Immediately after Pearl Harbor, Stewart went to register at the local draft board as did most young men of that era. They were upset that another country could inflict so much pain on the USA. Indeed, the sleeping giant had been awakened.” He was 17.
Stewart was told to go on to college and come back when he was 18. He went to Southwestern College in Winfield, KS, on a music scholarship due to his trumpet mastery. While there, he was recruited by a nearby high school to be their band teacher as their current teacher had an emergency appendectomy. He was only a few years older than them, but they embraced his efforts and formed a marching band.
Stewart worked at Calverts Clothing Store. Every Saturday, he closed up at 9:30pm and hitchhiked with night shift workers headed to the busy Boeing airplane plant in Wichita. He anticipated being away from home once he joined the military and wanted to be with his family as much as possible.
On June 4, 1943, he headed to the Induction Center in Leavenworth, KS. On the bus was a Winfield acquaintance named Joe Steuber. (Ironically, they were on the same bus going home after the war. The miracle of surviving was accentuated by this coincidence.)
At the Induction Center, a thorough physical was given and each young man declared their branch of the service. The Navy band wanted Stewart but he thought that the promise of the band might not materialize, and he didn’t know how to swim. He could walk further than he could swim so he signed on the dotted line for Infantry.
A sidenote: If one flunked the physical, the code 4F was given. My mom would say no one wanted to date a 4F even if they were the only boys in town. Something was wrong with them!!
I learned that Rob would have been a 4F because he has psoriasis. Doctors say that the helmet would irritate the skin and stress causes flare-ups. I can’t think of anything more stressful than someone trying to kill you, cold, and sleep deprived. Regardless, I would date him!!!! I would even marry him!!!!
Today we boarded a luxury bus (a far cry from the soldiers on half-track trucks that Stewart might have ridden unless he was walking.) Our “unit” consists of 27 people.
We started our trek by driving to Reims, France. We have registered, trained, and bonded with our fellow sojourners. Our induction was an introduction to war.
Let’s do this!!
Reims
Reims is in the heart of champagne country. It is a charming, friendly, walkable town.
Marché de Noel
Reims has a wonderful Christmas Market. I think that the best time to visit a Christmas Market is during the day when the crowds are smaller. We had a strawberry and whipped cream crepe and hot chocolate! Both were DELICIOUS!!
Reims Cathedral
The Reims cathedral rivals Notre Dame and is where most of the French kings were crowned.
Leave a Reply