Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Columbia: lease, houses, school)

[WCHS'59]

What famous Buffalo soldier was born in Independence?

This person was born to a free black and a female slave, making this person a slave.

This person practiced a life of deception.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What famous Buffalo soldier was born in Independence?

This person was born to a free black and a female slave, making this person a slave.

This person practiced a life of deception.

Famous may be overstating the situation but she seems to be gaining in notoriety.

Actually the deception was only for a couple of years during her twenties but was a grand ploy.

The person’s name is Cathay Williams or Cathy Williams, a black female born in 1842. According to her, she grew up in Independence before she moved with her owner to Jefferson City around the time of the Civil War.

She is the only documented female to have ever served as a man in the US Army.

Her name in the Army was William Cathay.

During the Civil War, she traveled with the 8th Indiana as a woman doing cooking duties. In late 1866, she enlisted in the US Army for three years and was assigned to the 38th Infantry, a black infantry regiment that was one of four infantry and two cavalry units that eventually became known as buffalo soldier units.

Two years later in 1868, after an illness, an Army doctor discovered that the he was a she and discharge followed. She then became a civilian cook for the Army.

She applied for an Army disability pension in 1891 but was denied. She died in 1892 at about fifty years of age. Her burial place is unknown.

She received some fame when a St Louis newspaper wrote an article on her in 1876. However, her real prominence seems to have come just during this century.

A book has been written about her but the book is lacking in detail about her life, especially in Independence, and appears to concentrate more on the units she was with. At $11.99 for the Kindle version, I opted to pass.

[Mad Anthonie]

QUIZ TIME!

What Independence residence was cut in half and turned to face the opposite direction?

What Independence residence boasted a 6,000 gallon water tank and a 48,000 gallon wine cellar?

What Independence residence displays a vintage baseball board game?

What Independence residence was used as a stand-in for the Truman Home in the movie "Truman"?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

QUIZ TIME!

What Independence residence boasted a 6,000 gallon water tank and a 48,000 gallon wine cellar?

The Vaile Mansion. I guess that shows the owner's priorities!

[CaseyMO]

Today marks the 59th Anniversary of the Ruskin Heights 1957 Tornado. A dark day in Kansas City
On the evening of May 20, 1957 the Ruskin Heights tornado, a seventy-one mile long, F-5 twister tore into the communities of Ottawa and Spring Hill, Kansas and Martin City, Grandview, Hickman Mills and Ruskin Heights, Missouri, leaving 39 dead and 531 injured. It rearranged the lives of everyone who crossed its path, including mine. My family lived in the heart of Ruskin Heights, the first post-World War II tract housing development in the Kansas City area.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvNBTRJTSc

[WCHS'59]

From the Examiner concerning 50 years ago (March 1966):

“President Charles de Gaulle has made up his mind to get all the U.S. Troops, planes and bases out of France by the end of the year. With the evacuation of the U.S. Forces go the Canadians as well.”

It was not only US Forces and Canadians that had to leave, it was the entire NATO headquarters consisting of around twelve nations that had to leave.

I had received orders prior to this time for NATO headquarters in Paris beginning in February 1967 for a three-year assignment. I was disappointed but my orders were still in effect several months later because no one believed de Gaulle was really serious—but he was. NATO was kicked out.



Around November, my orders were changed to HQ USAEUR in Heidelberg, Germany, where I spent three years prior to going to Vietnam for eighteen months.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

From the Examiner concerning 50 years ago (March 1966):

“President Charles de Gaulle has made up his mind to get all the U.S. Troops, planes and bases out of France by the end of the year. With the evacuation of the U.S. Forces go the Canadians as well.”

It was not only US Forces and Canadians that had to leave, it was the entire NATO headquarters consisting of around twelve nations that had to leave.

I had received orders prior to this time for NATO headquarters in Paris beginning in February 1967 for a three-year assignment. I was disappointed but my orders were still in effect several months later because no one believed de Gaulle was really serious—but he was. NATO was kicked out.



Around November, my orders were changed to HQ USAEUR in Heidelberg, Germany, where I spent three years prior to going to Vietnam for eighteen months.

In March of 1966, I was stationed in Wachernheim, Germany, where I had been since July 1964. In May of 1966, I left Germany for reassignment to Fort Irwin, California, which meant weekends in Manhattan Beach. Great six months.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Today marks the 59th Anniversary of the Ruskin Heights 1957 Tornado. A dark day in Kansas City
On the evening of May 20, 1957 the Ruskin Heights tornado, a seventy-one mile long, F-5 twister tore into the communities of Ottawa and Spring Hill, Kansas and Martin City, Grandview, Hickman Mills and Ruskin Heights, Missouri, leaving 39 dead and 531 injured. It rearranged the lives of everyone who crossed its path, including mine. My family lived in the heart of Ruskin Heights, the first post-World War II tract housing development in the Kansas City area.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvNBTRJTSc

I tried to get some aerial shots of the tornado's path, but those images are temporarily unavailable. I'll keep trying and post some once I get them.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

QUIZ TIME!

What Independence residence was used as a stand-in for the Truman Home in the movie "Truman"?

The Sawyer-Jennings home at Waldo & Delaware.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

In March of 1966, I was stationed in Wachernheim, Germany, where I had been since July 1964. In May of 1966, I left Germany for reassignment to Fort Irwin, California, which meant weekends in Manhattan Beach. Great six months.

At that point in time, there was nothing called the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle in use in the Army. (Humvee)

There was a quarter ton truck, 4x4, (Jeep) that had replaced Model T’s and motorcycles twenty some odd years earlier. Initial production cost was $745 per vehicle. The 60s version was prone to turn over with sharp turns and the driver had to pay careful attention. One did not need a key to start one of these vehicles. A simple lever on the dash board started it right up. No keys needed to be lost, but anyone could jump in and take off.

However, security was a problem and soldiers secured the vehicle with a chain wrapped through the steering wheel and around the brake pulled taught in a circle and then locked in place with a padlock essentially making the vehicle un-steerable after it was started. But, one had to know where that key was.

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle replaced the quarter ton truck beginning in 1983. The basic cost was $70,000 per vehicle without armor enhancements.

Now the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is about to start the replacement cycle all over again beginning next month. Cost is $250,000 each without armor.