Newspaper Page Text
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Martin Beeland
Martin Beeland lives in
Perry. He served in the U.S.
Navy from Jan. 28, 1955 to
Jan. 27, 1959. After comple
tion of Avionics Technician
School, Beeland was assigned
to an anti-submarine squad
ron. It wasn’t long after that,
the squadron was on an air
craft carrier and on its way
to take part in a Far East
“cruise.”
“We visited Hawaii, sever
al ports in Japan and Hong
Kong, China,” Beeland said.
During this time, the aircraft
he was on made the 78,000 th
arrested landing aboard the
boxer.
“We were behind the air
craft that was to have made
the landing,” he said. “But
they got a ‘wave off” and we
got the honor.”
Kneeling: Radar opera
tor, Martin Beeland, ECM.
MAD Operator M.E. Evans.
Standing: Co-pilot Lt. JG
R. Becker, plane captain
H. Miller, pilot Lt. JG D.
Stechman.
Submitted
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Submitted
Pictured is Eidson in uniform and in his
shop in Iwakuni, Japan, taken around
2000.
CUMMINGS
From page lC
Cummings did not see
Tokyo.
The war ended and he was
release back home to become
a family man. While he
served in Naval operations,
his family also answered the
call.
Many members of his
immediate family even made
"Watson Boulevard
was a two-lane
road with ditches
big enough to drive
tractors through
them. So much
has changed. Sixty
years is a long
time to spend in
one place"
- Buford Cummings
NORRIS 2
Front page iC
like grotesque scarecrows
over upright steel girders
that protruded from the
water.
“Yet, I never saw a sin
gle soldier trying to return
to the safety of his landing
craft. I didn’t feel much like
a hero myself that day. They
were all below me.
“When my part was over,
I headed back to my base in
England.
“Later, after a warm show
er and a change of clothing,
I walked to the bar for a
couple of cool drinks, then
on to the officer’s mess for a
nice warm meal.
“When I finally reached
my quarters that night, I
climbed into my warm bed,
between nice cool sheets ...
and wept.”
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Daniel
Eidson
Eidson lives in Centerville.
He served in the Marine
Corps from 1996-2001 as an
F-18 RADAR technician.
He spent most of his time,
he said, between Beaufort,
S.C. and Iwakuni, Japan.
“My biggest accomplish
ment,” he said, “was being
meritoriously promoted
twice - to lance corporal and
then to corporal.”
When Eidson got out in
2001, he took a job with
Northrop Grumman in
Warner Robins, where he
still works today.
“He is also a full-time stu
dent at Mercer University
School of Engineering,
studying electrical engineer
ing.
ammunition in a place called
St. Julian’s Creek.
Cummings later settled
down to life in Warner
Robbins.
He and his wife raised
four sons here: Buford Jr.,
Christian 8., Mark F. and
Glenn R. Of these four men
all followed in their father’s
steps and were active duty
Navy.
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Cummings, however, also
wasn’t finished with the
military.
He was recalled to active
duty at the beginning of
the Korean War and worked
as an instructor training
young officers in the man
agement of LSTs and other
amphibious craft,
While working on the base
now, however, he mused over
Jiausimt Hally Journal
P.O. Box 1910 • 1210 Washington Street • Perry, GA 3106 9
478-987-/823
SPECIAL
Fred Baker, a lifetime resident
of Middle Georgia - in particu
lar Warner Robins - served in the
U.S. Navy from 1943-1946. As a
motor machinist’s mate aboard the
Fighting Midget USS LCS-130,
he fought in World War 11, and
his tours of duty included Japan,
Hawaii and the Philippines.
Writes his daughter Jennifer
Jackson: “For his 80th birthday this
year, we had a special party filled
with surprises that also included 40
of his friends and family and with
a theme of red/white/blue to honor
his service during WWII.”
“While sailing from place to
place,” Jackson writes, “he had
kept a handwritten journal during
this time, along with many black
and white pictures to remember
the fun times - the beautiful Pacific
Ocean scenery, along with the hor
rors of the battles he fought in.
“For years he has talked frankly
the changes he has seen in
Warner Robins.
“Watson Boulevard was a
two-lane road with ditches
big enough to drive tractors
through them,” he said. “So
much has changed. Sixty
years is a long time to spend
in a place.
He adde: “It is sadder now
since my wife Carolyn passed
just two months ago.”
Fred Baker
ifil ’
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about the long days and nights in
war, the fighting from sun up to sun
down, the places he visited from
See BAKER, page 5C
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And Bill Your Credit Card
Quarterly For Your Subscription 'll m
All The Hassle! IBjMl
FRIDAY/SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10/11, 2006 •
BAKER
Corner
' • SMonognamming • Oil Uhinlinfjs • Qifts
(Susfom SJuiminff
918 Carroll Street • Perry, GA
478-987-4079
"Wa were
rescued by the
Navy”
- Carlton Griffin
GRIFFIN
From page tA
“We received word
from General MacArthur
that we would be out of
Korea for Christmas and
that’s exactly what hap
pened,” he said. “My tank
crew was the last to leave
because we had to make
sure that the last man and
vehicle crossed the bridge
and also that the bridge
was destroyed.
“We were rescued by the
Navy,” he added.
Griffin’s stint in the
Army ended January 31,
1953 with an honorable
medical discharge. He was
discharged medically due
to injuries he sustained
June 16, 1951 in Korea.
Once out, Griffin
returned to Perry where,
he said, he rekindled his
romance with his high
school sweetheart and fel
low Perry native, Rebecca
Eleanor Grace. He was
obviously successful
because they were mar
ried Sept. 1, 1956.
From Perry, the couple
moved to Indianapolis,
Ind., for a few years but
we returned to Perry in
1968.
“Perry has been home
for me ever since,” he said,
but mournfully added:
“Unfortunately, my loving
wife passed away Oct. 15,
2000.
“But, I would have to say
that falling in love with
her and marrying her was
my greatest accomplish
ment. She was the main
reason I wanted to get out
of Korea alive and return
to Perry.
“Although my military
career was brief, it was
an honor to have served
these United States of
America. And if the truth
be told, I would do it all
over again.”
Exp:
3C
U 0026