Roy's place of birth was on a farm about one fourth mile north of the little town of Blaine. The earliest of his memories was of this place. The barn was made of large hewn logs pinned together with pegs. He also recalled walking west about two miles to see the Martins, he played with his cousin, Oliver Martin, and thought Oliver's parents were mean to Oliver. As it was told to me, when Roy was about five years of age the family was living at Powers Station. At this place the house caught fire and the family was forced to hurry from the building to escape the flames. Their home which was located on the east side of town was totally destroyed. They then moved to Como staying there but a short time. Again they moved, this time to a farm he always thought of as his home during the years he was growing up. He called the farm, the "Farm on Days Creek" and sometimes the "Collin's Farm". The farm lay about two miles north of Ridgeville, the town he most often visited.

Roy and Rosemary's, first meeting was in the last week of August or first week of September, 1916. Rosemary was sixteen at the time and had finished her formal schooling. She had no thoughts of going on to high school which would have been an added expense for her parents. Possibly she could have gone with her cousin, Marietta.

Marietta Ritter was Rosemary's closest friend even though there were two years difference in their ages. Together they attended the eight years of schooling with their cousin Lucy Belle Carder, Lucy Belle was a year older than Marietta and a year younger than Rosemary. They were cousins, classmates and close companions. Marietta was the only one to complete High School at Redkey, graduating in April of 1920. She married Roy's brother, Ray Tharp on March 15, 1921. There were strong contrasts in the girls lives. Rosemary was the fourth child of Abe and Minerva Carder and the third of their daughters. It had been said that she was her father's favorite child. She had older sisters to help in the kitchen and housework. Rosemary was often helping her Dad do the milking and such chores that would be of help to him and her mother. Her mother preferred caring for the chickens and the working in the garden to housework. Marietta and Lucy were both the only child of their parents. They were their parents pride and joy being well provided with the niceties desired by young ladies of that time. Rosemary put things of childhood behind her in the summer of 1917.

At the age of twenty three, Roy was ready to make changes in his life. Had the war in Europe and our involvement in it not been the prime concern of Americans, perhaps Roy and Rosemary would have married and settled down to housekeeping and started a family. It was not to be, their lives were not on so simple a path.

On April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. Few Wars had ever been more popular. The sound of the recruiter's drum, the bands, the speeches and the flag stirred the imagination of the crowds gathering across the nation to hear and be heard promoting our just, honorable, and most noble cause to wage a war that was to end all wars. In May the Selective Service Act was passed, that same month Roy was among the thousands to volunteer for military service. The War in Europe had been in progress for nearly three years, yet when the United States entered the conflict it was totally unprepared to supply materials and troops to take any effective action on the European Continent. Few if any foresaw the forth coming carnage on the battle fields of France. It would seem that Roy's action at the time was impulsive.

It was not the first time Roy had thought to alter his life's work. This seemingly admirable act was an unalterable step into the unknown, It magnified the awareness of life's uncertainty and the concerns his family and loved ones had for his well being.

Roy's enlistment record as it is recorded on his Discharge from the United State Army dated March 20th 1919, states that Roy enlisted May 9th, 1917 at Muncie, Indiana. I have heard no details of the occasion or of others enlisting at the same time from the Ridgeville area. He did not serve with men he had known before entering the Army.

There was little time to say farewell to his parents, many friends and Rosemary. With other newly recruited young men from the district he boarded the train which was to carry them to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. I am not sure the recruits knew their destination at the time they boarded the train. On the 12th of May Roy wrote post card to Rosemary and said they would leave Jefferson Barracks for Ft. Bliss Texas soon. On the 14th Roy wrote they were then on their way to Ft. Bliss which was located six miles from the Mexican border near El Paso, Texas.

Fort Bliss was the largest Cavalry Post in the United States. It was near the Rio Grande River which was the natural boarder between the two countries. Its military posture had for the past five years served to protect that border and capture the notorious Mexican bandit, Francisco Villa. In the spring of 1916 the whole of the United States Army and the National Guard was called out and mobilized along the boarded. Villa avoided capture by an invading column sent into western Mexico for that purpose, the invading troops were then drawn back to El Paso. the situation remained static for the next several months. Early in 1917 Germany, in the event of war with the United Stated, had stated a desire to aid Mexico in that countries retaking the territory lost to them in 1848. The initial reaction was one of added defense in this area even though Mexico was a neutral nation and remained so throughout the war.

They were able to rent a room in the home of Charles Lady located at 30 N. Franklin St., Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Roy's greatest problem became that of obtaining passes to be outside the camp's perimeter. They were married on his first weekend pass, Sunday, September 29, 1917, having applied for and received their marriage license and then having the Justice of the Peace, Jacob A. Appler, perform the ceremony before the day ended.

The next two and one half months Rosemary roomed and had her meals in the home of Charles Lady. His family consisted of his wife and two children, a son and a daughter. In the short time Roy and Rosemary had before Roy completed his training a close and lasting friendship developed with this family. Rosemary was fortunate to have their caring friendship during the many days Roy was unable to be away from camp. It remained an unending concern to arrange time to be together. On every pleasant Fall day possible hours were spent in strolling about the National Military Park with the ever present uncertainty of the time left to them. Maggie did remain with Rosemary for a few weeks but returned home while Rosemary stayed to the last moment in which there was a chance Roy would remain at the training camp and might receive a pass to be with her another time.

VOL. 1V, PUBLISHED 1932, page 728 Randolph Co., Indiana THARP, Clarence L.

In December of 1920 they moved to 925 W. Jackson St., Muncie, Indiana. On February 1st, 1921 Rosemary returned to her parents home south of Redkey and on February 3rd, 1921 gave birth to a son, Francis Raymond Tharp. Rosemary remained there for three weeks and when feeling well enough returned to the address in Muncie. In those days it was possible to ride the interurban, often called the traction line, to a great many towns in the state and even into Ohio and Illinois. It was a very fast electrically propelled motor car that ran on tracks. A car could carry 50 or more passengers at speeds at 60 and 70 miles per hour. The system was discontinued in 1940. But in 1921 it was the best means of traveling between towns and Roy and Rosemary took this means of transportation at that time. The weather had turned very cold over night while Roy was at the Carders preparing to return Rosemary and their infant son to Muncie. Due to little or no heat in the house on Jackson St., the water lines froze and broke, flooding their kitchen floor and wetting other floors. Finding everything drenched, their joy of returning home was turned to despair. It required several days to dry the house out. In the mean time Francis was sick much of the time, they thought, due to the dampness.

On February 18, 1930 a daughter, Thelma Roberta, was born at the Eaton home. Thelma was born on Tuesday evening, earlier in the evening Roy took the other children to stay at the home of their grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma Carder, who had moved to a farm near Millgrove, Blackford County, Indiana. Here they remained overnight encountering a long evening where all was still and the dark shadows cast by the single kerosene lamp made its feeble yellow glow unassuring. Francis, Susie, and Buster missed a day of school the following day but returned that evening to what seemed a much altered home. Roy's Aunt Carrie Starbuck was brought in to stay with the family for several days to cook and aid Rosemary in all that was necessary. The new baby and a strange lady in the house took a little time to adjust to.

The Products like most manufacturing and industrial companies began short work weeks and layoffs. The Products finally closed its doors. The plant reopened several months later and became the Muncie Chevrolet a subsidiary of General Motors but Roy never returned to this place for work. As difficult as the early period of the depression was for many, Roy had not been as unfortunate as several families they knew. He was able to maintain some employment at the Products until its closing in 1932. He then again turned to old acquaintance for work. As difficult as it was to be away from the family Roy out of great need sought work at the Lays Broom and Brush Factory in Ridgeville. For a short time he worked, roomed and boarded at Ridgeville and was home on week ends, an unhappy arrangement. It was a time that additional borrowing took place. In order to keep the home mortgage payments from becoming delinquent the outlots were put up for security on a 50.00 dollar loan from the local hardware dealer, Haynes. It was also a time when an incredible debt was building at the Lambert Brothers Grocery Store which came to 90.00 dollars at one time. Rosemary by persistent effort obtained 300.00 dollars in the form of a second mortgage from the County's surplus school fund, known as a School Fund Loan. Most bills and loans were carried for several years and they were not totally free of these old debts until the 40s.

President Herbert Hoover had been unable to turn the economy around with the usual wait and it will run its coarse approach. As a result he suffered an overwhelming defeat in the 1932 election. On March 4th, 1933 Hoover turned over the presidency to the democrat, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt attach the problem of unemployment by a deluge of innovative government programs presented to Congress for there passage. A few of which were later declared unconstitutional. As for the unemployed masses the job programs gave employment and income for anyone in need. Though the economy was slow to recover people again had a few dollars to purchase the bare necessities.

Late in 1933, through 1934 and early 1935 Roy worked with and for a time acted as the foreman of a local WPA work gang. He also was with a project that built and landscaped the Minnetrista Golf Coarse on North Walnut Street in Muncie, Indiana These jobs often were demeaning to the skilled and simi-skilled laborers, even more so for the old middle class white collar worker. Work projects of all sorts were created, even for the highly skilled and those possessing unusual talent. Both small and some enormous construction programs were carried to completion during the few years of this national effort to return the nation to a normal free economy.

What seemed a very long time the government programs only made poverty tolerable. The living conditions of the average family was such that hope was supported as much by the promise of things better rather than by any real advance toward recovery. It was difficult to replace worn clothing, shoes and everyday household items. Houses were not painted even when the old paint had nearly all vanished. House after house was neglected, through time and weathering they turned dark gray in color. Houses 30 years of age and even less seemed to be ancient through neglect.

By 1935 industry was again attempting to produce goods for a slowly growing market. As for Roy and men like him, Roosevelt and the Democrat Congress produced and passed the Wagner Act "National Labor Relations Act" which allowed labor unions in the work place and gave ever man the right to join a union. The Act also established by law many needed protections for employees. It was the beginning of a long and prosperous labor movement that produced a new class of highly productive laborers, who as a result was able for the first time to become major consumers of manufactured goods and products. They finally were able to move into the market place as the backbone of the recovering economy.

Once the foundation for recovery was established the political atmosphere was highly stimulated by the amount of social legislation. The decade of the 30s was a revolution whose goal was the general welfare of all the nations citizens.

The neighborhood in the vicinity of the Tharps received minor improvements due to WPA workmen. Some gravel was added to the street surface and the side ditches cleared. Yet as late as 1937 the extension of North Street into the Addition was still a very poor street. For several years the only material used to fill the rough tracts was cinders from the coal burning furnaces at the Paper Mill south of town. It was black and dusty material, walking on it resulted in a black coating covering the feet and ankles. Called the Cinder Road it was the ultimate test for toughness of the neighborhood children's bare feet. It is true that Vehicle traffic up to that time did not amount to much. Roy regularly drove an automobile through out the depression but seldom for pleasure. The only other such traffic was the German family next door for a short time and an occasional grocery delivery truck. Rosemary's father drove a team of horses harnessed to a hay wagon after 1932 and her brother, Dale, keep and old Whippet running part time until 1937 when he bought a 1937 Ford 60. The street in the addition was of little concern to the rest of the town as it was visually and by access remote to the greater community, a persistent problem for the west section of town.

The greatest recognizable concern for the upkeep of property in the area was that of Roy Tharp and Charles Lamb who was making an honest effort to maintain and make the best use of their property. The remaining properties were becoming very run down. The Lewis family moved away and Sam Brock, an old Indian, had moved into that house with a daughter, her husband, Pee Dad Gilmer, and several children. They were an extremely poor family with no visible means of support other than charity, they moved away after a couple of years and the Carders moved into this property about 1932. A German family, middle age couple with one daughter, moved into the Smith property about 1930-1. They were entertainers who performed on the trapeze. Their English was not very good but were good neighbors. It was this family that taught Francis and Buster to swim at the old Stone Quarry southeast of town. They moved away about 1931-2 and Donald Thomas moved his family into this house. The Ault family also moved away and was replaced by the Scaggs family who had at the time two children. Bill Scaggs and his wife, Deliah, were from Kentucky, both chewed tobacco and snuff. They were poor. Bill had his old automobile upon blocks unable to buy gas and license plates nearly all the time they were there. When they moved away in about 1935 a family by the name of Buffin moved in. This was a family with three rough neck boys and one girl. They were there about two years then they moved away. For a short time Simon Walin, brother-in- law of Deliah Scaggs, his wife and son, Donald, lived in the house, then a married couple without children by the name of Bill and Florence Sheppard moved in, at times the keep three children by the name of Whitaker, Marilyn, Richard and a small girl. The Houdeshells left the neighborhood and that house remained empty until a young married couple, Marion and Margaret Clawson moved into the house. By hard work they made it livable.

The first decade that Roy and Rosemary lived in Eaton was without question as difficult as their first decade of married life. Of all the many times that their future was beyond their means to perceive it was their ability to sustain an equilibrium which was perhaps remarkable. The vary nature of the times tried the endurance of all people, the unbroken will to succeed lifted many above others who lost jobs, homes, and often their health. It was those broken spirits that made the times most memorable.

There was no doubt that Roy and Rosemary could face hardship and work through difficult times. They were the product of parents that had lived through many hardships. When they arrived in Eaton they had an idea of what could be done with what they had bought. Their labor and little else was the balance of their resources.

The six lot field west of the barn was fenced and had a chicken house in the center of the field and a corn crib near the barn. The crib was not used for anything for three or four years, but the chicken house was soon supplied with hens for the purpose of producing eggs. Early in the spring 50 or more chicks were bought and crowded into the corner of the chicken house under an oil burning brooder. This remained an annual practice for several years with the assumption that it was profitable. One year when Francis took 4 H and it was required to keep a full accounting of costs it was discovered that the value of the young fries was hardly equal to the cost incurred. In about 1934 no more chicks were bought to raise and by 1936 the chicken house went out of use. In the mean time Roy moved the old corn crib to the west end of the orchard and used old lumber to remodel the crib by adding built-in-cages to house rabbits. This lasted for a couple of years but also given up when the rabbits showed signs of sickness.

The fenced lots west of the barn was also a pasture for the Jersey cow. At the time livestock in town was not uncommon. The limited pasture lands was the usual deterrent, where pasture was not fenced a cow would often be staked out. The cost of keeping live stock in town was further restricted by the need to purchase additional feed such as hay and grain, making it a very marginal operation. Never the less the cow remained the source of milk until about 1935.

Roy's knowledge of carpentry was further put to use whenever the urge to remodel the existing structures came about. The interior of the barn was divided by a partition and the north end made into a stable with a single stanchion for milking the cow. Added to the north end of the barn was a small shed where coal was kept. The coal was daily carried to the house in a coal bucket during the heating season. The next structure north on the alley was the privy, outhouse, a strictly utilitarian two holler. This building remained in service for a long time, until a bath was built inside the home about the year 1939.

When the house was built an open porch extended nearly the full width at the back of the house. Opposite the house on the west side of the north end of the porch a summer kitchen stood, this 20' X 20' building was commonly used on wash days and where the canning of fruits and vegetables was carried out in the hot summer months. Something of note is that during the years this and all the other out building stood, they were never given a coat of paint. This summer kitchen was taken down and the lumber used to enclose the north-end of the back porch as early as 1935. Why is not certain, unless the old roof and other things were in need of extensive repair. Within the next two years the south half of the barn was torn down and the partition taken out. A shed roof structure replaced the south half of the barn . Thereafter the building was used exclusively as a garage. About the same year that chickens proved unprofitable the chicken house was moved to Abe Carder's property where they used it for a hen house for a few years.

By 1935 Roy had applied for work at several factories. That year he worked far a short time at the Chrysler Plant in New Castle, Indiana. He rode to and from work daily with others from Eaton. Later the same year Warner Gear at Muncie hired him as a Faye Lathe operator. His employment was relatively steady for the next few years. For the family a brighter outlook was soon evident, In 1936 Roy and Rosemary bought the fist new automobile, a standard Chevrolet, whose price tag was $625.00.

Earlier they had an old Dodge coupe which Roy sold to his brother Roe. He then bought another Dodge. This automobile was about a 1929-30 model unusually large with two added jump sets in the passenger compartment. It was probably thought at the time of purchase suitable for transporting workers to the Chrysler Plant. After a short time it was discovered that the engine had a cracked block. This was then traded for the 1936 Chevrolet. The record regarding automobiles for the next ten years is that this Chevrolet was wrecked in 1939 and was replaced by another new Chevrolet, a 1939 model. A slow down at the Warner Gear factory made it difficult to make timely payments on this car so Roy sold it to Albert Sayers, Carrie Starbuck's son-in-law, and Roy's foreman at Warner Gear. Roy then bought a 1935 Auburn Model 635. This was a unusual automobile made at Auburn, Indiana. It was the family transportation for the next 7 1/2 years. Early in 1947 it was traded for another novel automobile, a new 1947 Hudson, which was bought for about 1200 dollars.

While returning to something resembling a brighter yet unpredictable future, Roy in 1937 bought the old Johnson Shoe Repair Shop in the 200 block of East Harris Street with the thought that the business might add to the family income. The business it was thought would not be so demanding that he would not be able to keep the repair work caught up by working at it one or two hours a day and being there on Saturday. It also provided an opportunity for Francis to learn the business and have spending money. Francis was then nearly seventeen and had a wide interest in the activities of others his age which when satisfied required a source of income. Though this shoe repair business was never lucrative an honest effort was made to provide good workmanship. Additional machinery was even purchased to modernize the half soling of shoes. About 1939-40 the shop was moved to downtown and was sold when further interest in the business faded. Francis after graduation from High School in the spring of 1939 sought a more gainful employment elsewhere and then later in the year enlisted in the Army Air Force. This was the only attempt Roy made to own and operate a business.

It was in March of 1937 that the Labor Union was organized at Roy's place of employment. This was made possible by the Wagner Act and the current realization by labor that without organizing nothing would be gained for laborers in the economic and political realm of this society. The Labor Union over the following years did prove to be of great benefit to the employees and the general improvement in the standard of living for the population of the nation as a whole. When prejudice regarding rights of labor was recognized as an effort to exploit this human resource the struggle to lift the worker out of his uncertain and drab existence became a paramount endeavor of organized labor. These remarks would seem out of place in this narrative if it was not the turning away from the past subservience that altered the future. Where ever labor made gains the community soon reflected the rising living standards of all. Life itself in the human existence is governed by a mixture of compassion, prejudice and self interest. Justice in social relationships when dictated by one over another with out guide lines based on a high degree of mutual understanding and co- operation deteriorate into injustice with the results that long existed in all past ages and firmly established early in the industrial age. The denial of that fact is to return to the past and servitude. The belief in this fact makes possible a fair and respected place for all in the social make up of a nation.

The years that Roy and Rosemary lived from 1937 until their deaths was shaped by war, enormous economic growth, shift in social recognition and government acknowledgment of its duty to promote the welfare of all its citizens throughout life. The direction of government and the strength of the labor movement together gave Roy and his family an unprecedented share in the economic wealth of the worlds most prosperous nation.

The year 1940 was one of growing concern with this country's involvement with the warring countries in Europe. For several years Germany had concentrated its efforts in regaining its once dominant military power. Germany and Italy were forcefully extending their borders by armed force. On September 1, 1939 Germany in a lightning attach over ran Poland in only two weeks. When the hope of avoiding war was gone, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany September 3, 1939. An unprepared France and Great Britain was no match for the German war machine. By June of 1940 Germany and her allies had over come all organized military resistance on the European Mainland and was directing her efforts for conquest of northern Africa and England.

The government of the United States believing that the Axis Powers, Germany and Italy, were a threat to the western hemisphere did in March of 1941 legislate the Lend-Lease Act. This law allowed the President to lend or lease American resources to any nation whose defense he considered to be necessary to the defense of the United States. The Soviet Union became a recipient in this Lend-Lease program after Germany's invasion of that country in June of 1941. On December 7, 1941 Japan attack the United States military bases in the Pacific. The American people were stunned at the realization that we were at war and as unprepared as France and Britain had been in 1939. It was felt that enemy military might even assault the coast of the United States.

The world events through the years from 1939 to December of 1941 were closely followed and viewed in respect to the future of Tharp family members and their possible military involvement. As early as the time of Francis's enlistment it was felt by alert realist that the United States would inevitably be drawn into the European conflict. It seemed as if history was repeating itself. As time passed, years, months and even days prior to September 1, 1939, it was evident that France, England and the United States lacked the will to forcefully restrain the aggression of any military nation, thus giving unbound confidence to the aggressors and setting the stage for World War II.

Susie and Buster graduated from High School on April 12, 1941. Truly facing the unknown.

In the month of May Germany turned its military might to the invasion of the eastern European countries with remarkable success and on June 22, 1941 attack Russia coming close to success by the years end with her forces 600 miles inside Russian territory all along the entire front.

In the 1930s the radio had became a household fixture taking a prominent place in most homes throughout the country. War news on December 7, 1941 flooded the air waves bringing news of destruction to our Navel and Air Forces in the Pacific by Japan. War against the Japanese in the Pacific and the other Powers in Europe was a reality. There was shock and frustration with our inability to respond with equal force. The war became very personal in families across the nation as men were called for military service. The majority of men of military age eventually did serve his country during the war.

Basically the people had wished to avoid war on the European continent. The greater number were traditional isolationist. Some earlier Presidents, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, at the turn of the century had lead the nation in forcefully acquiring bases and extending its military presence in Central America and the broad expanse of the Pacific Ocean. It was the latter where our presence lead to the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. The fallacy held by the American people was that Japan would never, under any circumstance, dare attack the United States.

In any given epoch an event will stand out and perhaps control the lives of a people. The depression of the 30s had done that and now in the 40s a second world war towered over all else in the lives of the people. The nation directed all its energy and resources as well as its man power to overcome the enemy. But time was needed to produce a war machine that in nearly ever aspect had to be built and then furnished with modern equipment. New factories had to be constructed and the conversion of old ones had to take place as rapidly as possible. The tools for war had to be and was amassed. It would seem at no time was there ever a greater surge of industrial development and growth on a national scale in all the history of man.

The industrial might of the nation was feed government contracts on a financial system of cost plus 10 %. The national debt rose, industry and all engaged in war related manufacturing reaped enormous profits. Everyone of working age who was not in the military service could find employment. Women filled vacancies left by men entering military service. (This opening up of the male dominated industrial trades to women had the most lasting influence in the lives of U. S. families. women did not return to her traditional roll of homemaker in the numbers one might have thought they would following the War).

Warner Gear received government contracts for its transmissions. Overtime and seven day work schedules soon became the norm. In a short time shortage of civilian goods and rationing reduced the amount of purchasing in the civilian sector. Most employed on the home front earned more than they spent and built up fairly large savings through the purchase of War Bonds. Price controls were adopted and enforced to prevent run away inflation. Such controls with rationing stabilized the civil economy. With an overwhelming sense of patriotism the development of a Black Market never became well established.

Francis was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone soon after his basic training and remained there for nearly four years. He had been in an area vital to the war effort but had never come under enemy attack, then sent to Kelly Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas., where he remained until the end of the war having performed a vital roll. He advance to the rank of Sergeant First Class.

Buster with the knowledge that military duty was in his not to distant future never the less sought employment in the local industries soon after graduating from High School. At the same time events had not brought but slight growth to local industries. Interested in the field of aviation, Buster enrolled in a course at the Swallow Airplane Company, a training school, an introduction to the manufacture and maintenance of aircraft. The course was one with a narrow goal in mind, one which provided a student 30 days of basic forming, riveting and assembly of sheet metal parts. The course was completed on July 14, 1941, in all an out lay of nearly 160.00 dollars. This school was located at Wichita, Kansas where several aircraft factories were producing aircraft for the military. They at the time, were not hiring new employees. If they had been it is likely Buster would have remained there. He returned home in the last week of July and finally applied for work by mail at the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Factory of Baltimore, Maryland. Their reply was that he was to report to the company for employment in the last week of August 1941. His first work day at the plant was Friday, August 29, 1941. At the time Susie was enrolled in the International School of Business, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Even though the country was not yet at war these were not normal times. Pressure to move toward an active state of war was present. Roy and Rosemary were not promoting or encouraging any particular course of action for their children, they were never inclined to give advice pro or con in such matters, in silences events took them on uncertain paths.

Everyone might be said to be a product of their time, molded by social and economic conditions as well as personal experience. The three older children of Roy and Rosemary were of an age that felt and often shared emotions fostered by difficulties in the years of the Great Depression. In 1941, when relief from that experience was coming about there was an honest desire of the children not to prolong the drain of the family's finances. It was not necessary to state established conduct generally understood in those days, one should be self reliant and act responsibly in the path one takes. One basic fact had not changed as the children were growing up and family income improved, money continued to be in short supply. It was hardly possible to accumulate even meager saving. Any adventure was complicated by financial problems. The family income, Roy's' was the only one, was all that might fund school expenses. Any such use of family funds subconsciously implied an obligation to repay when able. Planning developed as outside events tugged one way then another. It is best to state each family member was caught up with the times as both participant and spectator. One can not assume or suppose what course each might have taken in another time.

The personal chronicle of each of the family members reveals the nature of the instability of the times.

Buster did report to Glenn L. Martin Co. and went to work in the final assembly department manufacturing the B-26, a medium bomber. It being a new design with greater speed and armament as compared to models in service. When he arrived for work only a few of these planes had left the plant for testing, none had yet been issued to the Army Air Forces. The proposed schedule of three aircraft per day was not reached for several months.

Buster was paid 55 cents an hour for the first 4 weeks. His room and board at 5939 York Road totaled 12.00 dollars a week leaving but 10.00 dollars for all other expenses. Pay raises of 5 cents and hour occurred ever 3 or 4 weeks until 1.00 dollar an hour was reached. By December of 1941 overtime was not unusual. After the declaration of war early in December, a 7 day work week was common with periods of overtime added on week days. With the greatly increased work schedule it was possible to earn the enormous sum of 74 dollars a week in the spring of 1942. Through necessity a frugal way of life was maintained even when earnings rose.
Among other vaguely perceived plans the though that any money saved might be used for future education. 

By April of 1942 it was clear that soon military service would take priority over all else. This fact and the news that Francis would be home on a 30 day furlough in June seemed to justify returning to Indiana. The last of May was set as a good time to return home. Buster had no thought of waiting to be drafted and chance infantry combat. About the 1st of June both Francis and Buster were home. By the time Francis returned to service the many good times had depleted saving drastically.

Buster applied for work at Warner Gear Corporation, Muncie, Indiana and went to work there in the first week of July 1942 at the improved wage of 1 dollar and 37 cents an hour. The occupation, Mill and Drill operator, was totally different from work at the aircraft assembly plant. This work was based on operations performed repeatedly at a high rate of speed. His optimism remained high as the monetary compensation was substantially above average for those in the labor force. The immediate goals were to replenish savings and secondly investigate the military services, particularly the navy. It was a time of waiting for events to dictate a course of action.

Warner Gear was not yet in full production, a great amount of their foreseeable production was to be an adaptation of standard automobile and truck transmissions to military use. By October production for the civilian market virtually ceased. During the time needed to turn to a full military production schedule a reduction in the labor force took place. Buster after 3 months of steady employment was laid off and was not recalled to work for several weeks. In the meantime he received notice from the local draft board to register for military draft. December 1, 1942 he received orders to report on the 8th for preliminary examination for physical defects. On that date he was place in Class 1-A subject to military conscription at a time and place of the draft-boards discretion and military necessity. With these facts of the situation settled, Buster applied for Naval Air Cadet training at Muncie's Navy Recruiting Office. He passed the initial scholastic and physical examination and was directed to appear for further examination at the Naval Recruiting Center, Board of Trade Building, Chicago, Illinois. A small group from the Muncie area arrived in Chicago on the 11th and reported at the Navy's Recruiting Center. On the morning of the 12th with hundreds of additional recruits, 2 days of written and oral examinations were conducted, followed by an extensive physical examination. Those passing were ordered to report the following morning, December 4, 1942, to take the oath and officially enlist in the Naval Reserves, Naval Air Cadet Training, V-5 Program. After all these things were accomplished stagnation set in. Believing that active duty was imminent a call to return to Warner Gear was responded to with the reply that Buster had enlisted in the Navy.

One year after the declaration of war, military centers were flooded with recruits. Programs such as the Navy's V-5 Program was greatly over recruited. Thus unknown to these enlistees they were to have long periods of inactivity before called to active service. A total of 9 months and 13 days of unproductive time and uncertain waiting transpired after December 14, 1942. Buster was called to active duty on September 27, 1943.

In the meantime during the summer of 1943, Susie, still in secretarial school and working part time in the office of a small company in Fort Wayne, came to the decision to enlist in the Naval Reserve, the Waves. She was among the first in Delaware County, Indiana to enter this service. There was a considerable amount of notice taken of the group of young women who left for the Navy at that time. Her final processing and oath was accomplished at Cincinnati, Ohio on the 18th of June 1943. She was in basic training at Hunter College, New York, N. Y. Her initial impression of the experience was mixed. The early military training was not severe and the making of many friends was made easier by the state of mind common to the recruits thrust among strangers and unfamiliar surroundings. She was not a stranger to being away from home so avoided a severe case of homesickness.

Her training for duty was in the medical service, Navy's V-10 Program, as a hospital assistant. Upon completion of school Susie was assigned to duty as a Hospital Assistant assigned to the Dental Clinic. She was for a time stationed at the Dental Clinic, Marine Air Force Base, Cherry Point, N. C. and later at the Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia. While stationed at Norfolk she married Joseph Castelo on November 14, 1944 and was granted a discharge from Naval Service on the 20th of December 1944. She and Joe made there home in S. Norfolk, Va. to them was born a son, Joseph Jr., on the 15th of July 1945.

On August 10, 1945, the war was over, Japan sued for peace. Joe was discharged the 17th of October 1945, having served in the Navy 3 years, 6 months, and 5 days. Their residence was in Astoria, Long Island, N. Y. for several years, during that time Joe was employed at his brother's Dental Laboratory.

Clarence L. Tharp lived for another 28 years and Rosemary survived him 10 years. After the children all left home their story took a leisurely pace, one to yet be wrote.

Tharp-Wooters,

Tharp-Bristow,

Cecil E. Tharp cetbus2@Juno.com

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