Page 36 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine
P. 36
Elvin Howell
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
t’s not unusual to high football followed him to New York
encounter a senior who in Kermit, Texas for $135/ but went back to Amarillo
Ithinks there isn’t much to month. Times were hard. The after he was deployed, got a
tell about his life story, but Depression continued to make job and bought a home. “Oil
when that story spans more it difficult for families to get tankers were in and out of
than a century, it is elevated by. Elvin and Rena bought port quickly – maybe a day or
to must-read status. Elvin their first two, but Rena
Howell of Lubbock, formerly little house had good luck
of Tulia, is still writing his in Kermit traveling to see
story. It began in January for $750, me, and she was
1914, before television, but he often able to visit
refrigerators or ball-point still had while I was in a
pens. It was even before the to borrow port on the east
War to End All Wars – WWI. money to coast.”
pay for
He grew up in Snyder, Texas furniture. While serving
and excelled in track at aboard the USAT
Snyder High School before After the Cantigny and
graduating in 1932. The bombing after making
athletic young man went on of Pearl Harbor in WWII, stops at Guam and Ulithi, Ens.
to Hardin Simmons College Elvin figured he would be Howell was on his way back
in Abilene where he majored drafted, so he and a buddy through the Panama Canal. It
in Physical Education. The drove to Dallas to enlist was May 8, 1945, and the crew
now 105-year-old Mr. Howell in the US Navy. He was heard over the radio that the
is aware that his memory sent to Warrensburg, MO Nazis had surrendered - VE
isn’t as good as it used to where he spent 1½ years Day. The ship proceeded to
36 Amarillo Senior Link