The Paw Paw River Journal

Another hump pilot comes home

 I figured that the rest of our men who lost their lives flying the Hump in WWII would forever sleep the Big Sleep in that mountain fastness.  But not so!  Just recently I received a letter from Ken Sutton over Marshall way, and in it he had a most interesting news story.   They found another one of our guys!  The story appeared in the “ad-visor & chronicle” over there on November 26 of this year under the byline of Shelley Sulser.

1st. Lt. Frederick Langhorst was a handsome guy.  The article had a picture of him.  He had a daughter, Gail, who was 6 months old when his C-109 went down over the Hump in Northeastern India.  So she never knew him, but she always wanted to find out what happened on that day.

I know the area where he crashed and it is indeed wild.  I also know a little about the aircraft he was flying, although I never piloted one.  It was a conversion of the 4-engine B-24 bomber.   The only person I knew who flew in them was Dayne Kline, whose brother is a Pennsylvania friend. I was somewhat surprised to learn how many of those bombers were being used in the China, Burma and India Theater.  One came through and landed at Sookerting, our base, to gas up.  They were headed for action against the Japanese. Now picture this:  they had a full crew, all of their luggage, full armament, including belts and belts of machine gun ammo.  And they were over the load limit for takeoff, I am sure.

They slowly rolled out to the runway.  The pilots ran through their preflight, checked all four engines, and then paused.  We had all come out to watch.  Thereafter, did they leap up into the sky?  No—both pilots stood hard on the brakes while they revved up all four engines to full throttle.  Flaps down, low pitch, and the fuel mixture at full rich, they trundled down the runway, slowly gaining speed.  Through the open side windows, with fingers crossed, we could see the waist gunners almost trying to lift the plane themselves.

With all four engines howling, the long wings slowly straightened from their taxiing droop, and the big bird felt for open sky.  Runway sped by.  With both pilots pulling back on the controls, the bomber lifted, settled, and then became airborne.  At the edge of the field they retracted the landing gear so it would clear the fence.  Then the plane settled over a slight hill and out of sight, wallowing along.

We all waited for the crash, but the engines kept on roaring, fainter, then louder as they swept around in a wide circle just above the treetops.  Back they came over the field, still clawing for altitude.  And we could still see the gunners as they roared past.  Several times they circled, slowly gaining altitude, and then set a course easterly for China and glory.  We all heaved a sigh of relief.

Some other converted B-24s were stationed throughout the area…  The C-87 was a cargo conversion, and then there was the infamous C-109.  I only know about them because a friend from Aviation Cadet days was flying them…  I met him one time somewhere on a trip.  Only thing I remember about him… his trembling hands and haunted look.  He said he was flying Liberators converted into giant gas tankers (the C-109).  They carried loads of 100 octane across the Hump, just as we did.  Only ours were in drums and could be dumped out the cargo door in case of emergency.

Those B-24 guys had no such option.  Their tanks were built into the bomb bays and could only be emptied through vent valves.  That plane’s official designation was the C-109, but we facetiously referred to it as the “C-One-O-Boom!”  And as much as I disliked the dirty weather through which we sometimes flew, I felt even sorrier for my friend who had nervous twitches from his runs to China in the C-109.

When Lt. Langhorst’s remains were sent back finally for burial, there was no one left who knew him personally or had seen him.  His daughter, Gail, was 6 months old when his plane went down, and she had always wondered about the father she would never know.  Her mother had remarried and she had half-siblings.  But now her mom was gone, and also her stepfather.

Frederick’s return got the full treatment.  Gail said she wished she could have told her mom, but now she was gone, so in Heaven they had probably already swapped stories anyway!   His body came in by air at Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids and was escorted by State Police and Patriot Guard Bikers to the local funeral home.  There were flag lines at the airport and at the funeral home.  A fitting welcome for one of our lost airmen!

Gail said she planned to have his remains cremated and keep the urn by her until she can get over and have it interred with his parents.  And another hero has come home.  Thanks to Ken Sutton I got to read about him.  And I often think about all the guys who flew over there in Asia.  I heard that about 500 planes and crews were lost over the Hump.  How many of them are still sleeping The Big Sleep in that mountain fastness we may never know.  And the heroes, like Buster McCombs, who have turned to coral in the ocean depths.  And the rows upon rows of lost husbands, sons, and loved ones who are buried in cemeteries all over the world.  They will never hold a wife, play with a 6-month-old child, or watch a sunset!

Think of them, and perhaps send up a prayer as we lucky ones continue to weave golden threads into the tapestry of our lives in these story book towns across America!

This is a picture of the Coloma Volunteer Fire Department posed with some of the equipment from that era. Can anyone identify any of the firefighters or know the year this was taken?

North Berrien Historical Museum is always interested in photos, stories or information sharing.  We can be contacted at 269-468-3330 or info@northberrienhistory.org.

From the photo collection at the North Berrien Historical Museum

300 Coloma Ave., Coloma, MI

Watervliet District Library News

 Buy a brick from the Watervliet District Library as a legacy gift to honor the cherished people in your life.  Help create a new Garden Park for our community.

Story Hour:

Wed. 10:30 – 11:30 & Thurs. 1:30 – 2:30

This class is offered for ages 3 – 5 years and includes stories, crafts, show-and-tell and snacks every week until the end of April.

Adult Reading Program – “Exercise Your Mind”

Jan. 16 thru Feb. 25, 2017

Anyone 18 years and older is invited to warm up those brain cells with winter reading. Great prizes await. 1st prize — water bottle (+ flavorings) after reading the first two books; 2nd prize – adult coloring book & pencils after books three & four; 3rd prize — Subway gift card after reading books five & six; Grand Prize drawing includes everyone who has read six or more books – Garmin VivoFit Fitness Band, keeping you in shape 24/7. Amaze your cranium and celebrate winter with a good book.

Teens Table

January 2017 is community coloring table, all set up to commune around. Stop in any time and add to the design. The finished project will be framed.

Yoga:

9:00 a.m. every Monday morning and Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm

Adult Coloring Class:

Last Monday of every month, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Thank goodness we can finally admit that coloring is fun!  Join us in a relaxing evening of creativity with colored pencils and paper. Background tunes and snacks will help set the mood. Come prepared to sit back and unwind! All supplies are provided; give us a call to register. Already caught the coloring bug? Feel free to bring your own!

For more information or to register for any of these programs, please call the library at 463-6382 or stop in.

COLOMA

100 years ago – 1917

 Every man interested in the welfare of Coloma will attend the banquet and smoker given at the I.O.O.F. Hall. Previously, citizens met at the real estate office of Ernest M. Jones in the State Bank of Coloma.

The death of Mrs. John D. Hoff, nee Carrie Shoup, occurred due to appendicitis. She leaves to mourn her death a husband and two sons.

Contracts wanted! Large acreage of various berries as well as tomatoes, string beans and cherries – Friday Bros. Canning Co.

60 years ago – 1957

 Coloma will need $326,000 to solve its water and sewage problems. Engineer Ralph W. Petrie presented this estimate to Mayor L.H. Beach.

The Misses Cora, Marjory and Marie Furman enjoyed a visit in Lansing.

The Washington School family night dance was very successful. Dan Scott served as square dance caller. Over 200 persons attended.

The home of Mrs. Edith Kremer hosted the Self Culture Club meeting. Mrs. Hugo Van Drasek gave a talk of her recent trip to the Soo Locks. Mrs. Charles Bachman presided at the business session.

30 years ago – 1987

 Commissioner Edward Dill and Martin Quigley Jr. display the Michigan Sesquicentennial flag. Quigley spoke about the work his father had done in getting the event together. A flag-raising ceremony is being planned.

Winner of the Michigan Sesquicentennial Costume Contest was Mary O’Leary. She dressed as Charles Lindberg.

Superintendent Clifford Tallman reported the high school home economics program has been certified as a vocational program. The teacher is Virginia Kibler. This allows eligibility for federal funds.

HARTFORD

100 years ago – 1917

 L.C. Brackett has leased one of the stores in the opera house block and will open a wholesale egg business. They propose to purchase eggs from both the producers and local merchants and ship them to select markets in the east.

Miss Marie Heald sustained a fracture of her right leg just above the ankle in a fall on an icy sidewalk on Main Street last Saturday. She was taken to her home in the northwest part of the village where Dr. R.N. Dunnington reduced the fracture.

75 years ago – 1942

 The Hartford area reported its first black-out last week. It took place in broad daylight on a farm far removed from any military objectives. It all happened at the Arlyn Spaulding farm south of Hartford, when Mrs. Ora Spaulding found herself completely enveloped in inky blackness last Friday. She had just filled the stove with coal, when there was a crash which shook the house and pitched the room into total darkness. The darkness proved to be nothing more than a fog of coal soot and a broken stove pipe.

The drive for books for our boys on the outposts, is getting very liberal response, it is hoped we may have one thousand books by February 15. Books may be left with Dan Lightner at the old Ford garage on West Main Street or will be called for if any one of the committee is notified. It will be convenient for the books to be left at the Public Library.

50 years ago – 1967

 The Southwest Hartford Thursday Club will meet with Mrs. Esther Geisler as hostess. Roll call will be answered with “Armchair Travels”. A travelogue will be given by Vi Rush and in charge of the social hour will be Ruth White.

The Hartford Garden Club held its first meeting of the year Friday at the community room. Miss Dorothy Kemp, a local teacher who was sent by the club in June to Higgins Lake Conservation School for a week, made a report on the week’s events. Teachers are sent for instruction by experts in their fields combined with tourism, waterways, water resources, boating control and to become familiar with fish, game, forestry, parks and land use.

WATERVLIET

90 years ago – 1927

 A seven-pound daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Hunt of North Watervliet, on Feb. 6, 1927 and was named Dorothy Marguerite.

The water heating system at the George Lockway residence on Main Street has been practically ruined thru freezing of water that had been left in the system.  The house has been vacant for some time and the owner is said to have had the city water turned off but overlooked the fact that it was necessary to drain the system of water to prevent damage.

Prices in Feb 1927: Shredded coconut, .35/lb.; 3 pounds cooking figs, .40; Large can of sardines, .20; 10 pound sack flour, .75; Homegrown onions, .04/lb.; 10 pounds granulated sugar, .67

60 years ago – 1957

 Lydia Theresa Barnak, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Barnak, Watervliet has been awarded the $400 scholarship which came through the Behreng Trust Fund founded by the Watervliet Paper Co.   She is attending Western Michigan College.

Tom Dunham and Wilbert Brown, two Watervliet boxers won victories in the open class game at Benton Harbor in a Golden Gloves championship on Jan. 26, 1957.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Leslie are the proud parents of their baby boy, Marvin Dale, born Jan. 23, 1957 and weighed 8 pounds and 7 ounces.

30 years ago – 1987

 The Tri-City Area’s Sesquicentennial baby was born in Watervliet on Jan. 26, 1987 at 9:51 a.m.  The baby’s name is Kortney Lenee Marvin, and weighed in at 8 pounds 12 ounces.

Kelly Borr has been selected as ‘Student of the Week’ for week of Feb. 4, 1987.  Kelly is a consistently good student, has a good sense of humor, a sunny disposition and a spirit of kindness and cooperation toward her classmates and teachers.

The City of Watervliet has received approval of a Community Development Block Grant for $150,000 through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.  The grant funds will be used to assist low and moderate income families and individuals with home improvements, repairs and energy conservation.