Page 44 - november 2015 web issue
P. 44
Page 44 November 2015 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
R eminiscing...
with Thomas Hoke, 312th Medical Battalion, 87th U.S. Infantry Division
Deb Spalding
“Some days I wonder if it’s a was on Bollinger’s Hill behind the were and where they were going. were walking down the street. Guy
blessing or a curse to live to be as old Lutheran Church.” They had no drug or whiskey Nunamaker was going the opposite
as I am,” said Emmitsburg native and Amos and Andy were on the problems, but cigarettes were direction and asked why they weren’t
ninety-two-year-old World War II radio, Saturday nights you could get common. Tokar’s sold cigarettes a in the Army. Tom said, “The next
Veteran, Tom Hoke. “I’ve lived plenty the Grand Ole Oprey. “Later on you penny a piece. By high school, most week, we had our draft notices.”
of good times and plenty of bad could get the Lone Ranger and Buck kids were sneaking a smoke. Tom Tom was given one week to get
times. I hope, when it’s my time to go, Roger’s stuff with ray guns — today tried cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, and things in order, then to report to Fort
that I go without being a burden on it’s come true with taser guns.” then dipped snuff. He has since quit George G. Meade in Maryland. He
anyone.” Tom lived across from where the all of that. was off to serve as a Staff Sergeant as
During his lifetime, so far, he’s laundromat is now, two blocks up The train brought the school kids a medic in the Army. From Meade, he
seen everything from the horse and from the fire hall. He has three sisters in from Rocky Ridge and Motter and some other enlisted men were sent
buggy to the man on the moon. He’s and one brother who are all deceased. Station. St. Euphemia’s School taught to Camp McCain in Mississippi where
witnessed when radio, television, and His parents are Joseph and Effie Hoke. eight grades. The girls went on to St. they met up with other nineteen-year-
the automobile, were new. When Tom was young, Emmitsburg Joe’s, the boys went to public school. olds from all forty-eight states to form
He attended local schools where was a farming community. The town In doing so, the boys had to repeat the 87th infantry division. Tom said,
those who could get to school went. had everything anyone would need. 8th grade. Pappy Kugler was the only “Camp McCain was the worst camp
There was no such thing as a snow He said, “Everybody was poor but janitor at the school (Emmitsburg in the United States — ever! It was
day. nobody knew it.” Emmitsburg was a High School). He kept the school condemned from the day it was built
In his youth, he and his friends very self-sufficient town. clean and warm with the coal fired and littered with snakes, mosquitoes,
made their own entertainment with Their swimming pool was Tom’s furnace burning. ditches, swamps, and plenty of
hide and seek or scavenger hunts. Creek. If it was running, it was At school, some would crawl chiggers.”
Tom said, “It was an enjoyable time.” clear, if not, it was stagnant. They through the trap door in the ceiling They would complete training over
Emmitsburg’s telephone was a stayed out of the stagnant parts. At of the girl’s locker room and go up thirteen weeks. Tom was assigned to
party line. Tom said, “You had your Christmas, “Santy Clause” gave the and sit on the roof and skip classes. the medical battalion. He was a “litter
own ring, but probably everyone in kids an orange and a box of candy. The boys would skip school and bearer.” His job was to support and
town would listen in to get all the Then they’d go to the Gem Theater to head over to the train station when aid the wounded, and to get them
news.” Nellie Felix ran the telephone see a free movie, then to the fire hall the Baseball World Series was on to off of the battle field and into the
exchange. for a tin cup full of vegetable soup. keep up with the scores. Kids had medic aid station by whatever means
Tom reminisced, “We would sled They were always busy, but a tradition of hiking up to Indian available.
on the streets in town. The best hill somebody always knew where they Lookout every year. You were one of Tom said his aid station resembled
the crowd if you got to go along. the medic camp featured on the
Tom graduated from school and television show MASH. As part
then worked for the Troxell Brothers of Company C 312th Medical
selling feed and fertilizer, then for Battalion, they had four doctors, ten
Charlie Harner at the general store. ambulances, and fifty litter bearers.
Tom said he was Harner’s “Head Tom and his unit were sent to
Rabbi” killing chickens, turkeys, Fort Jackson in North Carolina, a
ducks and geese, then taking them to wonderful camp compared to Camp
Baltimore City to sell. McCain, where he continued training
At age nineteen, Tom and his and learned more first aid.
friends, Mickey Eyler and Bill Chase, They were then sent to Camp
R eminiscing...
with Thomas Hoke, 312th Medical Battalion, 87th U.S. Infantry Division
Deb Spalding
“Some days I wonder if it’s a was on Bollinger’s Hill behind the were and where they were going. were walking down the street. Guy
blessing or a curse to live to be as old Lutheran Church.” They had no drug or whiskey Nunamaker was going the opposite
as I am,” said Emmitsburg native and Amos and Andy were on the problems, but cigarettes were direction and asked why they weren’t
ninety-two-year-old World War II radio, Saturday nights you could get common. Tokar’s sold cigarettes a in the Army. Tom said, “The next
Veteran, Tom Hoke. “I’ve lived plenty the Grand Ole Oprey. “Later on you penny a piece. By high school, most week, we had our draft notices.”
of good times and plenty of bad could get the Lone Ranger and Buck kids were sneaking a smoke. Tom Tom was given one week to get
times. I hope, when it’s my time to go, Roger’s stuff with ray guns — today tried cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, and things in order, then to report to Fort
that I go without being a burden on it’s come true with taser guns.” then dipped snuff. He has since quit George G. Meade in Maryland. He
anyone.” Tom lived across from where the all of that. was off to serve as a Staff Sergeant as
During his lifetime, so far, he’s laundromat is now, two blocks up The train brought the school kids a medic in the Army. From Meade, he
seen everything from the horse and from the fire hall. He has three sisters in from Rocky Ridge and Motter and some other enlisted men were sent
buggy to the man on the moon. He’s and one brother who are all deceased. Station. St. Euphemia’s School taught to Camp McCain in Mississippi where
witnessed when radio, television, and His parents are Joseph and Effie Hoke. eight grades. The girls went on to St. they met up with other nineteen-year-
the automobile, were new. When Tom was young, Emmitsburg Joe’s, the boys went to public school. olds from all forty-eight states to form
He attended local schools where was a farming community. The town In doing so, the boys had to repeat the 87th infantry division. Tom said,
those who could get to school went. had everything anyone would need. 8th grade. Pappy Kugler was the only “Camp McCain was the worst camp
There was no such thing as a snow He said, “Everybody was poor but janitor at the school (Emmitsburg in the United States — ever! It was
day. nobody knew it.” Emmitsburg was a High School). He kept the school condemned from the day it was built
In his youth, he and his friends very self-sufficient town. clean and warm with the coal fired and littered with snakes, mosquitoes,
made their own entertainment with Their swimming pool was Tom’s furnace burning. ditches, swamps, and plenty of
hide and seek or scavenger hunts. Creek. If it was running, it was At school, some would crawl chiggers.”
Tom said, “It was an enjoyable time.” clear, if not, it was stagnant. They through the trap door in the ceiling They would complete training over
Emmitsburg’s telephone was a stayed out of the stagnant parts. At of the girl’s locker room and go up thirteen weeks. Tom was assigned to
party line. Tom said, “You had your Christmas, “Santy Clause” gave the and sit on the roof and skip classes. the medical battalion. He was a “litter
own ring, but probably everyone in kids an orange and a box of candy. The boys would skip school and bearer.” His job was to support and
town would listen in to get all the Then they’d go to the Gem Theater to head over to the train station when aid the wounded, and to get them
news.” Nellie Felix ran the telephone see a free movie, then to the fire hall the Baseball World Series was on to off of the battle field and into the
exchange. for a tin cup full of vegetable soup. keep up with the scores. Kids had medic aid station by whatever means
Tom reminisced, “We would sled They were always busy, but a tradition of hiking up to Indian available.
on the streets in town. The best hill somebody always knew where they Lookout every year. You were one of Tom said his aid station resembled
the crowd if you got to go along. the medic camp featured on the
Tom graduated from school and television show MASH. As part
then worked for the Troxell Brothers of Company C 312th Medical
selling feed and fertilizer, then for Battalion, they had four doctors, ten
Charlie Harner at the general store. ambulances, and fifty litter bearers.
Tom said he was Harner’s “Head Tom and his unit were sent to
Rabbi” killing chickens, turkeys, Fort Jackson in North Carolina, a
ducks and geese, then taking them to wonderful camp compared to Camp
Baltimore City to sell. McCain, where he continued training
At age nineteen, Tom and his and learned more first aid.
friends, Mickey Eyler and Bill Chase, They were then sent to Camp
