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As long as I am the only one in my web siye I can dream alone

Art Morneweck and Belle Isle.

How we met – the love of my life She was 19,,,,I was 20

Early in 1943, I went on a double date with a friend and the Matthews sisters to Eastwood Amusement Park at Gratiot and 8 mile. It was a long drive from Detroit's west side. I was paired with Blanche, but her sister, Charlotte (Micky) was a great looker and I thought she was the one for me. We all had a good time together. It was more like a friend's outing than a date. Two nights later, Micky was on her way home from her job at G.M.C. She stopped at Simone's soda fountain shop where I was having a frozen Power House candy bar. We talked a while and I asked her to go for a ride. We drove to Belle Isle in my father’s 1940 Ford and one section was a parking that you faced the river and watch the boats go bye. There was no open parking space so we had to ride around the island. When you come to the bridge there was about 5 or 6 driving lanes that all turned right and takes you back off the island. Luckly I was in the 6th lane that took you over the bridge or you could drive straight and go around again. Something in my heart said go straight and I did. This time there was a parking space open. I parked and we had our first kiss. We watched the boats and then Micky said she had to go to the bath room. We left and stopped at first bath room and it was pad-locked, I looked at my watch and it was after mid-night, so was the second bat room locked.Going across the bridge Micky said she really had to go. I new if we turned left to go home we would not find a restaurant so I turned right and found a restaurant about two blocks away. I stopped and Micky used their bath room. About four months later we got engaged just before I left for Army Air Corps cadet training. I returned to Detroit to get married during a week long furlough.

Micky and I were apart for the next two years as I was sent to the Philippine Islands and occupation duty in Taegu, Korea. I returned home to her in July, 1946. We celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary May 15, 2001. Then Dec. 30, 2001 my Micky went to be with our Lord. Our daughters and son-in-law are Toni Ann Morneweck, Terry & Jack Ellis, and grandson Tim 16. We all live in same neighborhood in Novi. Micky's sister Blanche Rosendale, now lives in St. Clair.NOTE:BLANCE DIED Aug. 21, 2005.

WW2 Marriages: A short “I do†and off to war

WW 2 marriages did not have tuxedos and long gowns but did have ever lasting love. As a cadet we finished our tour at Gettysburg College and was given one week furlough Friday May 12,1944. From "Old Dorm" I called my fiancee and asked if she would marry me. She said yes, I jumped on a bus to Harrisburg, bought a new cadet hat, jumped on train for Detroit. On the train the porter looked at me, with wings on my shoulder, wings on my new cap, and humming our song "You'll never know how much I miss you". The porter said "Sir we have a better seat in the car ahead of us." I arrived home Saturday morning and found out we needed some papers filled out but offices were closed. Luck was with me, my future father-in-law had friends downtown, so everything was copasetic. We were married Monday May 15,1944 at 7 PM. We went downtown to the Hotel Fort Shelby. Shortly after arriving there my wife's sister and our best man came with White Castle Hamburgers. We spent the rest of the week on cloud nine floating around visiting friends. Sunday May 20, 1944 I left my love (boy, is this hard to write) and did not see her for two years while I went to Philippine Islands and Taegu, Korea. My wife is with our Lord now, looking down here and I can still hear her saying "Roy you are going to make yourself sick". Name Roy is another story, my middle name is LeRoy.

May 20 I was back to Gettysburg College and we were shipped out to Maxwell Field, Alabama for Pre-flight. After pre-flight we went to Avon Park, Florida where we started flying the open cockpit Bi-wing PT-17 Stearman. Then to Lakeland Florida with same type of plane. Then to Cochran Field at Macon, Georgia flying the AT-6 Texan. January 1945 I was given check flight by a Captain and one by a Major. (I had my pilot’s license before joining the Air Corps.) The Major said I did OK but they had too many pilots and I was put in the Army Infantry. I went to Gainesville,Texas for infantry training. Finished training and went to New Jersey and then by train to Pittsburg, California and shipped out June 1, 1945 for the Philippine Islands.

Hello Art, I've been catching up on your stories here and on the WBG site. Thank you so much for your service and sharing your experiences.

I'm sorry to hear about your dear wife.

My grandfather was also in Taegu, Korea. 1950-51.

Hugs from WV,

Brooke

Oh no watch out Papa Art trouble has entered the room... and her name is Brooke..just kidding its good to see you here Brooke Hugs at ya Cindy

Brooke I just re read your post My dad was also in Korea 1950 -51. I am sure he was at Teagau He went in on the first landing on Sept 18th 1950 and id the march to the Chosin Resivoir He is a "Frozen Chozen" My Dad was in the 7th Infantry Div 32 Regiment what about your Grandpa? What is his name> How wierd it would be if they knew each other It has happened before ya know Good to see you here I think you will enjoy it. Hugs Cindy

Nice to see you Cindy. My grandpa's name is Gene Chambers. I'll ask him this evening what unit he was in. I've got it written down on the back of a photo somewhere, but it's easier just to ask him again.

I do know that he drove a truck hauling various supplies including ammunition. I've never heard of the "Frozen Chosen" but he's had trouble with his feet for years due to frost damage and is currently trying to get compensation from the VA. I have some photos, if you want I can email them to you so you can show your dad if he thinks he may know him.

Brooke

Brooke, we'd love to hear more. Thanks. It's also nice having another female on the forum. We have to show these guys and stick together.

Brooke,

Here is story on first American in Korea

WWII Unknown Stories

This is what I remember. If it helps good, if not it’s something different.

July 8, 1945 I arrived at Leyte Island, July 25, 1945 arrived at Panay Island.

Japan surrendered August 14, 1945.

Sept. 8 or 15, 1945 we arrived at Inchon, Korea and took a train to Taegu, Korea. We were the first Americans the Koreans ever saw. We marched into the Japanese compound past the Japanese guard and stopped in front of a 2-story building we were to use as our barracks. Being in the first squad we marched to each guard post, the Japanese soldier fell in the rear of our column and one of our men took over the guard post. I took guard of the ammo dump and it was raining very hard. The Japanese soldiers were very cordial and bowed to each of us as we replaced them. When we got back from guard duty the Japanese were gone. The following night we were just getting in bed and the C.O. came in and told our squad to make a full field pack (with rations), get our rifles and ammunition, because of some trouble in town. We packed up (13 in our squad) and were taken to the city hall. We just got there and were standing at the gate when up from three directions came three Japanese soldiers running at us. To us it looked like the whole Japanese army was coming at us. Those rifles of our got loaded really quick and ready. The Japanese just came up to surrender to us Americans. They were afraid of the Korean Police. We were to guard some important criminal and political papers. My guard post was two vaults and it was pitch black. Here comes the kicker!! We were the regular army troops, but the only ones there so we were given M.P. helmets, M.P. arm bands and 45 caliber revolvers and we worked with the Korean Police. We set up our radios in police stations to talk to our jeep. There was a city block of houses, built side by side, no back door, and facing the courtyard. Only one way to get in and we were there to keep G.I.’s out from this whorehouse district. I don’t know how they would get in but a Korean madam would come out saying American, American and we would have to go in and check each room and kick them out. Four of us were put at an out-post many miles from town at bottom of some mountains. Every morning a jeep with a hot stove would come and make us hot breakfast, the rest of the day k-rations or one time two of us took our rifles and got a few ducks. We were guarding a large barn. One day we looked in the barn and it was full of rice bowls. Many miles away another 4-man post was guarding parachutes. The Korean toilets were oblong holes in the floor and they had Honey dippers who would take away the human waste and spread it on their food gardens, everything grew twice as large as ours. We were not aloud to eat anything that came from the ground. We did not destroy any arms; I assumed the Japanese took them home with them. There was a room that had a few things we could have, I brought back a sword. We did turn in our rifles and they dunked in some preservation gook. I left Korea Feb. 26, 1946 and was dis-charged March 20, 1946. When I was at Taegu, we (GI’s) had no problems with the Korean people and knew nothing about political problems, we just wanted to go back to the states. I was in the 40th Division, 185th Infantry, Company E, 1st Platoon, 1st Squad. I have a few pictures of farmers, Korean Police, and our M.P.’s if you need them.

papa Art

Hello Art, thanks a bunch for posting that story about the first Americans in Korea. I espcially enjoyed the tidbit about the"fertilizer" because it explains why my grandad won't eat rice to this day!! He's told me that if I saw what he saw, I wouldn't eat it either. hehe!!

FYI, my "pawpaw" was in 32nd Engineer Corp., and 306 Trucking Company.

Hugs,

Brooke

Here is another tid bit on Korea

Honey Dipper

Here is one definition:

www.rockcheese.com

Honeydipper HONEYDIPPER"A land flowing with milk and honey" (Leviticus 20:24). www

Now let me tell you about WW2 Korean Honey Dippers.. They pick up something that is flowing , but not milk and honey.

Sept. 1945 This is what I found . The bath-room has a floor with a couple of holes about 12 inches by 6 inches.Don’t hold me to that because I did not have a gas mask and tape measure .Be-low those holes are holes in the ground. you use these holes to stand or squat..

You may look at the next hole and see a moman squatting, but all you can think of is

Ya-gotta go..Now the honey dipper comes along with his donkey (I din’t use that other word)

And barrels strapped to the donkeys side. The honey dipper uses a spoon type tool to get the

Waste (s___) out of the hole in (one) the ground and put it in his barrels. They use this waste

to s pread on the gardens. The potatoes.,beans ETC..grow twice as big as ours dose .

As you can guess we were not allowed to eat any-thing that came out of the ground..

Some day I will tell you of building a out house at our out-post and problem we had..

I did hear a Jeep hit one of these Honey Dippers but that driver is quarantined for 6 months

Art a long ago air man

eck!! That is one job I would NOT like to have.

Hugs,

Brooke