Mildred Lucille Bayless married Lester Ribling on October 17, 1942. At this time, she began a new scrapbook which includes clippings about her marriage, about the friends of the young couple and about the Air Force. Mildred's new husband, Lester Ribling, was assigned to the Instrument Flying Trainer Department, 70th School Squadron, Ellington Field, Houston, TX. Here are some of those clippings. Most clippings are from the Ellington newspaper. Surnames are BOLD for those who are interested.

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From a Beardstown, IL, Newspaper:

 

Staff Sergeant Lester Ribling and Miss Mildred Bayless

Are United in Marriage in Ceremony in Texas

 

On Saturday October 17th, a ceremony took place in Houston, Texas, joining in wedlock Staff Sergeant Lester Ribling of Beardstown and Miss Mildred Bayless, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Bayless of Houston.

The marriage was a simple ceremony at the bride's residence in Houston and the Rev. Robert Pugh of the North Main Baptist Church officiated.

The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Christene Bayless and by Miss B.B. Bixler. She wore a beautiful poudre blue brocade dress.

The best man was Staff Sergeant Clifford G. Rademaker of Oak Park, Ill. Mrs. Ribling's parents served refreshments after the ceremony. Guests were Staff Sergeant V.J. Saggau, of Ceylon, Minnesota, and Sergeant R.D. Cosler, of Indianapolis, Ind.

Staff Sergeant and Mrs. Ribling will live in Houston while Mr. Ribling is stationed at Ellington Field in the Dept. of Instrument Flying.

Ribling, Rademaker & Saggau

 

FIRST SGT. TEACHES 55TH HOW TO USE LAWNMOWER

By Pvt. W.L. Lyle

Pvt. W. P. (Blackie) Samples, the famous Mack truck driver allows Pvt. R. Boozer Vaughan occasionally masquerades as a bona fide poppa at a certain N.O.O.B. (not out of bounds) night spot...This column is held responsible for reporting all activities of our foremost social butterflies, therefore, we reluctantly scribe that Pvt. J. Reginald "Country Style" Tucker is now sojourning in Chicago for an undeserved rest...brother Tucker's friends have faithfully promised to have him pre-flighted before being sent back to active duty.

Our snooping reporter reports Col. James Hobbs is shoping for cradles, rattles and other dainties and unless Walter is wrong, the Hobbs family will soon total a threesome...According to the experts of the "fop" and "pop" game of volley ball, you could go a long way and look hard before you would find a player of S/Sgt. Lester (NMI) Ribling's calibre...however, after looking into the situation, we find the calibre is so small the munition manufacturers have neglected to give it a name.

Outstanding social event of last week...First Sgt. Dean's free school for those underpriviledged people needing vitamins A, B, C and Push, teaching the virtues of an innocent lawnmower in one momentous lesson...the man winning the Oscar for the "man least likely to succeed as a lawnmower specialist" was S/Sgt. Clyde Cull...A sight for sore eyes...Sgt. J.Q.A. Johnson, The Third One, out of the hospital and meandering around the 55th grounds.

Pilots at Pope Field are much pleased with the new C-8 type Link Trainers which have recently been installed at the base. All agree that the improved trainer's controls and actual operation is more akin to the real airplane than any other used by the Air Force to date.

 

How To Navigate by T.B. Howell, 1945

 

 

 

Wanted: Three More Crowbars

by S/Sgt. Paul Staryak

 

.....The way it all started, I never thought we would get anywhere. By "we" I mean Sgt. Ralph H. Reasoner of McArthur, Ohio, Corporal Fred D. Turner of Bishopville, South Carolina, and PFC Robert W. Graves who hails from Moberly, Missouri.

Here we were on the largest American Air Base in France with two brand new Link Trainers still in the boxes, four men, and --- a crowbar.

We had been brought here to set up a Link training room. There were no facilities on the field. We had no building in which to install the Links, no tools to put them up with (if there had been a building) and no men on the field who knew anything about Link installation.

I reported to Colonel Carl R. Feldmann, the Group Commander, and explained my troubles. The Group on this field supplies cargo to the front lines. On return trips, they bring out badly wounded soldiers to rear area hospitals. They fly in all kinds of weather, and the weather here is never good. They fly in fog, rain and with low ceilings and Link training would help them a lot.

The Colonel assigned me a corner of the bombed out hanger and told me where I could get tools.

The section of the hanger was divided into four parts, and we decided that in order to fit in two Links we would have to tear one of the dividing walls down. That's where the crowbar came in. We set to work and by the end of the day had torn down the wall and cleaned up the rooms.

We finally got the Links into the room, first having to take three window casings out because the door wasn't large enough. With our crowbar, we started to uncrate the boxed-up Links. When one of the crates was partially opened we saw that one of the instructor's desks was completely ruined and all the packages were soaking wet.

We let the parts dry overnight, and the next day set up the trainers in their permanent locations. We placed electric heaters around the collector rings and junction boxes.

We turned on the current, and--nothing happened. The instruments were not operating. We started work on removing all the instruments and going over each one to see what was wrong with them. It took us three days of work, but finally, everything was in working order.

Recently we opened what we believe to be the first Link training room set up in France. The Links have been flying steadily ten to twelve hours a day.

 

C-11 Trainer

This post-war trainer dates from about 1952. This is the trainer that my father used at Ladd AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska, after the war. Note the tubes --- no chips in this state-of-the-art machine!

 

Meet the WACs: Letha Likes Music, Sports, Teaching

 

Pfc. Letha C. Edwards of Hamlin, Texas, former school teacher, is a member of the Women's Army Corps at Ellington Field.

Letha attended McMurray College in Abilene, Texas, and received her Bachelor of Science degree at East Texas State Teacher's College where she majored in elementary education and minored in music.

While in college she played first string in the violin section of the school orchestra. She also plays the piano.

Paramount with her interest in music is her interest in flying. Having flown many hours in a cub trainer, she holds a private license. Before the war she planned to take up flying commercially.

She joined the WASPs. but resigned from that organization when it became evident that it was to be disbanded, and became a member of the WAC.

Letha has an active interest in sports. While teaching in the Iraan School District she coached her junior high school students' tennis team to first place in the intrmural, county and district meets.

She is assigned as a clerk in the office of the Officer's Mess, having such varied duties as bookkeeping, cashiering, answering the telephone and giving information.

Her postwar plans are very similar to her prewar ones. She will continue teaching. However, this time she plans to teach in Houston.

Beardstown Twins Second Lieutenants

Earl and Verl Cameron, twin sons of Mrs. C.E.Soule of this city, were graduated from the University of Illinois June 9th, receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees.

On Field Day, held preceding the commencement exercises, they were given commissions as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army Reserves. They also were awarded commissions as Brevet Captains in the Illinois National Guard.

The twins will enroll in the army June 7, at Camp Custer, Michigan.

They plan to continue the study of law at the U of I after their discharge from army service.

 

Ellington Coporal Member of Instrument Men's 'Upper 10 Club'

 

Cpl. Robert A. Swanson recently was graduated from the Instrument Trainer Instructor's Course at the Bryan Army Air Field, Bryan, Texas, and is now stationed at Ellington in the Instrument Flying Trainer Department.

Upon finishing eight weeks of training in the Bryan Field school, Corporal Swanson was honored with membership in the unit's 'Upper 10 Club', an award for high scholarship. The club is composed of 10 men from each class having the highest grades.

At the Bryan Field school, the men are taught the latest instrument flying procedures as they apply to the ground or Link trainer. In addition they are given classroom instruction in allied subjects, as well as practice in the trainers.

Corporal Swanson received a Degree of Bachelor of Bussiness Administration from the University of Minnesota and was employed by General Mills prior to entering the service in May, 1942. He calls Minneapolis his home.

McIntyre, Ribling and Ritter Win Tennis Matches

Civilian tennis matches for the week netted wins in singles for Hazel McIntyre, who defeated Virginia Gauger, 6-1, 6-3; Inez Ritter who won over Alma Morgan, 6-1, 6-0; and Mildred Ribling, who scored 6-0, 6-1, over LaRue King. Other matches were not played because of rain but will be scheduled for a later date.

ONE YEN MILITARY CURRENCY

70th School Sqdn.

by Pfc. Joe Hayes

 

Sgt. McNown from now on will be referred to as "Captain" McNown, captain of the mighty 70th bowling team. They must be good for you can take the word of McNown himself, "I'd like to take this opportunity as a representative of a worthy group of atheletes to say we can beat any *!*&* team on this field."

Lester Bibling (sic) hit the jack-pot on the Professor I.Q. program last week by answering a $25 question. He was really quick on the answer. Les, you disappointed us, however, by not giving the 70th as your address.

Pfc. Chinn was on the night crew last week, I think.....I ran into McIver Saturday night. He said hello to all the boys and says he is getting along swell as an enlisted pilot.

Say, do you know we have an undertaker in our midst? Yes, sir, Corp. Fred Byers was one before putting on Khaki......Link Trainer Treadway was a newspaper man and Penwell's profession is animal husbandry. Who said he was a coal miner? We have our share of coal miners, stenographers, clerks, farmers, cut-throats, horse thieves, bank robbers, etc.

NOTE: My father's name RIBLING is almost always misspelled although it seems simple enough don't you think? My father, who has a dry sense of humor, has always joked about the Professor I.Q. Show. According to him, he was sitting in the balcony next to a very cold and noisy air conditioner. When he was asked the question, "Name a South American Country", he couldn't hear it and because he was so cold, he replied, "It's chilly!" Professor I.Q. then said, "Give that boy a War Bond!"

From a Beardstown, IL, Newspaper:

 

 

One thing I can say with accuracy today. That is many Beardstown people listen to the Dr. I.Q. radio program.

Reason is my telephone kept ringing last night after this program went off the air, people telling me a Beardstown soldier had won cash on the program.

My informants said the soldier was Lester Ribling.

The program originated in Houston, Tex., and Ribling, I am told, answered a $16 dollar question about Chile, and then gave his address as Beardstown, Illinois.

"Boy did I get a thrill out of hearing that on the radio," said one person who called me.

Most people indicated that they were not sure about the question Ribling answered or about the amount of money he won. All they were really sure of was that the Doughboy said his home was in Beardstown.

Some said he won a $25 Defense bond for answering the question.

Most people who were listening to the program paid little attention to the name until they heard Beardstown mentioned, then found they had not understood the name or paid enough attention to it.

"Private MacArthur" is helping the 71st Material hold the fort these days in the 65th Air Base Group.

"MacArthur" is the new mascot of the squadron. The following information has been volunteered from squadren members:

MacArthur is the official name. He is a pedigreed pointer and was brought from Pennsylvania. The grandfather of the dog, "Marietta Joe", was national field champion several years ago. MacArthur is seven weeks old, and except for a few mishaps in the barracks is behaving nicely. Private MacArthur is expecting his first promotion late in April.

If you catch Wiley Poston in a weak moment he might----just might----admit that maybe Harry James has a hotter combine than the Seven Charges of Dynamite. For which Mr. James probably gives thanks every night. For that and one or two other things we can think of.

The Seven Charges of Dynamite appear regularly Tuesdays and Fridays at the NCO Club, a fact that is supposed to be driving Non-coms to Houston in droves. Some members, however, think the Seven Charges are a pretty solid organization. As one sergeant said, "After about 10 or so beers they sound pretty damn good." This is considered, in some circles, an excellant testimonial for Grand Prize.

Cpl. Wiley Poston organized the band several months ago, and the outfit now consists of Wiley, who plays a mean guitar; Paul O'Connor, pianist; Roy Kurth, who plays the sax; John Little, troumpeter; Frank Jones, drummer; Paul Penn, bass fiddler; and Zeke Walker, saxophonist.

Wiley's main trouble is making the boys finish together, "I've got a symphony man, a man who once played in Johnny Long's band and some boys who never played with anyone before. They all play different speeds, and we haven't had a photo-finish yet," he says.

All kidding aside, the Seven Charges do turn out a good brand of music, and are popular with patrons of the Non-Com's club. And if Poston does get a bit too enthusiastic at times, it is pardonable.

"We've got the best band in the South," he insists, but if you listen, you'll hear him add, softly, "South Houston."

Elmer Jack Bayless, USN, South Pacific

 

 

Meet the WACs:

A student flyer in civilian life with fifty hours flying time credit in light aircraft, Cpl. Rosalie Clements of Port Neches, Tex., does the next best thing in the army, she is an instructor in the Link Trainer Department on this field where she teaches basic link to the navigation students and advanced to the pilots.

Rosalie got the "flying bug" some time ago. When she was an employee of Aviation Enterprises Ltd. in Houston, she got a chance to put in some time at the Munincipal Airport. When the firm moved to Sweetwater, Tex., Rosalie went along, and worked in the aircraft instrument department at Avenger Field, where although she didn't have an opportunity to fly, she did further her studies in the ground courses. While working as a civilian at Avenger Field, she decided to join the Women's Army Corps.

She joined the WAC in March, 1944, and went to Fort Oglethorp, Ga., for her basic training, on completion of which, she reported to Ellington Field. Rosalie trained here as a link trainer instructor, and after receiving her instructor's certificate, went to work in her present assignment.

Aside from flying, Rosalie likes dancing, swimming and tennis. With hobbies such as these, her activities have not been too stringently curtailed by her entrance into army life. Not being able to fly now, she thinks it's only fair that she allot a certain amount of her off-duty time to the things she likes second best. However, on her return to civilian life, Rosalie intends to catch up on her student flying time, and go on from there to a civilian pilot's license.

Rosalie is the daughter of Hill C. Durham of Port Neches. Her brother, Seaman First Class Marion R. Durham, is assigned to the USS Bunker Hill in the Pacific.

 

Congratulations to Captains McDonald and Bear and 1st Lieutenants Barnes and Rood and also 1st Sgt. McNown on recent promotions. Our old 1st Sgt. Ellis is probably well on his way toward being a 2nd Lieutenant. He said that some day he'll come back as our Squadron Commander.

What do you fellows think of a good ols squadron get-together? It's getting warm again so we could go down to the Galveston County Park or any place just so the whole gang can make it. You fellows could start creating a little interest among the other boys and maybe we can get something done about it.

The 70th now has the Goat of Ellington Field. It was our Easter present from an as yet unknown person. His name is "Lily". Treat him gently. If you happen to find any tin cans here on the post or in town don't forget to bring them back for "Lily". Another thing we could do for him is to save our bottle of milk every morning because he's only a baby. The Charge of Quarters now has the job of putting "Lily" to bed every night and also getting up about every three hours to give "Lily" his bottle.

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