Imperial Valley press., 1943-09-16

A ~ ,sSAm.
A happy. surprise reunion took
place recently between two E
Centrans, Major Robert E. Thack-
er and his younger brother, Avia-
ton Cadet William E. Thacker
They met at the navy training ali
base at Hutchinson, KanS. Major
Bob is stationed at Pyote air base
at Pyote, Texas, with the Flying
Fortress bomber combat training
station for final training before
being sent overseas as instructor
He landed his plant at Hutchinson
on one of his many routine train
ing flights and was waiting for
Cadet Bill on the steps of the flight
tower while Bill finished training
flight. The brothers had not met
for more than two years, not since
Major Bob left for the war front in
the Pacific. For a second Cadet
Bill said he could not believe his
eyes. Officers at the base let Cadet
Bill accompany Major Bob on one
leg of his training flight in his big
BIZ army Flying Fortress. Cadet
Bill said it was quite a battle
wagon. The major is due to go
overseas Immediately with his
squadron of bombers to be placed
in action. He then will return to
the States and begin training an
other squadron. Cadet Bill Is in
his second stage of training and is
due to leave for Corpus Christi or
Pensacola for his final training and
commission as an ensign in the
navy or marine air corps.
Gerald Lampkins, second class
machinistS mate with the navy, is
home on leave after 16 months Of
sea duty in the south Pacific war
zone. This is his first leave and it
will continue for Is days. He has
seen plenty of action. He is visiting
his father, G. H. Lampkins, in Ell
Centro.
Two Ell Centro boys, sons of Mr..
and Mrs. w. M. Esensee, are in the
service. PFC. Arthur Esensee has
been with a medical corps in Africa
for more than year. He has been
in the service for a year and a
half. Pvt. William Elsensee has
been in the parachute infantry for
six months. He is stationed at
Camp Mackall in North Carolina.
He went to high school in Ell
Centro.
Mrs. Mary Brown received word
recently that her son, 1t. Harry H.
Brown, was transferred from
Grenada. Miss, to Fort Wayne,
Indiana, and advanced from sec
ond to a first lieutenant in the
army air force transport command.
Pvt. John R. Hunter, Jr., 20,
completed an eight-Week course OF
study in the intelligence school of
the marine corps at Camp Elliott
and has been graduated. He re-
ceived instructions in jungle war
fare, use of weapons, chemical
warfare, map reading, scouting,
patroling, examination of prisoners,
and other subjects. He is now
capable of assuming duties in the
intelligence section of the marine
corps combat unit. His parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. J. R. Hunter, live at
1864 Brighton, Ell Centro.
Cpl. Tom Ed Brents, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Max Brents, has been on
maneuvers out of Bend, Ore, since
mid-July and declares he is having
a rugged time. He is connected
with an army engineering corps.
Among the former El CentranS
now overseas is Chief Pharmacists
Mate Arthur James jenkins. He
left the United States more than a
month ago.
Major r. F. Bolenbaker, Ell
Centro vetinarian stationed at Fort
Huachuca, Ariz., for many months
left the United States a short time
plane for an unannounced destina-
ton.
B. Rivera, head of the Filipino
community in Ell Centro before he
entered the navy, wrote an in
teresting letter. He said in part
Il received your letter from Ber-
muda. That was almost two or
three months since our ship was
commissioned in Orange, Texas
Yes, sir, you must be wondering
why it took such a long time to
wait for an answer. Glad to be
back to the good U. S. A. Our navy
sure go places and how. I just got
five days leave and I spent this
five days in Manhattan, Coney Is
land, and Radio City 1t was such
long voyage across the Atlantic
I sure feel funny to step on the
ground after SO days of trip back
and forth. Africa, on way to
Gibraltar, and around Oran and
those places we already occupy are
sure nice places The Rock of
Gibraltar is sure an amazing sight.
was not sorry after all to have
joined the navy I know and you
know sir that we sure work night
H. uaH