Florene Jewell Watkins (January 9, 1910 – August 27, 1997)
Service: NAVY Waves: “Women Accepted Volunteer Emergency Service”Rank achieved: LieutenantDates of service: December 16, 1943 – November 1, 1948 Florene Watkins enlisted in the Waves in December 1943 and immediately was assigned to officer candidate school in Northhampton, Mass, at Smithville College. One of her letters from Northhampton while in school said how much she loved it, how strenuous it was, and how great the food was! (perhaps an unusual report regarding the food) She graduated as Lieutenant Junior Grade in February, 1944. She was then assigned to Hollywood, Florida where she was trained (with a class of cadets, both male and female) in navigation. Although she served during World War Il, she was not assigned to combat duty, because, at that time, women were not allowed to participate in active combat. This probably prevented her from being a navigator on the battle front. During her tour in Florida, German submarines were reported to be seen in intercoastal waters off Florida. She questioned her fellow cadets about U2 boat sightings, however they were sworn to secrecy and could not tell what they saw. She too, on occasion flew on naval aircraft, as a navigator, but not as a pilot. After graduation from navigation training (and promotion to full Lieutenant) she was assigned to teaching navigation to navy cadets. At least one class achieved record high scores under her tutelage.(newspaper clipping) While in the service, she was engaged and married (February, 1945). Her cadet class at that time (all young men) threw a bridal shower for her (see photo) wherein she received such gifts as a fish bowl, toilet bowl cleaner and other perceived necessities of marriage! she was released from active duty October 30, 1945. Following her marriage and gent geny Samammamme transfer to inactive service, she had her first child. At that time, she received a eden Gil an I mandatory honorable discharge from inactive duty in the Navy because: YS lle oe I “Since the policy of the Navy Department is that ‘Women with children under 18 years of age are not eligible for Navy Service’, it becomes necessary to take steps to terminate, under the most honorable conditions, the Reserve commissions of women officers who now have children under the age of 18…” Source: Document dated 1 November 1948 to All Women Officers of the Naval Reserve”
Roger Walsh (1948- )
US Navy, 1967 – 1971 Roger Walsh was born May 6, 1948, in Brookfield, Missouri. In 1967, he enlisted in the United States Navy, following in the footsteps of his brother Robert Walsh. Roger served from 1967 to 1971. In June 1967, Roger completed boot camp in San Diego, California. After boot camp he was sent to Memphis, Tennessee to attend Aviation Hyraulics school. He spent the next 2 1/2 years working on Naval aircraft in China Lake, California. From China Lake, he was sent to VF124 in Miramar, California for training. After training, Roger was sent to fighter squadron VF51 attached to the Bonhomme Richard for a six month cruise to Vietnam. Upon completion of his tour, he was returned to San Diego, California and was discharged at Miramar Naval Air Station in March of 1967. During his service, he visited the Philippines, Hawaii, Guam and the Mojave Desert. Roger had a career with UPS for 30 years. In 1974, he married Cynthia Templeman and together they have two children and five grandchildren. They currently reside in Brookfield, Missouri.
Bert H. Oldham (1904 – 1978)
US Navy, 1919-1946 Bert Oldham grew up on a farm four miles south of Marceline, the youngest of six children. He was born in 1904 and his mother died two years later. His two sisters died as children. His oldest brothers served in WWI, George in the Navy and Henry as a pilot in the Army. The youngest sons, Russell and Bert, began getting into trouble and playing hooky, so their father enrolled them in Kemper Military Academy in Boonville. At 16, Bert was waiting to graduate so that he and one of the older brothers could travel and see the world, but that brother suddenly fell in love and eloped, and Bert, in a fit of anger, ran away to St Louis, lied about his age and joined the Navy. His first ship was the USS Huron, outfitted for tropical duty. The sailors slept in hammocks on deck, and as they sailed up the coast of China they sometimes woke to find snow on top of their blankets. At that time China was known as “the sick man of Asia,” ruled by warlords and filled with foreign merchants, whose interests were protected by their national navies. These sailors often fought amongst each other and formed various alliances. The Americans could depend on the Indian Sikhs to come to their aid in a confrontation, while the French navy was mainly composed of convicts and in bad favor with almost everyone. Bert was in China for most of the 1920’s, serving on the Yangtze River shore patrol and at one time running an officer’s club. He was what was known as a “China hand.” He was also a “mustang,” an officer who came up through the ranks rather than going through officers candidate school. He achieved the rank of chief petty officer, and after he retired he was promoted to Lieutenant, J.G. As a chief he was on board ship once and overheard a conversation between two sailors who were out of view; one sailor, obviously new to the ship, asked what the chief was like. The other replied, “Oh, he’s an old mustang, a real s.o.b…” at which point Bert walked into view and the sailor finished “…but you’ll like him!” In WWII his ship, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, was torpedoed in the South Pacific. Bert was in the water for 17 hours waiting to be rescued, while there was burning oil on the water, and sharks. He was one of a group of sailors hanging onto a floating piece of the ship, while one sailor who couldn’t swim was spread-eagled on top of the debris and wouldn’t let anyone else on it. 26 officers and 167 men died, while 171 officers and 1798 men survived. After the war, Bert retired and was living in San Francisco when he met the woman who would become his wife, Ada Ferne MacDougall. They had two daughters and eventually moved to Bert’s hometown of Marceline. Barbara (Oldham) Garvey and Nora (Oldham) Othic still live on farms outside of Brookfield and Marceline, respectively. Bert died in 1978 and Ferne in 1981.
Dell W. Epperson
Captain, United States Navy, Retired Captain Dell W. Epperson is a native of Marceline, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwest Missouri State University Maryville in 1975. After working several years in the broadcasting industry in Missouri and lowa, he received his naval commission in July 1982. Captain Epperson first served aboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) as First Division Officer and in the Supply Department. His next assignment was aboard USS ARKANSAS (CGN 41) in the Combat System Department. Following shore duty Captain Epperson returned to the fleet from January 1990 to May 1993 aboard USS COWPENS (CG 63) as the pre-commissioning Weapons Control Officer and later as the Combat System Officer during her maiden deployment. He served as the Executive Officer aboard USS PAUL HAMILTON (DDG 60) from May 1997 to December 1998, and returned to Pearl Harbor as the Commanding Officer, USS Fletcher (DD 992) from November 2000 to April 2002. From July 1994 to May 1996, Captain Epperson served in the Pentagon on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations as a Surface Warfare Combat Trainings Requirements Officer. He also served in London as the Warfare Requirements Officer on the staff of Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, and was the Warfare Requirements Branch Head on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. He also served as the Commanding Officer, Afloat Training Group Middle Pacific, Ford Island, Hawaii, and was the Commanding Officer/Professor of Naval Science at Naval ROTC Unit, Auburn University-Tuskegee University Consortium, in Alabama from December 2008 to July 2010. He served as Chief of Staff, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific from August 2010 until his retirement in July 2012. Captain Epperson attended the Defense Intelligence College, Washington, D.C.., earning a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Diplomacy and Military Studies from Hawaii Pacific University. He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and is also a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College. Dell is the son of the late Paul and Shirley Coram of Marceline and is a 1972 graduate of Marceline High School. Dell married his college sweetheart, Janet Kelley, a 1975 graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, and together they celebrated their 45th anniversary in 2022. The Eppersons returned to their home state of Missouri in 2015 and now reside in Columbia. Captain Epperson has served as a board member and volunteer with Mobility Worldwide-Columbia, and volunteers with Meals on Wheels. He currently serves as president of the Columbia South Rotary Club, and he and his wife are active members of Community United Methodist Church. They continue to travel extensively and have now enjoyed visiting over 50 countries.
M.H. “Slick” Taylor, Jr. (1909-1986)
US Navy, 1942-1945 On Friday, November 1, 1940 The Marceline News printed a List of Serial Draft Numbers. MannHowe Taylor was #457. On Friday, October 23, 1942 The Marceline News carried the following: Mr. Taylor Leaves Nov. 3 Equipped with three pipes, four cans of smoking tobacco and three large boxes of matches, M.H. Taylor Jr., will report the morning of November 3 in Kansas City for active duty with the construction corps of the navy. He will be sent to Norfolk, Va., for training and after a month or two there, will be sent to some other naval base for construction work. By January 1, if he hasn’t taken over the duties of General MacArthur in Australia, his many friends in Marceline certainly will be disappointed. In the navy, Mr. Taylor will be a carpenter’s mate and he has been practicing several weeks on some chicken coops at the Taylor farm. In 1943 an Official Report on Marceline Group was reported in The Marceline News via a letter to W.V. (Doc) Drennan from Lt. Irl McNeal, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.I. McNeal of Marceline. Excerpts follow: “Somewhere in the Southwest Pacific, Oct.15, 1943. Dear Mr. Drennan: This is the official report of the Marceline personnel in the Pacific. To date, there are four of us. “Slick” Taylor is on the same island with me. Harry Carter was here but now has moved up to a new point. Maj. Cotter Murray is on and off this island. Slick is doing fine but was very much upset because he did not get the contract for the new ice cream parlor that just opened here. However he feels there will be more in the future and he will be able to gain his share. While Carter was here, the three of us – “Slick”, Harry and I – spent several evenings together.” Excerpts from The Marceline News, Friday, February 23, 1945 “Slick” Taylor Has Qualified For WPA Back home after 2 years in the South Pacific, M.H. “Slick” Taylor says he is now the best pick-and-shovel man in the business and now is fully qualified to become the WPA director after the war is over. Mr. Taylor, who is in the Seabees of the navy, arrived here early Sunday for a visit at the home of his mother, Mrs. M.H. Taylor, other relatives and his many friends. Before entering the navy, “Admiral” Taylor was a general sales manager, the director of personnel and the ambassador of good will for the Mcallister Brothers organization here. His two years in the Southwest Pacific have been devoted entirely to construction work for the navy; and bragging about Marceline, Musselfork water and the pretty girls in this section of the world… He told all of his “buddies” that Marceline was the capitol of Missouri and that Yellow Creek was wider than the Mississippi. And they believed him.
David Lee Ankeney (born 1941)
US Navy, 1959-1962 Enlisting during his senior year of high school, David left Oskaloosa, IA, before his graduation and headed off to boot camp at Camp Nimitz, San Diego. David’s mother Peggy actually walked for him to receive his high school diploma. After training to become a Radio Man (RM) he received orders for Pearl Harbor and shipped out on a destroyer from the Black Cat Division. It seemed to take days but he remembers observing gunnery practice in route. At Pearl Harbor he was assigned to the USS Ponchatoula AO 148 (Auxiliary Oiler). She was the second U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name and was commissioned in 1956. As part of the 7th Fleet, Ponchatoula was homeported at Pearl Harbor in early 1958 and received her introduction to support under hostile conditions while operating with 7th Fleet units during the Quemoy-Matsu Crisis in the fall of that year. Carrying 40,000 tons of NSFO (Navy special fuel oil), as well as oil and fuel for airplanes on carriers, the Ponchatoula made several refueling trips while David was on board. Ports he experienced include Sasebo, Yokosuka, Hong Kong and Nagasaki in Japan and Subic Bay, Philippines. Support for experimental operations occurred in April 1962 as the Ponchatoula provided POL (petroleum, oil, lubricants) services to Joint Task Force 8 engaged in “Operation Dominic I” (the Christmas Island nuclear test series). David witnessed the testing of two hydrogen bombs while aboard ship. On the way to the Christmas Island tests, David experienced the his Shellback Initiation on April 11, 1962. As a Radio Man David had a 24-hour shift on the O-2 deck, usually with one other RM, followed by 48 hours off. Hours off included ship maintenance on the O-2 level where he worked. Card games followed a close second. During refueling of other ships, David would be on the O-3 deck manning the headphones.
Michael Anthony Owen (1940 – 1992)
US NAVY Michael Anthony Owen was born in Kansas City to George D Owen and Anna Sonich Owen on October 13, 1940. He attended Kansas City schools graduating from Rockhurst High School and was appointed to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1963. He then received his appointment toNaval Air training in Pensacola, Florida. After receiving his wings he was immediately sent to fly reconnaissance in the Gulf of Tonkin at the beginning of the Vietnam War. As he was fluent in Russian, Spanish, Italian and Arabic he flew many reconnaissance missions alongside aviators from other countries. He spoke of conversations with Russian aviators when he was stationed in Sitka, Alaska along the US and Russian border. He said it was eye-opening to note that these men had the same love for their country and families he had for his and they conversed openly. While in the service he met with many interesting individuals. James Lovell, also a graduate of the US Naval Academy, gifted Michael a picture he took while on Apollo 8. He was also privileged to spend many hours while home on leave conversing with President Truman in his Independence home. President Truman gifted Michael with numerous signed memorabilia. After he completed his naval air tour he continued his forward-looking entrepreneur-ship. Some of his endeavors included opening a maternity shop in Saudi Arabia for US personnel and the military. While in Saudi he did a stint as radio news commentator. He also opened a disco called Bella Blue in the Dominican Republic and that is still operating today. Once he had numerous businesses established he returned to Kansas City and received his LLD from UMKC. He continued his businesses and law practice until his death in 1992. His sister Mary Ann Reed resides in Brookfield, Missouri. His brother George is inLee’s Summit, Missouri. submitted by Mary Ann Reed
GMT-3 Donald Lynn Pollard (b.1943)
US Navy, 1961-1964 I was born August 8, 1943 in Chariton County, Missouri, to George and Virlea Graves Pollard. My brother Larry was one year older and I had two younger sisters, Connie Pollard Lane and Brenda Pollard Eastin. I grew up on a farm one mile north of Indian Grove, spending 1st through 11th grades going to Keytesville schools and then graduated from Marceline High School in 1961. I enlisted in the US Navy and left for basic training at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Michigan, on August 5, 1961. It was only the second time I was out of the state of Missouri, having gone to Rockford, IL when I was a high school senior. A few months later I went all the way to Chicago and then to the Great Lakes Training Center. After Electricity and Electronics Preparatory School (E&EP) I was sent to Sandia Base (an Army base) in Albuquerque, NM for mechanical training. Until discharge I was stationed at Skiffes Creek Annex, a Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown, VA. I was in the Navy, but once I got to Virginia I had to drive 50 miles to see the ocean. I was discharged on August 7, 1964 with the rate of Gunners Mate Technician 3rd Class Petty Officer. After returning to Marceline I married Linda Eads, my wife of 56 years, on July 17, 1966. We are the proud parents of three grown children — Darrin, David, and Shelly Pollard Wehmeyer, all with spouses, their own children, grandkids and great grandkids. We have lived in Lawson the last few years. I worked as a pressman for printing companies in the Kansas City area and Linda worked for the Bank of Lawson. We are retired and enjoy taking interesting short trips around the state while staying close to family, friends and home.