Evening star., 1944-04-09
Mail From Home Brings Bad News to old Pop
Who Got Into Navy on Second Try at so
BY LIT. w. Z. COYLE, U. S. N. r.,

VIC scd IdCE py rs Lle snip KQ11e0
through the water. The sun was
shooting forth its last rays, painting
the clouds and the waves with the
rich reds and Colds that you find
only in the tropics In the distance
OF the starboard quarter, sky met
ocean as q little squall spent itseli
forming what looked like 4 great
pillar Of glass plunged into the sea
The bent beams Of the sun shining
through it were arched into q vivid
rainbow, and as the sun faded the
rainbow blended with the steely
gray Of twilight.
Just q few moments before, q
sleek destroyer had taken OF from
alongside the ship. The trim little
man O. war had delivered the first
mailsacks to come aboard in sew.
eral days. Anxious hands had hur.
ried them below, where they were
quickly emptied. The letters were
now being sorted, and Pop Campbell
was waiting for the ordeal to be
finished. He just knew there was q
letter for him. The wife had beer
wonderful about sending the latest
news from home-how the kids
were doing, and maybe a set ot
snapshots Of the youngest daugh.
ter skating in the park.
Feeling Of Closeness.
There was no use going down te
the flag ONCE to watch the sorting
It was always better to wait until
the excitement was over; then you
could pick up your mail and read
it in peace after the rest of the boys
jostled down the passageway to pick
their own little hooks, where the
letters from mothers and sweet
hearts could be read with the feel
ling of closeness that always seemed
to emanate from lovingly written
pages. ...
As Pop stood at the rail he looked
as cocky and salty as any of the
lads around him. His white hat
was tipped at saucy angle and
his slight figure tried hard to put
bulges in his blue dungaree shirt
and trousers. He did not look his
so years.
Pop had been in business for 20
years when the Japanese planes
roared over Pearl Harbor. He
stormed the recruiting ONCE with
the thousands OF other patriotic
Americans who wanted to square
the score, but when the doctor took
a squint at Pops "store teeth" he
turned the old boy down.
A year later Pop was still schem-
ing to get into the Navy. Sure hi
had done his bit in the last war
Then, in the prime of his youth
he had qualified for submarine
service and done q turn in the pie
boats. BY this time one Of hi
sons had been accepted by the
Navy; the oldest, who had enlisted
six years before, was writing home
about his exploits on the high seas
and daughter Janet had filled out
her papers for the WAVES and was
a cinch to get in. Another daugh.
ter and another son were still ir
school but probably would be ready
soon for some kind Of war service.
Battle Veteran.
Finally, one day at breakfast, q
Pop glared moodfly at the war head
lines. he felt the warm, soft hand
Of Mother Campbell In his, and
when, he looked up he found he,
smiling face. II. - =,
"If you really want TO go,-'. she
said, "why don't you try again?
know you'll make it this time.
You've got to now. Your brother
joined the marines yesterday. Aunt
Alice called to tell me last night.
That was the end. Pop dropped
his newspaper and legged it out OF
the house and right into the Navy
store, teeth and all.
And here he is-a battle veteran
standing shoulder to shoulder with
sailor lads more than 80 years his
junior and almost as old as his ad-
miral. The youngsters didn't know
how to take to him at first. But his
kindly way caused them to duh
him Pop" probably because this
father of five children their owr
age seems to take the place, tenn.
porarily of their own fathers, whom
they miss so much.
Hey. pop. here your letter
Thought I'd bring it up and save
you the trip down below"
A husky lad stuffed the envelope
into Pops anxious hand.
Letters and Clipping.
Pop slipped over to his favorite
lletter-reading spot. 1t was in the
.20-millimeter gun tub, where he had
privacy and the splinter shield cut
of the wind. His gnarled fingers
tore open the envelope. Out came
the letter and newspaper clipping
He began reading the clipping first
because the news column was head
ed by picture of the daughter who
had joined the WAVES.
Suddenly his face froze, his LIZ
quivered and as his eyes spec
through the print they filled with
tears that trickled down hi!
tanned and wrinkled face. Then h,
braced himself, and with firm steI
descended the ladder and went be-
low.
1t wasn't until days later that WI
found out that this had been tn,
way Pop Campbell had learned tha
his daughter had been killed in {
plane crash while in the perform.
ance of duty. The pretty girl in tn.
WAVE uniform in the snapshot thai
he always showed 50 proudly tx
every one was now just a memory.
Yes the ships out here are fillec
with a lot of guys like old Por
Campbell. There are no medals fol
men like Pop, but their very spirit
is in keeping with the finest tradi.
tions of the Navy and the country
they all love so well.