The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-05-24
Jake Comes Home Today
By DON GREENWOOD

Lucedale, Miss, May 24 - (U,Po Sergeant Jake Lindsey, southern boy, comes home today with his two prized possessions - his girl from the north and congressional medal of honor.
 This southern town of 300 was ready to turn out enmaSse to greet the 24year-old war hero and Beverly Hargreaves, the 19-year- blond he dreamed about through almost four years of war.
 Lindsey and his northern girl from Lexington, Mass, were expect ed to arrive from Washington at the Mobile, Ala, airport at 6:10 a. m, EWT. There a delegation wait ed to speed them 40 miles to his home here. Accompanying Lindsey and his sweetheart were his mother, father and sister. Waiting to greet him were the hometown folks, who had prepared real southern cele- bration," and Governor Thomas L. Bailey of Mississippi.
 Before they left Washington, where Jake received the medal of honor from President Truman per- sonally, he and his girl had exactly | four hours alone. Four years ago he sailed for Europe - three months after he met Beverly on a blind date. Since then he has carried her memory with him.
 Beverly admitted yesterday that they were engaged - informally - but they were still learning to know each other better. To do that they had to be alone So they eluded re- porters and photographers and lost themselves in downtown Washing ton stores.
 Jake bought his girl white ruff fled blouse, lipstick and bits of cos tune jeWelry. He said he liked "go- ing through the stores
 The best part of the adventure came when some unknoWing sales woman referred to Beverly as your wife He blushed. Beverly laughed
 Then they returned to the hotel where both were staying and sat on the balcony, holding hands and drinking lemonade. Upstairs her father, Jake's parents and the War Department waited. The hero and his girl were lost for the time be- ing.
 Jake pulled out all the pictures of her he had been carrying. They smiled over them and reminisced about those three short months in Boston. She was 15 then, he was 19. But neither forgot.
 It was on the balcony that he popped the question. And-well- they're engaged-in way.
 But we need more time together before really saying anything like that" Beverly said. And of course the announcement would have to come from my parents
 The report among the LindSeys however, was that Jake intended to go shopping for a ring in Mobile.
 Over the lemonade, Jake, who smashed a German tank-led attack snglehanded, told his girl he was really lucky to be here.'
 T looked around and saw I was the only one left alive with those Germans and thought if the other boys had to die, might as well too
 All Jake and Beverly want now is more time together" 80 they can really make plans. He's going to take her riding on a Mississippi ShoWboat
 Then in a week or so. they plan to go north, for weeks of swimming on Cope Cod beach near the Har- | greaves summer home. That's where Jake will spend most of his 3O-day furlough.
 Beverly said just to see him home" was enough thrill for her.
 I'd just as soon he hadn't men, toned right away that he had a girl" she said. But one thing, il made me get to see him much soon- CT. He was just as much hero to me before he got the medal. Why do you know he has refused lieu tenants commission four times? He | doesn't want to be an officer"