Reflections of My Father
Capt. William "Bill" Howard Grisham
Stories Written by Him
Dec. 27, 1923 - Feb. 11, 2013
CAPT. WILLIAM "BILLY" HOWARD GRISHAM was born in Elizabeth City (now called Hampton) VA. William was the second son born to James Lionel Grisham and Elsie Lehr.
Here are the stories, written by him about his life.
Here are the stories, written by him about his life.
Mitchell Air Field, Long Island, NY.
I look like I’m about 2 or 3 years old, 1925-1926, on the steps of Dad’s quarters at Mitchell Air Field, Long Island, NY. Jimmy, my big brother, was always watching after me. We had a lot of fun growing up, pulled lots of pranks on our parents, and had many appointments with Dad's brown belt.
The Philippine Islands
Coronado, California
My Tin Boat
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"Blow" Fish
Elsie Grisham
During the depression all government workers took turns at 3 months of unpaid leave to help out the government’s plunging budget. Dad spent his “vacation” building this fish pond and its bird bath. He got beautiful quartz rock from a commercial open pit works about 60 miles inland.
Later, one Saturday I went to my “10 cent” matinee to see Pat O’Brien fight an evil U-24 Submarine Captain with depth bombs from his Navy mine sweeper. Now it so happens that this was nearly July 4th, so I bought some “Cherry Bombs” (fire crackers with fuses which burn under water). In this way, I had a scale model of my hero’s Navy Mine Sweeper's depth charges. And of course in my mind's eye, each of the gold fish in the pond was a scale model U-24 submarine. So Donald and I felt obliged to attack at once. When we finished that “duty” to save America, I dropped another down the bird bath pipe. (At the time I knew nothing about Pascal’s Law of Physics, i.e., water is incompressible so pressure is exerted equally throughout the water volume). But, I rediscovered this Law on my own when the Cherry Bomb blew the bird bath all over the yard, and ended up as a pipe twanging back and forth with some cement clinging to it. (This was my first introduction to Physics – so all’s well that ends well?). But, with all of the U-24 gold fish belly up, and the lily pads in tatters, and the birdbath somewhat the worst for wear, I suddenly realized that Dad was not going to appreciate my good intentions to save our country from the vile German U-boat threat. In fact, he didn’t understand, as he explained to me while applying his Sam Brown Belt to my bottom (this was beginning to become a habit – first the outrigger canoe “misunderstanding”, and now this). |
Cub Scout
Left to Right:
Billy, Elsie and Jimmy Grisham
This picture was my back yard at 711 H. Ave., Coronado, and I was in grade school about 4 blocks east of there. I went to school on roller skates, and looked forward to weekends, when with 15 cents I could buy a movie ticket and an ice cream cone afterward. (10 cents for the movies and 5 cents for an ice cream cone.)
I loved the Flash Gordon movie series, and Flash’s girl friend Dale, and booed whenever the evil Dr. Zorkov tried to hurt them. I could get 3 cherry candies per penny at the little store near school (Cheryl, Chris, and Mary also had such a candy store when we lived in Drexel Hill, PA). Notice that I am already wearing a uniform (as a Cub Scout), following in my Dad’s footsteps; later I became a Boy Scout First Class. As a Boy Scout I learned to ride horses at summer camp. I loved it so much that I worked after school mucking out stables (4 stalls paid for a one hour ride). An Italian family lived next door, and every Saturday Sivy’s Mom made fresh bread slathered with butter and my stomach and nose led me there with my tongue hanging out (Sivy was my best friend – particularly on Saturdays). Tennis balls and runways
My other interest was throwing tennis balls at the Army Air Corps planes coming in for a landing at the Rockwell Army Air Corps Field. I finally actually hit the windshield of one plane, and then ran like hell when the pilot gunned his plane towards me and even gave foot chase, but I lost him in the woods. To no avail however, as everyone knew who Jimmy Grisham’s bad boy "Billy" was. When I got home I had an appointment with the Colonel's (dad’s) belt.
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Peck's Bad Boys
by W. H. Grisham
When we were stationed at March Field, General Hap Arnold, was CEO.
Three of us boys, Bobby Archer, Donald Beaton and myself, Billy Grisham, were referred to as "Peck's Bad Boys" (referring to a 1934 film entitled the same.) Anytime anything happened on the base, they knew pretty well who was behind the mischief.
Examples of our antics would be to turn off the main circuit breaker during an officers party; or the time Donald and Bobby removed the flag from the flagpole and replaced it with the general's garbage can. They not only pulled it to the top of the pole, but then they greased the pole so nobody could shimmy up it to remove the garbage can. Another time the base was finding dead black birds everywhere. We'd taken our BB guns to task. But I think the worst thing was when we took the name plate from the stable off of Jack's stall, the donkey, and switched it with the sign on General Hap Arnold's living quarters.
Three of us boys, Bobby Archer, Donald Beaton and myself, Billy Grisham, were referred to as "Peck's Bad Boys" (referring to a 1934 film entitled the same.) Anytime anything happened on the base, they knew pretty well who was behind the mischief.
Examples of our antics would be to turn off the main circuit breaker during an officers party; or the time Donald and Bobby removed the flag from the flagpole and replaced it with the general's garbage can. They not only pulled it to the top of the pole, but then they greased the pole so nobody could shimmy up it to remove the garbage can. Another time the base was finding dead black birds everywhere. We'd taken our BB guns to task. But I think the worst thing was when we took the name plate from the stable off of Jack's stall, the donkey, and switched it with the sign on General Hap Arnold's living quarters.
Stanford University
Bill graduated from Menlo Jr. College at the age of 15. He was so advanced (he received the highest grade in chemical engineering ever posted) and worked so hard to get accepted to Stanford that he actually had a breakdown, due to exhaustion, and ended up in the hospital. Finally, he got into Standford at the young age of just 16 years old.
West Point Military Academy
Bill went through basic training with the Air Cadets, waiting about 9 months to be appointed to West Point. He worked to get his body physically tuned. When finally arriving at West Point, by coal driven train, he was assigned a rank of corporal.
West Point was tough to get into to, but tougher to stay. Academically, physically (every cadet is an athlete in every sport), Lacrosse, baseball, basketball, water polo, horse polo, tennis, baseball). One of the years Dad was at WP, they beat Notre Dame 60-0. Bill saw a cadet once and addressed him because he was falling out, and when he finished bracing him he found out it was Blanchard (the famous fullback at WP).
Due to the war, the WP courses were accelerated to three year program. The men weren't allowed Summer Break, so they got the full four year course in three years so they could graduate as officers to go on to the war.
WATCH SLIDE SHOW BELOW
West Point was tough to get into to, but tougher to stay. Academically, physically (every cadet is an athlete in every sport), Lacrosse, baseball, basketball, water polo, horse polo, tennis, baseball). One of the years Dad was at WP, they beat Notre Dame 60-0. Bill saw a cadet once and addressed him because he was falling out, and when he finished bracing him he found out it was Blanchard (the famous fullback at WP).
Due to the war, the WP courses were accelerated to three year program. The men weren't allowed Summer Break, so they got the full four year course in three years so they could graduate as officers to go on to the war.
WATCH SLIDE SHOW BELOW
Billy's in love
It was at West Point that Bill met Velma. He was head-over-heels in love with Velma Jane Vento. She had a lot of wit and spunk, not to mention her physical beauty.
Velma was from a very poor family in Newburgh (read more...). She got a job at West Point working as a secretary for Colonel Weitzel, Dean of Economics. Weitzel had many Lieutenants working for him as well. When the Colonel called out “Miss Vento come here!” and when she walked down the aisle to the Colonel’s desk, all heads would turn to watch her elegant stride, not to mention her beautiful legs! She was beautiful all over, but mostly beautiful inside.
Billy opened up a whole new world to Velma, who desperately wanted to get out of Newburgh, where she was born and raised.
Bill and Velma would take the paddle boat from Newburgh, past West Point, into to New York to watch shows, Notre Dame vs. West Point football games, etc.
Bill and Velma married on June 9, 1946 at West Point Chapel. They were married 53 years before Velma's death in 1999. They had seven children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Read more.....
Velma was from a very poor family in Newburgh (read more...). She got a job at West Point working as a secretary for Colonel Weitzel, Dean of Economics. Weitzel had many Lieutenants working for him as well. When the Colonel called out “Miss Vento come here!” and when she walked down the aisle to the Colonel’s desk, all heads would turn to watch her elegant stride, not to mention her beautiful legs! She was beautiful all over, but mostly beautiful inside.
Billy opened up a whole new world to Velma, who desperately wanted to get out of Newburgh, where she was born and raised.
Bill and Velma would take the paddle boat from Newburgh, past West Point, into to New York to watch shows, Notre Dame vs. West Point football games, etc.
Bill and Velma married on June 9, 1946 at West Point Chapel. They were married 53 years before Velma's death in 1999. They had seven children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Read more.....
Bill's patents
William H. Grisham has three patents. ROSAE, SARAH, and MIRIAH.
Grisham's Window: A gigantic Synthesis Aperture at the altitude of a unique spherical shell in space known as "Grisham's Window". This "Window in Physics" has enabled a remarkable breakthrough in the performance and efficiency of all of ROSÆ's applications (ROSÆ is a multi-functional satellite architecture based on the commonality of phase coherence for maximum efficiency in communications, navigation, remote sensing, and imaging). |