By “BUZZ” KING, guest columnist
Thanks to David W. David of Bryan, Texas, for much of the following. The following is his story as sent to me.
The date was July 4, 1951. Myself and Bill McDonald were lifeguards at the then pool at Brown County State Park. The pool opened at 9 a.m. and a large crowd was already celebrating Independence Day.
Soon, my attention was drawn toward the North Gate where soldiers from Camp Atterbury loaded on military trucks were on there way to the Lower Shelter to make merry. They had noticed from that distance the local girls in their yellow polka-dot bikinis, etc. Yelling, screaming and whistling emanated from over 200 troops as they drove toward the Lower Shelter.
Over, it was not, as later, droves of Army boys were seen running to the pool across the archery field. They began hurdling the turnstiles and climbing fences.
As we faced a hopeless situation, I ran to the North Gate to call police. Soon, Lon Weddle (park superintendent) and four state police showed up to restore order and send the crowd back to the Lower Shelter.
As they left, one pointed at me and said, “We are going to get you.”
As fate would have it, the superintendent came back at 4 p.m. and collected me to repair a reported problem at the restroom in the Lower Shelter, where we were met by several solders intent on doing me harm. As I showed no fear and stood my ground, WHAM! a right hook took me on my left jaw, and BAM! another, and then two more.
A non-commissioned officer intervened and declared the show was over. He told me to be on my way and I did just that.
Less than an hour later, the MPs arrived and returned all to Atterbury. Most, if not all, were soon to be sent to Korea, and I hope each one is alive today to tell the same story.
Thanks to David for sharing, and I think I will have other stories from David from time to time.
I can remember crossing the field to use the North Gate phone. In the late ‘50s (‘57 or ‘58), a pay booth was set just east of the pool doors. This is the phone with the dime on top mentioned in previous columns.
‘Til next time. — Buzz
“Buzz” King is a nearly lifelong resident of Brown County and former president of the Nashville Town Council. His father, Fred King, was the unofficial county historian.
