Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/02/25

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] LHSA Meet in Santa Fe - Now Dinner
From: marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small)
Date: Sun Feb 25 11:42:22 2007
References: <022520070711.17227.45E136A700044A750000434B221654997602019B020E9B9CD2020106@comcast.net> <C207411B.464DC%mark@rabinergroup.com>

 >On 2/25/07 2:11 AM, "jon.stanton@comcast.net" <jon.stanton@comcast.net>
 >typed:
 >
 >> Mark,   You and I are the same age....I was 
in Chicago from birth until 1977.
 >> Most people are not cognizant of  Chicago's large Latino community...

Jon

In May, 1942, my father was loading his battery 
(G/260th CA (AA) (SM), an anti-aircraft unit) at 
Seattle onto the SS PRESIDENT FILLMORE for 
deployment to Alaska when he received a 
last-minute addition, 20 fellows from the Chicago 
National Guard Regiment, the 202nd, along with a 
mobile air-defense radar set.  The new guys were 
all Latinos from Chicago, most originally from 
Puerto Rico.  Dad assigned them to the Platoon 
commanded by a Minnesota Swede named Carlsen, a 
Prewar skiing expert.  They had to come in from 
their billets three times a day for chow, so 
Carlsen taught them cross-country skiing, and, 
thrice a day, here came these darkish, short 
guys, skiing along behind the blonde behemoth of a Platoon Leader.

Thanksgiving Night in 1942, the Post refrigerated 
warehouse burned down.  When they investigated 
the wreckage, the Post MP's discovered that all 
the copper tubing had vanished.  The Post 
Commander was convinced that Dad's Latinos had 
stolen it to make a still.  They never DID learn 
just who took the tubing, but the 260th shortly 
thereafter started producing hootch.  (Dad 
suspected some Arkansas guys he had gotten as 
fillers but noting could be proven.)

So, some folks did know of Chicago's Latino community, even in 1942.

Marc


msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!



In reply to: Message from jon.stanton at comcast.net (jon.stanton@comcast.net) ([Leica] LHSA Meet in Santa Fe - Now Dinner)
Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] LHSA Meet in Santa Fe - Now Dinner)