World War II

Kristine, Judy, Steve, Florence around 1944

Once the family had buried Florence’s father, they turned their attention to the draft notice that had been burning a hole in Elwood’s pocket. Elwood assumed that the military would reject him, due to a heart murmur that had prevented him playing basketball during high school. Still, the possibility remained that he would have to serve. On Monday, January 10, 1944, he traveled to Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City along with 22 other Iron County men to report for induction. He dutifully reported his heart murmur to the examining physicians, who questioned him in some detail and then, to his surprise, determined him fit for service.  Apparently, the military had recently released a memo lowering the physical requirements for active duty. Elwood was to report for duty around the first of February.

The rest of January brought a flurry of activity. Florence and Elwood had just signed on a loan for $3,000 for the house. Military pay would bring the family $66 a month, less than one third the income the family reported on their 1943 tax return. With a house payment and three children, the family would need more than his military pay to pay the bills. Elwood’s insurance and real estate business had just begun to give them a modest income. Florence would have to join the flood of women entering the workforce. Fortunately, she had studied business in college and had worked in the insurance office from time to time. They determined that she would take the licensing exam to become a fire and casualty agent. The real estate business would stay on hold until Elwood returned from the war. Florence passed the exam, and Elwood taught her everything he could in the three weeks before he left for basic training.

Around February 1, Elwood and the other Army men left for Camp Barkeley, Texas. Kristine remembers Grandpa Corry offering to drive Florence and Kris to Salt Lake City so that they could see Elwood one more time before he left for Texas. They only got as far as Fillmore, though, before snowy weather stopped them in their tracks. Florence called Elwood from the hotel, and the next day Grandpa drove them home to Cedar.

Camp Barkeley, located 11 miles southwest of Abilene, TX, had a population of about 50,000 at its peak and was dismantled near the close of World War II. Elwood managed basic training there rather better than he expected. His heart gave him no trouble, and he felt like he held his own. After several weeks, he was transferred to Clerk’s School for an eight week course.

Back home Florence tried to make life as normal as possible for the family. Kristine was seven when her father went off to war, halfway through her second grade year. She remembers the excitement of having a soldier father with a neat uniform, and she remembers a quiet house with Dad off to war and Mother working. Judy was just five years old at the time, and Steven was only two. Grandma lived next door, of course, and neighbors like Miss Wanda helped with the children, but beneath the excitement lay a certain emptiness, a sense of light gone.

As usual, Florence managed to make each of her children feel special, even in difficult times. Kristine remembers a particular event that spring. Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly starred in the new movie “Cover Girl,” which came to theatres at the end of March 1944. Mother and daughter went downtown to see the movie and stopped next door for a treat afterward, just the two of them. This was a rare outing and Kristine remembers it fondly.

In June, Elwood completed training and came home for a brief furlough. He traveled from Texas to New Mexico and then caught a ride to Cedar with his sister, Virginia. After a short visit, he took the train to Camp Beale, California, located 12 miles east of Marysville, in Yuba County.
Abish (known as Abby), Elwood’s mother, wrote to Elwood in July, not long after he arrived at Camp Beale. The family had gathered at Florence’s for dinner that afternoon, and she described the after dinner scene:

“Dad is having his after dinner nap on the davenport in your living room. Florence and Virginia [Elwood’s oldest sister] are washing up the dishes in the kitchen. Beth and Ruth [Elwood’s sisters, ages 22 and 25] and Martin and Lloyd [Elwood’s brothers, ages 20 and 16] are playing Rook while Kristine is reading a book. Stephen is watching the game and Judy and Pat [Virginia’s daughter] are outside playing.”

Elwood must have been able to close his eyes and picture his family on that Sunday afternoon, gathered for the big meal before evening church. Abby also described the barbecue up the canyon, the fish Dr. Edmonds caught, and the visit from L. C. Miles, who had just come home on furlough. Those little tidbits from home bridged the miles between southern Utah and California. L.C. Miles expected to ship out soon, and folks speculated on whether he would find himself at Pearl Harbor. Left unspoken, but certainly looming in the minds of Elwood’s family, was the question of where Elwood himself would be stationed.

Elwood remained in California for about three months. Kristine remembers that her mother took the train to see him during that period. Florence reported that the trains were crowded, and she had to stand up for much of the trip (in high heels, no less!). A photo of the couple, probably from that visit, shows the two of them appearing rather subdued. Elwood holds the hand of an unidentified little girl, perhaps considering his own little girls back home.

On September 14, 1944 (Kristine remembers clearly, because it was the day before her eighth birthday), the phone rang. It was Elwood, calling to tell the family he was shipping out soon. Florence was still at the office, so Kristine took the message. He would be shipping out shortly, heading west. He had yet to see the specific orders, but west meant the Pacific Theater. Florence stayed home the next day, just in case Elwood had a chance to call again. When she had to run to the grocery store, she left her sister-in-law Ruth by the phone. As luck would have it, Elwood picked that moment to phone, so Ruth dashed to the store and brought Florence home to take the call.

Mel and Elwood in Hawaii 1944 or 1945

Before going overseas, Elwood was transferred to Fort Lawton, just outside of Seattle, Washington, where he spent about three weeks before shipping out. When they did finally board ship, the soldiers still had little clue as to their final destination. Eventually, they landed in Hawaii, where Elwood spent the remainder of his WWII service. While in Hawaii, Elwood connected with his little brother, Mel, who served in the Navy as a Pharmacist’s Mate. They were able to spend quite a bit of time together over the next few months before Mel shipped out. Elwood worked as a clerk during his time in Oahu and made several lasting friendships with other LDS men stationed on the island.

Meanwhile, Florence ran the insurance business and kept her family afloat. She and Elwood discussed business matters through airmail, and the light envelopes with red and blue bars around the border became a familiar sight in the mailbox. She proved an astute businesswoman. In November 1944, in fact, the monthly bulletin from Northwestern Mutual Fire Insurance Company featured Florence along with two other women in an article entitled “Women in Agencies.” The author wrote,

“Little did Mrs. Florence Corry dream that her studies in the Business Department of the Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah and her experience as a bookkeeper would stand her in good stead. But they are—now that her husband is in the Army and she finds herself running their business (besides taking care of their three lovely children). ‘I am happy that Elwood was engaged in a business that I could assist in during his absence. As the months go by, I anticipate not only holding the business he has established but I am anxious to increase it so that things will be in a sound condition when he returns.’ We salute you, Mrs. Corry, for your courage to carry on.”

Florence succeeded in running the business and even managed to pay several months ahead on the mortgage. When he returned home, Elwood would be able to pick up where he left off.
Though far away from the actual fighting, even Cedar City residents felt the effects of the war in their everyday lives. Many families, like the Corrys, sent husbands and fathers or brothers overseas. Everyone found creative ways to deal with the rationing of food and gas and other essentials. Florence’s friend Lillian lived on a farm with cows and regularly sent butter in to town to Florence and her family. Florence, always quite proud of her nice legs, took special care of her silk stockings. Since all of the silk went to make parachutes during the war, she had to make her remaining stockings last, so she meticulously mended them to keep them in good shape for church.

Without her husband, Florence was forced to get creative about home maintenance. She began to hold lawn parties, inviting neighborhood children. They would mow and rake the lawn and then gather for homemade root beer after they finished the yardwork. The Southwick boys helped out. Even F. Burton Howard joined the yard crew. Of course, back then he was “just as scruffy-looking as the rest of us,” Kristine reports. The Howards rented the upstairs apartment of the Corry house. On one occasion, when Florence was backing the Ford out of the driveway, the door flew open, caught on a pillar at the edge of the driveway, and came off. Florence roped the door back on to the car until she could get the car fixed.

Once, perhaps for Elwood’s birthday in March 1945, Florence and the children made a record to send to Hawaii. Florence recited poetry, and Kris and Judy each sang solos. Judy remembers singing “I’m So Glad When Daddy Comes Home.” About this time, Kristine started learning the piano. The Corry musical tradition had passed to the new generation.

Kristine, Judy, Florence, Steve 1945

Despite working full-time and running the household, Florence found the time and energy to focus on her children. She took them on hikes, outings to Zion National Park and even a trip to the cave just east of town. For Kristine’s eighth birthday, Florence hosted a supper for Kristine and her friends and took them to the movies afterward. She wrote to Elwood about Kristine’s moodiness, Judy’s bubbly personality and tomboy ways, and the funny things toddler Steve said or did.

As Kristine entered 4th grade in the fall of 1945, her body began changing, and it was clear she would enter puberty rather early. The aunts were alarmed. Florence must have had her own private worries, but she never passed those concerns on to Kristine. She simply guided her calmly through the process, helping her deal with the periods and the acne that her friends would not have to worry about until middle school. In October, the school determined that with her physical development and academic ability, Kristine would feel more comfortable in the grade ahead. Consequently, she moved immediately to the 5th grade. Elwood must have felt some concern about being so far away from his daughter at a difficult time, but Florence managed the situation beautifully and with great sensitivity.

As World War II wound its way to a close, the adults back home continued to support each other. Florence held regular meetings with her committee on the Girls’ Coordinating Council. While the calling must have seemed overwhelming at first, coming as it did just as Elwood left for war, the association with the other women on the committee must have brought Florence much needed support. In addition, she had her literary club, as well as the study group she and Elwood had joined before the war. At some point during Elwood’s tour of duty, that study group met at the Corry home. Elwood kept a letter they all wrote to him that evening. Calvin Frame wrote, “Nice family group you have…Still smiling, all of them.” Another friend reported, “Your good wife surely did herself proud tonight. Everything tip-top as only Florence could do it. Keep happy and remember we’re all pulling for you and looking forward [to] when you will be home with us again.”

Elwood (on left) at end of WWII

The May 8 Victory in Europe and the Japanese surrender in August brought that homecoming much closer. One evening in October 1945, Kristine came home from Primary to a sight she says she will never forget. In her words, “It was dark outside and when I came in the front door the whole feeling was one of light. Artificial light, of course, but there was something even more. Mother was sitting on a chair still with her coat on, as she’d just gotten home from work, and to me it looked like a halo of some kind was all around her. I thought of the pictures I used to always see of Mary and Christ where they had that halo of light around Mary. Mother had this letter in her hand, and she told me Dad was coming home and should be in Salt Lake in two weeks. Her voice was soft and happy. I guess when people ask what I think heaven is like, I always think of that night.”

In a small notebook Elwood kept for addresses and jotted notes, he wrote a few drafts of the telegram that Florence read that night. The most extensive draft reads, “Coming home. Will phone on arrival mainland. Have civilian clothes ready in Salt Lake. Love Elwood.” Another draft read simply, “Get those civilian clothes ready.” Private Corry was coming home at last.

With the war over, the family began preparing for his homecoming. “Only seven more letters, Elwood, and you’ll be home,” Florence wrote her husband. She helped Kristine pick out a song to play for her father when he got back, and they settled on “Robin’s Return.” Finally, on a cold, windy November night, Elwood’s boat pulled into the harbor at Stockton, California. From there, he traveled on to Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. To his surprise, when he happened to knock on a random door, the Red Cross worker who opened the door burst out laughing. It was his sister, Beth, chuckling at his Army overcoat that was much too long and hung almost to his ankles.

Florence, too, had traveled to Salt Lake City, anxious to be there for Elwood’s arrival. She had met all of the trains at the depot but finally left to go back to her hotel room. Eventually, they found each other. In his characteristic fashion, Elwood says little of the reunion, reporting only that “it was really great meeting my good wife again after such a long separation.” Florence had her “Corry” back again, and life could return to normal.