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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMorehead, Mary & Joseph ( "Bruce", "Joe")IE One in a series of tributes to lnentbers of "The Greatest Generation" who served our country during World War 11 By Bill Youngkin Special to The Eagle Most married men readily admit that we married above ourselves. But some, like Bruce Morehead, also marry above their rank. Bruce, an enlisted Marine, married Lt. Mary Mazurek, a nurse in the U.S. Army, an officer and, of course, a lady. But before that could happen they had to waft until the war was over. Bruce, who was raised in the Elkhart Community of Anderson County, graduated from Elkhart High School. Mary Mazurek was raised in Bandera County and graduated from Utopia High. After graduation, Mary enrolled in nursing school in San Antonio and Bruce went to San Antonio and got ajob in the records division at the hospital at Ft. Sam Houston. It was there that he met and began to date, Mary. "After Pearl Harbor, we both realized the war would affect us because Mary was being recruited to join the Army Nurse Corps and I knew I would be drafted. I enrolled in a communications course in Oklahoma as I knew it would help me if I had a skill the military could use. Even though Mary and 1 were dating, I met an Indian gid up in Oklahoma that sure could dance. She set me Christmas cards for many years, even after the war and after Mary and I married. Mary finally had to ask if I had explained to this girl that I was a happily married man. I sure had bull did it again." "In January 1943,1 joined the Marine Corp and was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina for 26 weeks. I remember one particular drill instructor who took a special interest in making my life miserable. If I ever got the chance, I think I would have tried to knock the hell out of that guy. But, when I came ashore on Okinawa in 1945, the first person I met on the beach was that drill instructor. He recognized me and called out my name, held out his hand and then hugged me. I hugged him back. War can change your attitude about people. "After my basic training, I tested well enough to be assigned to communications school. Mary had graduated from nursing school and had received her commission as a Second Lieutenant. She was sent to Chicago for further training at Cooke County Hospital. After communications school I was assigned as a radio /gunner for dive bombers and was to be sent to El Toro, California. "I went home and to San Antonio on leave where I was able to be with Mary who was back in San Antonio before leaving for Europe. There she was, an officer and a lady dating a private first class marine. It was to be our last date before the war was over. invasion. She was at a field hospital for much of the rest of the war. Mary got to see, first hand, the terrible harm war can cause. I shipped to Hawaii where in early 1945, we headed to sea. When we boarded ship, our destination was unknown, but we were given a little booklet which we were to use to memorize our name, rank and serial number in Japanese. While at sea we received word we were heading to Iwo Jima. We were part of the greatest flotilla of ships ever assembled in the Pacific. Every where you looked were ships, one behind the other but slightly offset. At night, the phosphorous in the water made a light stream along the side and behind each ship. It was an impressive sight. "When we reached Iwo, my unit was held in reserve which was fortunate for us because it was the bloodiest battle of the war at that time. But, I was going to participate in the bloodiest battle of the war, Okinawa. When we went into Okinawa, I was part of an Air Force Support Control unit and our role was to provide close in aerial support for the troops on the ground with the main goal to not cause any casualties by "friendly fire." The Japanese bombed us and we were shelled by anti - personnel artillery. I remember one night when we were hit by aerial bombs and everything around us, to include our equipment, was full of holes, but no one was hit. "A few days after, I had our jeep bringing water back to our unit when the jeep was attacked by a Japanese Zero. You could see the tracers heading toward us so I turned the ignition off and we bailed out into the closest depression I could find. Those tracers went all around us and the vehicle and didn't harm a thing but, it sure got our hearts racing. "After the war was over I was sent to China and since I was part of an aviation section, I was able to fly around the country. Somewhere on the Great Wall of China are my initials. Mary was on a ship headed into the Pacific when the bombs were dropped. Her ship turned around and headed back, so she beat me home. I was discharged on April 9,1946, came home to Texas and married Mary. She has been my commanding officer ever since." Morehead came to Bryan and went into the glass business at Acme Glass with his brother Leonard in downtown Bryan. Bruce retired in 1985. "I retired then because Mary wanted to travel and I'm glad we did before her health failed and Alzheimers took over. A lot of guys marry above themselves. I did it times two." The names of Bruce and Mary Morehead can be found on the Brazos Valley Veteran's Memorial. For more information, to make a contribution, or if you know a World War H Veteran whose story needs to be "Mary shipped out of New York to England and told, contact the BVVM at www.veteransmemorial.org then followed the troops into France after the D -Day or Bill Youngkin at (979) 260 -7030. The E gle Here when you need us. Viet Nam vet Frank Dickey will be the guest on "Veterans of the Valley" this week on KAMU -N k Veterans of the Valley, hosted by WTAW's Tom Turbiville, can be seen Fridays at 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. d"""' xNMU.wmu.edu Cbanne1 15/ 15 /cmcablN One in a series of tributes to members 'of 'Me Greatest Generation" who served our country during World War 11 Second of 7Wo Parts By Bill Youngkin Special to The Eagle Most married men readily admit that we married above ourselves. But some, like Bruce Morehead, also marry above their rank. Bruce, an enlisted Marine, married Lt. Mary Mazurek, a nurse in the U.S. Army, an officer and, of course, a lady. But before that could happen they had to watt until the war was over. Bruce, who was raised in the Elkhart Community of Anderson County, graduated from Elkhart High School. Mary Mazurek was raised in Sanders County and graduated from Utopia High. After graduation, Mary enrolled in nursing school in San Antonio and Brace went to San Antonio and got a job in the records division at the hospital at Ft. Sam Houston. It was there that he met and began to date, Mary. "After Pearl Harbor, we both realized the war would affect us because Mary was being recruited to join the Army Nurse Corps and I knew I would be drafted. I enrolled in a communications course in Oklahoma as I knew it would help me if I had a skill the military could use. Even though Mary and I were dating, I met an Indian girl up in Oklahoma that sure could dance. She set me Christmas cards for many years, even after the war and after Mary and I married. Mary finally had to ask if I had explained to this girl that I was a happily married man. I sure had but I did it again." "In January 1943, 1 joined the Marine Corp and was sent to Paris Island, South Carolina for 26 weeks. I remember one particular drill instructor who took a special interest in making my life miserable. If I ever got the chance, I think I would have tried to knock the hell out of that guy. But, when I came ashore on Okinawa in 1945, the first person I met on the beach was that drill instructor. He recognized me and called out my name, held out his hand and then hugged me. I hugged him back. War can change your attitude about people. "After my basic training, I tested well enough to be assigned to communications school. Mary had graduated from nursing school and had received her commission as a Second Lieutenant. She was sent to Chicago for further training at Cooke County Hospital. After communications school I was assigned as a radio/ gunner for dive bombers and was to be sent to El Toro, Cafdomia. followed the troops into France after the O -Day invasion. She was at a field hospital for much of the rest of the war. Mary got to see, first hand, the terrible harm war can cause. I shipped to Hawaii where in early 1945, we headed to sea. When we boarded ship, our destination was unknown, but we were given a little booklet which we were to use to memorize our name, rank and serial number in Japanese. While at sea we received word we were heading to Iwo Jima. We were part of the greatest flotilla of ships ever assembled in the Pacific. Every where you looked were ships, one behind the other but slightly offset. At night, the phosphorous in the water made a lightstream along the side and behind each ship. it was an impressive sight. "When we reached Iwo, my unit was held in reserve which was fortunate for us because if was the bloodiest battle of the war at that time. But, I was going to participate in the bloodiest battle of the war, Okinawa. When we went into Okinawa, I was part of an Air Force Support Control unit and our role was to provide close in sadist support for the troops on the ground with the main goal to not cause any casualties by "friendly fire." The Japanese bombed us and we were shelled by anti- personnel artillery. I remember one night when we were hit by aerial bombs and everything around us, to include our equipment, was full of holes, but no one was hit. "A few days after, I had our jeep bringing water back to our unit when the jeep was attacked by a Japanese Zero. You could see the tracers heading toward us so I turned the ignition off and we bailed out into the closest depression I could find. Those tracers went all around us and the vehicle and didn't harm a thing but, it sure got our hearts racing. "After the war was over I was sent to China and since I was part of an aviation section, I was able to fly around the country. Somewhere on the Great Wall of China are my initials. Mary was on a ship headed into the Pacific when the bombs were dropped. Her ship turned around and headed back, so she beat me home. I was discharged on April 9, 1946, came home to Texas and married Mary. She has been my commanding officer ever since." Morehead came to Bryan and went into the glass business at Acme Glass with his brother Leonard in downtown Bryan. Bruce retired in 1985. "I retired then because Mary wanted to travel and I'm glad we did before her health failed and Alzheimers took over. A lot of guys marry above themselves. I did it times two." "I went home and to San Antonio on leave where I The names of Bruce and Mary Morehead can be was able to be with Mary who was back in San Antonio found on the Brazos Valley Veteran's Memorial. For before leaving for Europe. There she was, an officer and more information, to make a contribution, or if you know a lady dating a private first class marine. It was to be our a World War II Veteran whose story needs to be told, last date before the war was over. _ contact the BVVM at www veteransmemonal.org or Bill "Mary shipped out of New York to England and then Youngkin at (979) 260 -7030. The Eagle Here when you need us. Viet Nam vet Frank Dickey will be the guest on "Veterans of the Valley" this week on KAMU -N ', Veterans of the Valley, hosted by WTAW's Tom Turbiville, can be seen Fridays at 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. ® �KAMUta —u . _. Channel 15 /co+ cable