6888 Movie and other stuff.

 6888 Thoughts

We watched the new movie 6888 on TV today.  It about war mail service in WWII.   Spirits wre low.  The mail was having a hard time getting through.  Soldiers were not hearing from their parents is parents were not hearing from their sons on the war fronts.   The Arm Services had train box loads of undeliverable mail.  Morale was low.

First Lady Elinor Roosevelt initiated an Army corps of black women to hunt down the recipients.

It was a great heart moving movie.                                                                                      

Against all odds and precious leaders they got it right.

Which brings to mind that was I did for several in the Postal Service:  Find homes for undeliverable mail.  The mail with confused address was called NIXIE Mail.    Being a native of Maietta I think I did pretty good.

Also the movie reminds me of our two mail clerks in my Naval Squadron HU-4.  Ther were 300 to 500 men in the squadron.  About half of them were on detachment on ships at all times. 

At that time I subscribed to THE REALIST Magazine.  It was a very outspoken magazine.  When I first starred reading it I liked it so much I subscribed and swept up all the back isssues.

The mailroom was small, about the size of a large closet.  The head mail clerk, which I forgot his name, I will call “Jack” for the purpose of this.  Thie otgher mail clerk was Alen.    One day “Jack” sorted the latest THE REALIST Magazine and flipped through it and liked it.  He asked could he borrow it and he would for sure return it tomorrow.  He lost it.

The Mess Hall on base had to borrow workers, usually for 6 weeks at a time. They were borrowed from each unit stationed on base.  When once Jack was chosen he said, “Don’t send me, send Alen!”  And everybody thought Jack and Alan were close and best of friends.  … tch.

Speaking of Alan, after his Navy time was up he moved to my hometown of Marietta to work at Lockheed.  Strangely, he rented a house on Montgomery House, which was the same house my uncle and his new family lived in at one time.

My nickname is/was Rock.  All my Navy buds called me Rock except Alan, he called me Rox.  Always.

Then after a few monhs Alan disappeared .  That was about 1966 – and Never more.