"Bomber Memories"
September 14, 15 & 17, 1998
September 14, 1998
Ken Heminger (56)
Some one mentioned looking for agates. We lived at the foot of Flat Top in then Heminger City. In back of Flat Top was an old bombing range. Must have been used during WWII at some time or other. My brother Irvin and I would climb Flat Top and go down the other side to the bombing range. There we would find many old tail fins and other assorted pieces of exploded bombs. We were not interested in that stuff, it was just something to kick or throw rocks at. Our main reason was the gravel road that went behind Flat Top and ended up at ( I think ) hiway 182. That gravel road was full of agates. My brother always found more then I did. I claimed that it was because he was shorter then I was and could see'm better. There was also a dump back there that held a treasure of "Good Stuff " to kids our age.
I was in Richland sometime back and of course I had to go back to the old stomping grounds. Went to the top of Flat Top and was amazed at all the housing that was going up back there. As a kid I could look that direction and all there was to see was desert.
TO: Kathy Rathvon
You stole my thunder, I was going to bring up the Tax Tokens. I don't remember them being different colors. I do remember the aluminum ones. You're right they were worth a 3rd of a cent. Couldn't buy anything with out coming up with one-two or three tokens. If you didn't have the tokens, an extra penny would get you a couple tokens back. What is the Tax rate there now..... 8~9%?
That's it for now, don't want to bore anyone.....
Ken Heminger
Jack Grouell (61)
It is inevitable that any discussion of Richland will eventually touch on the reason for its existence, which was to provide a place to live for the thousands of workers and their families who were there to build the Hanford facility. While those workers were engaged in this effort, thousands more were fighting in the battlefields of the Pacific and Europe.
My dad was one of those GI's and after fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and some of the other battles leading to the defeat of nazi Germany, he was being held in a camp in France, awaiting shipment to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan. The bombing of two cities in Japan with nuclear weapons made that invasion unnecessary and my dad was sent home, along with the thousands of other GI's, many of whom would not have survived the ongoing war with Japan.
Am I sorry there was a bomb? I am sorry there was a war. I am grateful that there was a way to end it without further unnecessary loss of life on both sides. Was it necessary to use the Bomb? Was ANY of it necessary? The debate will never be resolved. What is resolved is that the war ended without an invasion, and lots of dads came home. The people who built Hanford have nothing to be ashamed of.
Jack Grouell
Kurt and Sherri (Ward) Johnson (63)
OK, we have to jump in here now and stop lurking. Greg Boyd's comment about Kurt's episode with the Fiat is what inspired us. Does anybody remember that when he took the huge load up the hill past the Mormon church that we got pulled over? The excuse the cop used was the car didn't have an outside mirror and with all those kids he couldn't see out the rear view mirror. About half of us had to get out and wait for Kurt to make another trip! He used to pull the car up the driveway and turn right onto the patio in the back yard of my house on Trippe Street. He always had a reserved parking spot in the senior lot at school because the Fiat was so small it fit up on the island. One day several guys decided to show how macho they were and picked up the backside just as we were trying to drive away!
I used to be a car hop at A&W too --- still have my orange #4 card that we put in the windows. I can remember the day Kurt first got that Fiat and drove in to A&W with it --- he was grinning from ear to ear! And I thought it was a weird little car with doors that opened from the front!
Kurt worked at Roy Davis, delivering furniture. He and Richard Flora, who worked at Uptown Furniture, thought they were hot stuff because they made $1.50 an hour.
Remember the big homecoming bonfires and loading up anything in the county that would burn? And how the collection required continuous guarding, to keep the Pasco kids from coming over and burning it up early? Loved the memory about the mums with the green pipe cleaner "R" --- too bad that's not still a tradition.
Going back to grade school --- did anyone else have to head home like I did when they heard the five o-clock whistle?
Jim Hodgson (64)
RE: Reply to "The Houses That Hanford Built"
We lived in an "E" House. We moved to Richland from Seattle in 1952. Living on the river always gave me a feeling of what I imagined Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer's life was like.
Mary Sullivan (64)
HELLO AGAIN! Someone asked about May Baskets! I AM CRUSHED!! After ALL these years I thought I was THE ONLY ONE granted this privilege since my birthday happens to fall on that specific day! I put in lilacs and pansies. OH WELL, I AM A BOMBER AND I WILL SURVIVE!!! Does anyone remember anything regarding "The "Red and Blue" Armies?? I remember being in High School and driving Uptown and seeing "TONS" of guys in uniform---looking for our "High Spots"
Remember when Coca Cola was REALLY COKE!!!
Forget Whitehall phone numbers -- ours was always 79767!!
Gotta run--but more later!!
Patty de la Bretonne (65)
Along with sparky, does anyone remember the crazy quilt dragon from the radio show? I remember lying on the floor in the living room in front of the radio (a big old console model) listening to Uncle Ben's Story Hour, I believe after school or before dinner around the Christmas Holiday.
This is too much fun....
Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
Mrs. Burns was also a very favorite teacher of mine. She provided me to big opportunities in my life. The first was a referral for a job position at Hapo Federal Credit Union in March, 1966 (my senior year). I did get the position, working part-time after school the rest of the school year. Due to all of the skills Mrs. Burns instilled in me, I became the executive secretary in June, when the previous lady eloped without giving notice to the manager. I worked at Hapo 12 1/2 years, until our first daughter, Lindsay, was born in October, 1978. The second big opportunity was when Dennis, my husband, and I were ready to purchase a house. We wanted to buy either a "Q" or "R" house. Ray and Georgia Burns were ready to sell their "Q" house in 1976. By the time we found about their home being for sale (word of mouth then) they already had a couple of offers, including one from a teacher at RHS. Apparently Georgia wanted us to own the home because they passed on the other offers and even lowered their asking price so that we could purchase the house. We have taken good care of it ever since. Ray passed away about 10 years ago, I think. Georgia still lives in Port Angeles, which is where they had moved when they left this area in 1976.
TV Memories: "Queen for a Day!"
"N.E.S.T.L.E.S., Nestles makes the very best ... c h o c o l a te!
"M.I.C.K.E.Y. M.O.U.S.E. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck,! Forever let us hold our banners HIGH, HIGH, HIGH, HIGH! Come along and join the club that's made for you and me. M.I.C., see ya real soon, K.E.Y., why?, because we like you, M.O.U.S.E.!"
Shirley Collings Haskins
Ralph Myrick (51)
Boy does these stories bring back lots of memories. As I look back at high school and number of teachers come racing by. Mr. Jones, our chemistry teacher was something else. A lot of things happened in his class, especially with Richard Gibson, who I understand is now a lawyer in Arizona, and Brad Cutshall, a now retired medical doctor, in class. One incident was when we were studying fertilizers and Mr. Jones asked Brad what was in a load of fertilizer that he bought. Brad answered a load of s---- and immediately Brad was sent to the office. Gibson was always finding ways to blow things up. That was a Class.
Mr. La Page was physics teacher and everyone like him. I saw him last summer and he is now a retired potato farmer. That guy still looks and sounds the same. Dutch Haag, I learned had died. I really liked him even though the only D I received was from his gov't class. Fran Rish still plays golf at the West Richland Golf Course. I was playing Santa Claus a number of years ago for Baum's Candy Store. I had a delivery to make in Kennewick. Much to my surprise it was to the home of Mrs Buscher, our geometry teacher. She is now gone. Miss Brown, English teacher, has passed away too. Franschen, the music teacher, said I had to learn the notes to play in the band, so I quit. How many remember Miss Carmicheal? Wow, What a PE teacher!! Julia Davis is now in a nursing home.
September 15, 1998
Ken Heminger (56)
Again I would like to share some of the things I remember. The Spudnut Shop keeps coming up. As I lived in what is now West Richland we didn't get into town much other then go to school, and that was on a school bus. About the only contact I had with Spudnuts was on a paper route I had. I delivered the Tri City Herald. I peddled my bike 6 miles for 24 customers. One of the customers "The Keelers" was raising some pigs. They would go into town and buy up a mess of day old Spudnuts to feed the pigs. When I delivered their paper I would go back to where he kept the Spudnuts (they were in bags) and line my handle bars with Spudnuts. I would then continue my route sliding Spudnuts off as I went.
How about this one... Does anyone remember the Star View Drive In. It was located just below Flat Top. I noticed the last time I was on Flat Top that the out line of the drive in was still there in the sand. I was among the first to be hired and I remember opening night. First thing up was a Road Runner cartoon. It was the first time any of us saw the Road Runner. I remember we were trying to guide traffic into the theater, but we were all laughing so hard it was difficult to concentrate on traffic. We started at 50 cents an hour. I thought I had it made when I got a 5 cent raise. One night (after I left to join the Air Force) they had a big wind storm and it blew the screen down, another screen blew over in Kennewick that night. The amusing thing about this is "Gone With The Wind" was playing at the Star View, and "The Living Desert" was playing at the Kennewick Theater.
Well that's my 2 bits worth. Which reminds me... "2 bits, four bits, six bits a dollar, all for Chief Jo stand up and holler"
Sorry... its the only one I remember
Ken Heminger
Barbara Seslar Brackenbush (60)
TO:Robert Kennedy ('60):
I had forgotten the paddle Mr. Ingersoll kept close by but you are right. In fact, I think I recall being threatened with it once because I had forgotten to do an assignment or something. He didn't follow through, fortunately. I can still see him leaning back in his teacher's chair with his arms folded behind his neck. He did talk to us like equals. He lectured and gave assignments like we could expect to receive when we went on to college. You and I must have been in different classrooms. I recall Don Llewellyn from school years, but not the 10 spats incident and I am sure it would have made an impression on me.
Thanks for the memories.
Barbara Seslar Brackenbush
Sandy Carpenter McDermott (61)
To: Shirley Collings Haskins (66)
Thanks for reminding us of just how much teacher Georgia Burns contributed to our education. I was in her classes for 2 years at Col Hi, studying typing and shorthand. With preparation from her business classes, I was able to perform in business settings for over 37 years as everything from a secretary and small business manager to an Administrative Assistant in a municipal utility. Now, due much to her diligence in teachings and preparation, I am enjoying a semi retirement, and remembering how much we owe teachers such as Georgia Burns.
Sandy Carpenter McDermott
Ann McCue Hewett (63)
Okay...Kathy Rathvon mentioned the tax tokens...
Does anyone remember the school banking days - we had savings books and the whole nine yards..... Being in public schools now, I can only imagine what a headache that was for the teachers.
Does anyone out there remember C.U.P. youth doing a play "Christ in the Concrete City"? It was more of a narrative than acting... we traveled around to a few churches out of town to perform. I would love to read the script.... being an adult, I am curious about the message. Al Aosved (SP), Fred Gustavson...... can't remember how many were in it.
Thanks for the memories.
Ann McCue Hewett
John Campbell (63)
Does anyone remember a small drive-in hamburger joint called Skip's between the Ford dealership and Tastee Freeze? I was pretty young in the mid '50's, but I remember my brother, Rush, taking me in his '50 Chev fastback, and the burger was so juicy it came in a baggy. Also, does anyone remember Tim's? They had those small little hamburgers for 20 cents. It didn't catch on, and after only about a year it became the funeral home on Williams in Richland.
A&W's root beer was the best, but I always thought their hamburgers were kind of salty. The circle was cheap and there was no denying the special sauce (John Dale was one of the first guys I remember eating tarter sauce with his fries.) But for most of us -- there was Zip's -- too bad their hobo steak isn't the same. In Seattle, Dick's is about as close as you can get for good, cheap burgers.
Happy Dining.
John Campbell
Carol Converse Maurer (64)
I do remember the Red and Blue Armies. Didn't remember the name, though. I had mentioned that memory a few weeks back. It was a great time when they were in town. A lot of really great guys. I remember Linda Conley and I drove out to their camp once or twice just to see everybody from a distance. We both met someone special. I keptup correspondence with him for a few years afterward.
Carol
Deedee Willox Loiseau (64)
The crazy quilt dragon was one of the characters in the Christmas series "The Cinnamon Bear" which several people have mentioned.
Kathy Wersen Alder (64)
The one memory I haven't ready about yet is one that sticks in my mind. In 1958, the City of Richland was born and Sharon Tate was "Miss Richland". I remember attending the festivities near the park where we now have our reunion picnics. My ex-husband, Don Alder, went to High School with Sharon and went out on a date - I think only once. Does anyone else remember this celebration? Would love to jog this memory more, especially since it happened not long after we moved to Richland from Pasco. (We moved UP in the world.)
Kathy Wersen Alder
Terry Liechty (64)
Many, well some... a couple I guess, were talking about the tax tokens. I happen to have one and it's aluminum and we used to decorate the sides of our yoyos with them.
Terry
Cheryl Moran Flemming (66)
Mrs. Wiley's typing class still benefits me today. The only difference is, there's no carbon paper to contend with. I remember not all the typewriters were electric and everyone dove into the classroom to grab the good ones. You know, she wrote the page of the typing test up on the board at the beginning of class, so during "practice" time we would type a perfect copy and use it as our final.
OK, with all this "Bomber Brain Power" coming onto the site, what was the true story behind the Murder of Mrs. White???????? She was a nurse, I believe, who was found dead in her house during the (early 60's?) and her husband had an alibi. So, did they ever find who did it?
Great hearing from all the Older Bombers (40's and 50's). You guys have added a wonderful connection to this site.
Mina Jo Gerry Payson (68)
Our phone number was 87088. Funny what sticks with you.
And then there was Mrs. Wiley. We used to joke about her dresses walking out of the closet to meet each morning and that her husbands (4, I think) had died out of self defense. I remember her figgers of saints, especially the "pity". There was one girl in my class, Sophomore year, named Delsa. Mrs. Wiley kept calling her "Delsey" and giving her as an example. Delsa took it all with good grace and never seemed to mind. Needless to say, I didn't learn to type that year.
Mrs. Burns lined us up on the bleachers in the girls gym and we had to learn the fight song and alma mater by memory as part of our P.E. grade. I can't remember if we had to write it down or just sing it. I guess this was because the only extra curricular activity for girls, outside of the VERY few sports, was Pep Club and Drill Team. We even had a unit about marching toward the end of the year so we would be ready for Drill Team tryouts.
Does anyone else remember those really stupid rules for girls basketball?
Chuck Smith (69)
I'm still looking for the Artic Cricle recipe for the french fry sauce...... Anyone got a clue..... and don't say, mayo, ketchup and worchestershire sauce, cause that doesn't taste right... there's a secret ingredient I'm missing.....
Chuck Smith
Lois Clayton Colton (72)
I have some tax tokens. One kind is aluminum with a hole in the middle and it says "Tax Commission Sales Tax, Token State of Washington" on them. The other is a piece of paper approximately 1" by 2" and says "State of Washington" across the top, and "Tax Token Script". It also says a lot of other things below. I don't know if these were used in Richland or earlier over in the Puyallup area.
Whitehall phone numbers brings back the memories of a song that still runs through my head. "Whitehall 6-6-1-5-3 hurry firemen please save me." I also remember "party" lines. I was really happy when we got our own line. We had two other families on our party line. One family was great, the other ....well, they really enjoyed listening to our calls.
Lois
Kelly Weil-Austin (81)
I was born in Pasco at Our Lady of Lourdes. My family has lived in Richland since 1961, with the exception of 4 years in Illinois from 1970-1974. I started Kindergarten and maybe 1 month of first grade at Lewis & Clark. When we returned to Richland in 1974, we stayed at the Hanford House for what seemed like an eternity (but a fun one, since it was summer!), until we moved in to our house at 653 Cedar, where my parents still live today.
After returning from Illinois, I started 6th grade at Marcus Whitman, then went on to Carmichael, then to Col-Hi.
At Col-Hi, I participated in Bomber Band (on flag team), National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Spanish Club, Cooperative Office Education, and worked stage crew in my sophomore year for the Drama department's production of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty". Outside of school I was active in the youth choir and SEARCH at Christ the King church, 4-H (home economics projects), and Miss America softball.
Who could forget the wind/sand storms that seemed to come out of no where, or Jump-Off Joe Butte, or submarine chasing in Leslie Groves park (for those of us who didn't have a steady date at the time). I also remember the "Rose Bowl", inner tubing the Columbia River, and going to the hydroplane races in July. There are so many other things too numerous to mention.
Kelly Weil-Austin
September 17, 1998
Ken Heminger (56)
To: Lois Clayton Colton (72)
Ref: your tax tokens, I can say for sure your aluminum tax tokens were used in Richland. I mentioned in an earlier post that I remembered using aluminum tax tokens as a kid but I decided not to mention the hole in the center. When I first wrote my post I included the hole, then the more I thought about it, the less sure I became that it really did have a hole. Any way I left it out. As for the paper ones, I don't recall those... ..
Ken Heminger (56)
Tom Matthews (57)
My father was working as an instrument technician at the B plant and was present at it's start-up. He remembers Enrico Fermi, with the name "Farmer" on his badge, carrying around a slide rule which was smaller than most of the other engineer/scientists. Working at Hanford for 30 years didn't harm my father, as he is still doing well at age 91. Of course, he didn't run or behind the DDT Jeep like his kids did!
I only remember one time while attending school in Richland that we were ever allowed into Hanford, and that may have only been to the 300 area. I think it was in '56 or '57 - anyone remember this?
The second time I got to go in the area was for the Kennedy visit in 1963 when more than a few of us made the trip. I was teaching 4th grade at Spalding ('61 - '63 school years) and I remember one 4th grader, I think Peter Swift, who shared with the class that he talked to Kennedy while he was passing by. It made the assassination event later that year have more of an impact on the students. I was informed about it by a fellow 4th grade teacher and '57 graduate, Donavie (McCue) Perkins who signaled me over to the door to let me know. The office decided not to have us notify the students at that time. A lot of kids walked home for lunch so by the end of noon recess the word was out. After recess we spent quite a bit of time in our individual classrooms discussing this with our students. I remember the demeanor of the kids as very subdued and serious. One was upset that a few kids on the playground were making fun of those who were sad.
Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight (59)
I'd like to put in a good memory of Mr. Pappas and thank him, wherever he is, for the semester he gave us on OPERA! I can't believe we really did that! But there were something like eight violins and one cello and one piano (remember that, Cap Phillips?) in orchestra that semester, not the best arrangement for orchestra music. SOOOOOOO, Mr. Pappas asked us if we'd like to learn a little bit about opera!
After we stopped guffawing, he talked to us a little more about it, and we decided to go along with the idea, as I recall. It was Puccini's "La Boheme" and I'll never forget it! It changed my whole outlook on opera music, forever. Our final exam was this: Mr. Pappas would put the record on (no tape decks or CD's in those days, only LP's), set the needle down at random, and we were to identify what was going on at that point in the opera. O.k. I forgot to say, it was all in Italian! And some of us got A's, which means we must have gotten into it! I know I did, and whenever I hear a piece from that opera, I immediately get all sad, because it's about Mimi dying from consumption, and Rudolpho trying to keep her warm, etc., etc., etc.
Irene Smith Gostnell Goodnight
Walt Bailey (60)
Can anybody remember the name of the teacher in Carmichael Jr Hi that had damaged the nerves in his hand and told us a story of once severally burning his hand while handling baked potatoes that had just came out of the oven?
Walt Bailey (60)
Sandy Carpenter McDermott (61)
TO: Kathy Wersen Alder (64)
Yes, I remember the celebration in 1958 when the City of Richland became an incorporated city. There was a parade, too, and the band, of which I was a member, sat in the parking lot of the Richland Library. It was a fun day, and we were all pretty proud to be participating in it. I, too, went all thru school with Sharon Tate. I remember when she first came to Chief Jo Junior High. She was such a pretty girl and mature far beyond her years. All of the boys dropped their girl friends and their books and followed her down the hall like the Pied Piper. Does anyone remember that before she became Miss Richland, that she had the "Miss Autorama" title?
Yes, I remember Zips hamburgers, but I think the best were By's Burgers. They were located over by the old dry cleaners... they were the best! Yes, I also remember the Star View Drive In below Flat Top... went there many times.
Sandy Carpenter McDermott
Peggy Sheeran Finch (63)
TO: John Campbell from Peg Sheeran Finch ('63)
I remember Tim's which later became the funeral home (Einan's, I believe). Remember they had picnic tables inside, and we walked over from the Uptown Theatre after seeing a movie for a family dinner... that was a big deal for our family of 8.
Peg
Mary Sullivan (64)
The first house I remember living in was a two Bedroom 'B' house on VanGiesen. Previous to that -- Home was The Pasco Navy Homes as my father had been in the Navy and was discharged late fall of 1945 and he had gotten a job with AEC and worked in the Federal Building downtown! As our family grew we moved to a 'H' house with three bedrooms on Craighill!! I spent most of my childhood on Craighill and went to Lewis & Clark until the sixth grade. I had Miss Hosack for Kindergarten, Mrs. Madegan for 1st, Miss Evans for 2nd -- what I remember most about her was that she was beautiful with long golden hair. Had Mrs. Damon for 3rd grade -- she was a sweet older lady --- the first book she read to the class was "The Boxcar Children" --- such was my introduction to the love of books. The whole series of "The Boxcar Children" has remained my favorite even to this day!!! I had Mrs. Lamb for 4th grade (Her Husband, Mr. Lamb was Principal at that time and they lived across the street from us. I always thought they were REALLY RICH -- because their daughter, Kathy was able to send one of her favorite dolls to 'THE DOLL HOSPITAL' to be repaired!!! Had Mrs. Puterbaugh for 5th grade --- yes I, too, remember the ruler --- but most of all I remember she had a small loom in the back of the classroom and each student had a chance to make a "small" loom rug. For some reason??? I ended up being able to make two!!! I still have them to this day!!
Joe Largé (68)
TO: Mina Jo Gerry (68)
Twas Brillig and the Slithy Toves did Gire and Gimble in the Wabe. All mimsy were the Borogoves and the Momraths Outgrabe.
It's amazing what sticks in your head! Do you remember Mr. Harry and marching band? His favorite expression was "Back to the Pagoda!" Patty Perkins and I used to laugh about that!
TO: Ralph Myrick (51)
Semper Bomberus!
Joe Largé (68)
Marj Vinther Burt (77)
Re: Chuck Smith's quest for Arctic Circle's Fry Sauce: Try mixing Miracle Whip with Ketchup - about 2 parts MW to 1 part Ketchup, or so. Tastes just like the real thing to me!
I'm getting confused about the Drive-Ins. Wasn't there one near where Hanford school is now? What was the name of it? I remember going there to see Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown when I was real little.
I too have a name that was never uttered on television. I remember watching Romper Room and when the lady would look through the fake hand mirror she would say, "I see Ricky and Susie and Debbie and ...." ... but never Marjo! I was crushed!
Marjo (Vinther) Burt
