Homecoming: The Story of Dixie and Bob

Homecoming; The Story of Dixie and Bob

Installment #1:  Markus Mooser

In 2007, German citizen Markus Mooser was hiking through a forest near his home in Starnberg Germany. He happened upon a piece of ground, a clearing in a dense forest, which seemed unnatural in such a thicket. Markus stopped his hike to look around at the area to see if he could figure out why there was this area of bareness in a forest. He also had a spiritual feeling as he stood there in wonderment. He felt that something important had occurred right in this very spot. Unable to clear the image from his mind, he went home and did research about the area. He felt sure that there had been a crash of some sort which caused the clearing. After a year of research, he went to the closest town to ask the townspeople if they knew what had caused the bare area in the thick forest. He was given directions to an older man’s home and told that this man knew what had happened in that place. So he went and spoke with the older gentleman who remembered that day well, July 21, 1944. The man told a story about a downed aircraft. It was an American plane he said. He saw airmen parachute out of the plane and that one parachute had not opened. He remembered the remains, the wreckage, and the Nazi soldiers who came and captured the 6 airmen who survived the crash. The crash site was closed and it was forbidden for citizens to go there. The old soul said they did as they were told by the Nazi soldiers, they didn’t go into the forest. Markus thanked the old man for his help; three weeks later the old man died. This story started Markus on a journey that would take him from his home in Germany to a funeral in West Virginia in 2013. It’s a remarkable story.

On July 21, 1944 the Eighth Air Force launched 960 bombers on air raids on key industrial targets in southern Germany. They were targeting German aircraft plants. One of those planes, a B 24 Liberator, was headed toward the village of Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich. On that plane were 9 airmen and one of those airmen was a local boy, Sergeant Charles Marshall. The aircraft came under heavy enemy fire. Artillery fire severely damaged the aircraft before it reached its target and it crashed somewhere southwest of Munich. Seven crewmen bailed; one was killed when his parachute failed to open, six were captured, two were unable to escape and went down with the aircraft in an unknown location in the forest. Sergeants Jerome Kiger and Charles R. Marshall were declared missing in action by the U.S. War Department. In 1945 searches were conducted in the presumed crash area by the War Department and neither the crash site nor remains were discovered. The soldiers were declared “Killed in Action” in 1945. And so the families of Kiger and Marshall were left to grieve without closure. The Kiger and Marshall families were left with no choice but to remember their loved ones and move forward with their lives. And the years passed by.

In 2008 Dr. Robert Marshall received a call from Germany. The man introduced himself as Markus Mooser and he had news for Dr. Marshall about the father he didn’t remember. Markus was certain he had identified the crash site of Marshall’s downed plane and had recovered items that provided proof. He had completed a year of research into the crash, spending hundreds of hours in the forest searching for evidence before he reached across the ocean to the families of the two airmen. His research had led him to conclude that he in fact had found the long lost wreckage of the B 24 Liberator. He was relentless in his quest as he has said, “You can’t leave them unknown in a forestside in Germany. They have to come back to their families.” Markus kept in touch with the Marshall family and periodically called and emailed Dr. Marshall to update the family about the search efforts. Eventually Markus had enough evidence in the form of metal, plane fragments and ammo to prompt the U.S. military to send a team of search specialists. In June 2012 a team of 13 soldiers from the US Army, US Marines and the Royal Air Force start excavation of the crash site. Working in shifts from 9 am to 5 pm daily the soldiers found metal parts, bone fragments and personal objects belonging to the airmen. One item that was found was a Saint Christopher medal. Etched in the back of the metal were the words “in case I am injured, please call a Priest.” And to honor this request, the search team contacted a local Priest and held a ceremony on the anniversary of the crash, July 21, 2012. They also found a wrist watch, it’s face and hands intact. The time was frozen at 10:40. Historically the estimated time of the crash had been said to have been estimated at 11:oo am. Also found were British coins, which correlates with the fact that the flight originated in Great Britain. Miraculously the dog tags belonging to Sergeant Charles R. Marshall were discovered along with one precious piece of metal: a portion of an ID bracelet that had belonged to Bob Marshall. The story of the bracelet, and the story of Bob and Dixie will surely fill you with amazement. 

The Battle Flag

Surprises come in all shapes and sizes, I want to share a story about my uncle, Johnny Burke. Johnny owned Fountain Korner Drug with his two brothers, Hern Burke and my dad, Joe Burke. As I was growing up I knew that all three men had served during World War II, but war stories weren’t often shared around the tables at the Fountain. So I knew little of their service to our country. I did know that dad had suffered frost bite, his toenails grew so thick because of it and mom had industrial sized toenail clippers for them. He would yell and scream in mock horror when she approached him with them. And I knew that Hern had spent time in Germany where he learned the art of photography. Hern’s story affected me personally and I believe sent me on my journey to learn the craft. But Johnny’s story was a bit unknown to me until one day when we learned that Johnny had received a package in the mail from a stranger in Arkansas. It’s quite a tale.

I talked to Johnny about his experiences in World War II recently and he was very open to discuss his sharp memories of that time in his life. “I joined up here in Floyd County and went to Los Angeles to camp at Santa Anita Racetrack. They had put beds in the stalls and that’s where we stayed at while waiting to ship out. The man in the stall next to me ended up in the same unit in Germany with your dad, Joe. After we left Los Angeles we shipped out from Washington state and ended up in Japan, as far as you can go.”

During Johnny’s tour of duty he sustained a serious injury. “Three of us were in a foxhole during the battle for Morotai. We were high in the mountains of Morotai Indonesia, on Mount Sabatai, heading toward the capital city. There was a black topped road but it was mined, so we had to go through the timber and that’s where I got blown up in a foxhole. I laid there all night until daylight. They shot at anything that moved, so you didn’t dare leave your foxhole. I had 30 or so pieces of shrapnel in my back and leg, some are still there today. Help came for me at daylight and the natives made a stretcher out of a blanket and 2 poles and carried me to a Jeep. The Jeep could only make it up so far to us because the timber was so thick. Then they tied me down on top of the Jeep and took me to an ambulance, then to a field hospital, and then to a full size hospital near the beach. Then they loaded me on a hospital ship and flew me on an airplane and I went back to New Guinea for treatment there. I stayed there 2 or 3 months and then I had to go back and fight again. That was the hardest part. We were getting ready to invade Japan when they surrendered.”

When Johnny had recovered he went back to his company on the island of Morotai. Japan had captured the tiny island of about 9,000 inhabitants in 1942 and Allied Forces began the Battle for Morotai in September 1944 and it continued till the end of hostilities in August 1945. One of the most remote places on the planet, a Japanese soldier was found there in 1974 still believing that the war was on going. One of the company’s missions was to destroy all the Japanese equipment that had been left on Morotai. One day when his company was moving through a tiny village, they saw a Japanese battle flag. “It was hanging on a fence post in someone’s yard, they’d junked it”, Johnny explained. Someone from Johnny’s company “captured the flag” and wrote the names of the members of the 130th Infantry around the large red circle in the center of the flag. The history of the flag halted there for 60 years. Then one day a few years ago Johnny received a phone call from a gentlemen in Arkansas. He explained that he had found a Japanese battle flag in a thrift store. He had purchased it and had taken it home and researched the names on the flag. Johnny said, “He had called all the names on the flag and I was the only one he could find. He wanted to know if I would like to have it and I said I sure would.” Several weeks later a large package arrived at Johnny’s home. “The relic hunter had taken the flag and had it framed for me and shipped it to me. How it got to America is a mystery.”

A piece of cloth from 70 years ago in a foreign land, formed into a flag of battle, discarded in defeat, ends up right here in Prestonsburg Kentucky. Uncle Johnny now proudly displays the flag in his home. It is a memento from his duty in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Our heroes of World War II are treasures that are slowly disappearing and their stories should be told for future generations. I’m glad I got to listen to Uncle Johnny share his memories, I enjoy his sweet, gentle nature and his great memory. Take time to learn from the elders in your families, listen to their stories and cherish their council. If you know a veteran who has an interesting story and would be willing to share, contact me.

Sugarcamp Mountain

Hiking is fast becoming an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Often we plan journeys to beautiful forests and mountain tops to enjoy the fall season with our families. Now we can stay at home and enjoy our natural beauty on brand new trails right here in Prestonsburg. Sugarcamp Mountain Trails is a newly developing trail system for use by hikers, bikers and horsemen. Sugarcamp offers about 8 miles of horse friendly, machine built trails that offer awesome views of Jenny Wiley State Park. Additionally there are about 15 miles of hand carved trails for hiking and mountain biking. The trails vary in technical difficulty but most are listed at an intermediate level. The system has been developed in a spirit of cooperation between the City of Prestonsburg and Jenny Wiley State Park. There are two trailheads; the upper trailhead is located on Stonecrest and is called Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. It can be reached from Stonecrest by turning off the main road on to Meff Road, then you'll find the trailhead immediately adjacent to the water tower at the top of the hill. The other trailhead is located in Jenny Wiley and is called the Arrowhead Point trailhead. This trailhead can be found near where the old horse stables were. I spoke with two of the trail volunteers, Josh Turner and Beau Spurlock, and I could easily see their excitement about the project. Josh said, “It started with a few of us, Timbo Branham, Tyler Burke, and Beau and I were riding the few trails that were available and talking about the potential. But none of this would have been possible without Prestonsburg’s Mayor, Les Stapleton. Les was able to get the project headed in the right direction by working with Jenny Wiley’s Director Julian Slone. Together Les and Julian were able to “clear a path” for the volunteers to get in there and map out the best natural lines for hiking and biking paths.” Beau explained, "About 3 years ago when we started riding in the mountains, there was about a 3 mile network of existing trail. We've expanded that original trail to nearly 15 miles of narrow mountain bike trail, known as 'single track'. This was done in about two and a half years time, with thousands of hours of volunteer labor. While these trails were getting built, the City of Prestonsburg was busy constructing a nearly eight-mile, multi-use trail that would be open to hiking, biking and horseback riding. This eight foot wide trail serves as the backbone of the trail system, linking Stonecrest with the state park, the top of the mountain with the lake."

Most of the volunteers responsible for the mountain bike single track also devote countless hours maintaining and grooming this multi-use trail. Beau explained, "The area mountain bike community has really come together to drive this project, and to ensure that it is done in a way that is very high quality. Part of the reason is so local riders have a great place to ride, but the part that drives a lot of us is the opportunity to provide a real biking destination for those outside of the area. We want it to be a catalyst for change in Prestonsburg, in Floyd County and in the region. None of this could have been achieved without the countless hours of work donated by many, many volunteers, we can't thank them enough!"

The next step that followed was the addition of route signs and a trail head. The trails are still a work in progress, but every week progress is made. A website has been created, www.sugarcamptrails.com which has everything needed to educate hikers, bikers and horsemen. In addition, each Sunday afternoon, Les and Karen Stapleton are leading group hikes to help everyone get to know the trails. Currently the group hikes are leaving at 4:30, but that time will move earlier in the day as the fall season continues. If you would like to hike the trails, a great place to start is at Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. Beau and Josh suggest going with a buddy and parking one car at the Arrowhead Point Trailhead, then loading up in the other car and driving up to the Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead on the mountain top, then you have a downhill hike or ride. There’s something for everyone to enjoy on Sugarcamp Mountain Trails. Whether you want a tough, challenging, off the hook downhill on your mountain bike, or a nice horse ride with your best friend, you can enjoy nature at it’s best at Sugarcamp Mountain. Imagine spending a Saturday afternoon in the woods with your family, teaching your children the joys of life away from a computer, or a solitary hike with your dog and your camera capturing images of the glory of fall. Hiking is fast becoming an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Often we plan journeys to beautiful forests and mountain tops to enjoy the fall season with our families. Now we can stay at home and enjoy our natural beauty on brand new trails right here in Prestonsburg. Sugarcamp Mountain Trails is a newly developing trail system for use by hikers, bikers and horsemen. Sugarcamp offers about 8 miles of horse friendly, machine built trails that offer awesome views of Jenny Wiley State Park. Additionally there are about 15 miles of hand carved trails for hiking and mountain biking. The trails vary in technical difficulty but most are listed at an intermediate level. The system has been developed in a spirit of cooperation between the City of Prestonsburg and Jenny Wiley State Park. There are two trailheads; the upper trailhead is located on Stonecrest and is called Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. It can be reached from Stonecrest by turning off the main road on to Meff Road, then you'll find the trailhead immediately adjacent to the water tower at the top of the hill. The other trailhead is located in Jenny Wiley and is called the Arrowhead Point trailhead. This trailhead can be found near where the old horse stables were. I spoke with two of the trail volunteers, Josh Turner and Beau Spurlock, and I could easily see their excitement about the project. Josh said, “It started with a few of us, Timbo Branham, Tyler Burke, and Beau and I were riding the few trails that were available and talking about the potential. But none of this would have been possible without Prestonsburg’s Mayor, Les Stapleton. Les was able to get the project headed in the right direction by working with Jenny Wiley’s Director Julian Slone. Together Les and Julian were able to “clear a path” for the volunteers to get in there and map out the best natural lines for hiking and biking paths.” Beau explained, "About 3 years ago when we started riding in the mountains, there was about a 3 mile network of existing trail. We've expanded that original trail to nearly 15 miles of narrow mountain bike trail, known as 'single track'. This was done in about two and a half years time, with thousands of hours of volunteer labor. While these trails were getting built, the City of Prestonsburg was busy constructing a nearly eight-mile, multi-use trail that would be open to hiking, biking and horseback riding. This eight foot wide trail serves as the backbone of the trail system, linking Stonecrest with the state park, the top of the mountain with the lake." Most of the volunteers responsible for the mountain bike single track also devote countless hours maintaining and grooming this multi-use trail. Beau explained, "The area mountain bike community has really come together to drive this project, and to ensure that it is done in a way that is very high quality. Part of the reason is so local riders have a great place to ride, but the part that drives a lot of us is the opportunity to provide a real biking destination for those outside of the area. We want it to be a catalyst for change in Prestonsburg, in Floyd County and in the region. None of this could have been achieved without the countless hours of work donated by many, many volunteers, we can't thank them enough!" The next step that followed was the addition of route signs and a trail head. The trails are still a work in progress, but every week progress is made. A website has been created, www.sugarcamptrails.com which has everything needed to educate hikers, bikers and horsemen. In addition, each Sunday afternoon, Les and Karen Stapleton are leading group hikes to help everyone get to know the trails. Currently the group hikes are leaving at 4:30, but that time will move earlier in the day as the fall season continues. If you would like to hike the trails, a great place to start is at Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead. Beau and Josh suggest going with a buddy and parking one car at the Arrowhead Point Trailhead, then loading up in the other car and driving up to the Sugarcamp Mountain Trailhead on the mountain top, then you have a downhill hike or ride. There’s something for everyone to enjoy on Sugarcamp Mountain Trails. Whether you want a tough, challenging, off the hook downhill on your mountain bike, or a nice horse ride with your best friend, you can enjoy nature at it’s best at Sugarcamp Mountain. Imagine spending a Saturday afternoon in the woods with your family, teaching your children the joys of life away from a computer, or a solitary hike with your dog and your camera capturing images of the glory of fall. It’s all waiting for you this fall at Sugarcamp Mountain Trails.

It's the Great Pumpkin

Autumn is in the air. Leaves are falling all around us and there's a crispness in the night air. Soon there will be frost on the pumpkin, and it will take a lot of frost to cover Dwight Slone's award winning pumpkins. The most loved icon of fall is a big ole pumpkin to use as a decoration for your old Kentucky home but just how big can a pumpkin get anyway? Ten pounds, 25 pounds? A visit with local pumpkin guru Dwight Slone revealed to me that he grows pumpkins in the 1400 pound range!

This year, Dwight has entered two giant pumpkins into state competitions. His entry into the Kentucky State Pumpkin contest earned him second place with a astounding weight of 1456.6 pounds. Last weekend he took a second pumpkin to the Allardt Pumpkin Festival where he earned another second place award with that pumpkin weighing in at 1421.5 pounds. So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather 'round as we learn the art of giant pumpkin growing.

Pumpkins naturally start with a pumpkin seed. "The variety of these pumpkins are Dill's Atlantic Giant Pumpkins and I got the seed for the one on the trailer from a gentleman from Rhode Island, Ron Wallace, and it came out of a 1790 pound pumpkin. I got the seed for the one in the truck from a gentleman from Michigan from a 1916 pound pumpkin." Dwight explained to me the process for planting and sustaining such a large pumpkin crop. " The seeds were started in a germination box the last week of April and were put in the ground the first week in May. After they go in the ground I've got these little solar powered huts to cover the tiny plants that stay closed in the cool mornings. They even have little heaters on them. Then as the sun burns through the fog and the day heats up, they open and let the heat out. The temperature can change 40 degrees from when I go to work in the morning until I get home in the evening."

Through the long hot summer Dwight is out in the pumpkin patch before and after his job at Prestonsburg City Utilities, making sure everything is perfect for his pumpkin crop. This year Dwight planted 5 large pumpkins and he explained to me the method for spacing those huge pumpkins. "Each plant had about 850 square feet of space at the beginning and at the end of the growing season, there was only about 2 feet of space to walk. Each area was about 28 feet wide. During the growing season each pumpkin can add 35 pounds of weight each day. You can almost watch them grow daily! As they mature, I cover them with a tent to keep the water off of them and under each growing pumpkin I put some sand for a cushion and you always have to watch for mice. They like to burrow under the pumpkins to live. I was lucky this year; two little black cats came to live in my patch and they do an excellent job!"

Growing giant pumpkins is a task though that is not without peril. This year one of his giants looked to be outstanding. The color was a beautiful light orange and he was keen on that one to be an award winner. But a few weeks ago he noticed a split on the vine. "You have to check them many times a day. It's the first thing I do in the morning, the first thing I do when I come home and the last thing I do before going to bed. I noticed a little split in the vine, so I cleaned it with a little Clorox and water and a fungicide. And I put a fan on the split to keep it dry. Because the color was so pretty, I decided to save the orange one to take to Jenny Wiley to show to everyone but when we got back from the State Fair it had rained too much." Even with all the care Dwight gave the pumpkin, the split did not heal and the pumpkin started to wither down.

Dwight's next task with his two giants is to carve them into jack o'lanterns. He told me, "The wall thickness is close to 10 inches thick, they should make two nice jacks!" I can't even imagine how you would clean a pumpkin out that large.

I asked Dwight a crucial question, "Have you ever seen The Great Pumpkin?" With a chuckle Dwight said, "Not yet, but my wife Karen says she sees a crazy guy running around at night with a head lamp on checking pumpkins before bedtime!"

I think Dwight is wrong, because this is the most sincere pumpkin patch I've ever been in. I imagine the Great Pumpkin does live in his pumpkin patch, several of them in fact. Dwight and Karen are passionate about their giant hobby and they are so proud to represent Prestonsburg at the State Fairs and at Jenny Wiley Festival. If you know someone who has a unique hobby or talent, find me on Facebook and tell me about them.