grandparents' I home!? The crowds of people -- the exhibits, new inventions and ... sights and smells of what appeared to be a gigantic Carnival! All of those things held me in awe. But now, looking back on that experience, one thing stands out in my memory above all else: the sight of the all­ aluminum Airplane I saw for the first time .. .it was a DC-3 (I think-because, as I remember, it looked just like the DC-3 I later flew in during the War).

After more than a week in Chicago, my grandparents and I returned to New Mexico by train. Gosh what a trip ... I thought we would never get home! For two full days and nights we traveled with all the windows in our passenger coach up in an attempt to keep from passing out in the insufferable heat.With the windows up, the air that came in from the outside was filled with smoke and cinders that burned when they touched your skin. When we stopped Grandpa would buy sandwiches and fruit and sweets for us to nibble on. But, boy, how can I ever forget that miserable trip! When we finally got back home Grandmother and I both remarked that no place on Earth could be so beautiful -- so cool -- so very much longed for or loved!!

Some time along about then, in the Spring or Summer of 1934, Dad's good friends, the G. W. Carrs, introduced him to a very fine and caring lady whom they had known since her childhood, Gladys Stone by name. She was the daughter of one of the Carrs dearest friends, James Polk Stone. This gentleman was a prominent Cattleman/Banker who had gone out to Texas and, later, New Mexico with them in their youth. Gladys and Dad fell in love and after about eight months (Ithink) were married.

The marriage took place in September of 1934 out in California at the home of Gladys' younger sister, Roma Noble. My Uncle, Everet Will, was Dad's best man. Frank and I stayed with Aunt Mary and Uncle Rox in their home near Silver City while all this was happening.

Prior to the marriage, Dad had accepted a position as Assistant to the Director of the Extension Service at New Mexico State College. It was a big promotion, well deserved in recognition of his outstanding 12 years service as County Agricultural Extension Agent in Roosevelt and Curry Counties, New Mexico.

We moved from Portales to Las Cruces. And, after Dad and Gladys were married, we started over as a family. We lived on South Raymond across the street from Judge Sutherland in a real adobe house--it was beautiful! I quickly became good friends with the boys my age in the neighborhood. Steve Loomis, Jess Williams, Walter Isaacs, B. A Christmas are just the ones have the fondest memory of now. But there were others.

This is the "Chapter" of my Life's story I like to look upon as "The Cruces Years".