This week’s news will more than make up for the lack of news last week.

George Dennis and Bill Price from the Bend area joined the members of the Wiley B. Murry Post No. 27, at 7:00 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the Jalapeno Restaurant in San Saba to honor all the veterans present and past. The retired Baptist minister Forrest McGregor presented a very interesting program. Forrest had a bucket full of clean river rocks which he asked everyone to take one and write some veterans name, birth date and death on to honor that person. Memorial Day is not just for family picnics and such, but to remember all the ones who died to protect this country and preserve the liberated they we all enjoy today. Laura Beth Hicks, daughter of Bobby Hicks and granddaughter of Raymond and Lewvon Hicks, who attends Fredericksburg Elementary School advanced to the fourth grade on Thursday and was also informed that she was on the Honor Roll for the last semester.

Bernice Porter's great granddaughter, Allison Hendrick sang at the Memorial park in Kempner. It is a very beautiful park. Since Bernice wasn’t able to attend, Allison came by and sang the songs that she would be singing at the park.

Many thanks go out to Jim Hicks who puts out the flags on all the veterans graves at the Colony Cemetery and to Bobbie Morris who put out the flags at the Bend, Sands, High Valley and Chappel cemeteries.

The home of William and Jane Clark was overflowing this past weekend. Boyd Clark and sons’ Eli and Silas of Lubbock, Doug, Kristi Messer and children, Jamie Houdyshell and boys, Bobby Clark of Round Rock spent some time cleaning the swimming pool and getting it ready for the summer. Elsa Dean Shirley spent the day with the family Sunday after visiting her son Kenneth and his wife Vanessa in Temple. Friday Jane attended the award program for Jordan Messer in Burnett and on Tuesday attended the award program for A.J. Houdyshell in Lampasas.

Charlene Brister reported that the Barefoot camp was full over the weekend as was the Leaning Bluff Lodge. Jackie and Charlene were a couple of busy people over the Memorial Day weekend.

LaNell Daniels reported that there was some excitement at Bad Bob’s Store Monday afternoon. John Errington of San Saba delivered ice to the store and somehow his leg was caught on the lift that was loaded with a pallet of ice and he was hanging for a timehead first. The ice bags started falling and to keep him from being injured by the falling ice bags people came from everywhere to help and he was rescued before he was more seriously injured. At last report he was resting in the store with his leg packed in ice waiting for the company to send someone out to drive the truck.

Leon and Mebbie Eckhoff was in Santa Fe this past weekend visiting Robbie, Amy and Ory. Ethan was away visiting his grandparent’s Gary and Jodie

Hallmark of Hawley, Texas. While there they attended UIL softball tournament and watched the Santa Fe team win. On the return trip home they stopped in Leander and visited with Donnie and Racheal Eckhoff. Sunday they, along with

Jolene Lively and Debbie January, went to San Saba to eat fish on the square.

Belated happy birthday greetings goes out to Jesse Clark and Karis Hickey who celebrated a birthday June 2, Josh McCoury and Jessica Price who celebrated a birthday June 5, to Earl Ray Sutton whose birthday was June 6, to Kasandra Clark Buresh whose birthday was June 7.

Congratulations to R.J. and Patsy Henniger who celebrate an anniversary June 1.

Sometime this week if you see Gary Grant and George Dennis wish them a happy birthday which they will celebrate June 10, and to William Clark who will also have a birthday June 16. Congratulations goes out to Walter and Sheila Brister who will celebrate their anniversary June 16.

OraBeth Hicks reported that the Colony cemetery held their annual meeting this past week followed with a meal afterward. Bob Millican is president and Warren Spivey is the treasury/secretary.

The following was submited by Raymond Hicks:

Memorial Day was remembered in the Sunday Service at the Bend United Methodist Church by recognizing the veterans who were in attendance. Pastor Celia requested that the veterans stand while she prayed a special prayer of thanksgiving for their service and sacrifice.

We gave special recoginition to our member, S/SGT Bernice Porter who had served in the Army Air Force from January 4, 1943 until November 17, 1945.

We displayed his dress uniform with medals that he wore at the time of his Honorable Discharge from the Army Air Force.

Bernice had been inducted into the Army Air Force at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. He had spent the following year and 3 months training to become a member of the 441st Troop Carrier Group. His training had been

received at Sheppard Field Wichita Falls, Texas, Alliance, Nebraska; Sedalia, Missouri; and Camp McKall, North Carolina. Bernice had been assigned to Gliders. In March 1944, Bernice had left North Carolina for New York where he had sailed for England. There they had trained and transported cargo in the United Kingdom until June 1944. Bernice, as a Glider crew member, had dropped paratroopers into battle areas; had transported rations, ammo, medicine and supplies to the troops when they had been surrounded by the

enemy. They had also evacuated casualties and prisoners who had been liberated.

A certificate of appreciation had been issued by the French Government which stated that the 441st had began operations during the invasion of Normandy by dropping paratroopers of the 101st near Cherbourg on D-Day and released gliders with re-enforcements. The 441st had been awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for carrying out their mission that day. Thesquadron had been involved in many other battles; after Normandy there was Rome-Arno in Southern France; Nijmegen in Holland; Bastogne and Wesel, and then across the Rhine into Germany.

Bernice had been awarded the European Campaign Medal with 7 Bronze Stars; Good Conduct Medal; Distinguished Unit Badge; Distinguished Unit Citation; Victory Ribbon; American Theater Campaign Medal; and 3 Overseas Service Bars.

Bernice was married to LaFayne Baxter on September 11, 1943. Upon his return from the service, they moved to Bend, Texas where they remain today. They are the parents of 3 children - Virginia Ann, Sherry Regina, and Harold Baxter.