WORLD WAR II  

  • I do not know if this photo was taken in Orlando, FL or at Scott Field, IL, but I would guess that it was around 1945. On the front of the photo, there is a man with an arrow pointing down to him, that is Hubbie Lee Owens from Union Co., KY. The back of the photo shows where all of the men signed their names and addresses. Can you help me figure out who is who in this photo?

  • My grandfather, Hubbie Lee Owens, served briefly during WWII, but yet was proud of his time served. I've heard stories about his war days, and even though he was "only" a meat cutter", he was proud of that, after all, the soldiers had to eat. He's told a few kitchen stories and so on. I've heard tales about my grandmother moving them while he was at work on base, and then he comes home to find out that they have moved apartments. Of course, back then, people didn't have nearly as much "stuff" as we do today, so grab a couple of friends, and you can move you household in an afternoon. Here is a photo of his PASS that he had from the war.

  • Hubbie Owens was inducted in the Army Air Forces in 29 May 1942 at Evansville, IN. Some of his papers show Army Air Forces, while others just say Army of the United States, I believe he referred to it as the Army Air Core. His papers do not tell me when exactly, but they do show he was went through Signal Corps Basic Training at Camp Crowder, MD, his rank was PVT for 1 month. He always said he had a stiff trigger finger, so they sent him to be something else for the military. What he did from 1942-1945, I don't know. I'm sure he was doing something, most likely doing Meat Cutting.His Enlisted Record does show that he was trained as a Carbine Marksman, as well as a Meat Cutter. However, his certificate issued by National Live Stock and Meat Board says that he has completed the Special Meat Training Course conducted at Scott Field, IL from 7 Feb 1945 to 2 March 1945.

  • He was stationed at 902d AAFBU, Sq. A, Orlando, AAFTAC, FL. He has a Meritorious Service Award from the commanding officer at Orlando Army Air Base. After 3 years, 4 months and 8 days, he was discharged on 6 Oct 1945 at Patterson Field, Oh (now Wright-Patterson, Oh).

  • His total payment for mustering out was $200. He also received $18.30 for travel pay. He said back then, when things were rationed, with him not smoking, a better tip for better service was to tip with cigarettes.

  • Before joining the War, he had been a Farmhand, doing all types of general farm labor, mainly driving horses. He had also been a coal miner for 13 years in West KY Coal Mine in Union Co., KY where he dug shafts and tunnels, laid track, drilled, charged and blasted in the mine, also loaded cars and did shoring up. His Meat Cutter duties during the War say this..Cut whole carcasses, such as beef and lamb, into halves, quarters, or smaller cuts. Prepared meat for distribution. Also cut meat for military consolidated mess. Made finer cuts to fill weight requirements of various units. Weighted and stored meats. Uses knives, handsaws and cleavers.

    Hubbie was born 29 Apr 1906 in Union County, KY, married 12 Mar 1927 to Calantha J. Hopper, who died 1930. He married 2nd 10 Apr 1942 in Charleston, Mississippi Co., MO to Lillie Evelyn Hazel, (born 13 June 1924 - 16 Jan 1996). Hubbie & Evelyn raised 2 children. Hubbie died 7 Jan 1999 in Union County, KY.

    Signatures as I'm reading them, in order written down on the back.