This really is an amazing story. If I may brag for a moment….at 4:50 on this Fox Special: My Grandson, Chase Tomlin becomes part of the event. Chase is an Associate Curator at the National World War ll Museum in New Orleans. I am a very proud Grandmother. -Sheila Tolley-
Today Lugenia would be 107 years old. My guess would be that she has spent the last few years in Heaven with Grady and William. I wish I had Lugenia’s mailing address c/o Heaven. I would love to send her a Thank You note for taking the time to mail this poem to the editor. -Sheila Tolley-
His mother was 40 years old when Jesse was born. Jesse grew up in a very rough home in Morgantown, West Virginia. Jesse’s father, who was mentally ill, was a violent man and was abusive to Jesse. At 13, his father died leaving his mother to take care of him and his brothers.
At the time, things weren’t easy for Jesse and he didn’t think life held much hope for him. While Jesse had his struggles, he had dreams too. He wanted to be a ventriloquist and he found books on ventriloquism. He practiced with sock puppets and saved his money until he could get a real ventriloquist dummy.
When he was old enough, he joined the military. The military recognized his talents and placed him in the entertainment corp. He toured the western Pacific Islands as a comedian as part of a G.I. variety show called “Stars and Gripes.” It was there he was able to share his talents with fellow soldiers. In 1946, he discharged with rank of Technician Grade 5, which was the equivalent then of a Corporal.
During his military service, Jesse was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with 4 bronze service stars), Army Good Conduct Medal, Marksman Badge (with an M1 Carbine) and Honorable Service lapel pin. Through his military service, Jesse gained confidence and found that he had a talent for making people laugh. In spite of his early struggles, Jesse became one of the best-loved characters of all time.
For it was Jesse…Jesse Don Knotts who brought us Barney Fife!
It’s the 11th of November down in Nashville Tennessee Free breakfast at the Waffle House if I show ’em my I.D A parade up on the riverfront, you can hear the trumpets play Hands on hearts, the color guard kicks it off on Veterans Day
And they thank me for my service and wave their little flags They genuflect on Sundays and yes, they’d send us back But I believe in God and country and in the angels up on high And in heaven shining down on us through bullet holes in the sky
Waitress asks me how I’m doing but I don’t know what to say I was thinking ’bout the battlefield the night I learned to pray Marchers make their way down Main Street, the crowd begins to cheer I feel my chest exploding as my eyes fill up with tears
They thank me for my service and wave their little flags They genuflect on Sundays and yes, they’d send us back But I believe in God and country and in the angels up on high And in heaven shining down on us through bullet holes in the sky
Oh Jesus said forgive them, they know not what they do And he’s here with me this morning and his words they still ring true So I hang my head and pray for those we lost and those who remain As the clouds burst over Nashville – it begins to rain
And they thank me for my service and wave their little flags They genuflect on Sundays and yes they’d send us back But I believe in God and country and in the angels up on high And in heaven shining down on us through bullet holes in the sky And in heaven shining down on us through bullet holes in the sky
Below is a picture of the new world record whitetail buck. It was taken by the cousin of a co-worker’s sister’s uncle’s best friend’s son-in-law’s niece’s hairdresser’s neighbor’s ex-boyfriend’s oldest nephew. Reportedly it will score 2603-1/8 by B&C standard and was shot in West Texas on a really windy day, 85 degrees downhill, around a curve at 900 yards with a .22 cal. rifle.
Supposedly, this deer had killed a Brahma bull, two Land Rovers, and six Jehovah’s Witnesses in the last two weeks alone. They said it was winning a fight with Bigfoot when it was shot. It has also been confirmed that the buck had been seen drinking discharge water from a nuclear power plant.
All this has been checked and confirmed by my friends at Snopes.
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