An Unknown Local Hero from World War II?

John Pickens, USN, and his letter to Marion Duncan. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Editor's note: As news was a little short this week, and with Memorial Day coming on Monday, I thought this might be a good time to recognize an unsung local war vet from the past, John Pickens. The following is a slightly edited version of an article that ran in the Hard Times in January 2012.

A while back, when I prepared a military display for the Roscoe Historical Museum honoring Roscoe’s veterans, I included a book entitled The Men and Women in World War II from Nolan County, which contains photos and information of over 850 local men and women who served in that conflict. It never occurred to me at the time that of all the people included in that book, none of them were black.

Later, however, I was looking through some materials left to the Roscoe Historical Museum by longtime local farmer Marion Duncan, who died in 2004. Among them was an envelope with an enclosed letter and photograph from John Pickens, a black man who had obviously worked for Mr. Duncan and had probably lived on his place west of town. Like many other young men and women in those days, both black and white, he had joined the military service when war broke out.  

The letter, written by Pickens from the U. S. Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington, in January 1943, is a fascinating relic of the war and at the very least deserves some recognition, so I present it here in its entirety exactly as it was written. As you notice the misspellings, keep in mind that black people who grew up in west Texas in those days had little to no formal schooling, and it was unusual to find one who had been beyond the third grade.

     U S naval Hospital – Ward – E,                1-13-43

     Mr Merrion Duncan
     Dear frind Just a few lines to let you
     here from me  I am filling puty good now
     I ben in hospital 3 mounths all redy
     I had 3 Ribs Broke and my right leg Broke
     I stayed in the water 10 days on a life Raft
     Nothing to Eat no water to Drink it was 7
     of us got Save some got lost My ship was
     sunk at the Battle of Soloms iland  2 torpeds
     hit my ship By a sub rine one morning a Bout
     3 30 oclock  But when I get up I am gowing
     Back to the Sea some great Day I will Come to
     Bee a hero I hope cost I know I am cripple
     But never mind my cripple leg let me
     show my uncle Sam what I coud help
     Bring them axis Down a pag cost gord [ed.: peg because God?]
     give me right to Bee a free amer icon
     how is your father and sister and the
     Boys tell then helo for me
     So the Best of Luck to you all
     So I will close
     U S Naval Hospital – Ward – E
     Bremerton Wash
     John Pickens J D Jr USNR

The Battle of the Solomon Islands took place August 24-25, 1942, and was a major naval battle between the American and Japanese fleets.  Pickens may have been on the destroyer Blue, which was sunk by a Japanese torpedo.  

If you have any information about John Pickens or any other local black men or women who served in the military in World War II, I’d be interested in knowing it. Their roles in the war should also be remembered and their service honored.

--o--

RCHS BASKETBALL CAMP UNDERWAY

Roscoe’s summer basketball camp is underway. On Monday, 72 elementary and junior high boys and girls participated, and last night, there were 83. 

Here is the schedule for the High School Girls’ Shootout this Friday and Saturday:

Friday, May 28
New Gym (Varsity)                             
10:00-11:00    Eastland  vs. Hermleigh   
11:00-12:00    Westbrook vs. Spur           
2:00-1:00       Eastland  vs. Roscoe          
1:00-2:00        Westbrook vs. Hermleigh   
2:00-3:00       Snyder vs. Spur         
3:00-4:00       Roscoe vs. Snyder

Old Gym (JV and Freshmen)
10:00-11:00    Roscoe JV vs. Spur JV
11:00-12:00    Roscoe Freshmen vs. Anson JV
12:00-1:00      Hermleigh JV vs. Spur JV
1:00-2:00        Roscoe JV vs. Anson JV
2:00-3:00       Roscoe Freshmen vs. Hermleigh JV
 
Saturday, May 29
New Gym (Varsity)                         
9:00-10:00    Westbrook vs. Snyder                 
10:00-11:00  Roscoe vs. Hermleigh                
11:00-12:00  Roscoe JV vs. Spur                     
12:00-1:00    Roscoe vs. Westbrook                  
1:00-2:00      Hermleigh vs. Sput                      
2:00-3:00      Snyder vs. Roscoe Freshmen       
3:00-4:00      Roscoe vs. Spur
4:00-5:00      Snyder vs. Hermleigh
5:00-6:00      Westbrook vs. Hermleigh JV

Old Gym (JV and Freshmen)
9:00-10:00   Roscoe JV vs. Roscoe Freshmen
10:00-11:00  Open
11:00-12:00  Hermleigh JV vs. Anson JV
12:00-1:00    Spur JV vs. Roscoe Freshmen
1:00-2:00      Roscoe JV vs. Hermleigh JV
2:00-3:00      Spur JV vs. Anson JV

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AMERICAN LEGION TO HONOR VETS ON MEMORIAL DAY

Post Commander J. H. Tollison with Larry Clements and Jodie Kingston last year.

On Monday, Roscoe American Legion Post 227 will honor veterans on Memorial Day as they do every year. The day will begin at 7:00am with the morning flag-raising ceremony, followed by the placement of flags on the graves of former servicemen in the Roscoe Cemetery.

At noon, the flag will be changed from half-mast to full, and in the late afternoon, the flags will be picked up and the flag at the Legion Hall lowered.

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SUSPECT INDICTED IN MEGAN KIRKLAND SHOOTING

George Girard Johnson, Jr., of Abilene was indicted for murder on Thursday by a Taylor County grand jury in the shooting death of former Plowgirl Megan Kirkland. She was fatally wounded when shots were fired at a party outside Abilene last August.

Also indicted for tampering with evidence in the incident were Stephanie Avalos, Kimberly Limas, Yahayra Gutierrez and Ramon Aguirres.

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WEATHER REPORT: BEAUTIFUL SPRING WEATHER

Spring clouds over the STEM Center on Monday.

This past week, we have had some beautiful spring days with mild daytime temperatures, partly cloudy skies, and nice evenings as the area dried out from the previous rain. Afternoon highs ranged from last Wednesday’s 76°F to Monday’s 87°, with lows in the sixties all week. Friday had some strong breezes, but the other days were milder regarding the wind, and Roscoe is as green now as it ever gets.

Early yesterday morning we got another shower. It didn’t last too long, but it put .43” in my rain gauge, and it was enough to refill all the puddles around town that had just about dried up. Yesterday evening, another storm cloud passed over with strong winds that kicked up a dust storm right about sundown accompanied by some lightning and thunder, but there was no rain this time.

The forecast is for some summertime heat today and tomorrow with a projected high of 92° today and 93° tomorrow with strong south winds of 16-20mph. Friday will be cooler and the breezes milder with an 80° high and a 40% chance of afternoon thundershowers. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday should also have isolated thundershowers with chances of 34%-35% with highs in the low to mid-eighties, southeast breezes, and lows in the sixties as we move into the month of June.

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A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE TO SGT. CONRAD ALVAREZ

Army Sergeant Conrad Alvarez was an infantryman assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He entered the Army in March 2005.

He died in Baghdad during his second tour to Iraq on February 20, 2008, from wounds he and two others sustained the day before when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. All three died from the explosion.  He was 22 years old.

He had attended Roscoe schools and was a former Roscoe Plowboy. Coach Wes Williams said he was “one of the best punt returners I’ve ever seen,” and he kept in touch with his coach after graduating from Hobbs high school in 2003. RHS principal Frank Young remembered him as a “good guy” who had some problems but turned his life around.

Sgt. Alvarez's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert.

He was survived by his wife, Maria; daughters Celeste and Alyssa; father, Arthur; and mother, Belinda Garcia of Big Spring, where his body was buried with full military honors.

“He was proud to serve and proud of his accomplishments,”  Williams said.

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