The eight of them occupied two rooms in
the barracks. Dad roomed with Jim Mauel, Veikko Keranen and Wilfred Berry.
Ray Argast, Red Carbone, Louis Boucher and Burt King were in the other room.
His friendships with Jim Mauel and Burt
King became lifelong friendships. Jim was born James Bernard Mauel and
raised in Marion, Wisconsin. He liked to say he lived in Poker Flats. Poker
Flats was a typical farming community and his home was an old, rambling
building on the edge of town. Jim’s Father had passed away before he entered
the service. He had two sisters, one married a UW Professor and the other
stayed home with the mother in the well-scrubbed, worn house. Mom and Dad
went to visit him once after the War. Jim and his Mother were close, a lot
of teasing and affection between them. Mom and Dad had a great farm style
dinner and then walked over to the local tavern where they were introduced
to everyone in the place. Jim knew everyone. He liked to drink, maybe too
much. Later he got a job around Madison and stayed with his sister on
Midvale Ave. They all saw each other a couple of times at Schwoegler’s
Bowling Alley, Mom working and Dad bowling. Dad figured he maybe was a
little short of cash, but Jim would get peeved when Dad tried to buy the
drinks. Dad says Jim was knowledgeable, educated mostly by the school of
Hard Knocks. Jim would do anything for you and anything he had, you had too.
He borrowed a lot, but always paid it back. Dad says he gambled, drank,
smoked and "girled". Jim was always on the go, would fight to the death for
you. Maybe because he had been his best man, Jim adopted Dad. And because of
that, Dad could control him somewhat. Jim would listen to Dad, maybe not
always do what he suggested… but that was James Bernard Mauel, Dad’s best
buddy.
Burton "C" King (he was born Anthony) was orphaned at
an early age and was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. King. He loved his new parents.
He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, a cocky, bright Italian kid. He had
graduated from Grade School and gone to work as a Clean Towel Salesman. He
had his own truck and liked to tell stories about going to the "red light"
house. He had stories about every place he serviced. He had been successful
enough to hire a helper. He was a dear buddy to Dad in the service; they
traveled together whenever they could. Years later, after service discharge,
Burt made a trip to Wisconsin for a visit. He had been working in a Hardware
store and brought a bunch of toys and a sturdy Huffy bicycle that made it
through every one of us five kids and was still around years later. He would
come just about every year after that, then he married and he brought his
new wife twice. The next year he had a heart attack and passed away. He was
really Dad’s best buddy.
Dad called Veikko Keranen the quiet man.
He was from Iron Mountain, Michigan, a small town boy who didn’t get around
much. He was friendly, always ready to help. After service, he got a job
with General Motors, maybe as a draftsman and now lives with his son in
Hancock, Michigan, after his wife passed away. Another buddy, Ray Argast,
was what Dad called sharp, he was hip. Probably wore a Zoot Suit in civilian
life. A finger snappin Hep Cat from New Jersey. Louis Boucher and Red
Carbone were both from
New York.
Red Carbone looked up to Burt King, they were both Italian. Burt was "sharp"
and Red "lacked". Red talked Brooklynese. Louis Boucher talked New York and
was a nicer, more likeable guy. Didn’t cheat at Parcheesi and did his share
of the work. And finally Wilfred Berry. He was a Mama’s boy from Georgia. He
was flighty, didn’t drink or smoke and was a loner. But in spite of that,
they all liked him. He moved down the road to the American Volunteer
Group
Dispensary. Dad said they got word he had died, but they never did find out
exactly how or why.