Willow Leaves November 15

Veterans Day Observed The Local VFW observance of Veterans Day was held at Elsie Hewitt Elementary School on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. The school assembled to hear an inspiring talk by Sergeant William “Lumpy” Phelps (age 91). Sgt. Phelps served in Europe in World War II and under Capt. Hayden Fergusson in Korea. The program included displaying the colors of all units in modern wars that were served by men and women from Willow Mills and Willow Township. As each unit was called, the surviving members rose and a role-call of the dead was read. Of the 22 natives of Willow Mills who served in World War II, only three are still living, however two of the veterans who moved to Willow Mills after the war are also still living and were represented at the ceremony. The Elsie Hewitt Fifth Grade Chorale sang “America The Beautiful” and the school band played a rousing rendition of Souza’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Survivors on the veteran’s role include: Private Diggory Denning, WWI, age 102 Corporal Layman Peters, WWII, age 92 Sergeant William “Lumpy” Phelps, WWII and Korea, age 91 Corporal Sylver Savanus Money, WWII, age 90 USMC Lance Corporal Joshua Denning, Korea, age 72 USN Seaman Jonathan Heavener, Korea, age 70 Staff Sergeant Michael Monroe, Korea, age 69 USMC Lance Corporal Lyle Smith, Korea, age 68 USN Petty Officer Third Class John Davies, Viet Nam, age 53 USN Seaman Carl Miller, Viet Nam, age 51 Private Sam MacDonald, Viet Nam, age 50 USAF Airman First Class Bill Williams, Viet Nam, age 50 USAF Captain Brian Cherry, Viet Nam, age 49 Major Patrick Abrams, Gulf War, age 37 USAF Captain Sam Erwin, Gulf War, age 35 Airman First Class Joe Thomas, Gulf War, age 34 Corporal Emily Jackson, Gulf War, age 34 Corporal Janice Woodridge, Gulf War, age 34 Sergeant Timothy Jones, Gulf War, age 32 Private Tom Oppenheimer, Gulf War, age 30 Reserve Corporal James Stackhouse, Gulf War, age 30 Our list of veterans may not be complete, and does not include those currently serving in the various branches of the service. If you know of people who were missed in this listing, please let us know and we will amend the list. Decorations were laid at several gravesites after the ceremony at the school. We join our children in their salute to the Veterans who have served bravely to protect our freedom. Thank you.

A Veteran’s Story

In 1967, Carl Miller was an energetic, fit, and enthusiastic football star at the newly consolidated North Manchester High School. He was an athlete in every way and played basketball as well as running hurdles on the track team. And he had every reason to be enthusiastic that year. It was the year that he would graduate from high school.

Carl looked forward to the coming year with great enthusiasm. Before graduating he enlisted in the US Navy to follow in the footsteps of his best friend, John Davies who had enlisted the year before. They hoped to be assigned together to a ship and see the world. John had already risen Seaman rank and was looking forward to a full six years and maybe a career in the Navy.

Carl couldn't wait to get started and waived the free two months off for the summer before enlistment for an optional month’s leave at a later date. The day after graduation, he kissed each of his several girlfriends goodbye and caught the bus to San Diego to report for training.

Carl did well in basic training and proved himself an apt seaman. He put in for assignment on the USS Bonhomme Richard and joined his friend on the carrier early in the fall of 1967 in Southeast Asia.

Near Christmas time, there was an accident on the deck of the carrier and a shell exploded. Carl was hit with a piece of shrapnel just above his left eye. It was touch and go for a while, but he recovered motor skills and basic cognitive functions. He was sent home early in the spring of 1968 with a metal plate in his head that looked like a big dent in his skull.

The whole town turned out at the town square to welcome Carl home. He stood and stared at people he used to know, unable to put names to the faces. All he could say was “Wow.” and “Gee.” High School friends didn’t know what to do around him. He didn’t seem to remember them or their associations with his former life. His parents didn’t know what to do with him. He wasn’t crippled, but he was no longer the bright, energetic, ambitious boy that had left them just 10 months earlier.

Carl began, by accident, to hang out with the hippies. A couple were cleaning up the old cemetery after the snow melted, picking up fallen branches and raking the ground. Carl just started helping them. They brought him in for food with them and he liked the folk songs they sang at night. No one was sure exactly when it happened, or who initiated things, but before long Carl was living in the Old Lutheran Church along with the rest of the commune. He was a good caretaker of the building, sweeping, painting, and cleaning. And he was especially good with the grounds. The cemetery was always freshly mowed. Flowers bloomed on graves that had been neglected for years. He even went so far as to clean and polish some of the older monuments, paint the gates and wrought iron fence each year, and plant new trees when an old one had to be removed.

John Davies finished his stint in the Navy when the Bonhomme Richard was decommissioned in 1972. He came back to Willow Mills, deciding against a career in the Navy. He started selling insurance and has a small office downtown. He goes over and has lunch with Carl, his old high school buddy regularly, or has him over to eat with his family.

As it turns out, a lot of people have Carl over for lunch or dinner, and he eats breakfast at the Hotel almost every morning. Carl still lives in the old church in the choir loft, the last of the hippies remaining in the building. He still cleans the church, shovels the walks, and maintains the cemetery. To our knowledge, he has never earned a penny since his return from Viet Nam. Nor has he ever gone without a meal or medicine. His disability check from the government is deposited automatically to his account at the Eel River National Bank, and the bank takes care of any bills he has, makes sure he has spending money in his pocket, and has paid for a couple vacations that Carl has taken to Disney Land and to see the Cubs play baseball.

Carl is simple. He likes simple things. He likes simple people. If you keep it simple, Carl is a great friend to have. And even though no one knew quite what to do when he came home, they did it. Carl is the town’s living monument to the war no one wanted. And the town cares for him as one of its treasures.