KILGOROUND
LINDA BALLARD

The mere mention of Independence Day or the Fourth of July bring thoughts of parades, fireworks and the red, white and blue for many people. For others, like Howard Alexander, his thoughts go to those who have fought and are continuing to fight for that declaration of freedom signed in the year of 1776.

"That declaration means a lot," said Howard. "And it has cost a lot…"

Howard was born in Ada, Oklahoma. His family moved to the Kilgore area when he was eleven years old where he attended school and grew up like every other normal red-blooded American boy.

"It was in 1943, that three of us (Jack Davis and J.D. Hill and I) were walking the streets home after the last football game of the year, when I said let's go sign up for the Marines," said Howard. "The next day

was Saturday, and all three of us were there ready to join. One of us didn't pass the eye exam and was not accepted into the Marines, but was accepted into the Navy. J.D. Hill and I became members of the Marines and we were sent to San Diego for training.

"We did not get a leave after boot camp," said Howard. "Instead we were sent on to Boat Basin a few miles away from Camp Pendleton to finish training. Then we were loaded into boats and sent to Maui. After three weeks in Maui, we were sent to Saipan. The Marines were considered the assault troops which meant we went in before the infantry to clear the beach. We had 87 amphibian tanks with us and by dark there was only one left. From there we moved on to Tennyan, an air base, where the planes that bombed Tokyo landed. We went back to Saipan, regrouped and were sent to Iwo Jima.

"Iwo Jima was a bad place. It was rough," he said, shaking his head. "I saw my wife's uncle killed there and he was by far not the only one…

"We stayed until it was secure and then back to our home base in Maui to regroup and get new tanks. When prepared to leave, we took our tents down and set our duffle bags out by the streets ready to be picked up. That's when the atomic bomb hit and we were put on hold. When the second bomb was dropped, we put our tents back up and waited," he said.

"We lost a lot of people, some of us were lucky," said Howard. "When we came back to the states, we went back to Camp Pendleton and received a thirty-day leave. It was the first time I had been back home since joining the Marines.

"I had met my wife, Helen at a skating rink when were just kids, around the age of 15. She was laughing at me and a friend when we were acting silly on the skates and ran into each other. I told him, then, that I was going to ask her for a date. I did ask and she went.

"Helen had an aunt who lived and worked in the war factories in San Diego. When I came back on leave from the war, Helen rode the train back with me and stayed with her aunt. I think I was set up though," he laughed, "because I told her if she could find an apartment for $100 a month, we would get married. Her aunt, who knew San Diego well, helped her find an apartment the very next day. I wired home - 'Dad, getting married. Need $75. Your son.' He sent it and we married. That was in January of 1946."

The couple raised four sons in Kilgore and their family has now grown to thirty members. Helen proudly displays pictures of the Marine in uniform that she married, and pictures of the Marine she is still married to after 62 years.

They now celebrate the Fourth of July by gathering at their lake home and were packed and ready to leave at the time of this interview. "Oh," said Helen, "We will definitely have home made ice cream," she said, regretting having to miss the celebration of the Fourth of July at Forest Home Baptist Church. "I just don't know who will be bringing the watermelon." Out of thirty members of the Alexander family, surely someone will remember the watermelon.

"We were quite lucky," said Howard.

Blowing out the Birthday candles today are Mrs. Charles Hawkins, Mrs. Howard Alexander, Shelia Ann Palmer, Arthur Quintero Jr., Angela Kneeland, Robert Fowler, Pamela Yancey, Christy Morse, Brandon Breaux, Eddie Scott, Freddie Scott, Stephanie Evon Scott, Divah Clark, Neil Laird, Natalie Harris, George Humphrey, Sandra Maxwell, Gregg Johnson, George Cleary, Don Capps, Cameron Glen Hill, David Lee Gibson, MaLaysia Paige Roberson, Steve Reinersman, Eddy McCartney, Joshua Wyatt Tingle.

Happy Anniversary today to Sam and Brenda Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Smith, Dickey and Sheila Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Gossage, Lee and Deborah Layman