Page 24 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2023 - Online Magazine
P. 24
I drove home to Lamesa. convinced him that I was
After my 30-day leave, I authorized to be there.”
reported to Webb AFB in
Big Spring and flew to San Arlie’s recollections are
Bernadino, California on a numerous and descriptive. “We
C-47, then to Sacramento used to go out to the runway
where I caught a bus to Camp to watch the B-26 planes return
Stoneman. That was the from bombing North Korea.
staging area for servicemen I filmed one during a crash
headed to the Far East out landing with my 8 mm camera.
of the San Francisco Port of Some of the jets flying over
Embarkation.” (During a occasionally broke the sound
12-year period, from WWII barrier. There was an Army base
and the Korean War, over between us and Pusan. Some of
1,500,000 servicemen were us would go there sometimes
processed and shipped for church. We used to get what
through Camp Stoneman.) we called ‘bed check Charlie’, a
“I was visiting with relatives flyover around 11:00 p.m. That
and missed my first ship, so was a North Korean pilot flying
I had to wait to take another over our base mostly just to
one. I finally boarded the USS annoy us; sometimes, he would
“We lived in the small Mitchell, and it zig-zagged all drop a smoke bomb.
community of Sparenberg (14 the way to Yokohama, Japan. It
miles southeast of Lamesa). I took us 12 days to get there. We “I stayed in Korea for one year,
attended school there, but when stayed there for ten days and then flew back to Yokohama on
we moved closer to Lamesa, I boarded the USS Ballou to Korea. a C-119 and left out of there on
attended Lamesa High School. the USS Breckenridge with 5,000
I drove the bus for them, so I “We arrived in Pusan in women, kids, and servicemen.
didn’t have any time to play April 1953. I helped to install We got caught in a typhoon, and
sports. However, I did like to communication there at the most everyone was sick. (I ate
hunt and fish. I graduated in old Japanese airbase.” Arlie some saltine crackers and didn’t
1950. Not long after, the Korean still vividly remembers trips get sick.) We sailed back under
War broke out. he made to Japan and 24-hour the Golden Gate bridge, the
guard duty. “The scariest time same way I had left.
“I wasn’t interested in going into I had was once when I was
the Army, so I enlisted in the US climbing a
Air Force on September 26, 1952. fence near
Four or five of us guys caught a a runway, a
bus to Lackland Air Force Base Korean soldier
in San Antonio for basic training. stuck a gun
After basic, I was sent to F.E. in my back.
Warren AFB near Cheyenne, Fortunately,
Wyoming. it was a
“I was stationed there for South Korean
guard. We
about three months for teletype
training and repair work. I had couldn’t speak
my own car up there—a ’52 each other’s
languages,
Pontiac. After training was over,
but I finally
24 Lubbock Senior Link
