but never went ashore (35:10) War ended on his way back to the Philippines (35:30) Spent a week in Tokyo after the war, and could see the damage from the fire bombing (37:00) Went ashore on liberty, and the Japanese were not friendly (37:30) Wore a flag embroidered with the ship and his name on the back lining of his jacket (39:30) Spent a while in Shanghai, everything was in good shape (40:00) Also spent time in Hong Kong (41:00) Once finished in Tokyo, he headed back (41:45) Stopped at Midway Island, navigator stayed up all night to make sure they didn’t miss it (41:50) Went to Hawaii next, then to San Francisco (42:35) Should’ve been discharged at Great Lakes, but was discharged in San Francisco (42:45) Post-service Met some Air Force pilots who had just bought a plane and were flying from San Francisco to Chicago (43:15) Flew home with about 12 other guys (43:30) Made it all in one trip, didn’t have to stop to refuel (44:10) Took a train home to Grand Rapids (44:20) Parents didn’t know when he was coming home, surprised them at the door (44:50) �Applied to MSU and used the GI Bill (45:45) Graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering and went into the industry (45:50) Worked for Kelvinator doing quality control, then moved on to consulting (46:15) Retired twice, kept going back (47:20) Military was a good interruption in life, taught him many things (47:45) � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WinchesterF Title A name given to the resource Winchester, Forrest (Interview outline and video), 2009 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Winchester, Forrest Description An account of the resource Forrest Winchester was born in Kent County in 1925 and was drafted into World War II from high school. Forrest joined the Navy because his cousin enjoyed it, and left basic training as a radio repairman. He served on several ships in the Pacific, and during and after the war sailed to Borneo, Okinawa, China and Japan. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009-03-31 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/db72f38e22a52a749468f370bc8d5610.mp4 d78179edddf9096469064e45c7972317 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/65391226d6626c0cd68b015c94749205.pdf af7be1e7ce1f5148e3e6cc987b1cb2d0 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Charles Windisch (30:55) (00:10) Background Information • • • • • Charles grew up in Allegan County, in Gibson, Michigan His father was a gardener and his mother was a housekeeper. Neither of them lost their jobs during the depression He grew up in Holland, Michigan during the 30s and it was rough He was finished with school by the time that Pearl Harbor was attacked He had went to school through sixth grade and then began working on the coal docks (1:50) The National Guard • • • • • He was already in the National Guard when Pearl Harbor was attacked He had joined the National Guard when he was only sixteen years old He had been too young for the National Guard to ship him overseas, so he then joined the Navy He had been in the National Guard for 1.5 years and had trained in Wisconsin The other men he had trained within the National Guard were shipped out to New Guinea (3:30) Naval Enlistment • • • • He trained in Newport, Rhode Island for only 7 days Charles and other men left on the USS Nashville for Europe and they continued their training aboard the ship Charles had specifically joined the Navy because he did not want to sleep in a foxhole Most of the on the ship were fairly new to the environment (6:00) The Ship • • • They left in December and were out at sea for nine months They traveled to Hawaii though the Panama Canal Charles spent most of his time on the ship in the carpenter shop (7:30) The Raid on Japan • • • • They were 500 miles from Japan when they finally were told the details of their mission He saw all the planes take off from the air-craft carrier They went back to Hawaii afterwards Charles traveled through the Pacific to Guam, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima (9:40) Guam �• • • Their ship was involved in naval battles There was a major battle at night that was very scary; they were losing the fight at first, but they made their way out of it They had been hit by heavy Japanese shells (11:10) Okinawa • • • There were kamikazes dropping all around them Lots of smoke was put out by destroyers so Kamikazes could not see them The smoke worked well because you could not even see your hand in front of your face (12:15) Ship Life • • • The men had to take care of the water-tight doors and control the pumps There was lots of work to keep them busy They were shot at many times and took lots of battle damage (14:50) Making Alcohol • • • • • The men made their own drinks on the ship and then a huge storm hit when they were all drunk The ship officers found out who had made the alcohol The men were transferred and had to go to Frog-man school They went to the Philippines and planted TNT along the beach to keep the Japanese off the beach He was sitting on the beach hiding under grass when the Japanese invaded (19:40) Iwo Jima • • They had finished with their Frog-man work Charles was here while the invasion occurred and they were helping fight kamikazes (21:35) Philippines Kamikazes • • The back of their ship was hit and some of the men died It took two months for the ship to be fixed (22:50) Okinawa • The people here were jumping off cliffs (23:40) The End of the War • • • • They went from Pearl Harbor to San Francisco to be released They dropped the ship off at a ship yard to be repaired Charles ended up in Norfolk, Virginia and was released He headed straight home on a train and everyone was happy and drinking �(26:50) After the Service • •   Charles went back to working for the coal docks He said that being in the service gave him a lot of experience � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WindischC Title A name given to the resource Windisch, Charles (Interview outline and video), 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Windisch, Charles Description An account of the resource Charles Windisch grew up in Holland, Michigan during the depression. Although times were rough, his parents were both able to hold on to their jobs during the depression. Charles went to school through the sixth grade and joined the National Guard when he was only sixteen. He eventually enlisted in the Navy and traveled through the Pacific to islands such as Hawaii, Guam, and Okinawa. He served between 1941 and 1946 primarily on the USS Nashville, but also did a stint as a demolitions frogman. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans United States. Navy United States--National Guard World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Video recordings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-06-29 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8a0009678d4e2a1e45a124b1b48a661d.m4v dd42cdea8bcb38af49f80d5343fa3a76 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4e927ab904ab7ea87e099d830f03e8c4.pdf f29250bb5944b16791e297b1ccff0f0a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Bernie Windmiller Vietnam War; Cold War 28 minutes 31 seconds *Note: Times in the outline correspond with timecode in interview (01:51:53) Early Life & Enlisted Service -Born on July 3, 1932, in Gary, Indiana -Drafted into the Army in 1954 -Left college after two years and got drafted -Sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for basic training -Sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for field radio training -Learned about use of field radios and Morse code -Deployed to South Korea -Spent six (or eight) months at the demilitarized zone -Part of a small unit of nine or ten men -Five enlisted men at a small compound and the officers helped the South Koreans -Officers were attached to the 11th Republic of Korea Division -Sent to Army headquarters in Daegu and worked the switchboard -Had 11 women work with him (01:54:15) Becoming a Chaplain Pt. 1 -Raised in a very religious home -Active in his church -Involved with a religious television program in college -Before he got drafted, he felt he was heading for the ministry -While in Korea, he only saw a chaplain once every three months -Thought the Army was short on chaplains -Didn’t realize it was because his post was so remote -Felt he was being called to the chaplaincy -Returned to college and went into the seminary -Professor in seminary had been a Navy chaplain during World War II -Held an informal class at night for students interested in the chaplaincy -Part of the staff specialist corps (no uniform, and a chance to try out being in the Army) -Graduated from seminary and got into an Army Reserve unit on Southside of Chicago -Also had a church on the South Side of Chicago -Sent to basic course for chaplains at Fort Hamilton, New York -Solidified his decision to become a chaplain -Petitioned his denomination for endorsement -Sent to 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago for an interview, and was accepted �(01:57:00) Stationed at Fort Riley -Joined them in spring 1966 -Sent to Fort Riley, Kansas -Attached to the 9th Infantry Division -Trained with them (01:57:30) Becoming a Chaplain Pt. 2 -Went to Fuller Theological Seminary -Inter-denominational seminary -Prestigious seminary -Didn’t think he would’ve been accepted into that seminary -Good experience (01:58:08) Deployment to Vietnam -Part of the 3rd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Riley -Shipped out of America on January 1, 1967 -Sent his wife and children to Ohio around Christmastime -Returned to Fort Riley and held Christmas services -Left by ship out of California in January 1967 -Arrived in Vietnam on January 19, 1967 (01:59:42) Arrival in Vietnam & Reassignment to 4th Battalion -Went to Bearcat Base, the headquarters for the 9th Infantry Division -Received more combat training -During the final part of training, the division chaplain approached Bernie -Told him he’d be reassigned to 4th Battalion th -Stayed with 4 Battalion for the rest of his tour in Vietnam -Army Engineers built a base camp at Dong Tam for the 4th Battalion (02:01:33) Missions & Combat in Vietnam -Rotated on and off Navy ships -Went through the Mekong River Delta to various outposts via armored troop carriers -Had to contend with 10 – 12 foot tides -Mostly Viet Cong forces operating in the Mekong Delta -4th Battalion was tasked with search & destroy missions -Got into a huge fight with the Viet Cong on June 19, 1967 -Took a lot of casualties -Wanted to be with his soldiers in the field, regardless of combat -Only missed one combat operation -Tended to the wounded and helped gather the dead -Lost 60 soldiers during his tour in Vietnam -He was older than most of the men in his unit -He was 36 years old when he went to Vietnam -He was a captain, and other captains were in their mid-20s -Went on combat marches with the troops -Very close with C Company -With them on the battle of June 19th �-Originally supposed to be with A Company -C Company commander wanted him to stay with C Company, so Bernie stayed -C Company took 50 percent casualties during the battle -Attends annual reunions for C Company (02:07:50) Return to the United States -Came back to the United States on January 1, 1968 -Landed north of San Francisco -Flew to Chicago to meet his wife and be with her for a few days -Went to Ohio to be with his wife and children -Invited by the Ministerial Association of Wellington, Ohio, to speak about his time in Vietnam -After his presentation, a couple girls from Oberlin College approached him to talk -Group of antiwar protesters tried to confront Bernie about Vietnam -He told them that he went to Vietnam to help soldiers, not fight (02:12:00) Stationed at Fort Campbell -Sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky -His division chaplain in Vietnam, Charles Meek, was the post chaplain at Fort Campbell -Stationed there for 1 ½ years -Worked with an engineer unit -Made the stockade chaplain (02:13:23) Stationed in West Germany -Sent to West Germany -Attached to the 5th Missile Battalion off the 6th Air Defense Artillery (Nike missiles) -Operated out of Baumholder, Germany -Stayed in Germany for three years -Travelled to missile sites to minister to soldiers -Taught himself to play guitar and sing hymns -Drugs were an issue in Germany at the time -Needed to counsel soldiers with drug addictions -Given a basement area in an administrative building as a counselling area -Connected with four soldiers and invited them to dinner at his home -Formed a band with them -Missiles were tipped with nuclear warheads -Needed soldiers to be sober due to the severity of their job (02:16:50) Further Education Pt. 1 -Returned to the United States in 1973 -Took the advanced course for chaplains from 1973-1974 -Studied for his master’s degree in counselling at Long Island University -Promoted to major during his time there (02:17:30) Stationed at Fort Sill -Sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma -Made the brigade chaplain for the 212th Field Artillery Brigade -Wonderful assignment -Almost retired from the Army while at Fort Sill �-In a supervisory position and he didn’t enjoy it, just wanted to minister to soldiers -Another chaplain convinced him to stay in the Army -Convinced him by saying that supervisory positions are necessary (02:19:24) Further Education Pt. 2 -Started a doctorate of ministry degree, but was unable to complete it -Army sent him to Duke University to study world religions -He enjoyed doing that < Tape ends before interview ends > � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WindmillerB2075V Title A name given to the resource Windmiller, Bernie (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-10-26 Description An account of the resource Bernie Windmiller was born in Gary, Indiana, on July 3, 1932. The Army drafted him in 1954 and he received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, then field radio training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He was deployed to South Korea where he served on the demilitarized zone and at Daegu. He decided to become a chaplain, and upon completion of seminary, he reentered the Army as a chaplain. His first assignment was at Fort Riley, Kansas, with 3rd Battalion of the 47th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division. He was deployed to Vietnam in January 1967 and was originally stationed at Bearcat Base. Shortly after arriving, he was reassigned to 4th Battalion. During his time in Vietnam, he operated in the Mekong River Delta and went on combat missions with the troops. He returned to the United States in January 1968, and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He then served in West Germany for three years with the 5th Missile Battalion of the 6th Air Defense Artillery (Nike nuclear missiles). He returned to the United States in 1973 and took the advanced course of chaplains, then got his master's degree at Long Island University. He served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, with the 212th Artillery Brigade then went to Duke University. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Windmiller, Bernie Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Keizer, Herman Jr. (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/29b418a1b255ed191acfc79d142fbc2d.mp4 5b8941e2ccd747a83e5adae108434533 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/52e7e6032ff1efc16721fb286672d851.pdf 07004ed830f37171b9c75b8f2baa0195 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans History Project Interview Name of War: Cold War Name of Interviewee: Loyd Winer Length of Interview: 00:44:32 Background:                    Born April 23, 1929. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and achieved a Lieutenant rank. He went to Grand Rapids South High school and went to Junior College. When he went to college he belonged to the US Marine Reserve. When he went to Michigan State University to finish his studies, he left the Marine reserves as well. During those times, there were selective services, which meant that he would be drafted. While he was a MSU, they made him go to Detroit to get a physical exam to see if he was physically able to serve and he was. The only way he could not go into the service right away was to stay in college. And they called him when he was in college to see if he met all the requirements needed, grade-wise and such to make sure that he could still remain out of the service. He got near the end of his senior year and he knew that he was either going to go into the Army or something else The Navy recruiting office came to the college and they said if he passed their physical he would be a candidate. So he passed everything fine, except his blood pressure, which he had never had a problem with before. So they told him to lie down and they kept checking it, but it was still high. He explained to the doctor that he had never had this problem before and if they did not take him he would have to go into the Army, and he did not want to go. So the doctor wrote down that his blood pressure was ok. So then he was in a group of 10,000 applicants, of which 1,000 of them would go to Officer’s Training School. When he graduated in June of 1952, he thought he would have a chance to go, but he never heard from them. The draft board told him that if he doesn’t hear from them, he would have to go into the Army. His dad suggested that he go see Gerald Ford, the representative at the time, so he did. Mr. Ford told him that he could either pay him to call down and find out, or wait until he can send out a telegram and come back tomorrow to find out. So he waited. Then next day he went back and there was the telegram. He had been accepted in class 8 and was to leave in October or 1952. So Mr. Ford signed the telegram and he brought it to the draft board. He would work for the highway department for the next couple of months, until he went into service. When it was time for him to go into service, he took a bus to Detroit, a train to Boston, a bus down to Rhode Island. That is where Officer Candidate School was. �Officer Candidate School/CIC Officer Training (4:40)         Officer Candidate School lasted from October to the following March. Only 600 graduated. A couple committed suicide because they did not graduate. From there he had two choices: he could go to an electronics school in California, to become and electronics officer or go to a Naval Air Station to become a CIC Officer, which was Combat Information Center Officer. Since his future wife was still in school at MSU, he picked Chicago because it was closest to home, not necessarily knowing what would happen. When he got there he would train to work in a combat information center. This would include radio, radar, control equipment. You learned to navigate the ship, you learned how to use the countermeasures equipment, radios, radars, etc. When he graduated from that he was given two choices again: Atlantic or Pacific, and what size of combatant ship you want to be on. So he picked the Atlantic and an aircraft carrier. So they assigned him to the USS Gilbert Islands, a "jeep" carrier that was stationed in Boston. Active Duty on the Atlantic (7:15)            At the time, this ship was an anti-submarine aircraft carrier. This means that they looked for submarines with the planes. On the ship he was the CIC Officer and was also in charge of the electronic countermeasures, photographic lab and a few other things. He took this ship on a tour overseas to the Mediterranean, he was there for 6 months and then came back and out again to the Atlantic several times and it was finally decided that the ship was to be decommissioned. The ship was a former freighter that had been turned into a small aircraft carrier. So again he was face with two choices: Atlantic or Pacific and the size of the combatant ship. Normally, after you have 18 months at sea, you get a shore duty job. At the time, his expertise would only allow him to go at sea. So he picked another aircraft carrier and the Atlantic. Just before he picked that, his wife graduated from college. In June of 1954, he drove home on a Friday night, got married on a Saturday, and on Sunday they both drove back to Boston. He was then assigned to the fleet carrier USS Ticonderoga. At the time this ship was being re-commissioned in Brooklyn, NY. So he and his wife lived in Boston for a couple of days but then moved to Brooklyn and he went on the ship. Because it was still in the harbor at the time, he was assigned to be the senior shore patrol officer on Manhattan Island. So every third night, he slept at the police station. He was there mainly to take care of any drunk officers that the patrolmen came across while working. �                    Every night, in the Navy car, two enlisted men would take him to places that were off limits to Navy personnel. So they would go and check these places out. Because they were off limits, the manager of the bar would beg him to let their place be on-limits, but he had no control over that. He was only there to check. This one night, there was a fight at Yankee Stadium between a couple a famous fighters. So they went to the fight and drove up to a police officer and said that they were the official shore patrol and they needed to know where to park. He blew his whistle, stopped all traffic and told them to park in a no parking spot. They go into the stadium, figure out they need to enter in the police entrance and walked in. So they were up, behind 3rd base, but the fight was near 2nd, and there were people in folding chairs on the ground. Police were all around the outfield making sure more people don’t get in. So they went over to the gate and said they were the Official Shore Patrol Contingent for the field, and the man let them through. So they stood behind the people with chairs and watched the fight. (13:15) Anyway, they lived there until October until he was assigned to go to another base at Boca Chica, FL, to learn how to be an all-weather air controller and would be there for a month. By this time, his marriage was 4 or 5 months old and his wife was still in Brooklyn. So her mother came and stayed with her for the month he was gone. So when he came back and the ship was to move to Norfolk before heading on to the Caribbean. So, on the night before Christmas, he and his wife packed up all of their possessions and they drove home to Grand Rapids. From there, he would fly out to meet the ship. Then the ship was going to leave Norfolk, which would be its home base, to an Airbase on the Atlantic Coast just south of Georgia. So he flew down there, got on the ship and went down to the Caribbean. He was down there for 2 months or so. Since the ship had just been re-commissioned, he and the others went down there to learn how to run the ship. The ship would come back to Norfolk around April and his wife came out to live there. From then he would go out to sea and back, out to sea and back, etc. Either in September or October 1955, the ship was going out to seas again. So, they packed everything up in the car again, drove home to Grand Rapids and he would return and go overseas again. He was in the Mediterranean until February of the following year. They did the same thing as they had always done before. Flying the planes, practicing the intercepting, and other general practicing. There were a couple of accidents. One time, when one of the pilots was getting ready to launch, the cables that help bring them to flying speed did not let go of his wheel. He would go under the ship in front and pop out behind them. He was alright, but the destroyer behind them tried to pick him up and they cut his stomach. (19:00) �     He would practice shooting bombs of using the catapults that normally launch the planes, to see how far they would go. The second tour of the Mediterranean he would stop by Rome, Sicily, Athens, and several other places. He spent Christmas in Naples one year. He got a chance to really visit Rome. He also got a chance to visit the acropolis while in Athens. He really got an opportunity to see history. After seeing all these places, history really comes to life. Anyway, his time would come to an end. He would finish serving his three years of active duty. After they dropped him off, he had to go through a bunch of physical examinations and he was discharged from active duty, but still had to serve inactive duty. Post Duty (22:30)  He had graduated thinking he would be going into civil engineering, but instead he graduated OCS.  When he got out, he had not done any civil engineering for a while, so he went back to MSU.  His wife was then teaching in another city, but finished up and moved back to Grand Rapids.  He would join MSU in March to finish his graduate degree and move back to Grand Rapids as well  They did not have any kids until November 1956.  The Navy kept after him to “improve himself.” So one time when they offered to help him to improve himself, he sent in his degree and they promoted him. He would be in inactive duty for 10 years until he was honorably discharged. Remembering Stories (25:30)  When he stopped at the French Riviera one time, he had gotten the chance to tour the mountain. As Naval Officers they were not allowed to wear their uniforms ashore, so they always had civilian clothes on.  He took to this tour in France up in the mountains. They ended up at a perfume factory. He came out with a headache and his clothes smelled so bad, he almost had to hang them outside to air out.  When he was in Nice, France, he took a train into Italy, to Venice. He and a couple of friends stayed in this hotel and toured Venice. He ended up getting a liquor bottle and glasses as a remembrance. It was an amber color with silver patterns on the outside. He never used it.  While he was touring Athens, he saw the Acropolis and saw the area where the first Olympics were held. He also saw the Parthenon.  He also went to Sicily and saw Mount Etna. A neighboring mountain was erupting when they went by.  They also stopped by Gibraltar. He says you have to know a lot of history of Spain. There are lots of tunnels and interesting places to visit.  They would also go to the Sargasso Sea, twice. �                 They were supposed to stop in the Azores, but there was an epidemic going on, though he does not remember what it was exactly. He also remembers that the Atlantic can be very rough sometimes. One time when they were coming into NYC for the weekend, they got involved in a hurricane before coming in. The destroyers of the convoy were told to go their own way to get out of it the best they could. Water was coming over the top of the ship and getting into the planes. The planes, which were tied down for the storm, were so damaged from the salt water that they could not fly them off, but had to have them lifted off instead. It was so strong that some of the metal doors were ripped open and the elevator pits were filled with water. The officers had very good conditions. He lived in a room with one other officer. Each had a bed, a desk, and a closet to store stuff. They did not have a door, but a curtain. Whenever they wanted their shoes shined, they would put them outside the curtain. They would also have people who would make their bed and take care of the room for them. It was very nice. (34:20) They had to wear white shirts and ties and were dressed pretty formally most of the time. When they ate, they had a ward room where they would eat. You had linen table clothes, linen napkins, and a silver napkin holder with your name on it. They were served by stewards and taken care of by them as well. When they were ready to eat, they would wait for the executive officer to tell them to be seated and eat. When you brought guests on, and he brought his wife on a couple of times, you would be seated at the executive officer’s table. First the executive officer would have him seat his wife, and then the rest of them could be seated. You had very good conditions. His wife used to say he was spoiled. When you went to OCS, one of the classes you had was Naval etiquette. When you graduated from this school, making sure that you took this course, you would get a certificate saying that you were now an “Officer and a Gentleman” The first time he got aboard a ship, they lined up 80 guys that he was to be responsible for. In front of these guys, there were three petti officers who would help him run these guys. Because of the responsibility he had and the experience that he gained, he would help to run the Kent County Airport Landing Field. You gain so much knowledge doing this it is like another graduate degree. He ended up signing off for millions of dollars of stuff. It was really different. Some life lessons that he learned while in the service was to be honest, to be fair, do things right and do the best you can always because people’s lives depend on you. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context WinerL Title A name given to the resource Winer, Loyd (Interview outline and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Winer, Loyd Description An account of the resource Loyd Winer served as a Naval Officer in the Atlantic from 1952-1955. He was assigned first to an escort carrier, and later to the fleet carrier Ticonderoga. He cruised in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and also had to supervise shore patrol in New York City. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Goodman, Ashlee (Interviewer) Mabman, Sadie (Interviewer) Marsman, Samantha (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Other veterans & civilians--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-05-01 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/44cf95e5435fa91231809c192d25b112.pdf b3a27190a47b2657ff92c1d9e1ac4c1b PDF Text Text ��� https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/91279d4e58cb5398d1b60142daee343a.pdf d789373053480bbbb82df2c4c927cf36 PDF Text Text [Page 1] Private Boston 17 Nov. 1858 My Dear Sir, Yours of the 11th inst. was duly welcomed. I have communicated with Mr. Everett on the subject, & regret to find that he is to be at Rochester, N.Y. on the 15th proxo [proximo] & that the whole of that week will be so occupied as to render it impossible for him to be at Washington. I am the more sorry for it, because my own engagements leave me little hope of being able �[Page 2] to conform to the kind suggestion of my old friends Stuart and Conrad. I will still keep it in mind, however, & try to be there. It would give me real pleasure to meet so many good men & true, & I trust the reunion will not be without fruit. Meantime, I will quietly ascertain what Massachusetts, men of the right sort can be relied on for such a purpose, & in concert with Mr. Everett, will endeavor to have two or three present. I shall try �[Page 3] To be there myself; & if not, shall hope to run on for a few days in January. I am, dear Sir, With great regard, [Yours?] Robt. C. Winthrop N. Sargent Esq. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Civil War and Slavery Collection Subject The topic of the resource United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Slavery--United States African Americans United States--Politics and government--19th century Description An account of the resource A selection of correspondence, diaries, official documents, photographs related to the American Civil War and to the institution of slavery, collected by Harvey E. Lemmen. The collection includes a selection of documents from ten states related to the ownership of slaves and abolition, correspondence and documents of soldiers who fought in the war and from family members and officials, diaries and letters of individuals, and a collection of mailing envelopes decorated with patriotic imagery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lemmen, Harvey E. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/472">Civil War and Slavery Collection (RHC-45)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/470">John Bennitt Diaries and Correspondence (RHC-43)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/471">Nathan Sargent Papers (RHC-44)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/478">Theodore Peticolas Diary (RHC-51)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/476">Civil War Patriotic Envelopes Collection (RHC-51)<br /></a><a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/479">Whitely Read Diary (RHC-52)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1804-1897 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg; application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image; Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1804-1897 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-44_NS1-15488 Title A name given to the resource Nathan Sargent from Robert Charles Winthrop, November 17, 1858 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1858-11-17 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Winthrop, Robert C. (Robert Charles), 1809-1894. Description An account of the resource Letter regarding recent correspondence with Edward Everett. Subject The topic of the resource Sargent, Nathan, 1794-1875 Whig Party (U.S.) United States--Politics and government--19th century United States--Officials and employees Customs administration Washington (D.C.) Pennsylvania Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/471">Nathan Sargent papers, (RHC-44)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/269d4537b91049853d1d97fba49969d9.m4v b8bdf6035ee779b17137ec165bd49eff https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d2c2149ce61865ac071c55b2f566d928.pdf b898a03515f4184f8d534f48169d44d3 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Robert Witzig World War II 45 minutes 55 seconds (00:00:23) Early Life -Born on August 22, 1924, in Grant County, Wisconsin -Had a vegetable garden during the Great Depression to supplant their meals -Family lived on a dairy farm -Went fishing to add to meals -Nine children in the family -Five boys and four girls -As of the interview he is the only child left -Four of the boys went to war -He and another brother survived, but the other two did not (00:04:06) Start of the War -He was in senior year of high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor -People were angry about the attack but had difficulty understanding what happened -The concept of large-scale, mechanized warfare was foreign to a lot of people (00:05:24) Enlisting in the Navy -Graduated from high school in May 1942 -Some of his brothers were already in the military when he graduated -Enlisted in the Navy in early 1943 (00:06:44) Basic Training -Sent to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois, for basic training -Completely new experience and didn't know what to expect -Only familiar part of training was shooting rifles (00:07:44) Boarding the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) -Boarded a train and went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then went across the country -Sent to Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco, California -Stayed there for a few days -A dozen men, including himself, were selected to go to San Francisco -Boarded the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in late 1943 -Placed in the Fire Control Division on the ship -Part of the crew that fired the ship's guns (00:09:53) Pacific Theater & Battle of Okinawa -The Indianapolis participated in ten major operations in the Pacific Theater -He participated in nine of them -The ship was hit by a kamikaze plane on March 31, 1945, off the coast of Okinawa -He was lightly injured by the attack -Sailed back to San Francisco for repairs (00�:11:40) Delivery of the Atomic Bomb -Several large wooden boxes and a smaller steel box were loaded onto the ship in San Francisco -Box was brought to the captain's quarters and bolted to the floor -Nobody knew what the boxes contained -These boxes contained the components of the atomic bomb used on Hiroshima -Sailed to Tinian without escort to deliver the atomic bomb components �-Carried a tremendous amount of fuel and ammunition -Planned on rejoining the fleet at Okinawa -Unloaded the bomb components at Tinian then continued with their voyage (00:14:20) Sinking of the USS Indianapolis -A little after midnight on July 30, 1945, two torpedoes struck the ship -This resulted in the fuel and ammunition exploding, destroying a third of the ship -He was sleeping at the time and was on his feet before he knew it -Jumped off the ship when he was 74 feet above the water -Ship sank within 13 minutes -He went underwater, and stayed underwater for eight minutes -Came up and vomited, then started swimming away from the ship (00:17:45) Survival after the Sinking -In the water for so long that the life jacket swelled and the canvas began to tear -Had skin damage, but the salt water helped him heal -Found a group of survivors clinging to a cargo net -Had to be conscious about expending his energy staying afloat -Sharks could smell blood in an eight mile radius -None of the sharks attacked him -Felt sharks brush against his feet and legs -Close enough that he could reach down and touch them (00:25:41) Rescue & Recovery -Saw the plane piloted by Lieutenant Gwinn and Lieutenant Colwell -They reported the discovery of the survivors -The USS Cecil J. Doyle picked him up along with the other survivors on the cargo net -Ship sent out landing crafts to pick them up and bring them to the ship -Given a shower and a place to sleep on the ship -Sailed to the Philippines, past the place where future president George HW Bush was rescued -While at the Philippines he and the other survivors were placed in a Red Cross hospital -Red Cross nurses gave them blankets and coats -Stayed at the hospital for two weeks -Chance to relax and heal (00:30:10) End of the War -Didn't know about their secret cargo until after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan -Too busy at the time to reflect on their participation in helping to end the war (00:31:22) Homecoming & End of Service -Once he had recovered more in the Philippines he and the other survivors sailed to Guam -Met a nurse from Milwaukee -Stayed at the hospital on Guam for six or seven weeks -Sailed to Pearl Harbor then boarded a ship and sailed to San Diego, California -Survivors were thrown a homecoming parade in San Diego -Shook hands with Hollywood stars -Flown to Great Lakes Naval Station and discharged there in late 1945 -Hitchhiked home (00:36:39) Life after the War Pt. 1 -Lost two of his brothers in the war -Both served in the Army -One in the European Theater and one in the Pacific Theater -Got married twice after the war -Had two daughters and a son �(00:37:37) Court-martial of Captain McVay Pt. 1 -Read about Captain McVay's court-martial in the newspaper -Thought he was a good man that treated his crew well -Remembers shaking hands with him at one point (00:39:19) USS Indianapolis Reunions -Went to some of the crew reunions -Stopped going in later years because it was too far and cost too much money (00:40:07) Life after the War Pt. 2 -Family did steelwork and welding -Got into that work and made a career out of it (00:41:40) Remembering the USS Indianapolis -Already has his headstone designed -Has an image of the USS Indianapolis -Along with a note that it delivered the atom bomb components to Tinian to end the war (00:43:15) Contact with Home -When he wrote home it had to be censored -Accepted it -He didn't know much information anyway, so there was very little to tell -Usually didn't have time to focus on details to write home about anyway (00:44:00) Court-martial of Captain McVay Pt. 2 & Exoneration -Happy that the government exonerated Captain McVay -Felt that the government wanted a scapegoat for losing the ship, and they picked McVay -Note: The Navy had failed to send out a search party after receiving a distress signal The Japanese submarine captain said nothing could have been done to avoid the sinking -Survivors were angered that their captain was put on trial rather than the Navy accept responsibility -Note: In October 2000 Congress passed a resolution in favor of exoneration In July 2001, the Secretary of the Navy ordered McVay's record purged of the trial � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_WitzigR1941V Title A name given to the resource Witzig, Robert (Interview outline and video), 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-07-09 Description An account of the resource Robert Witzig was born on August 22, 1924, in Grant County, Wisconsin. He enlisted in the Navy in early 1943 and received his basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. He went to Naval Station Treasure Island, California, and was selected to go aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) and served in the ship's fire control division (firing the ship's gun). He participated in the ship's major operations in the Pacific Theater in 1944 and 1945, including the invasion of Okinawa. After the ship's repairs in California, he participated in the delivery of the atomic bomb components to the island of Tinian. On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed and sank. Robert abandoned ship and was one of the 317 men to survive the sinking. After five days he was rescued, and recovered in the Philippines and at Guam. He returned to the United States and was discharged at Great Lakes Naval Station in late 1945. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Witzig, Robert Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hammond, Steve (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Navy Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Language A language of the resource eng Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/x-m4v application/pdf