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When war with Japan broke out after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Texas State Guard unit was activated in Crane. There were many rumors and scares that Japan would try to bomb, sabotage, etc. in the West Texas oil fields. We had Captain Ware as the ranking officer and R. R. Batson as the First Sgt. Vance Martin and I were in the Guard, also P. O. Vines. I should remember more of them as we had a platoon or more. We marched and trained at the football field, of course we had quite an audience. We had a lot of Gulf employees in it. I think we used wooden guns. We practiced close order drill religiously for hours in the evening. If we had uniforms of any kind I do not remember them. I know we had shoulder patches that showed Texas State Guard. This lasted several months until we disbanded. I have a haunting recollection that the Captain's initials were B. F. - B. F. Ware. This origanization was sponsored by the State of Texas. An informant told me today that we all wore Khaki pants and shirts and that we wore military style hats, really caps, that could be folded and put in your pocket. |