Inducted March 6, 1942. Served with 63rd Surg Hosp (MASH outfit) till Sept 42. Attended OCS at Camp Barkeley, TX and commissioned Nov 24, 1942 in Medical Administrative Corps. Served with 67th Med Rgt Camp Barkeley, TX Nov 25 to Sept 43 as Asst Operations Officer. Transferred to Army Air Corps for training in grade, Dec 43 and attended Class 44-9 Navigation at Ellington Field, TX to June 44. Radar School Boca Raton July Aug 44. Joined 39th BG October 44 at Smoky Hill, Salina KS.

Our 25th combat mission against Mito on August 2, 1945 turned out to be our very last of the war. In just two days we were on the beach at Waikiki, Hawaii on rest leave. We weren't too happy, hoping to take part in the continuing offensive against the smaller industrial centers, which were milk runs for the most part, a great way to reach the magic number of 35. Instead we were being held back to participate in the imminent and necessary invasion of the Japanese homeland. It never happened and we were marooned on Hawaii for nearly a month and finally returned to the USA on a Liberty ship with only one screw working. It took eight days to reach San Francisco where it took only eight hours going over from Mather Field, Sacramento to Hickam Field, Honolulu.

Just prior to discharge I received promotion orders to Captain. I only enjoyed the distinction for one month prior to discharge in January 1946 while on terminal leave.

After discharge, I set out to find employment anywhere but New York but took a post as treasurer of a subsidiary of a North Carolina Textile firm with a pilot operation in New York's garment district. The plan was to move the operation to Mt. Holly, NC within a year. Living conditions in the NY area were almost impossible but we sweated it out for the promising reward. But the plan fell apart and never materialized. I resigned and we headed for New Orleans where Olive's parents gave us shelter till we got settled.

Olive's aunt was a nurse and she mentioned to one of her patients that her niece and husband were settling in New Orleans. He advised that I contact Ike Scharff, President of Scharff & Jones, the South's leading Investment Banking firm and underwriter of Municipal Bonds. I signed on with them and within a year was promoted to the position of Comptroller and Asst Treasurer. This was early 1947 and I stayed with them till 1955.

In 1955, I made a major career change. I decided to get into the more financial rewarding part of the business in trading Associated with Crockett & Co in Houston TX. The deal I had was to first straighten out all the financial and administrative problems this young firm was having then move onto the Trading Desk. All was accomplished and things went well till 1963 when the firm was bought out by Dempsey Tegeler a NYSE member firm. Unfortunately our new parent had overextended and ran into all kinds of problems. Sensing that the NYSE would shut down this operation I accepted a bid from Underwood Neuhaus & Co the largest NYSE regional firm in Texas.

I was director of Capital Markets for over 20 years and devoted most of my last five years there on the foreign desk dealing with institutions in Scotland, England and Germany. I retired from this job in 1984 fully vested and started an Institutional Trading department for another Texas firm. This operation was bought out by a New York firm who moved the trading functions to New York which was a very logical move.

It was 1988 and I was 68 years old. Time to go on Social Security. I received two benefit checks and then responded to a call for help from a good friend in the business. Half of his trading desk switched to another firm and he was desperate. For the next five years I filled in at this firm as needed. Up to 1996, I was a floater who helped out friends in distress at three of the smaller firms in the Houston area.

In February 1996 at age 76, I decided it was time to quit the 6:30 AM arrival at the office and hung 'em up for good. It was well that I did, in May of 1996 while mowing the lawn I experienced chest pains and two days later had a triple by-pass. No heart attack but close to one. I have been in good shape ever since. In 1993 a routine colonoscopy found a 3cm cancerous spot on my colon, no mass but a potential one. Removed the area and ensuing checkups show all clear - A real lucky kid!

I was real active in our professional association as one of the founders of the Houston Affiliate of the National Security Traders Association. Also I served as governor and officer of National over a period of 13 years, as Chairman of the Board of Governors in 1980. We held our National Conventions annually alternating between Boca Raton and Palm Springs. I attended every convention from 1965 till 1995.

I am an ordained deacon in the Presbyterian Church and was an adult Church School teacher for a 15 year period, very rewarding.

10 April 2002

Our family today:

Daughter Jane Webb, Asst Supt of Schools, Rogers, Arkansas, and husband David Webb, Asst Principal in the Rogers School System. Granddaughter Allison, senior at Drury U, Springfield MO. Michael sophomore at Ouachita Baptist, Arkadelphia AR.

Daughter Donna Wilems and husband Jon. Homemaker. Husband Jon is an independent gas supply consultant operating out of Houston, TX. Donna's son Ryan, senior at Texas A&M.

Ruth Paschall and husband Jim. Ruth, after a career with IBM and Arthur Anderson left the corporate rat race and is managing a women's' sportswear shop in Boca Grande where the Bushes hang out when they have nothing better to do. Jim took very early retirement from Ciber Inc. and is managing a golf pro shop.

Ruth, Allison, President Bush and Jane

Michael and President Bush