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Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Military Roll Call: Pictures from the South Pacific.

In a 2013 review of JD’s stash of photos and pictures supplied by JL, Rex and Mary Catherine were some military pictures. I had never seen some of these before, and they will all go into the book really well. I also received a picture of Raymond Savat in Korea from Sandra. After considerable research of the pictures from the South Pacific, we have found both where some of the pictures were taken, who some of the sailors were, and found other pictures.

2020 UPDATE: I discovered a comment dated March 31, 2018, at 9:27 PM, which was not appended to this post but to another, which led to it being overlooked the last 2 years. This comment eliminates any speculation about the bakery's location. As you can see, it eliminates Romblon Island as being relevant to the question of these pictures. Their location is obviously Manila. Unfortunately, the author of the comment (the son of the bakery's owners) left the comment anonymously and has not commented further.

The comment: 

"Anonymous-March 31, 2018 at 9:27 PM. Hi GlennDL - i saw your reply to my post about the Wong's Bakery in Romblon Island, Philippines 6 year ago. I somehow revisited the blog today after 8 yrs and saw your post. I think my grandparents established The Wongs Bakery in Romblon in the 1950s, so i dont think the photo was taken in Romblon. However, before the war and immediately after they owned the same Bakery in Magdalena St, Binondo, Manila, which is not far away from Taft Avenue, so there is a possibility that is the place where the photo was taken. It is also a place where there are Calesas(horse drawn carriage exist to this day). I will research if it is indeed their bakery in Binondo. Magdalena St is now Masangkay St. and pre-war was the site of St Lukes Hospital (established by American Jesuit Nuns). Many thanks for posting the photo with the Wongs Bakery in it, I will research more and post you another update if any."


200px-USN-Seabees-Insignia.svg

The picture in front of Wong’s Bakery:

Don’t know who the three in front are, but that’s JD standing in the carriage. The only clues to where this might be in the South Pacific:

  • are the dress of JD and his ‘CB’  (SeaBee) buddies,
  • Wong’s Bakery,
  • a stained un-readable note on the back
  • and the bottle in one sailor's hand.

Wong’s bakery would probably take some serious research, and I can’t imagine Wong's bakery would be significant enough outside of its location unless it had actually survived 66 years. I tried to focus and enhance the photo to identify the bottle, but the image was in too low of a resolution. The only thing that the sailors' dress might tell us is that they probably were in the vicinity of their duty station instead of on shore leave in New Zealand, Australia, or somewhere similar. (I don’t even know if that was an option for sailors in WWII). 
Note 1         
What was a CB?

JD’s CB unit was in New Caledonia and the Fiji Islands; Tetere Beach, Guadalcanal, Emirau, New Guinea and then to Manus, New Guinea, then Manila, Philippines.

Hello! On a whim, after writing the above, I started to do a little research and discovered Wong’s Bakery in Romblon, Philippines, which is an island about 200+ miles from Manila. Wong is probably a popular name, but this was the only reference found in New Guinea, Guadalcanal, and the Philippines. This is a long shot, but the bakery was still in existence in the 60s and 70s. I’m sending an email to the blog that had this reference:
The only thing readable on the back of the picture was JD’s name and “Taff Ave.”
courtesyJohnJLLittrll (8) sharpened

Unfortunately, we have never gotten a response to the e-mail.

Hopefully, we might get JL to bring the picture to next year's reunion, and we can get a better scan.

The 1944 War film The Fighting Seabees, staring John Wayne, tells a heavily fictionalized story of the formation of the Seabees and their first taste of combat.

What follows is what we now know. 

Where was it taken:   We had speculated that JD might have been on the Romblin Island as part of the duties of a SeaBee. We have since discovered the following:

  • JD was a Ship’s Cook 3rd class (“Hq” Company, 4th Platoon). His duties would not likely take him 200 miles away to the island of Romblon. It was not taken on Romblon Island.
    • The scribbled back of the picture was mostly unreadable. The only thing for sure was the identification of JD in the carriage and the words “Taff Ave.”

We had known there was a main thoroughfare in Manila named “Taft Ave,” but we were trying to exhaust the Romblin connection first.

  • I pulled out dad’s pictures and discovered that some pictures in my already scanned box were missing from my computer—victim of one of many crashes over the years.
  • In reviewing several pictures, I discovered the following:
6-9-2013 8;17;40 PM1

Picture #1Pasay Manilla

So there is little doubt now that the picture was taken in the Manila Suburb of Pasay City on Taft Ave. The other 3 pictures were taken in the same suburb or Manila proper.

  1. A picture of JD with two buddies in what appears to be a picture gallery.
  2. Another picture, on a different day, in the same location with JD and 3 other buddies.
  3. Another picture, in a bar, of JD and two buddies. On the back was written: “Talega Posay Manila P.I.” Originally, I thought Talega was a place name. It still might be, but it isn’t in my notes, so I will have to Google it. I also thought that Posay and Talega might be the misspelled names of the two buddies with JD, but an extensive search of the 63rd CB roster and unit book turn up no similarities.
  4. When in the Philippines, the 63rd CB’s were camped in Pasay (Pasay) city, a suburb of Manila. As it turns out, Posay was a misspelling of the place name Pasay.
  5. And right there, running right through Posay City, is Taft Ave.

When was it taken: Picture #1 above says 1944 on the back. Picture #2  below is dated June 25, 1945, on the back. Picture #3 below is dated 1943 on the back. All pictures indicate the Philippines; only picture #2 appears to be in the original handwriting. We have to rule out the dates for the other two pictures as being added later through a foggy memory because the 63rd CB's didn’t arrive in the Philippines until April of 1945 and departed July 24, 1945, for the USA.

So the original picture from JL that started this conversation, as well as the other three, were all taken between April and July of 1945.

Who’s in the picture(s) with JD? The picture in the carriage with JD standing:

  • The sailor setting in front of JD is also in pictures #1 and #3.
  • The sailor standing next to the carriage is also in pictures #2 and #3. 
The sailor in front of JD is Dave English of St. Louis. He was in Company “D” 5th Platoon. He was a lifelong friend of Dad’s after the war. He visited, and we met him in the 60s and 70s, but I was too young to remember what he looks like; Dad had written his name on the back of picture #1. 6-9-2013 8;17;40 PM3
 
Picture #3 middle JD; right Dave English

I have not been able to Identify the sailor standing next to the carriage; we will call him Kilroy for now. On the back of picture #2, are four names listed, in hard to read, faded script. I will have to enhance the photo, but for now, this is what I make out:

6-9-2013 8;17;40 PM2

Picture #2

  • Curley                   Oklahoma
  • ????                       Missouri    
         (This would be our ‘Kilroy’)
  • Deal                        Alabama
  • J.D.                         Missouri

    Searching all pictures and the unit book, I could not find any Curley or any name similar to Oklahoma. Obviously a nickname, this is a total loss for now.

    We found a Deal in the company roster, Deal, D.L. of Northport, Alabama in Company C, 4th Platoon, 63rd CB's, and then found a picture that matches.

  • On the back of picture #1 with JD and Dave English, it says, “Ralph Uptgraff, St. Louis, MO..” Checked all Ralphs from Missouri, checked for Uptgraff with no success. I also looked at all the pictures in the unit book, and there were too many guys who could be this guy; none of their names were close. He could be a fellow Missourian that JD and Dave ran into from another unit? Possible Marine?


    The above information is from Military Roll Call: The Littrell Family of Mississippi County, Missouri, The Littrell Family Journals Volume IV. (click here)
    also: 
    Littrell Family Veterans Video

    reposted from 2015:  40 / 113

    Saturday, August 8, 2020

    First Cousins: The Last Generation?

    updated/re-posted August 8, 2020

    WHO ARE THE 1st COUSINS? GDL-2011 (17)

    Jesse Daniel Littrell Family:GRL-12 (23)

    Gary Russell, Mike (Malcolm) Gene, Jesse Dolan, Ronald Lyvonne

    2002 TSL Reunion (16)Christine
    Mary Christine
    Willa Dean Littrell Brown
    Willa Dean
    Jesse Daniel & Viola Littrell Family
    Bud & Geneva

    not pictured: Teresia Beatrice & Otis Carl

    Verily Viola “Sis” Littrell Johnston Family:OLC-11d (1)Mable Lurene & Verily BerniceLJO-1d (2)crpdJ. Fred








    More 1st Cousins photos



    Living First Cousins (22)

    W. Dean Littrell, Gary R. Littrell, M. Lurene Johnston, Martha Rae Curtis, Bill Davis, J. Darlene Thurman, Ann M. Thurman, Mary Catherine Littrell, Sheila D. Littrell, Monte L. Thurman,Glenn D. Littrell, Fred G. Littrell, Joyce Davis, Richard (Rick) N. Littrell, Pam Davis, B. Rachelle Littrell, Janet P. Littrell, Orville J. Littrell, Wallace (Wally) J. Littrell

    Even though there are some spouses of John & Kizzie's children still living the passing of Onene Littrell-Curtis at the end of 2010  meant there are no surviving children of our common ancestors, John and Kizzie. Onene was the last of her generation. The 1st Cousins (the grandchildren of John & Kizzie) are now the current eldest generation.

    Beginning with the migration of the family from Tennessee to southeast Missouri in 1932 John and Kizzie left their oldest daughter Viola, ‘Sis’, in Tennessee where she remained the rest of her life and raised her family. Jesse, who had also remained in Tennessee until the family’s moonshine adventure forced him and his family to join his parents in Missouri would settle in the St. Louis area. Eventually Les and Red would also settle in St. Louis and Rubin and Noble in Ohio and Indiana, respectively. JD would travel the world as a career soldier and sailor before joining Rubin in Indianapolis. OJ, Letha Mae, Bertha and Onene would remain in the boot heel area of Missouri. Two children would pass without offspring.* 

    So with 3 siblings in St. Louis, 4 siblings in southeast Missouri, 1 sibling in Tennessee, 2 siblings in Indianapolis, the children of John & Kizzie were spread out pretty good over a 5 state area. Even so, with reunions and holidays the family saw each other enough that most of John and Kizzie’s grandchildren, the first cousins, came to know each other.

    But John and Kizzie passed and as their children grew older the get ‘togethers’ became less frequent. The first cousins children grew and also spread out as they settled. For years  the occasional reunion and too many funerals were the only times most of the first cousins saw each other. As their children grew that generation has come to know little of their family history and of their own generation. That generation, the great grandchildren of John and Kizzie are for the most part total strangers to each other and their heritage.

    This family has reached the point where if we rely on the funerals of first cousins to unite us in the future the ties to each other, John, Kizzie, Jesse, Noble, etc. will be lost. No longer will anybody be able to say ‘That’s a Littrell for you’, and even if they did who would really know what that means?

    This is the reason some of us put so much effort into attending and effecting the attendance at family reunions, as well as the website and Facebook group page. We hope you all will get involved. You may not know anyone at the reunions, but I promise you we don’t bite.

    Annual John & Kizzie Littrell Family Reunion
    2011-2019
    Between Grandin
    and
    Doniphan Missouri

    image

    Deceased First Cousins (18)

    Bertha M. Johnston (1939-1941)
    Otis Carl Littrell (1942-1945)
    Martha A. Johnston (1941-1947)
    Ronnie Dale Davis (1947-1947)
    Felecia E. Littrell (1959-1966)
    Jerry G. Davis (1952-1967)
    T. Beatrice Littrell (1932-1974)
    J. Dolan Littrell (1933-1990)
    R. Lyvonne (Vaughn) Littrell (1940-1992)
    Richard R. Littrell (????-????)
    V. Bernice Johnston (1937-1998)
    M. Christine Littrell (1938-20??)
    Christopher (Chris) D. Littrell, 1966-2015
    John L. (JL) Littrell, 1950-2018
    Rex (Bobby) Littrell, 1940-2019
     Troy L. Littrell, 1950-2020 
    Mike (Malcolm) G. Littrell, 
    J. Fred Johnston, 1933-2020 


    *Troy Lee ‘Dick’ Littrell died at age 22 in Missouri.  There is also evidence and tradition that Kizzie had another child who either died at birth or soon thereafter in Tennessee.

     

    Noble James Littrell Family:
    JL-2011 (44)crpd
    Rex

    Ollie Onene Littrell Curtis Family:
    Martha Rae Curtis Savat
    Martha Rae


    Bertha Ann Littrell Thurman Family:

    OLC-4 (1)crpd


    Anna Marie & Joyce Darlene 

    OLC-5d (2)

    Monte Linden


    Redford “Red” Littrell Family:

    Fred Littrell

    Fred

    Janet Littrell
    Janet Pandora

    John Daniel “JD” (Junior Dolan) Littrell Family:
    GDL-2012 (122)
    Troy Lee, Richard Noble & Glenn David

    Letha Mae Littrell Davis Family:
    2012 Reunion (Oct)
    Joyce, Billy Lee & Pam
    Jerry Davis Jerry Gale Davis,

    not pictured:  Ronnie Dale Davis.

    O.J. Littrell Family:
    Mary,Wally,Sheila, Chris & Orvile
    Mary Catherine, Wallace “Wally” James, Sheila Diane, Christopher David & Orville John.
    ????

    Leslie Littrell Family:
    MLC-2011 (6)
    John L. “JL” Littrell

    Albert Rubin Littrell Family:

    MLC-1d (9)crpd

    Richard Rubin, Felicia Ann & Betty Rachelle 


    note: Even though I have hundreds of family pictures many have yet to be digitized. If you have a better picture of someone then send it to me and I’ll switch it in. 

    As always if I have mis-identified someone let me know.

    GlennDL
    indianaglenn@gmail.com

    For additional information (click):

    272 / 301

    Tuesday, May 12, 2020

    Littrell Family Mother’s Day (video):

    Using photo's from past Mother's Day and photos from the family files I put together a Mother's Day Video. Please send me any pictures (with comments/commemorations) and I will try to put them in the next version video. You can email them to me at: indianaglenn@gmail.com or share then[post] to the family group page...

    27 / 72 / 93                                                       reposted from May, 2017.

    Friday, April 10, 2020

    Bertha A. Littrell Thurman: born April 11, 1919


    Bertha Ann8 Littrell (John Daniel7, Timmons Seburn6 Literal, Eli Franklin5, Rodhom4, Robert3 Luttrell, Richard2 Lutterell, James1 Lotterell) was born April 11, 1919 in Lawrence Co., TN. She married Lindsey Prior Thurman (#421) September 22, 1938. They both were buried: MO., Anniston, Anniston Cem.
    218 / 307 / 373 / 396

    Thursday, April 2, 2020

    Kizzie Zore Comer Littrell: 4-1-1967

    Obits KizzieImage (3)_thumb[2]198 / 255                                                                                                                  reposted from 2017

    Tuesday, March 10, 2020

    Bertha Ann Littrell married Lindsey Prior ‘Bordie’ Thurman.: September 22nd, 1938

    reposted from 9-21-2016
    Bertha Ann8 Littrell (John Daniel7, Timmons Seburn6 Literal, Eli Franklin5, Rodhom4, Robert3 Luttrell, Richard2 Lutterell, James1 Lotterell) was born April 11, 1919 in Lawrence Co., TN. She married Lindsey Prior Thurman (#421) September 22, 1938, son of Pryor Thurman and Maude Hawthorne. He was born April 22, 1919 in Anniston, MO., and died September 24, 1988 in Sikeston, MO., and Buried: MO., Anniston, Anniston Cem.
     OLC-4 (1) OLC-5d (1)
    Ann, Monte, Bertha & Darlene Thurman
    see also: Lindsay P. & Bertha Ann (Littrell) Thurman: Marriage License
    63/92/129

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