'Lucky' to Have Him

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 11 (two for me)

‘Lucky’

While I prefer ‘blessed’ to ‘lucky’, I understand the application of lucky in the everyday manner. In that light, my Uncle Bob comes to mind.

When the Spanish-American War ended, Spain ceded the colony of the Philippines to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. That was followed by a period of turmoil as the Philippines sought and won their independence. At the time my uncle was stationed there in WWII, the Philippines had become an important ally.

During those tumultuous times with the Philippines and the U.S., William Hall Barnett and Arabelle Nancy Covert Barnett welcomed the birth of their second son, Robert Earl on July 18, 1913.  Sad to say Uncle Bob had a twin sibling who died at birth.  The births took place in the city of Butler, Pennsylvania and were in all likelihood, home births as were their brothers and sisters. Their father, William was in the grocery business with his step-brother at 370 Center Ave. in a section of the city called Springdale. Mother, Arabelle, would have been nearby at their residence along with their first son, William

In two years, Bill and Bob were joined by another brother, James followed in 1918 by the birth of another set of twins, Ralph and Ruth. With a rapidly growing family, Will and Belle made the decision to move out of the city. In 1918 they were renting a two-story farm house in Connoquenessing and in 1920 they began a small truck farm of primarily berries on property about a half mile away. The access to this property was located up a long lane that was subject to drifting snow and spring flooding.

Knowing the Barnetts as neighbors and being aware of the condition of the lane, a little Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer neighbor with a big heart offered them an acre of land at the bottom of the lane. The young family was soon settled into their new home and over time added a barn, chicken coop and shed to the homestead; along with a cow, chickens and a mule or two. Transportation was by wagon and Uncle Bob and his siblings remembered their mother coming home from town in the wagon after a day of selling or trading the berries they had harvested.

Family stories reveal a lively bunch and insight into Uncle Bob’s personality. As the tale goes Grandpa Will was heard to say at the supper table “Bob must you be so ornery?”.  

As he grew into his teens along came motor vehicles and a lifelong passion for mechanics. Once again, there are many family stories about trucks, cars and escapades.

Then came along WWII and young American men being sent around the world. For Uncle Bob this was service with the Army Air Corps and to no surprise, the motor pool, while stationed in the Philippines.

                                                                                

It was on the voyage across the Pacific that ‘lucky’ came into play in the form of surviving a kamikaze attack on the troop ship.

Uncle Bob’s recollection was of the explosion causing two ship decks to disappear around him in the blink of an eye.

The letter of commendation he received revealed a little more of his involvement.

“Corporal Robert E. Barnett . . . Your valiant action in the rescue work following an enemy air attack on the Liberty Ship “Thomas Nelson” off Dulag, Leyte, on 12 November 1944, has been brought to my attention. I wish to commend you for your splendid performance.

Your magnificent efforts in extricating your wounded colleagues and getting them to medical aid represents the highest traditions of the service. At great personal hazard, you have demonstrated that no enemy action, however daring and disastrous, can deter us from our objective of ultimate victory.”

Two years later, January 2, 1946 he was honorably discharged having served with the 498^th Bombardment Squadron 345^th Bombardment Group and received the World War II Victory Medal with Bar and Lapel Bar.

Following the war, he returned to his family and married his girlfriend Irene, also a WWII veteran. Uncle Bob with the help of his dad and brothers built his first home in the nearby village of Meridian. About ten years late he came back to his roots and replaced the early home of his parents with a new one. 

Sadly, their only child Karen, was stillborn in 1949. Happily, their many nieces and nephews were loved by both of them.  And I might add teased unmercifully by the once ‘ornery’ Uncle Bob. Many of us remember his approach to life and the way in which his mechanical mind could fix anything and put many things to use in inventive ways.

He and Irene had been married fifty-one years when he died at his home June 11, 1997.
We, his nieces and nephews were the 'lucky' ones to have had our Uncle Bob.