CHARLES McDANIEL,
Volunteer
Charles McDaniel, a self admitted "glory hound," turns seventy three years
old, on tomorrow, January 28, 1998. He doesn't seek glory in what he does, but
is proud of his accomplishments. Charles believes that the past is good and ought
to be remembered. However, he believes that the present and the future is more
important. He is making it his mission to live the rest of his life serving others -
that is, as much as his tired old body can do. For most of his life he has tried to
serve others.
Charles McDaniel was born in Dublin in 1925. He was a son of Herschel
McDaniel and Nettie Mae Hattaway. His maternal grandfather, S.J. Hattaway,
served many years as the "Boss" of the Laurens County Chaingang. When Charles
was three years old, his father took his own life. McDaniel is proud of the fact that
as a child he lived in a house at 203 Mincey Street, which is now the site of Musetta
Foster's African-American History Museum. After his father died, Charles and his
family moved out to a farm off Claxton Dairy Road. They lived on the Payne Place,
now a part of Brookwood Subdivision. In July of 1940, Charles decided to enlist
in the United States Army. World War II was over a year away. Charles wound
up as a private in Co. E of the 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Army Division, of
General George Patton's 3rd Army.
Charles had the opportunity to see and hear General Patton. He described
Patton as pretty much like you see in the movies. "He was a "glory hound" like
me," McDaniel said. " He liked to show off his two pistols. I guess that's why
became a "glory hound," McDaniel added. Charles and his company participated
in the Normandy Invasion. "I wasn't in the first wave. We came along a little
later. We didn't see any small arms fire at first, only artillery," McDaniel said.
McDaniel and his fellow infantrymen were met by one hedgerow after another.
"These hedgerows were so thick, that we had to get special equipment to get
through them. When our tanks tried to push through, they went belly up. The
German "88s" blew them apart. While fighting around in western France, about
20 miles inland, Charles was wounded when his weapon misfired. His right hand
was severely wounded and his face suffered flesh wounds.
Charles was taken back behind and lines and put on a transport which he
called a "duck." "All I could remember was seeing the waves. I couldn't see any
water. When we arrived at the hospital ship, they picked us up. They picked the
whole "duck" up and set it on the deck," McDaniel said. He knew he was safe, when
he smelled the sweet perfume of the ship's nurses. "They were beautiful ladies.
After all, I was only nineteen years old," McDaniel fondly remembered. For his
actions in the Normandy Invasion, Charles McDaniel was awarded the Purple
Heart and the Bronze Star. Charles spent the next eight months in an English
hospital. He returned to the states in 1945, first to Boston, and then to Oklahoma.
After about three months he was discharged and sent home.
After the war, Charles worked as a construction lineman for the R.E.A..
Charles returned to Dublin where he worked in the V.A. Hospital until the outbreak
of the Korean War. He transferred to Warner Robins Air Force Base, where he
was an electrical aircraft inspector for twenty years. McDaniel and his crew were
working on the new jet engines. While Charles was working at Warner Robins,
he and others formed a public safety department outside of the base. "There was
no police or fire protection. Outside the gate, you could see Boss Watson's house on
the hill and a few shacks around it. Eventually stores, houses, and other buildings
were built. Ernest Woods was our first chief." McDaniel added. His bosses gave
McDaniel and others administrative leave to volunteer as firemen. While at
Warner Robins, McDaniel suffered the tragedy of his mother's death by drowning
in the pond on the Payne Place.
One accomplishment of which McDaniel is proud is his triumph over
alcoholism. "I must have been the biggest drunk in town," McDaniel lamented.
"Judge Bill White saved my life. The examples he set convinced me to stop
drinking." McDaniel wound up in an Atlanta Hospital. After being dismissed, he
worked as an orderly in the Children's Burn Center at Henrietta Eggleston
Hospital. After a heart attack, Charles McDaniel was sent back to Dublin as a
patient in the Domiciliary at the V.A. Hospital in Dublin. At the hospital, he was
assigned the position of First Sergeant of his ward.
Charles McDaniel left the V.A. and has lived in public housing since then.
About 1985, he moved to the senior section on Druid Street. McDaniel soon
realized that his neighborhood had a big problem - a drug problem. He had to do
something. Brenda Smith, the Housing Authority's Executive Director, encouraged
Charles to do something. When Mrs. Smith's help, Charles and the residents of
Druid Street organized the city's first resident housing council. With the help of
Chief Wayne Fuqua, the residents set up a neighborhood watch program. "We got
rid of most of those drug dealers," McDaniel boasted. Charles saw a need to clean
up Vinson Village. He was put in contact with Patsy Baker, Director of Dublin-
Laurens Clean and Beautiful. Charles went to work and cleaned a lot of the trash
out of his neighborhood. In 1995, McDaniel was named Senior Citizen of the Year
during the St. Patrick's Festival. In 1996, he was given the Humanitarian Award
by the Housing Authority.
In 1996, Charles was nominated to carry the Olympic torch during its
passage through Dublin. He trained for the event and fittingly carried the torch
on the V.A. grounds. Charles gives all the credit for this honor to Patsy Baker and
Cong. J. Roy Rowland. While he likes to talk about his accomplishments, Charles
gives a lot of credit to others. He sports his new badge given to him by the V.A.
Hospital. It says, "Charles McDaniel, Volunteer Ambassador." His proudest
accomplishment, McDaniel says, "is being a volunteer. "This volunteer badge
means more to me than the Congressional Medal of Honor." His next project is to
revive the Dublin tradition of having Veteran's Day parades on the 11th of
November. My question is, why not? After all, don't they deserve it?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
DECEMBER 7, 1941
A DAY WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY
It was going to be a merry Christmas. On the afternoon of December 1, 1941, 2100 soldiers of the U.S. Army set up camp on the Lassiter Airfield along the northern edge of Dublin. The troops were on their way to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The field was located between North Jefferson Street and Country Club Road. Another 1000 soldiers on their way to Louisiana came through the next morning. In all, about 600 trucks passed through Dublin. The merchants were beside themselves. The soldiers were paid the day they arrived. The men spent their money on soft drinks, beer, eats, and cigarettes. The quartermasters picked up some necessary supplies for the remainder of the trip.
Electricians were set to start wiring the courthouse Christmas Tree on Monday morning. Santa Claus was making toys for the little ones. The Dublin Hurricanes had just celebrated a successful football season. The Cadwell Bulldogs also celebrated their victory over the Cedar Grove team in the Laurens County Six Man Football Championship. The Chamber of Commerce was set to select officers for the coming year. The John Laurens Chapter of the D.A.R. was preparing to entertain state officers. The news came in over the radio on that fateful Sunday afternoon. The country was at war. Immediately, Laurens Countians turned their thoughts to those serving in the Pacific. Among those serving in Hawaii were Major Robert Wilson, Bascom Ashley, George Dewey Senn, William Drew, Jr., Walter Camp, Joel Wood, Harold Wright, Charles Durden, Hardy Blankenship, Rowland Ellis, Wade Jackson, Nathan Graham, Obie Cauley, and Claxton Mullis. Lts. William C. Thompson, Jr. and Everett Hicks were serving in the Philippines and Woody Dominy was stationed on Wake Island.
December 7, 1941, "A day which will live in infamy," changed all of our lives. For those of us who were alive, it will be a day that they will always remember. For those of us who came along later, it may have been the most important day of our lives. So much of our world's political situations and our scientific and technological advances were direct results of the events which began on that fateful day.
________________________________________________________________
The following is a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Hobbs of Dublin from their daughter Margie Hobbs Wilson, wife of Major Robert Wilson, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in December, 1941.
_________________________________________________________________
December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Dear Mamma and Daddy;
I know that you are frantic with all the news you are getting over the radio today. Although I have no idea when this letter will get out of here now, I'll write all along and just hope for the best.
We were taken so by surprise this morning that some ships were bombed and reservations were upset. Bob got up first today but I was awake when it all started. He didn't hear the air raid alarm, but he came running upstairs and said I was missing a good mock war. Then he went over and looked out of the window and saw it was the real thing. The Jap planes were flying so low over our house the wheels were almost rolling on the roofs. I knew it was the real thing when I saw a bomb make a direct hit. Bob started putting on his uniform to report for duty and turned on the radio. They were announcing that Japanese planes were attacking the Island of Oahu (that's this one) and for all men to report for duty at once.
The whole Island was organized in nothing flat and they won't let us out of the house. However, when it first started I went over and got Margaret De Sadler and we went on to Harriett Hemmingway's place. Several girls had gathered there and we were there when the worst part was going on. There were about seven kids there and all scared stiff. Harriett was almost out of her head. She has two little boys, one three and one five. I haven't been scared so far. I don't guess I've got enough sense to be.
We had to lie on the floor when most of the raid was going on, because the shrapnel was flying outside and we were afraid it would come through the window. I have a piece for a souvenir. While we were on the floor I had all the children drawing pictures. Gee, we drew so many that I almost learned to draw myself!
Later Margaret and I came over to the house and put some clothes in a suitcase just in case we were to evacuate to the hills, and a sentry caught us and wouldn't let us go back to Harriett's, so we are together at my house. Bob has been in once to get one of the radios for the yard. All the station programs are off the air and we are advised to keep all radios on for special announcements. The army has taken everything over. If anybody had ever told me I'd be right in the middle of an air raid, I would have though he or she was crazy.
Unless we are evacuated before dark Margaret and I are going to bring a mattress downstairs tonight and sleep on the floor. There's no use to tell you not to worry about us because, I know how I'd feel if I were in your place. But try not to worry too much and I'll let you know how we are just as often as I can. As soon as I can, I'll send you a wire, but I don't know now when that will be possible.
We spent a pretty quiet night. Of course Margaret and I both slept with one eye and one ear open. There was a sentry right in front of our house all night so that made us feel better about the situation. Bob came in for a minute at sundown yesterday to see if we were OK, but I haven't seen him since.
Alfred Sturgis rang the door bell at one o'clock this morning and said he wanted to stay with us if it was all right. He had worked all day at the Navy yard and couldn't drive his car after sundown last night. We are certainly glad he came. He is going to see that our letters are mailed for us. Try not to worry too much.
Love, Margie
It was going to be a merry Christmas. On the afternoon of December 1, 1941, 2100 soldiers of the U.S. Army set up camp on the Lassiter Airfield along the northern edge of Dublin. The troops were on their way to Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The field was located between North Jefferson Street and Country Club Road. Another 1000 soldiers on their way to Louisiana came through the next morning. In all, about 600 trucks passed through Dublin. The merchants were beside themselves. The soldiers were paid the day they arrived. The men spent their money on soft drinks, beer, eats, and cigarettes. The quartermasters picked up some necessary supplies for the remainder of the trip.
Electricians were set to start wiring the courthouse Christmas Tree on Monday morning. Santa Claus was making toys for the little ones. The Dublin Hurricanes had just celebrated a successful football season. The Cadwell Bulldogs also celebrated their victory over the Cedar Grove team in the Laurens County Six Man Football Championship. The Chamber of Commerce was set to select officers for the coming year. The John Laurens Chapter of the D.A.R. was preparing to entertain state officers. The news came in over the radio on that fateful Sunday afternoon. The country was at war. Immediately, Laurens Countians turned their thoughts to those serving in the Pacific. Among those serving in Hawaii were Major Robert Wilson, Bascom Ashley, George Dewey Senn, William Drew, Jr., Walter Camp, Joel Wood, Harold Wright, Charles Durden, Hardy Blankenship, Rowland Ellis, Wade Jackson, Nathan Graham, Obie Cauley, and Claxton Mullis. Lts. William C. Thompson, Jr. and Everett Hicks were serving in the Philippines and Woody Dominy was stationed on Wake Island.
December 7, 1941, "A day which will live in infamy," changed all of our lives. For those of us who were alive, it will be a day that they will always remember. For those of us who came along later, it may have been the most important day of our lives. So much of our world's political situations and our scientific and technological advances were direct results of the events which began on that fateful day.
________________________________________________________________
The following is a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Hobbs of Dublin from their daughter Margie Hobbs Wilson, wife of Major Robert Wilson, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in December, 1941.
_________________________________________________________________
December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Dear Mamma and Daddy;
I know that you are frantic with all the news you are getting over the radio today. Although I have no idea when this letter will get out of here now, I'll write all along and just hope for the best.
We were taken so by surprise this morning that some ships were bombed and reservations were upset. Bob got up first today but I was awake when it all started. He didn't hear the air raid alarm, but he came running upstairs and said I was missing a good mock war. Then he went over and looked out of the window and saw it was the real thing. The Jap planes were flying so low over our house the wheels were almost rolling on the roofs. I knew it was the real thing when I saw a bomb make a direct hit. Bob started putting on his uniform to report for duty and turned on the radio. They were announcing that Japanese planes were attacking the Island of Oahu (that's this one) and for all men to report for duty at once.
The whole Island was organized in nothing flat and they won't let us out of the house. However, when it first started I went over and got Margaret De Sadler and we went on to Harriett Hemmingway's place. Several girls had gathered there and we were there when the worst part was going on. There were about seven kids there and all scared stiff. Harriett was almost out of her head. She has two little boys, one three and one five. I haven't been scared so far. I don't guess I've got enough sense to be.
We had to lie on the floor when most of the raid was going on, because the shrapnel was flying outside and we were afraid it would come through the window. I have a piece for a souvenir. While we were on the floor I had all the children drawing pictures. Gee, we drew so many that I almost learned to draw myself!
Later Margaret and I came over to the house and put some clothes in a suitcase just in case we were to evacuate to the hills, and a sentry caught us and wouldn't let us go back to Harriett's, so we are together at my house. Bob has been in once to get one of the radios for the yard. All the station programs are off the air and we are advised to keep all radios on for special announcements. The army has taken everything over. If anybody had ever told me I'd be right in the middle of an air raid, I would have though he or she was crazy.
Unless we are evacuated before dark Margaret and I are going to bring a mattress downstairs tonight and sleep on the floor. There's no use to tell you not to worry about us because, I know how I'd feel if I were in your place. But try not to worry too much and I'll let you know how we are just as often as I can. As soon as I can, I'll send you a wire, but I don't know now when that will be possible.
We spent a pretty quiet night. Of course Margaret and I both slept with one eye and one ear open. There was a sentry right in front of our house all night so that made us feel better about the situation. Bob came in for a minute at sundown yesterday to see if we were OK, but I haven't seen him since.
Alfred Sturgis rang the door bell at one o'clock this morning and said he wanted to stay with us if it was all right. He had worked all day at the Navy yard and couldn't drive his car after sundown last night. We are certainly glad he came. He is going to see that our letters are mailed for us. Try not to worry too much.
Love, Margie
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