The Pilgrim Journey: Miles To Go Promises To Keep

By Douglas Turner

The Pilgrim Journey

I strived to provide a title for my book that would focus the mind-set of the reader to our family's journey through life; that of immense hardships and struggles, as well as that of courage and determination, to bring about personal triumph over misfortunes. And within this context of selecting a Title, I also wanted to reflect an immerse reverence for the Lord; the Almighty. For we children were taught by word and deed, from early childhood, to place our faith in our Creator.

For, out in the lonely country side, without a telephone, radio or TV, in the scorching summer time, sleeping out on the rickety front porch of our small two room house, I recall so clearly, looking up at the stars and the moon and reciting the little prayer that our Mom had taught us children; and never in my childish dreams fancying that I would live to see mankind journeying to and landing on that beautiful Heavenly body that I was observing.

Now lay me down to sleep,

Pray the Lord my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake,

Pray the Lord my soul to take.

And when Sunday's rolled around, making it to our little country church on foot, in a wagon or buggy; listening to the great hymns of praise and acclamation, lives on as a memory bliss. Then, members of long ago, who rose to great prominence in life, coming back home for interment beside our little country church.

Thus, I could not in the final analysis, but to provide a title that emulates, as near as possible, our sojourn to that of the early Pilgrims, who sacrificed and braved the immense hardships of leaving their homeland and journeying across the ocean to America for freedom of choice and worship.

Miles to Go: Promises to Keep

After much deliberation in selecting a befitting Title for my book, I continued to feel a certain void in my selection, as it appeared no to account for the countless miles of traversing that we had to do out in the countryside and the content that the journeying had on our lives; for it gave us time to reflect most deeply on our circumstances, where we had been in life, where we were in life and where we were going in life, and which of the promises we were going to keep in life; and thus selected the subtitle: Miles to Go: Promises to Keep.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781098054182

Book preview

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The Pilgrim Journey

Miles To Go Promises To Keep

Douglas Turner

ISBN 978-1-0980-5416-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-0980-5417-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-0980-5418-2 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Douglas Turner

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Title Edification

Preface

 Chapter 1 

Pilgrimage with Dad 1924–1935

Westward Ho and Marriage

Struggling for a Livelihood

Thankfulness amid Hardships

Grasp for Alternatives

Dad's Mental Failure

 Chapter 2 

Journey On with Mom 1935–1943

Through Deep Valleys

Preserving the Family Unit

Family Travails

 Chapter 3 

Decisive Transitions 1943–1946

Douglas to World War II Mom to Buckner Orphan's Home

Delivery of Atomic Bombs to Asia-Pacific War Theatre

Japan Surrenders: ending Asia-Pacific War & WWII

Majestic Tokyo: Vanquished

Miracle On the High Seas

 Chapter 4 

Safe Passage 1946–1951

Home from World War II Life at Orphanage

Goodbye to Buckner Orphan's Home

Special Thanks to Buckner

 Chapter 5 

Korean War 1951–1952

Douglas to Active Duty

 Chapter 6 

Naval Reunions 1980–1995

Search for Photographs Reacquaintances

 Chapter 7 

Search for Dad 1983

Research

Mystery Unfolds

Reflections

 Chapter 8 

Sunset Years for Mom 1983–1994

Tributes

 Chapter 9 

Court Proceedings

Documents

Observations—Convictions

EPILOGUE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The

Pilgrim Journey

Dedication

With love and admiration

to our extended Turner Family

and beyond

In memory of our Dear Mom

Beyond my Immediate Family

Am paying special tribute to my home town of Edgewood, Tx, by way of a friend to every one; who was president of the town's Heritage Society for many years and the person I worked with in restoration of the local Pioneer cemetery; and who sent me the following e-mail a few years prior to her passing.

10/7/14

Douglas,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

You are a true inspiration to me and I am grateful you are a part of my Life's Journey.

Be well, do good and keep in touch.

Pattizo Humphries

Acknowledgments

To all the Family members for their

encouragement in this

Pilgrimage Through Time

To Grandson & Family,

USAF U-2 Pilot Captain Daniel St. Clair,

for placing the Work on compact disc;

initial editing and reproducing.

Foreword

The book covers our family's pilgrimage through unprecendented times in American history; that of the decade long Great Depression, followed by the years of World War 11; and is often referenced as the Greatest Generation.

Thus, the reader will discover great hardships; toil and sacrifices; yet where much grace abounded. For, in the midst of wondering how our next meal would come about or having to eat leftover's for breakfast such as corn bread and English peas, we were always encouraged by the biblical parable that ‘we do not live by bread alone'. And, when Sunday's rolled around, rain or shine, we would make it to our little country church on foot, in a wagon or buggy, and sang the great spiritual hymns of faith and acclamation that helped to dispell our daily burdens. For, we children of varying ages, whether in our little country church or later at the Orphanage, remember so dearly, hearing our Mon sing out so beautifully with her gifted Alto voice; singing such songs as: ‘Burdens are lifted at Calvary', ‘Heavenly Sunshine', Victory in Jesus, etc.

Being the eldest of seven children, at age nine, I would stand on a wooden crate; place the bridle and harness on the patient horse, hitch her to the plow, and run the middles in the cotton field while our Dad picked up sporadic outside work to help feed the family. Then, with the early loss of our father, our Mom, long before daybreak, would put together our school lunches, meager as they were; get the sleepy-eyed little ones across the way in our grandmother's care, and set out on foot for the long trek into town and work at a sewing room for meager wages to help the family survive; then walk the long roads back home, wondering how she would make it alone.

The long Depression years was followed by WW II on two fronts; the Atlantic with Germany and in the Pacific with Japan. For, day after day, we would see a young man plowing in the field and the next day he was off to war. And as to myself, after bidding my wife and other family members goodbye, I was off to war and spent a winter long of hellish basic training, then rode a troop train from the east coast, through my home towns, to the west coast; one of many rolling east and west, ferrying troops to the coastal areas for overseas deployment. I shipped out to the South Pacific as un-paralled sacrifices were being made by so many on the high seas; on the battlefields, and on the home fronts; as there were young wives, with infant and luggage in tow; changing trains; hurrying to see her husband before his shipping out; hoping, yet realizing, there was a likelihood they would never see each other again. And I was able to assist a lady in such circumstances at the Cincinnati, Ohio, interchanging train terminal on my way back to camp.

The wars raged for several years with heroism and mounting death toll on the seas and in far way lands as now so poignantly evidenced by the expanse of cemeteries on the South Sea Islands of the Pacific and in the European countries.

In the South Pacific, our Philippine based Naval Unit was designated as one of the scores of forces that would invade the Japanese homeland in the final assult, with the anticipated loss of some 50,000 forces. Fortunately, the atomic bombs were dropped and after signing the Surrender Agreement, our Unit was dispatched as one of the original occupation forces of the Japanese homeland. And while there, I was fortunate to visit the riddled, bombed-out, majestic city of Tokyo, that left an indellible and everlasting impression on me as related in the book. We then boarded ship for our journey back to the states; but which long awaited homebound journey was a near ‘lost at sea' disaster; and were saved we must believe, by the grace of God; in his performing a : ‘Miracle on the High Seas', as the book describes.

At war's end, we picked up with life anew; but without some of our grade and high school class mates who did not return from the war. And having remained in the Naval Reserve after release form WW 11, I was recalled to active duty in the Korean War and served one and one half years aboard a Destroyer Escort in the Atlantic; training young men for Naval Service. I had a wife and three year old daughter at the time. And intertwined with my Naval Service, had a forty plus years civilian career.

Title Edification

The Pilgrim Journey

I strived to provide a title for my book that would focus the mind-set of the reader to our family's journey through life; that of immense hardships and struggles, as well as that of courage and determination, to bring about personal triumph over misfortunes. And within this context of selecting a Title, I also wanted to reflect an immerse reverence for the Lord; the Almighty. For we children were taught by word and deed, from early childhood, to place our faith in our Creator.

For, out in the lonely countryside, without a telephone, radio or tv, in the scorching summer time, sleeping out on the rickety front porch of our small two room house, I recall so clearly, looking up at the stars and the moon and reciting the little prayer that our Mom had taught us children; and never in my childish dreams fancying that I would live to see mankind journeying to and landing on that beautiful Heavenly body that I was observing.

Now lay me down to sleep,

Pray the Lord my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake,

Pray the Lord my soul to take.

And when Sunday's rolled around, making it to our little country church on foot, in a wagon or buggy; listening to the Pastor's message and the great hymns of praise and acclamation, lives on as a memory bliss. Then, members of long ago, who rose to great prominence in life, coming back home for interment beside our little country church.

Thus, I could not in the final analysis, but to provide a title that emulates, as near as possible, our sojourn to that of the early Pilgrims; who sacrificed and braved the immense hardships of leaving their homeland and journeying across the perilous ocean to America for freedom of choice and worship.

Miles To Go

Promises To Keep

After much deliberation in selecting a befitting Title for my book, I continued to feel a certain absence in my selection, as it appeared not to account for the countless miles of traversing that we had to do out in the countryside, and the content that the journeying had on our lives; for it gave us time to reflect most deeply on our circumstances; where we had been in life; where we were, where we were going, and what promises we were going to keep in life; and thus selected the subtitle: Miles to Go; Promises to Keep.

Preface

Across the annals of time comes impelling forces that test the very fabric of society and transcends the course of human history. One such era—lest we forget—was the ravaging years of the Great Depression during the 1920s and 1930s.

The captivating values and experiences that shaped the populace during that somber period set the stage, the environment, and standards for conduct of major affairs for decades to come.

As a vivid reflection of the trials, tribulations, and suffering endured during those times, the pages of this book detail the true and gripping account of our family's journey through those long, devastating years of depredation; not unlike the plight of the earlier Pilgrims.

Faced with an overwhelming, seemingly hopeless and losing battle in eking out a livelihood for a growing family, with the passage of time looking ever grimmer; and each day appearing bleaker than the day before, our father succumbs to a mental breakdown in the 1930s and exits the family.

Mother, then left with seven children, including one yet unborn, picks up the struggle and continues the fight for survival of the family during the ongoing, dark and destitute times; finally, after many years, with Mom entering an Orphanage with the four youngest of the children.

The hope that sustained Mom and us children during those many, long years, came from our abiding faith and perseverance; the steadfastness of our relatives and the influence of Christian communities.

The book relates as well individual courage and determination to bring about personal triumph over misfortunes.

Written and Compiled by

Douglas Turner

Eldest of the seven Turner children

Other Turner children are:

 Chapter 1 

Pilgrimage with Dad 1924–1935

Westward Ho and Marriage

Being a rather restless lad down in Florida during the early twenties, Henry (Jack) Turner had often wondered what he could do after completing high school that would lead to the satisfaction of his burning desires for adventure. Perhaps not realizing it, he might have considered travel as a means to relieve some of the anxiety and emptiness that had developed during his adolescent years from the early loss of his mother. So as school neared an end, Jack could imagine himself writing back home to Dad, brother, and Grandmother describing his experiences in the coal mines of West Virginia or in the booming oil towns of faraway Texas.

With school finally concluded, Jack had made up his mind to head west. Hence, with that absence of fear so prevalent in youth, he placed a bundle of clothes under his arm and with a few dollars in his pocket, bid the folks good bye. He had decided to set out on a journey, which he hoped would lead to the country of black liquid gold that was being discovered in the wildcat oil fields of eastern Texas.

It was almost a foregone conclusion how Jack would travel across the country. As Jack's father, James, had worked on the railroads for some time, Jack had become quite fascinated at seeing the huge steam freight locomotives rumble along the tracks moving their awesome cargoes and often carrying some freeloaders, the Hobos.

On hopping a freight train heading west out of the rail yard and down the lonely tracks, the reality of actually leaving home seemed to bring a quiver of fright to Jack. However, as the engine puffed and strained to gain momentum and the sound of steel clanging against steel became more intense, there seemed to come a sense of bravery and relief, as courage and determination were substituted for fright.

Climbing up the side of the sealed freight car and walking down the top catwalks of several freight cars while the train waved from side to side down the tracks, Jack waved to some folks in a Model T Ford as the freight speed past the railroad crossing. Passing through strange fields, towns, and countryside, catching a nap in an empty boxcar or in a rail yard, bumming a bite to eat along the rail line, the hours turned into days and the grime began to show on his face and clothing. From the end of one freight train's destination to another, and rail yard to rail yard, Jack was surely headed farther west.

Taking a bearing on his location from time to time, he began to realize that he was far from home, but looked forward with eager anticipation to reaching his destination. And one evening, while sharing an empty boxcar with a couple of other Hobos, their humming and singing of some ballads brought mixed feelings to Jack, for the songs sounded so lonesome, yet so apropos. A mixture of the tunes seemed to have been summed up as follows:

Westward Ho! ¹

There's a train ah leaving

Down those lonesome tracks;

A heaving and ah groaning,

Heavy laden on its back;

Billowing smoke and steam

Struggling under the load,

Is it the freight I need

To take me where I wanna go?

The tracks look all alike,

The big iron horses too;

Taking a westward ho,

Is what I wanna do.

Asked a crusted old Hobo:

Is this the California Rose?

He said: Hop on young man,

We'll try it for a stroll.

The brakeman down the line,

Gave us a glancing eye,

As if to say: I'll let you ride,

If you understand it's on the sly.

On through the woodlands

The freight plowed the way,

Rumbling past the cornfields

And farmers tending their hay.

Rain beating down upon us

Far away from home;

Bumming a bite here, a bite there;

Paying the price to roam.

My pocket book is empty,

Not a nickel can I show;

I'm beginning to feel just like

All the other roving Hobos.

I hopped off in Texas,

To make a stake on life;

Hoping to beat the odds

Of scores living in strife.

With the songs lingering in his heart, it was not long until Jack's dreams began to culminate, as he was certain it was time to hop off the freight. He was glad he had made the decision to get off the train before being put off by the brakeman, although most of the trainmen seemed to understand the plight of the hitchhikers.

After catching up a little with his sleep, Jack was off to locate the drilling sites and soon saw in the distance, long strings of well pipe hanging in the derricks of the wells. The Roughnecks and Derrickmen were straining and heaving, and the winches were squeaking and groaning, metal against metal, to run the pipe in the well. This was just what Jack had pictured and dreamed about, and finally located a driller who would take him on and give him a chance to prove his worthiness.

Working long hours, seven days a week, in the grimy and exhausting job of a roughneck and living in the gang camp, was sheer satisfaction to Jack. Although bouncing from driller to driller, the money usually lasted from one job to another, and worries for the future was not in this young man's mind at the time.

Jack's optimum in oil field work was to some day bravely climb to the top of the derrick and help with the crown block in lifting and lowering the strings of pipe in and out of the well. Thus, when one of the drillers moved his rig to a prospect in upper east Texas on our neighbor's farm, Jack came along as the derrickman on the job. Being near a local farmhouse, he worked out an arrangement for room and board, which would not only bring some needed income to the farm family, but would also provide a respite from the rough life of gang-camp living and cooking.

As it turned out, there were two young daughters in their late teens in the farm family to help with the extra cooking and housekeeping duties. Seeing the rough work, hungry hound and endless endurance of the young man, who had dared the odds all the way from Florida, somewhat fascinated the family and especially the young girls. And the smartness, enlightening nature and characters of the girls brought excitement to the young man.

Jack was enticed at times to attend Sunday evening songfests in which the girls participated; and although a new experience, it seemed to bring a certain joy and relief to some of the pressures of the hardhat wildcatting work.

Arriving back at the house on a Sunday evening,