Our travel across country continued and would end at Ft Lewis Washington, however before dropping Aunt Louise and Grandma Loretta off at the airport for their flight home, we made one stop at Mount Ranier and wanted to drive high enough into the mountain until we got snow (considering it was summer time this was a novel goal).

We did accomplish this and then Loretta and Louise were dropped off at SeaTac Airport and took a flight back to Detroit. Chuck (James Dad) would spend the next 2 and a half years at Ft Lewis which at the time was a high technology test bed for the latest technology in war fare. James Dad would do special assignments in California, Alaska, and Japan during his stay and would come home for good in 1984 with an honorable discharge, and a World Series Championship in Detroit (tigers winning over San Diego), just as his dad did in 1945 Tigers winning over the Cubbies).

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After Dad came home from Korea he wanted to have a car while he was at his new location stateside (Ft Lewis Washington). Dads Mom (Loretta) and Aunt Louise drove out with him to his new base on the other side of the country and would take an airplane home. While in route they made a slight detour to see Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln, the sculpture’s roughly 60′ high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

After a quick visit the family continued onward to the Pacific Coast and Fort Lewis Washington.

Renee celebrates her First Communion and afterwards went to Trenton where they were preparing for a party to celebrate the event.

Renee received her First Communion from Saint Timothy Church just off West Road on Manning street in Trenton. Saint Timothy Church is a relatively small parish that draws its members from a number of communities from the downriver area. This is the church where all the family members who live or lived in Trenton attend. Saint Tims altar was church is unique with a circular inside rather than the traditional square with pews.

As with every other event, Renee’s Aunt Loretta (James Grandma) and Renee’s Grandma (James Great Aunt) made sure that a proper cake was on hand for the event.

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James Dad was in the army and missed this years Christmas in Trenton. The Trenton house has a huge picture window that goes from the ground to nearly the ceiling which makes it ideal for displays that can be seen not only from the inside dining room but also the outside. With that in mind a large Christmas tree in the picture window is about as close to a Christmas tradition as we have.

One thing about any visit to Trenton, whether it was for a birthday or holiday, the evening always ended with a game of cards. Pinocle was the game of choice and the Trenton card players were extremely good at the game. So much so that years later the “little friends” would challenge the sisters Loretta and Louise to a pinocle game each year on Labor Day at Camp Dearborn. The final score after 4 years of battle was Loretta and Louise 4, the little friends 1.

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There is a little chronological order to these pics, the first two are from graduation at Ft Devens Massachusetts, after a flight to Detroit the next 3 pics are being sent off from Metro to St Louis, where the Spirit of St Louis and big polar bear reside at their airport. The next flight was to LA then onto Japan. A hop skip and jump later it was Second Division Korea for the next year (and next 70 pictures). Most of the time Chuck worked at second division but did earn a trip to Che Ju Do Island, a beautiful paradise off the southern tip of the Korean penninsula. While there he was trained in repelling down cliffs which was a whole lot of fun.

Also toward the end of the photo gallery are pictures of James Dad returning home after a one year tour of Korea (and two promotions later).

Charles served at Second Division which was located about 10-15 miles from the DMZ zone and would make frequent courier runs to the DMZ usually on Sundays. During the week Charles worked at the SCIF (Secured Compartmental Information Facility)

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After the Iranian hostage crisis, James’ Dad left college and joined the military to help out. He went to Military Intelligence School at Ft Devens in Massachusetts and remembers walking to a cool music store that was located in Ayer, a small town outside of the base.

Dad got to see much of New England’s history while stationed here including the USS Constitution and Plymouth Rock. One of his favorite times was camping at Cape Cod which seems odd since when you are in the military you are camping out all the time (its called bivouac or being out in the field).

Charles graduated ahead of his designated time which was a real accomplishment in those days since you had to learn Morse Code or “hacking dits” as they called it at Fort Devens.

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James Dad was in College (Henry Ford Community College, aka Hank High) when President Carter ordered a rescue mission to save the 52 Americans being held hostage at the American Embassy in Iran. The rescue mission was a disaster and failed miserably when a helicopter crashed and killed 8 Americans. United States Secretary of State Cyrus Vance resigned his position following the failed rescue attempt.

The next day James dad signed up for service in the United States Army. He wanted to leave after the softball season which ended in late August. Early September a car pulled up and took him to the Detroit center which took him to Metro Airport where a flight took him to New Jersey and a bus took him to Fort Dix for basic training.

After basic training another bus took James Dad to Fort Devens Massachusetts for AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Army Intelligence School.

With summer coming to a close in August, James Grandma had a farewell party for James Dad as he was getting ready to go into the army and do basic training at Fort Dix New Jersey in early September.

The party took place at Lake Erie in Monroe Michigan (the state park just east on exit 15 on I75) on a perfect summer day and many of James Dads “little friends” (a nickname to Dads friends who he met in first grade, hence the name little friends) were on hand to give James Dad a hearty send off (the keg of beer helped a little as well).

The party was a big success and James Dad made it on time to Ft Dix where basic training awaited him.

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The Lepire Paper softball team made it to the championship game, but lost in a very close game. Seeing that it was only the teams second year in existence playing against teams that had been playing for years and decades in some cases, it was quite the achievement. This would be the last softball game James Dad would play before going to the Army about a month later.

Cousin Terry’s wedding was much fun for the whole family with lots of dancing at the reception. Most of James relatives were in attendance and can be seen in these pictures. The wedding took place on a glorious summer day.

There was hardly a dry eye in the place as many remembered Terry’s Dad Uncle Joe, who had passed away a few years earlier while visiting Disney World with his family. He would have been very proud of his day and everyone was sure he was looking down from heaven with his blessing.

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