2006 - To Chad from Papa Bear
About My Dad - Your Great Grandfather
Dear Chad –
By now you have received much of the information that I have in regard to my father’s activities during World War II. He was obviously a very brave man and served his country well.
Before I go into how he, and his early death, had an impact upon my life I would like to give you some additional information about him.
Additional Information About Charles Handfield Wyatt III
Now for my comments.
Since I was only 4 years old when my father went to the Philippines I had no memory of him whatsoever. My mother merely told me he was “away” and would return OK but she did not know when. Of course this was her wish but she had no idea if it would be true. In war you can be killed at any time and she knew this. I was not old enough at the time to fully understand so I took her word for it. In all honesty I do not know if she really believed that because he was in prison most of the time he was gone.
During the war people were given “War Stamps” to enable them to buy special items because there was severe rationing. This meant that you could buy a limited number of items. Gasoline was one of these items. But, because of my Dad, Mom was able to buy extra gasoline and she became the “taxi” for the neighborhood and even drove for the Red Cross. She did not like to drive but felt it was her duty.
I do not know if she told us about his being released from prison but I do know she did not tell us when he was coming home because she did not know for sure when it would be. I do not remember the exact date when he did get back to Cincinnati.
I do remember that I was in elementary school on the playground and remember seeing a man in an Army uniform watching. That was the first time I remember seeing him! He looked good to me but I obviously had no knowledge as to what he went through and what his condition was at that time. At age 8 I would not have understood anyway. I just knew he was home!
Because of his physical condition he had to spend a great deal of time in several military hospitals so he was not really home “full time”. So, in a sense, we were still without a father but at least he was safe and in the United States. They never were able to get him totally healthy because he still had pains on his left side and hand and had periodic “black outs”. Because of that he was never able to personally participate in any of my sports activities. Very seldom, if at all, was he able to even attend. But, his best friend, Arthur Fry, was my coach in most early age sports and even, at times, my second father.
When I began Junior High School my sports activities were football and baseball. Football at school and baseball in the summer. (We almost were City Baseball Champions when I was12. We even got to play at Crosley Field – then the home of the Cincinnati Reds of the National League. That was a real thrill but neither my Mom or Dad were there.) Ice skating came in high school but there was no hockey for kids.
When I became a Freshman in High School I did not play football but I did play baseball. I was the starting shortstop on the High School Varsity Baseball team and started every game (except one due to 8 stitches over my eye caused by a ground ball taking a bad bounce) during my 4 years in High School. I returned to football as a Sophomore and started every varsity football game for 3 years.
But, because of my father’s health problems, he did not attend any of the games during my Freshman and Sophomore years.
He died when I was a beginning Sophomore.
I was also in a High School fraternity, Delta Beta. On the day my father died I was leaving the neighborhood with a friend (I was too young to drive) to go to the fraternity meeting. As we left the neighborhood an ambulance entered the neighborhood and I said to myself “The ambulance is coming to pick up my father and he is dead.”
When the meeting was over – held in a basement – the father of the house came to get me and said there was somebody upstairs who wanted to see me. It was Arthur Fry. I said my father is dead. He said yes.
At that point in time I became the “man of the house” – at age 15 – with a 12 year old sister and a 8 year old brother. We had some hard times adjusting and keeping up but we made it. My mother was a strong determined woman. When she married Ed Strubbe in 1966 she was rewarded for all her hard times. She was able to enjoy life again. She had Florida, North Carolina and traveled all over the world. She had fun!
Spending money for my last two years in high school was what I was able to earn during summer jobs. My allowance was $5/week which included lunch money (no snacks) and date money. That would be $36.85/week in 2006 so maybe that is not too bad. But, a movie for two on a date would now cost about $25 or more so maybe it isn’t too good after all. And that does not include gas money.
At any rate I took a public transportation bus to and from school. Sometimes, after a practice or game, I was able to pick up a ride with classmates who had a car. Because they were generally almost a year older than I was they could drive. I started school early so was generally a year younger than most of my classmates.
While I did not think about it too much in school, because I understood the problems, I was disappointed that my mother never came to see me play in any of the baseball or football games that I played in my entire high school career. Dad died in October so I had only played in half a season and he was not well. Thus, my parents never saw me play any sports. This was also before any quality home movies were taken and even if they were, we had no way to show them.
I was pretty good in baseball. My batting average over my 4 year career was over .400 but I do not remember any other statistics. I played with, or against, six people who actually played in the major leagues. One even became Manager of the Atlanta Braves.
During the summer after my Junior year in high school may of the players were beginning to sign contracts with the major league teams. I remember a game where it had been announced that the opposing pitcher was going to sign a contract the next day with a signing bonus of over $100,000! That was almost unheard of at that time in sports. At any rate, he was a friend of mine and I congratulated him before the game. I got 3 hits off him and our team won. After the game, I told him he was not very good that day. His response – “I’m signing tomorrow so I let you guys win”. Sure he did.
My College Life.
When I got to Northwestern I played fast pitch softball and was good enough to have several people ask why I did not try out for the varsity baseball team. I told them I did not feel I was good enough (no scouts had talked to me in high school nor had the coach) and Engineering classes really did not allow it. Not until I was over 30 years old did I find out that my mother had told all my baseball coaches that no scout or baseball team could contact me about possibly playing professional baseball. My thoughts, even now, were that somebody had talked to my mother and she said no and meant it for all. I was going to college and that was that.
Would I have been good enough? S
hould I have played college ball?
I will never know but my father’s death made my mother make that decision.
My father’s early death took away many of possible choices I might have had for college. The family received a little money from the Army but not enough for college but it was enough for living expenses. My grades were good enough in high school for me to obtain an academic scholarship for tuition. Therefore, I had to find a school that would not only provide me with a good engineering education but one that I could pay for myself because I did not want to create a financial drain on the rest of the family. I was first going to the University of Cincinnati because of a co-op program which is a program where you go to school 3 months and then work 3 months – beginning in your sophomore year. Then I found out that Northwestern University had a similar program. I visited there and was able to obtain a job as a waiter in a sorority house (Kappa Alpha Theta) that would provide me with all my meals. So I went to Northwestern and was able to pay for all my own expenses and did not cost my mother, or family, anything for my college education – one that was quite good.
My Working Career
After college I began my working career. Some good, some bad. But, again, I did not have a father to consult with, ask advice, etc. More than likely he would have been only a little help because he was military but had he lived I have no idea what his business career might have been. He might have been a big help. We might have worked together – who knows because it was not to be.
At this point in time I look at my father as a hero and patriot to our country. He showed extreme love of country as shown by his medals. He turned himself in to the Japanese and endured 3 years in prison – to save the lives of others. In so doing he paid the ultimate price and left us to fend for ourselves. He did it in the jungles of the Philippines and we did it in Ohio. But, we did it so we did follow in his footsteps – just in a different way.
Why did this all happen? I do not know. Only God knows and He has not told us.
You have what I did not have. Therefore, my advice to you is to enjoy, and cherish, every minute you have with your parents. Respect them and follow their directions. They are here to help and guide you and I hope you continue to let them. You are a terrific grandson and I am proud to be your “Papa Bear.”
Finally, I hope all of this is good enough for 450 words. If not, or if you have questions, send me an e-mail or call me.
Love you.
Papa Bear
About My Dad - Your Great Grandfather
Dear Chad –
By now you have received much of the information that I have in regard to my father’s activities during World War II. He was obviously a very brave man and served his country well.
Before I go into how he, and his early death, had an impact upon my life I would like to give you some additional information about him.
Additional Information About Charles Handfield Wyatt III
- Born June 7, 1907, in Baltimore, MD.
- Attended the Gilman Country Day School, Baltimore, MD during the period of 1914 – 1924.
- Attended Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD during the period of 1924 – 1929
- Graduated with a Civil Engineering Degree, Appointed 2nd Lieutenant
- Worked for Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati, OH
- In July, 1931 he was appointed 1st Lieutenant
- He left the United States on June 30, 1941 and went to Manila on the Philippine Islands. He arrived on June 11.
- Pearl Harbor was bomber on December 7, 1941 and war was declared.
- He was promoted to Captain in December, 1941.
- He was an Area Engineer until February, 1942
- He served as an aid to the infantry during February and March, 1942
- Bataan fell on April 9, 1942 and the Death March followed. He escaped and established a fighting band of Moro guilleras. The Moros were Philippine natives much as our Indians. They would attack the Japanese and then hide in the jungles. This is what people called “hit and run” fighting.
- Corregidor fell on May 6, 1942.
- He was promoted to Captain on May 12, 1942.
- Because of all the trouble he and his Moro guilleras were causing the Japanese they put out an ultimatum that unless he was caught, or killed, they would kill a American Officer each day after the established day – June 1.
- He turned himself in to the Japanese and began a 3 year period in prison camp. He was in 3 different prison camps and ended up in Billibad Prison in Manila. He was mistreated and tortured to the extent that his weight dropped from almost 185 pounds down to slightly under 100 pounds. I only know some of the details of the mistreatment and will tell you more when you are older.
- He, and other prisoners, were rescued on February 4, 1945 at about 9:00 P.M. According to “inside prison rumors” he was to have been executed the next day at 6:00 A.M..
- He returned to the United States on March 30, 1945.
- He then spent a great deal of time in military hospitals where they tried to bring him back to “normal” health. They did not succeed. He had periodic severe pains in/on his left arm and hand and was subject to “black outs/fainting”.
- He died on October 26, 1952.
- He was a Lt. Colonel when he died. The next rank would have been Colonel and then General.
- I was 15 years old at that time. My sister Noel was 12 and my brother Chris was 8.
- He is buried in Baltimore, MD at Greenmont Cemetery.
- My mother would not let me go to the funeral, or burial. I went there for the first time about 20-
Now for my comments.
Since I was only 4 years old when my father went to the Philippines I had no memory of him whatsoever. My mother merely told me he was “away” and would return OK but she did not know when. Of course this was her wish but she had no idea if it would be true. In war you can be killed at any time and she knew this. I was not old enough at the time to fully understand so I took her word for it. In all honesty I do not know if she really believed that because he was in prison most of the time he was gone.
During the war people were given “War Stamps” to enable them to buy special items because there was severe rationing. This meant that you could buy a limited number of items. Gasoline was one of these items. But, because of my Dad, Mom was able to buy extra gasoline and she became the “taxi” for the neighborhood and even drove for the Red Cross. She did not like to drive but felt it was her duty.
I do not know if she told us about his being released from prison but I do know she did not tell us when he was coming home because she did not know for sure when it would be. I do not remember the exact date when he did get back to Cincinnati.
I do remember that I was in elementary school on the playground and remember seeing a man in an Army uniform watching. That was the first time I remember seeing him! He looked good to me but I obviously had no knowledge as to what he went through and what his condition was at that time. At age 8 I would not have understood anyway. I just knew he was home!
Because of his physical condition he had to spend a great deal of time in several military hospitals so he was not really home “full time”. So, in a sense, we were still without a father but at least he was safe and in the United States. They never were able to get him totally healthy because he still had pains on his left side and hand and had periodic “black outs”. Because of that he was never able to personally participate in any of my sports activities. Very seldom, if at all, was he able to even attend. But, his best friend, Arthur Fry, was my coach in most early age sports and even, at times, my second father.
When I began Junior High School my sports activities were football and baseball. Football at school and baseball in the summer. (We almost were City Baseball Champions when I was12. We even got to play at Crosley Field – then the home of the Cincinnati Reds of the National League. That was a real thrill but neither my Mom or Dad were there.) Ice skating came in high school but there was no hockey for kids.
When I became a Freshman in High School I did not play football but I did play baseball. I was the starting shortstop on the High School Varsity Baseball team and started every game (except one due to 8 stitches over my eye caused by a ground ball taking a bad bounce) during my 4 years in High School. I returned to football as a Sophomore and started every varsity football game for 3 years.
But, because of my father’s health problems, he did not attend any of the games during my Freshman and Sophomore years.
He died when I was a beginning Sophomore.
I was also in a High School fraternity, Delta Beta. On the day my father died I was leaving the neighborhood with a friend (I was too young to drive) to go to the fraternity meeting. As we left the neighborhood an ambulance entered the neighborhood and I said to myself “The ambulance is coming to pick up my father and he is dead.”
When the meeting was over – held in a basement – the father of the house came to get me and said there was somebody upstairs who wanted to see me. It was Arthur Fry. I said my father is dead. He said yes.
At that point in time I became the “man of the house” – at age 15 – with a 12 year old sister and a 8 year old brother. We had some hard times adjusting and keeping up but we made it. My mother was a strong determined woman. When she married Ed Strubbe in 1966 she was rewarded for all her hard times. She was able to enjoy life again. She had Florida, North Carolina and traveled all over the world. She had fun!
Spending money for my last two years in high school was what I was able to earn during summer jobs. My allowance was $5/week which included lunch money (no snacks) and date money. That would be $36.85/week in 2006 so maybe that is not too bad. But, a movie for two on a date would now cost about $25 or more so maybe it isn’t too good after all. And that does not include gas money.
At any rate I took a public transportation bus to and from school. Sometimes, after a practice or game, I was able to pick up a ride with classmates who had a car. Because they were generally almost a year older than I was they could drive. I started school early so was generally a year younger than most of my classmates.
While I did not think about it too much in school, because I understood the problems, I was disappointed that my mother never came to see me play in any of the baseball or football games that I played in my entire high school career. Dad died in October so I had only played in half a season and he was not well. Thus, my parents never saw me play any sports. This was also before any quality home movies were taken and even if they were, we had no way to show them.
I was pretty good in baseball. My batting average over my 4 year career was over .400 but I do not remember any other statistics. I played with, or against, six people who actually played in the major leagues. One even became Manager of the Atlanta Braves.
During the summer after my Junior year in high school may of the players were beginning to sign contracts with the major league teams. I remember a game where it had been announced that the opposing pitcher was going to sign a contract the next day with a signing bonus of over $100,000! That was almost unheard of at that time in sports. At any rate, he was a friend of mine and I congratulated him before the game. I got 3 hits off him and our team won. After the game, I told him he was not very good that day. His response – “I’m signing tomorrow so I let you guys win”. Sure he did.
My College Life.
When I got to Northwestern I played fast pitch softball and was good enough to have several people ask why I did not try out for the varsity baseball team. I told them I did not feel I was good enough (no scouts had talked to me in high school nor had the coach) and Engineering classes really did not allow it. Not until I was over 30 years old did I find out that my mother had told all my baseball coaches that no scout or baseball team could contact me about possibly playing professional baseball. My thoughts, even now, were that somebody had talked to my mother and she said no and meant it for all. I was going to college and that was that.
Would I have been good enough? S
hould I have played college ball?
I will never know but my father’s death made my mother make that decision.
My father’s early death took away many of possible choices I might have had for college. The family received a little money from the Army but not enough for college but it was enough for living expenses. My grades were good enough in high school for me to obtain an academic scholarship for tuition. Therefore, I had to find a school that would not only provide me with a good engineering education but one that I could pay for myself because I did not want to create a financial drain on the rest of the family. I was first going to the University of Cincinnati because of a co-op program which is a program where you go to school 3 months and then work 3 months – beginning in your sophomore year. Then I found out that Northwestern University had a similar program. I visited there and was able to obtain a job as a waiter in a sorority house (Kappa Alpha Theta) that would provide me with all my meals. So I went to Northwestern and was able to pay for all my own expenses and did not cost my mother, or family, anything for my college education – one that was quite good.
My Working Career
After college I began my working career. Some good, some bad. But, again, I did not have a father to consult with, ask advice, etc. More than likely he would have been only a little help because he was military but had he lived I have no idea what his business career might have been. He might have been a big help. We might have worked together – who knows because it was not to be.
At this point in time I look at my father as a hero and patriot to our country. He showed extreme love of country as shown by his medals. He turned himself in to the Japanese and endured 3 years in prison – to save the lives of others. In so doing he paid the ultimate price and left us to fend for ourselves. He did it in the jungles of the Philippines and we did it in Ohio. But, we did it so we did follow in his footsteps – just in a different way.
Why did this all happen? I do not know. Only God knows and He has not told us.
You have what I did not have. Therefore, my advice to you is to enjoy, and cherish, every minute you have with your parents. Respect them and follow their directions. They are here to help and guide you and I hope you continue to let them. You are a terrific grandson and I am proud to be your “Papa Bear.”
Finally, I hope all of this is good enough for 450 words. If not, or if you have questions, send me an e-mail or call me.
Love you.
Papa Bear
