Page 106 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine
P. 106
Charles Benge
Sort of a Standoff
by Larry Williams
I might not make it. I stayed
in the hospital for 49 days. I
only went to the 8th grade
for 16 days that year. The
principal graduated me on to
high school. I wasn’t ready;
that was the worst thing he
could have done to me. I was
always behind.” But he did
graduate in 1951 and went to
work with the Brady (Texas)
Aircraft Corporation. (Brady
Aircraft had contracts with the
Glenn L. Martin Company and
Boeing. The company opened
in October 1951 and, in one
year, boasted 1300 employees
with a $3,500,000 payroll.)
The Korean War was still being
waged, and Benge knew he
could be called up any day.
He enlisted on January 5, 1953,
and three days later, he was
drafted! He was processed at
Ft. Sill where he was issued his
first G.I. haircut and uniform.
Charles recalled a humorous
t has often been quoted Like many born during the haircut incident: “One of the
that “an army marches on Depression, Charles was born recruits sat down to get his
Iits stomach.” While that is at home to Alta and Charles hair buzzed. The barber asked
certainly true on a nutritional J. Benge. He had two brothers him if he liked his sideburns.
basis, it is mail from home that and two sisters. His younger The recruit said, ‘Yes sir!’ so
keeps the soldier going during brother, Alton, served in the the barber said, “Well, they’re
the long hard days, oftentimes National Guard. His dad coming off, so get ready to
thousands of miles from home. was a farmer in Coleman catch ‘em!’”
Former Army Corporal Charles County, Texas, and mom was a
Benge was one of those who homemaker. Eight weeks of basic training
handed out those coveted followed at Ft. Bliss in El Paso.
letters from home to the troops Charles attended grade school Benge received orders for
during the later months of the in the town of Whon. “I had a Korea right out of basic. After
Korean War. ruptured appendix at age 13. a short leave, he caught a bus
The doctor told my folks that for Tacoma, Washington. From
106 Lubbock Senior Link
