| Page 2 Chess'L returned to the states, by ship, on June 30th 1945, and found that he had a son......eleven days old! His mission had lasted nine months! The atom bomb was dropped that same summer, and the war with Japan was over. Michael Vance was born June 19th, 1945, in Sacramento, Calif. Etta was living with her mother while Chess L was overseas, and "Mikie" arrived right on schedule! Mother-to-be and Grandmother took a taxi to the hospital, and it was such a wonderfully special occasion... A first-born! A perfect little boy, and his mother couldn't wait to get back home, to care for him and show him off! Chess'L tried to settle down to civilian life, with his wife and new born baby, but found the "play-backs" in his mind too intense and traumatic to cope with. In the summer of 1946, Etta and Chess'L were in Pendleton, Oregon, where he was seeking work on farms. Another precious little life was soon to enter their lives, when Chess'L left for work and didn't return.....Etta and little Mike were all alone in a cabin in Pendleton when a baby girl announced her arrival....Laura Gale (9-28-46)! Being just a couple blocks from St. Anthony's hospital, Etta walked there, after asking a neighbor lady to take care of Michael. (She didn't have much choice, with such short notice!) Sweet little Laura was born within the hour! What a proud and happy mother, in spite of the heartache of being deserted by her husband! After seven days in hospital, Laurie and Mama came back to the little cabin they called home. Etta went next door to pick up the little son she had left for a week.... He walked back in a corner of the living/bedroom, standing there by the foot of the bed, looking so sad and forlorn..... Mama had deserted him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to make up, or if he could trust her again! After all, mother and son had never been separated for a day in his life, and that was just too much!! With a little box of licorice, Mama enticed him to come out of the corner, and in a few minutes all was well. Mikie was fascinated by the tiny, pixie doll in the pretty bassinet, a doll that needed so much care and attention! He was now quite "grown up", with a baby sister to look after, so no more baby bottles for him (though he had given that up a few months earlier), and no diapers at 15 months. Michael had started walking at nine months, and talking quite well, though he didn't pronounce l's as yet... so, our little girl was "Wardie"! There were some rough days there in that cabin court for awhile.... waiting to see if Chess would return... and no money or supplies. Someone gave them a box of apples, and there were some kind neighbors who helped in various ways... but no rent money... so after much thought and worry, Etta took her little family to Portland, Oregon, (Grandpa Marvin sent them train fare, of $10), and spent a few weeks with Chess'L's father and step-mother, Mary. Chess came home after a month, saying he didn't know what caused his desertion, and that he wouldn't leave them again......But it did not work out that way. Laurie's bassinet was left in storage when she and Brother and Mama went on the train to Portland, so they made do with a strong cardboard banana box, with sloping ends and sides. A pillow was placed in the bottom, and a pretty plastic bassinette liner made her bed look very elegant! This was to be Laurie's special bed for several months. After leaving Portland, the family went south to Galt and spent a little time with Grandma Blanche and Ronnie. From there they traveled south to Imperial Valley, and secured a job picking grapefruit. Laurie was in a small crib, covered with mesquito netting, placed between the trees, and Mikie played all around the fruit trees, in the ditches used for watering the trees, and tried to help them place the huge grapefruit in the bin. That was hot, heavy work, placing ladders, climbing up and down with big canvas sacks, loaded with heavy fruit! The temperature was at least 100 degrees, and they had to walk about 100 feet or so, over the mounds of dirt piled up from the ditches, to carry those packs and dump in the bin. But, they received a dollar when the bin was full! Their camp was in a field of mesquite, with a small tent for shelter. Chess was receiving a small stipend from the government after his discharge. It was called the 20/20 program ($20 a month for 20 months). While camping there in the mesquite, he decided to leave the family long enough to go to Stockton to pick up his $20 check. He was gone for a week, and it was feared he wouldn't return! Etta became very ill after eating a cold boiled potato with mayonnaise on it! It seems that the mayonnaise was rancid, from the heat, and no refrigeration, which made it a prime source of food poisoning! She tried to send Mikie to get a neighboring camper, but everyone was at work. The mother was afraid that her illness might be fatal, and was concerned about the children, as she had never been so ill before. It just lasted about 24 hours, and left her weak, but recovered. Daddy returned in a few more days, and they continued to work awhile longer. Then the family headed north, as far as Bakersfield, where it was hoped they could get work in the potato fields. They camped outside of town, between a reservoir and a canal, under a shade tree. Another family was camped nearby. The old Packard had thrown a rod, and Chess, being a great "shade tree mechanic", hoisted the engine up from the tree branch in preparation to overhaul it. Having no funds, they were actually stranded there, wondering what to do! |
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