Relatives and Ancestors: My Military Uncles 'Curly' and 'Cougie'

   Happy Memorial Day, and Memorial Week ! 

   I would of preferred this post be uploaded by Monday, but there were extenuating circumstances.

 Relatives and Ancestor: Part Three

 Brothers In Arms 

   This is such a meaningful holiday, isn't it?  Yet I recently noticed that perhaps flags are not being as proudly flown as often as they once were. Oddly, I also see less of the traditional cook outs in the backyards than we use to take for granted. I spent a part of this last Monday, as I am sure, and certainly hope, that many of you do, visiting cemeteries and tombs to pay my respects. For my immediate family this would mainly be Green Ridge, north of Connellsville, where my closest relatives are buried. These are somber moments that catch me with a tear or two because they are so dearly missed in life. We took flags and flowers with us, although they were needed, since this military cemetery provides them. A little meditation on who they were, and how much they meant to me is to be expected. This is a normal ritual at their grave sides.

     

Heroes Of World War Two

     My Military Uncles

  Scott Hoover, known as 'Curly' and Clarence Hoover, nicknamed 'Cougie' as child, were, according to my mother and Aunt Ada and all who personally knew them, very nice, well behaved brothers and young men. Their loving mother, and my grandmother was Ida Mae Hoover; we referred to her in affectionate terms, simply, as 'Nan'. I don't really recall why, except that it's short for Nanny. Her mother was from 'the Old Country', and that meant Germany. 

   The family moved frequently in the early days, after Ida Porch had married John Hoover from Somerset. Standard Shaft, Marguerite, three localities in Kingview, etc. Our Nan, a wonderful, wise and generous grandmother, if ever there was one,  had quite a difficult time of things with the tragedy of the deaths of her precious sons, likewise much the same would be said with their father, John Hoover. A carpenter and a coal miner, rarely seen on the strrets without a suit and tie, he only lived to his early 60's before suffering a heart attack. According to my mother, Sylvia Hoover Wilson, he was one of  kind too, a very caring and indulgent father. And I could continue that tradition, by sincerely stating that I could not of had a more concerned, loving mother, either. Curly and Cougie were the grandsons of Israel Hoover, and a man who was a Civil War veteran and his story of fearlessness has made him a hard case to follow in bravery. They appear to of done exceptionally well and I am very proud of their service and exploits! They gave their all and their lives for their country. We only have one wish, that we would of known them in their brief years upon this earth.

Much of their careers can be gleaned from the accompanying photo with their story, courtesy of The Daily Courier:

   Details of Their Enlistment and Careers

  SCOTT EDWIN HOOVER: He was based out of De Ridder, Louisiana and had graduated as an aerial gunner from Tyndall Field in Florida on November 3, 1942. He was then presented with his silver wings and became a sergeant. Next...   on the 15th, he transferred to the Second Army Air Force School at the armory of Salt Lake City. Upon finishing his studies on December 26 he was promoted to staff sergeant. He then completed work at  a radio school at Birmingham, Alabama by Feb. 1943. His proficiency was as a tail gunner on the B-26 Marauder Bomber. He was on his 58th bombing mission over southern France when he was killed in action on June 25 of 1944. He received the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze and Silver Stars representing six campaigns with a citation of honor. He was 23 years old. He graduated Scottdale High School from the class of 1941. He entered the Army Air Force on August 29, 1942, a fateful day. 


  CLARENCE WILLIAM HOOVER: He left for service on June 28, 1943, desiring to follow his brother in service. He left behind him a wife and baby. He was located at Camp Wheeler, Georgia for four months before going overseas on November 18, 1943, first to North Africa and then to Italy. He was with Company B, 133rd Infantry and was in a brutal assault of Patton's where many were considered fodder and casualties even before the mission, if truth be known. That's how things were often done back in those times. He was killed on January 25 of 1944 at Cassino, Italy by enemy machine gun fire. Previously, he worked hard at the Colonial No. 3 Mine as a coal miner like his father.  They were reported missing in action, Scott on June 24, and Clarence on Jan. 25.

   The photos below are from Arlington Cemetery:

     

   They were survived by their sisters, Ada and Goldie and Sylvia; she was the youngest of the family, as I am, my mother of blessed memory. Tell me your stories of your favorite relatives with a photo or two, if you wish, I'd be glad to hear from you!

  There is an old saying which claims that God takes those home to Himself who are particularly special, early in life. Maybe this is so.

  May they, and yours, truly rest in ETERNAL PEACE, until the Day when they awaken to a glorious Resurrection in the Lord's new world.

                                                   AMEN

 


 

Searching Smithton, PA

Introduction

  This post mainly concerns Smithton and its environs. A borough in southern Westmoreland County of the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania in South Huntingdon Township. It is here, close by Rostraver Township and the Fayette border, we find news of the life of the actress Shirley Jones and the tragedy of the Darr Mine Disaster, both of which are highlighted among other historical associations.

 Although Smithton, of the valley of Jacobs Creek Valley, has all the appearance of a 'regular' coal patch town like many others in this area of Southwestern PA, there is a few important exceptions.

 Various places in this region belie the somewhat mediocre first appearances of the obvious, leading us toward many fascinating discoveries for Southwestern Pennsylvania, and perhaps particularly so for the Westmoreland and Fayette county borders which I tend to be more familiar with. Indeed, for one, here Stoney's Beer was rather famously brewed by the Jones Brewing Company until 2002; now out of Latrobe. A site with some cool, detailed stuff on Stoney's is worth checking out for the local beer enthusiasts. The early industry included coke ovens and shipping various products by the Youghiogheny River. It is also home to the Motordrome Speedway on Route 3059.

 The U. S. Census Bureau lists the location as by the turn of the century in 2000 as having 444 persons living here in 188 households, but for 2012 we have 393. This has become a small hamlet, indeed! The Cedarbrook Golf Course is to the west of the river, roughly between Rt. 51 and Rt. 981, but there is so much more to see.

Peer Street, Smithton, Pa. Wikipedia , courtesy of canadian2006

 Shirley Jones

  Perhaps just as noteworthy, is the fact that actress Shirley Jones was born here. She was the grand daughter of 'Stoney' Jones! Her story is very interesting and, if you wouldn't mind I'd like to briefly recap her career.

  Her parents Paul and Marjorie were the owners of the Jones Brewing Co. It was first brought to the area in 1907 from Sutersville. Technically, according to Wikipedia, her birth, March 31, 1934, is claimed by Charleroi before moving to Smithton and she was named for the famous little actress of the 1930's, Shirley Temple! Shirley Jones is a show business star of stage and screen. Early in her career she was justly famous for having the first and the only personal contract as a singer with the successful songwriters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Her musicals include Oklahoma!, Carousel and The Music Man and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Elmer Gantry in 1960.

  Shirley Jones had turned down the role of Carol Brady played by Florence Henderson for The Brady Bunch television show, instead she played Shirley Partridge on The Partridge Family in the early 1970's. She is the real life step mom of actor and singer David Cassidy, the son of actor Jack Cassidy. Shirley has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

courtesy of Flicker and Greg Hernandez

 The Dam and Mines

  Starting in 1875, the Waverly Mines, (No's 1 and 2), and Coke Works near Rt. 891 and on Jacobs Creek Road to the south and to the north of Smithton at Smith's Mills were the main ones in the Smithton region; they were first owned by B. F. Rafferty. The nearby Universalist church was disapproving of the smoke and dirt and they were proved right, as the region was never picturesque again. Later, the church was used by the mine and also was a mule stable. Originally, there were 100 bee-hive ovens here. Further to the south, were the Eurkea and the Darr mines, the last of which experienced a terrible disaster covered in some depth below.

   

Reduction, Pa and environs, (courtesy of Google Maps)

 

  Recently, by courtesy of  a helpful colleague, Mr. Jamie Lambing, I have aqcuired some interesting photos acquired of the old furnace area and also of the Smithton Dam on the Youghiogheny river near the hamlet of Reduction, Pa. This sleepy location lies between Routes 31 and 70, which is about a mile and a half south of West Newton and approximately two miles north of Smithton. West to east, it is between Monessen and New Stanton:

remains of the Smithton Dam

  
   

The dam is from the 1920's and 1930's

  

   The photos below were taken between Reduction Circle and the Yough river near the train tracks:

  

   

furnace chimney stack

   

remnants of abandoned buildings

 

  

possibly, this is from one of the Waverly Mines.

   Anyone with more information on the dam and buildings at Reduction or Smithton, please contact me, or leave a message on the comment section below this post. It would be greatly appreciated, Thank You! You can follow me on FACEBOOK too at https://www.facebook.com/wilson.alan.77
   

   Darr Mine Disaster

 The Darr Mine was located just down river on the western side of the Van Meter area of Rostraver township. They experienced the worst mine disaster in Pennsylvania history with the deaths of as many as 239 males in December, 1907.

  Furthermore, this was one of the worst mining disasters ever encountered in the United States. When reopened in 1910 it was renamed as part of the Banning No. 3 mine and most of the remaining coal houses, converted from two-family to single, are from this period. At the time of the disaster, it was then controlled by the Pennsylvania Coal Company. The explosion was primarily caused by mine gas resulting from miners carrying open lamps, as well as lack of timely inspections and poor ventilation which were contributing factors.

Region of the Darr Mine from a 1902 topographical map

  According to the 'Report of the Depart. of Mines of Pennsylvania' of 1907, the deadly explosion occurred on December 19 at 11:30 A. M. and was so great and the blast so horrific, that upon a superficial investigation the inspectors were sure that none of the miners could be rescued.

 Fortunately, many of the foreign-born miners, with a fair percentage that did not live permanently in the United States, were said to be at a nearby celebration of St. Nicholas, although some from the Niaomi Mine near Fayette City were available to fill in. Over half the workers were Americans of German, English, Welsh and Irish nationalities and were generally more well trained and skilled miners. The Naomi Mine itself had an explosion just eighteen days earlier that killed 34 men. Near the location served by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, there was a cable car ferry across the Youghiogheny River to the coal patch town of Jacobs Creek to the north of the mine and later, a swinging bridge.

 The remnants of the Darr Mine are located beside the Yough River Trail on the old rail bed. This is not too far from the Fayette County line and Perry township. The mine was again closed in 1919 and once more reopened around 1950.More detailed information can be found here. Raymond Washlaski also has a Memorial page on his site dedicated to all the known deaths.

 

Site Marker

 On September 14, 1994 an Historic Site Marker was dedicated at the Olive Branch Cemetery at Smithton, commemorating the tragedy and those that died and the love ones left behind. Almost half of the miners are buried there. It has been rumored over the years that the mine is haunted with voices of Hungarian workers and echoing pick axes! Well, whatever the truth is, God rest there souls!


 

'Superficial' Page Views and Original Research

  A Brief Post of Special Interest

  I would like all you smart observers and searchers after substance to know I truly appreciate the page views being received and the 'hits' to "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History." This is especially so, since my most recent article, "A Scoop on the Old Braddock Road in Westmoreland County." Admittedly, there was a minor drop off in March and part of April which was kind of odd. Not to be too terribly concerned for my own sake, as the statistics meander around, and there are many 'peaks' among the few 'valleys.' Still, it is natural in warranting a healthy flow of traffic which reflects the veritable degree of the daily, weekly and monthly meaning of the blog. The site isn't in the business of cataloging small tidbits of information in a frequent wave of knowledge, so interpreted, but more so, I am delving fairly deep in the mine of history, however regional and tiny some of these places may appear. However superficial it might appear, page hits do matter a lot.

     

chart courtesy of Google

 This is YOUR HISTORY too, is it not? And you deserve to clearly see the stuff that should be most noteworthy. I love dealing with more modern discoveries when they are available to research. At times, this involves some tricky material and I'm not claiming it is deciphered in the best possible fashion, only that I am bringing it to you on a clean plate with a fresh perspective and for a garnish, with whatever insight can be mustered.

 The reality of this type of website doesn't allow for continuous articles that are necessarily exclusive to the inclusion of completely original research from yours truly. This kind of historical investigation does take much time, energy and some mental elbow grease! I also want to freely reveal, this type of post, for whatever conceivable faults inherent, is, by far, the most encouraging, enjoyable and interesting to participate in; thoroughly engrossing.

 Personally, although this was a post of a small area of the Braddock Road dealt with on a map of the mid-1800's, this proves I must be doing something right in the refreshing perspective shown by visitors in examining my research. You show such good curiosity. Thanks for your confidence as this helps me gauge where I stand. Here's hoping to please with continuing to provide pertinent posts, mostly of lost and abandoned places and locations. Your continued support is impressive and meaningful. I'll be back soon with another post.

  Keep the comments and e-mails coming! Follow me on Facebook HERE.

A Scoop on the Old Braddock Road in Westmoreland County

 Pondering The Turkey Foot and Braddock Routes

  Occasionally, I find myself spending an inordinate amount of a day or two around about my cluttered little nook in the sun porch looking at old maps. Any of you get into serious map reading? It is an occupation-slash-hobby that can become very time consuming. Well, I find myself spending a lot of free time staring somewhat blankly at and going back over and over them 'til the wee hours of the night, again and again and pondering... yet again.Then one is required to check the area on the ground to gain a better perspective or little more is to be learned.

  Now, to get right to the point, I noticed something more than remotely unusual on a particular old map. We'll get to that soon and you can decide for yourselves. I had already observed what may well be a 'TFR' (Turkey Foot Road) remnant and where the Braddock Road may well of crossed this antique road at Walnut Hill in Upper Tyrone Township of Fayette County, PA. The decision was made for a future presentation concerning the route of Braddock's Road southeast of Prittstown as well as a projected route from observations of the TFR from Wooddale toward Kingview and Dexter Road to the northwest, consequently, for all intents and purposes, crisscrossing from the other direction. With the notice of this peculiarly marked map, thereby I found myself planning a brand new post, doubly exciting.

  Hopefully, we can make more sense of the whole situation, which as far as I am aware, has never been properly documented. There are quite a few links to help fill the knowledge base of this subject. I add those for that very purpose, and though this may seem a distraction, they are necessary to get the full picture. You can take the time to click these now. On the other hand, if this appears a little too much to grasp at one time, please come back to the site later and check these links after reading the main post when there is more free time.

  A Word On Further Research:

  Once we are brought forward to this update in what I theorize was a 'high ground', fairly direct route of the Turkey Foot Road near Upper Tyrone to Mt. Pleasant and East Huntingdon Township, the plausible insinuation that alternate routes were developed and others partly abandoned, soon there appears a complication in referring to the routes of the Braddock Road and the Turkey Foot Road in this region. One aspect that might be a significant factor is there are indications the 'BR' was used longer and more frequently south of Jumonville and Mt. Braddock as the forerunner of the National Road to Brownsville and thus led to the popular route past the Monongahela river, thereby, as I am led to understand it, the remnants north in Fayette and Westmoreland counties were less used and more quickly abandoned and forgotten. This should be kept in mind. Consequently, we are in need of  fresh documentation in our modern age of this locality. The internet is as good a place as any to be found.  As an example, this has been succinctly noted, although in book form, in "A Hidden History Of The Laurel Highlands", with the observation there is a patchwork research  requiring further investigation in archeological field work. I would enthusiastically echo the suggestion that property deeds are in urgent need of examination to attempt to clarify the more exact routes of these important historic roads.

 Other Influences

  Soon after this, I stumbled upon other info altogether while checking on Norman Baker's dedicated book on the Braddock Road and various historical descriptions. This took place while trying to follow up on research supplemented by the precise author, Lannie Dietle. If you recall, it was he that provided relevant material for the Iron Bridge article last May and earlier in February of 2014, a guest blog post on the Turkey Foot Road and also providing an in depth interview segment in September. A few others chimed in with e-mails and some thoughts of their own as well.

  During our search late last year for an antecedent of the Turkey Foot Road with Jeff Hann, Mr. Dielte made the reassuring statement that, to a point, the idea of the Turkey Foot and Braddock roads crossing in this region is a "plausible theory" of mine. Frankly, this provides me with a hint of being on firmer ground and this cautious researcher's vote of confidence was a real shot in the arm. My friend and colleague, Mr. Dietle, also recently reminded me of Franklin Ellis' book, "History Of Fayette County, Pennsylvania" where there is a reference to a 1788 petition for a 'Road from Zachariah Connell's to Isaac Meason's, on Jacob's Creek'. It appears plausible this was concerned with the 'great road' from Connellsville to Greensburg, later often called the Mount Pleasant road, and rather misnamed 'old 119' traversing what became known as the Iron Bridge and its small community. There was also a 1783 petition. This does add a depth of further perplexity considering why the Braddock and Turkey Foot routes did not travel the more direct route through Pennsville, specifically the Iron Bridge crossing on the Mount Pleasant Road, but would allow for a better explanation as to why the old famous roads were soon abandoned.

   Secondly, I would also like to include a minor, though important contribution of my brother Scott, who helped orient me somewhat early on as to the positioning of the terrain and geography of the region. The truth is, though he doesn't really use the computer and may never see this, a hearty thanks for some credit is due for his input in this area with helping me get a tighter grasp on things.

  Quite possibly, the laborious efforts undertaken in the mid to late eighteenth century by these military men of note to find the best way to cross Jacob's Creek and avoid as much of the old 'Great Swamp' may well of had the effect of creating different usages of three roads through this key place. Added to this is the estimated minor branches of the traditional Indian Catawba Path that is said to run near Rt. 982 in Bullskin township from the Stewart Crossing at Connellsville toward Laurelville. And yet, there is rumored a branch of the Catwaba Path that ran near Everson to the Walnut Hill region followed by George Washington and Edward Braddock's army in the French and Indian War and cut and cleared by them. This hasn't been proven. This much of a claim toward Indian paths still allows some indications within the realm of reason that might of first led to the round about routes being advanced near the townships of Upper Tyrone, East Huntingdon and Bullskin. At the present, the exact details involved in the actual roads through Walnut Hill, Prittstown and on near to Mt. Pleasant are in many ways unknown with only basic reports and descriptions, like Orme's journal and a few maps acknowledging Braddock's traditional route and research on the Turkey Foot Road in Fayette County providing some evidence. Oh, some books have been written and Laycock once fleshed out a good deal of Braddock's route, especially to the south, but much has yet to be decisively understood and proven.

   I will highlight the route bordering these townships below based on this old enigmatic map. Hopefully, Lannie won't mind my referencing here for background purposes his projected route from the best sources and research, courtesy of his book "In Search of the Turkey Foot Road" which adds much knowledge of the 'TFR', mostly further to the southeast of this region. Here pay heed to the northernmost portion of the map:

   What is noteworthy, for this post we are dealing soley with the region a few miles to the NORTH of Iron Bridge and a mile to the southwest.

 The Mystery of the Barker Map's Braddock Road Route


Basic Orientation of the Area

In previous posts attention has been paid to various references to the TFR heading around Iron Bridge one mile to the southwest, therefore constituting a crossing of Jacobs Creek at Dexter in the northeastern tip of Upper Tyrone township. It is an odd situation that the more direct route of the Iron Bridge road was not used, for whatever reason, for the routes of the Braddock or Turkey Foot roads. Here I've included a photo there where the B&O railroad and later the Chessie System tracks can be seen:

   A photo looking east at Dexter:

 So, in essence, I honed in on various maps, and a few choice books, modern and old, whatever I could get my hands on, admittedly obsessed with the subject. I have already done some research in East Huntingdon about the lost toll houses of Route 31 which coincides in a round about way. That investigation produced little in the way of historical satisfaction.

 Here is a look at the old Scottdale Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad bed close to Sherrick Run from Iron Bridge to Turkey Path to the east of West Overton:

old railroad and Sherrick Run, north of Iron Bridge

Iron Bridge from the south and the Jacob's Creek crossing

  This is now a private road following the old rail bed and a likely route of the TFR and possibly an unknown branch of the Braddock Road, which will be shown later by the Barker Map of 1858. The next photo illustrated is looking southward toward Iron Bridge from Turkey Path.

GPS coordinates are 40.117990, -79.554969

               

Location where Turkey Path Road bridged Sherrick Run to the Mt. Pleasant Rd

  Courtesy of Google Maps, the above mapping marks the exact spot close to the old PA railroad spur where the Turkey Path Road was bridged crossing what is known as Sherrick Run to the Mt. Pleasant Road, (sometimes called the Pennsville Road and further to the south, the Richey Road). It is hardly a coincidence the railroad used this old route. Unfortunately, to history buffs like myself, the old bridge has since been removed. The Mt. Pleasant Road use to pass through Connellsville before the Interstate Rt. 119 four lane was built in the 1960's. It now ends near the Greenridge Cemetery where it use to continue into Moyer.

Connellsville Canteen, Veterans Voices and Railroad Murals

   I do apologize if this article is not as well rounded as I would of liked. The ol' early spring virus has caught me at a bad time. This shows I am only human. The high fevers were the worst. Well, doctors and hospitial tests aside, it is to be hoped the good visitors to "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History" will sill enjoy the subject matter presented here.

The Connellsville Canteen replica of World War Two is located in the Laurel Highlands off of Rt. 119, just south of the Amtrak Station on North Water Street in Connellsville of historic Fayette County, PA.The dedication of this version is from April 23, 1994, on West Crawford Avenue fifty years later, the creation of Harry Clark in  association with the Fayette Count Cultural Trust and Canteen Chairman Todd Reagan. Here's a peek at a few of the great murals.

 It has a great railroad museum of the Indian Creek Valley gifted by Tuffy Shallenberger and brought from Nemacolin Woodlands with painstakingly created murals displayed with photographs. They have a unique 1936 Olympic torch and other related paraphernalia on display Nov. 22 to Jan. 10 of this year, centering around the exploits of Connellsville native, John Woodruff in Berlin and his proud moment in winning the Gold Medal.

    “We hope that the Connellsville Canteen will be just one of the many places people will want to visit while they are in town,” said Daniel Cocks, curator of the Canteen memorabilia. “Connellsville has a lot of treasures, and I am sure the Connellsville Canteen will prove to be another one of them", according to the Tribune article of Nov. 29, 2013 by Nancy Henry.

     Much of this vision becoming a reality was accomplished by Rose Brady of the Red Cross. More on her further on by a valued colleague. They could use additional funds, with the Coffee Shop and entertainment projects planned, so please, kindly consider making even a small donation! It has been estimated that the Connellsville Canteen has served as many as 600,000 servicemen!


    

courtesy of explorepahistory

In the heady and desperate days of the 1940's and the 'Victory Gardens' the military teamed up with the railroads and mobilized many thousands of chartered 'troop trains' for the transport of many millions of young, brave, but innocent and sometimes, disoriented soldiers, with the knowledge of their secret dispatch and routing movements kept by only a few top officials and Defense intelligence of the War Department. They generally used the specially built, (and close and uncomfortable), Pullman sleeper cars back in 1943.

 Well, the canteens, as they were called, were specifically set up to offer a meal, maybe a well needed stay overnight and some encouragement from the dedicated volunteers and local nurses to the tired and beleaguered servicemen traveling through the towns and cities on the home front, often between their tours of combat duty. This was eagerly and selflessly attempted, literally, around the clock with oversight from the Salvation Army and the USO. Many donations came from the outlying areas.

sailors at the Connellsville Canteen

So, this particular canteen from a log gone era operated from 1944-46 at the old B&O Station on the Youghiogheny River. Here they would do pick ups and drop offs, exchanging worn out crews for fresh ones and checking over the engines and refueling. 

Rose Brady and the Connellsville Canteen,

 by Bobbi Kramer

      The world was at war in 1944. Many of the women of Connellsville and surrounding communities had loved ones serving abroad or had even lost a husband or loved one. But, the amazing thing about human beings is how they band together and rise above evil in such situations.

     This is what happened when Rose Brady and her brother Father Frances Bailey sat down for coffee after dinner one day in 1944. In conversation he told Rose he thought it would be nice to serve the servicemen and women snacks and such when they were traveling through the Connellsville Train Station. The trains had to stop in Connellsville to get water for the engines and it was a short stop for the troop trains.

   When Rose agreed, she had no idea just how far reaching this idea would take them. But, once Rose sunk her teeth into the concept of how to forge ahead, she became a tenacious bulldog with a bone. She was an extraordinary  organizer and perfectionist. This writer believes Rose was the only God-ordained person to do the job. She had been volunteering for the Red Cross in blood drives and was also in politics. She had a husband and five children - one in the service. She was known to run a well-oiled machine even at her thirteen room home in Green Street in Connellsville, delegating tasks to her family to keep things running smoothly. 

   She must have been a perfectionist, even in her dress. She dressed meticulously and wore an up-do hairstyle and/or a very stylish hat. A family member is known to have said she even had her own hatmaker.

Rose contacted Ira Younkin, former mayor of Connellsville, Jim Sterbutzel of the Civics Organization, James Driscoll, Editor of the Courier and Major Bryant of the local Salvation Army about having a Canteen for the servicemen. They all unanimously agreed this was a very special thing to do. They acquired the old Boyts-Porter warehouse near the B&O Train Station and tracks and put a kitchen area in it and an area for cots for tired service personnel. They hung signage designating it 'THE CONNELLSVILLE CANTEEN'. Many businesses, organizations, churches, scout troops, ladies' auxilliaries and more held fundraisers, dances and donated monies. Even children got involved. Ten year old Susie Shields, daughter of Jim and Jean Shields, said she would gladly sell her paper dolls and books in May of 1944 to make money for the Canteen. In June of 1944 she proudly handed Rose Brady the two dollars she made at her sale. her mother was a canteen volunteer and her Dad was the manager for the A&P, that donated foods, etc. to the Canteen. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone wanted to help the War Effort.

 While Rose was working on the Canteen project, her brother, Father Bailey was serving as a Chaplain in the army.at the end of the War, he was at the Dachau Concentration Camp when the Allies released the prisoners. But, we can be certain he kept in touch with Rose and said many prayers for the creation of the Canteen.

Canteen Collage, by Bobbi Kramer

vintage Canteen pic

   A Word on the Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh

   The Veterans Breakfast Club has partnered with the Veteran's Voices of Pittsburgh, with Kevin Farkas as Executive Director of the organization. For quite some time helpers like Nancy (Sova)  Hrabak, a Connellsville local, have been involved in recording the stories and anecdotes of the old veterans in the Canteen Coffee Shop. The group, with 250 interviews and Ceane O'Hanlon-Lincoln who has won numerous awards, are publishing her audiobook 'Sentimental Journeys'.

  As a son who along with my two brothers Scott and Mark, are extremely proud of the service of my own father Wayne Wilson and the enervating, sometimes humorous and often scary stories we would reluctantly draw from him and some details of our two uncles, 'Curly' and 'Cougie' my mother's brothers who tragically died in World War Two, (I plan a future entry on their lives), a feel a special interest is keenly felt. The double loss for John Hoover, our maternal grandfather and Ida Hoover, our grandmother, 'Nan', as we affectionately referred to her, left them in an emotionally distraught condition for quite some years, I strongly feel this is very commendable work, in my humble opinion.

 You can check out some of the stories of the Veteran Voices here with podcasts and the preservation of a unique and growing collection. There is much information and featured veterans to further your awareness. Also, with touching stories, like from Congressional Medal Of Honor winner, nurse and WASP, Florence 'Shutsy' Reynolds, and Gunner's Mate, Guy Tressler of the Naval special forces.

  You can also check into their Facebook page.

 I say, V for veterans and V for victory!