April 19, 1994
Last night we watched a TV show called "When the Lion roared". It was a portrayal of Roosevelt, Churchhill, and Stalin in 1939-1945.
When the war started in England and Germany, I was 15 years old. When US entered war in [19]41, I was 17. The same age Jason [Miller, author's grandson] is now.
I thought I would never forget the date of invasion of Africa --Anzio beachhead when my brother Arthur [Leroy McKeown, Lt., US Army] lost his life --when Mussolini and Italy stopped fighting -- when the English were caught at Dunkirk and by sheer bravado & grit were evacuated to England --Normandy invasion --finally victory in England [Europe] -- then victory in Japan.
I had to look up dates in Encyclopedia --May2-VE [Victory in Europe] --Aug14-VJ [Victory in Japan] ([same date as] Granddaddy John McKeown's, my father's, birthday).
Harry and I tried to reconstruct when he left to train as a Naval pilot in Salisbury, NC 1942 -- left home Christmas eve 1942 for Athens, GA (when he and I realized that we were interested in each other).
He then went to Corpus Chrisi, TX and Norman, OK getting his wings in Oct. 1943. Home for a few days then off to South America by way of FL. Patrolled South Atlantic - Ascension Island to Natal, Africa. Then by way of North Africa to England. Late '44 until May 1945 when VE day came he was patroling over English Channel for submarines escaping from Germany.
Then home by boat to Norfolk. A few weeks leave - then to Washington state. Then to California to train for service photographing Japanese coast for invasion when war was over Aug. 14,1945. Home by mid-December [1945].
By January 5, he was enrolled at Clemson College (now University). He pretty much attended year around coming to Chester each weekend and working at Springsteen Plant [,one of] Springs mill[s,] each Saturday.
We were married June 15, 1947. I remained in Chester. He came home Friday afternoon - worked on Saturday (so did I) at Springs. He would leave around 4:30 [A.M.] Monday for Clemson and classes at 8:30 [A.M.].
That sounds wild now but we were young and adjusted to such a schedule.