09/18/2023
If you weren't at the Museum on Sept. 9th, you missed a fascinating educational program. The museum presented another rendition of “Tales from Beyond”, this time focusing on WWII veteran stories from those connected to Lonoke and served in the war effort. The event was attended by about 60 people and the stories were presented by members of the community, many of them who have also served in the armed forces in more recent years. The picture shows those that presented short stories about the veterans.
Bill Coley (back row, L, khaki pants) portrayed Maurice "Footsie Britt", who was the first American Soldier of World War II to win all of the Army's top medals for valor, including the Medal of Honor. Rusty Eisenhower (front L, straw hat), of Ward, portrayed Robert Wheat, who survived three notorious "hell ships" and several prisons operated by Japan but died as a POW after being held for over 1100 days. Roger Bransford (back, blue shirt) portrayed Thomas Mattax who told of his emergency landing of a bomber on a narrow country road in France as the crew returned from providing support to Patton’s troops in Germany. John Bridges (front, uniform) played Jack Bain (Bronze Star recipient) wounded many times in campaigns in Africa and Italy and who lost a limb due to a land mine. Nelson Colclasure, portrayed Hubert Colclasure and told the humorous story of, while serving as a Navy gunner, how his open radio nearly got him a court-marshal when an Admiral heard what he said about him. Leanna Rich (red jacket) portrayed Joe Anne Taylor, the daughter of Joseph George, who, while serving at Pearl Harbor, disobeyed a direct command and took action to save six men on the USS Arizona which was anchored next to his ship. If he had told of his actions at the time, he would have been court-marshalled. Walls McCrary (back row, grey suit) portrayed his great uncle, Frank McCrary, who served in three wars with the Navy. He was the first commander of the USS Shenandoah, dirigible, in WWI and the captain of the first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley. In WWII, he was commander of the Alameda Naval Air Station. Alice Rufus (white dress) gave a touching portrayal as Velma Hinton, mother of Hezie Noble who served as the officers’ cook on the USS Monssen, a destroyer that sank in 1942 during the battle of Guadalcanal. Next to her is Sherryl Miller who played Bertha McGee, mother of Thomas McGee, a sailor who was lost at sea along with 790 others when several ships encountered a typhoon in the Philippine Sea. Bill Ryker (back, far right) took on the role of Robert Sidney Reed of Cabot, and Navy Cross recipient. When he joined the Marines, Sidney said he would get five tanks on his first day on the battlefield but, when he was part of the battle of Saipan, it took him two days with his bazooka! Inez Minton, widow of Robert, was played by Rita Melder (black dress, far right) who told the story of how she never got over the loss of her young husband who served in the Army at the Battle of Normandy and of their daughter that he never had a chance to know. Jesse Gatewood (far right, front) was the M.C. for the evening and he included interesting facts about some of the families he knew personally.
The museum thanks the community for their financial support that helps us bring local history to life! We hope you will be able to make the next "Tales from Beyond".
