Page 30 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine 2020 Spring - Online Magazine

Bill Walden
One Family. Five Veterans.

by Jane Bromley

Battalion) as an equipment driver.
He got his orders and was sent to
Port Hueneme, CA. Upon arrival,
he discovered he was in the “wrong
place”. He was supposed to be
in electrician’s school rather than
driver’s school and later concluded
that the yeoman who had written
his orders had mistakenly typed
“CE” - Construction Electrician
rather than “CD”- Construction
Driver.
After completing three months
of electrician training, Bill was
ordered to Ft. Monmouth, NJ for
telephone school. The nine-month-
long school afforded the young
O ne West Texas family. Five went home expecting to receive up and down the east coast. His
Seabee the opportunity to vacation

orders from the Army. Two days
younger brother John thought it
men. All veterans.
After Ernest Walden later, however, the recruiter, who fascinating that Bill was learning so
happened to be Bill’s former Boy
much about telephones because the
returned from his service in WWI Scout leader from
to Olton, Texas, he and his young Olton, notified him
wife Alpha became parents to four that someone had
strapping boys, Ernest William, Jr. canceled, and Bill
(Bill), Paul, Travis, and Amos. This would be leaving
is Bill’s story. in the morning. A

He was born in Amherst, Texas, in train from Lubbock
1930, and raised on the family farm to Amarillo to
in Olton with his three younger Albuquerque to Los
brothers. He graduated from high Angeles delivered him
school in 1948 and went off to West to the US Navy in San
Texas State College for one year, Diego for boot camp.
then Texas Technological College Farm life had
for two years. WWII had ended in prepared Bill for a
1945, but a situation in Korea was few things, especially
heating up. Bill was drafted in 1950 driving a tractor. The
and given nine days to “volunteer”. Navy agreed that
Bill tried to enlist in the Navy, but he would be a good
the recruiter in Lubbock informed fit for the Seabees
him that the roster was full. He (CB - Construction

30 Amarillo Senior Link