Page 88 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2023 - Online Magazine
P. 88
Bobby King Soldier, Barber, Lifelong
Learner
by Larry Williams
in Kress. During high school, I transferred to the 505th Truck
played football and basketball, Company. We had seven or
but there was a lot to do on the eight trucks and hauled supplies
farm. We raised a garden and all over South Korea. I did that
had a lot of cows to milk, so I for about four months. I was
didn’t have much time for any then sent to the 236th Infantry
hobbies. I graduated from Kress Division and drove a truck there
High School in 1952 and worked until I got out.
on the farm for a while.
“I was in country (Korea) for
“The Korean War was going on 16 months. I took a smaller
during this time, and I tried to ship back to Yokohama where I
enlist in the service in 1953. My stayed long enough to process
uncle Ward King served during out. I took a two-stacker ship
WWII in the Far East. I also back to the States. The seas were
had a cousin who was killed rough, and everybody got sick.
during WWII. I was turned I sure was sick. We landed back
down because of warts on my in Seattle, and I was discharged
feet that needed to be removed. from the Army at Fort Lewis,
I re-registered and was drafted Washington. I bought a plane
hile the Korean War into the Army on March 19, 1954, ticket to Amarillo and took a bus
officially ended when in Amarillo. I was sent to Fort home to Kress.
Wthe armistice was Bliss, Texas for eight weeks of
signed on July 27, 1953, South basic training and eight more “I worked on the farm for a
Korea refused to sign it. In fact, it weeks in light artillery training. while, then at a cotton gin,
wasn’t until August 1954 that the I got assigned for duty in Korea and traveled with the wheat
remaining American divisions and had a 30-day leave before harvest, so I got to see some of
were withdrawn. The U.S. and heading overseas. the countryside. Later on, I took
other nations have continued a six-month course at Amarillo
their peacekeeping duties to “I was flown to Seattle where I Barber College. I worked at
this day. Over 28,000 American was processed and stayed for barber shops in Plainview and
troops are still stationed in South about a week before boarding a Borger. Then I worked at the
Korea, and the uneasy peace troopship headed for Yokohama, barber shop out at Reese Air
continues 70 years later. Bobby Japan. It took us two weeks to Force Base and the Officer’s
J. King of Lubbock was a part get there. After a two- to three- Club for a time. I went to work
of that peacekeeping force from day-leave in Yokohama, we at Howard’s (Hensley) Barber
1954 to 1955. shipped out again and landed in Shop on 34th and University and
Pusan. I volunteered as a Clerk/ stayed there for 40 years. I always
He was born at home on the farm Typist which I did for about liked to dance and met Betsy
in Hale County on February 15, three or four months. After that, Kutch at a singles square dancing
1933. His dad, Odis, was a farmer I volunteered for the front lines club, Solo Squares, in Lubbock.
and ran combines that traveled and took a train up to Seoul. We both loved to dance and hit it
north during the wheat harvest I was sent to a duty station in off pretty good. We were married
season. His mother, Ruby Lee, Inchon. Next, I spent some time on October 22, 1982.”
was a homemaker and a school up at the DMZ (Demilitarized
bus driver. Bobby is the oldest of Zone or 38th Parallel between Daughter Bethany added, “Upon
six children. “I attended school North and South Korea). I then marrying my mom, Bobby was
88 Lubbock Senior Link
