Posted 8 years ago
PoliticalP…
(180 items)
This Royal Oak (Michigan) Tribune News paper clipping from 1985 Titled "Weird old Photo's" shows my Dad 2nd from left when he was 16 years old at Royal Oak Meat Market in 1929 the Main Street was still dirt and Chicken's were still hung in the window's of such markets.
I hope to make down there before too long and make a copy of the original photo from there archives.
Roland 1913 - 2000 RIP Retired as a Meat Cutter and served in the Army Air Corps WWII He flew with Charles Yeager (AKA Chuck) 3 times, His main MOS was as a mechanic, In those days they were required to go up in any plane they did major repairs on for it's first flight, On one flight Chuck Yeager was the pilot of a B-29 bomber Superfortress a huge 4 prop plane, To really test it out he cut off 3 of the 4 engines my Dad said he didn't think that could be done and still stay in the air and was surprised to see it could and did fly just fine with the right pilot in the seat.
I did not find out until some 15 years after he passed that at some point he became a bombardier something he never spoke of and the likely reason he chose to return as a Meat Cutter after the War even tho he could have made more repairing planes.
Peace, John
Thanks for the Love(s)
officialfuel
SpiritBear
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fortapache
Very cool! I go to Royal Oak a lot. Mostly to the Royal Oak Theatre to see concerts.
iggy, I lived near 13 mile and Rochester until I was 16 we ate some of the same dirt LOL, The Royal Oak Theater what a great place for a concert not a bad seat in the place and the perfect size too of what 300 seats, been there a number of times Joe Cocker put on a great show, R.O. still have the farmers market on Sundays? some nice finds there.
That he did Thomas a bit too much during the War it seemed but told stories about the good times, From about age 70 he kept a rock station set in his car, Our family seems to go from country living to city with each generation my grandpa was a farmer 100% country my Dad was city from 16 on and I've been country form 16 on.
Thanks for the comments and loves
Dad said the only difference between a city boy and a country boy was a city boy works all his life to buy a few acres to retire on and a country works all his life to keep a few acres to retire on.
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blunderbuss2
Manikin
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iggy
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What a great POST!! I loved it!!
Thank You Lois not sure why I posted this and didn't think it would bring up emotions but I did & it did.
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Signaholic
ho2cultcha
Much Appreciated
Thanks for the Love Roycroftbooksfromme1
Nice picture PP,
my father worked at a lot of the markets in the S.F. Bay Area as a union butcher, and had his own shop for a while, from 1953-62. He always wore his Navy whites, under his apron, like a uniform, and would take us back in the freezer to see the hanging sides of beef, and pigs. I always liked the cold, and sawdust on the floor. In 1960 he passed his Boat Operators test, and joined the MEBA as a union Tug Boat Operator, and worked the waters of the Coast, Bay, and Delta Rivers, of California, until he had to retire after he had a stroke, in 1976. It was the job he loved, having been born, and raised on an Island, in the Delta, by Tracy, Calif.
I always had a good time, walking around the deck of the Dredger looking for animals, or treasure, in the sand that was pumped up from the bottom of the Bay! :^)
I'm glad this sparked some good memories and that your Father went for the Boat Operator job he really wanted.
I had forgotten about the saw dust on the floor ;D I'm sure your dad could throw a side of beef over his shoulder like nothing too, I still have his hand hook he used for that. Somehow the burger he brought home was always better (must have been the steak that fell into the grinder lol)
After WWII he worked for Food Fair until Farmer Jack's bought them both were small local Detroit area chain stores then retired from there in 1977 after a stroke strange coincidence they both worked the same job, retired about the same time for the same reason, Long lost brother? lol
Yes, never slowed him down, he was always strong. I guess that came from rowing the boat from the Island, to the riverbank, then riding his bike 10 miles to the bus stop, fighting with his three brothers didn't hurt either! :^D My grandfather was only 30 in 1929, sooo... I guess it was possible they were brothers, but not likely! lol They were all Commercial fisherman, netting catfish in the Delta, until that was shut down in 1953, why my dad, got in the Butchers Union, he could skin and gut a catfish, in 10 seconds or less, so working with knives, and meat came natural, but always loved the water! :^)
They were built tough back then for sure up hill to school BOTH WAYS ;p
okay math his dad would have been 43 in 1929 I recon we have kids late in our family as my grandpa was 37 old for then when my dad was born and dad was 47 when I was born now I'm 57 + a little without any ( yet ) ;-)
Thanks for the Love(s) mareredware, BadPenny & billretirecoll even tho it a paper clipping it is one of my favorite images on him.
Great Post!
TY Buckethead & Thanks for all the Love(s) Manikin, ttomtucker. ho2cultcha, pw-collector, roddyq & buckethead
23 loves I think that's a new high for me and even better that it's on a post about my Dad R.I.P. Thank You one & all
I think most of that generation kept their feelings to themselves and really were just kids when they went but not when they got home a harsh way to grow up fast for sure.
Thanks for the comment and love always appreciated