Page 36 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

Elvin Howell
t’s not unusual to
encounter a senior who
Ithinks there isn’t much to
tell about his life story, but
when that story spans more
than a century, it is elevated
to must-read status. Elvin
Howell of Lubbock, formerly
of Tulia, is still writing his
story. It began in January
1914, before television,
refrigerators or ball-point
pens. It was even before the
War to End All Wars – WWI.
He grew up in Snyder, Texas
and excelled in track at
Snyder High School before
graduating in 1932. The
athletic young man went on
to Hardin Simmons College
in Abilene where he majored
in Physical Education. The
now 105-year-old Mr. Howell
is aware that his memory
isn’t as good as it used to
36 Amarillo Senior Link
A Sailor Remembers
by Jane Bromley
be, but he has training recruits. He was
remarkable recall commissioned an ensign and
when it comes sent to San Diego for officer
to describing life training, then New Orleans
during his young for gunnery school. He was
adult years. finally assigned to a base in
New York and boarded his
He met and first ship, an oil tanker - the
married Rena USS Cool Motor. They would
Southern at pick up their load on the
HSC. She was east coast, travel through the
originally from Panama Canal and deliver
Tennessee but the fuel to various places in
had relocated the Pacific. The tankers were
to West Texas always in danger because they
by way of were big targets for enemy
Tucumcari, NM. torpedoes.
They married in
1938, and Elvin Some of the sailor’s happiest
got a job teaching memories were the times
7th grade and Rena was able to visit him
coaching junior during his service. She had
high football followed him to New York
in Kermit, Texas for $135/ but went back to Amarillo
month. Times were hard. The after he was deployed, got a
Depression continued to make job and bought a home. “Oil
it difficult for families to get tankers were in and out of
by. Elvin and Rena bought port quickly – maybe a day or
their first two, but Rena
little house had good luck
in Kermit traveling to see
for $750, me, and she was
but he often able to visit
still had while I was in a
to borrow port on the east
money to coast.”
pay for
furniture. While serving
aboard the USAT
After the Cantigny and
bombing after making
of Pearl Harbor in WWII, stops at Guam and Ulithi, Ens.
Elvin figured he would be Howell was on his way back
drafted, so he and a buddy through the Panama Canal. It
drove to Dallas to enlist was May 8, 1945, and the crew
in the US Navy. He was heard over the radio that the
sent to Warrensburg, MO Nazis had surrendered - VE
where he spent 1½ years Day. The ship proceeded to