Red Cross Kay: My Journey of Service in Wwii: My Journey of Service in Wwii

By Katherine Peddle Dixon

In Red Cross Kay: My Journey of Service in WWII, Katherine Peddle Dixon describes her journey in the Southwest Pacific as a Red Cross Girl. Kays journey begins in 1943 when she decides to do her part for the war effort. Leaving farm-life behind, she heads to New York City and joins the Red Cross.

In her two years as a recreation specialist, Kay experiences unfamiliar surroundings, sweltering heat, unceasing rain, unforgiving terrain, and unexpected dangers but her enthusiasm, altruism, and dedication to raising the spirits of war-weary soldiers never falters.

Red Cross Kay is an inspirational tale told by one of the unsung heroes of WWII. Visit www.redcrosskay.com to learn more.


100% of proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to further the work of the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 11, 2009
• ISBN: 9781465318626

Katherine Peddle Dixon

Katherine “Kay” Dixon has been a lifelong volunteer for the American Red Cross – since 1943 when she left for New Guinea to help raise the morale of American troops as a “Red Cross Girl” in WWII. Kay’s love for the Red Cross inspired her to share these stories from her two years as a recreation worker. While she has had a long career as a writer and editor, this is Kay’s first published memoir. Currently, Kay resides in Upstate New York where she lived with her late husband Ronald Dixon and spent twenty years as a staff member of the Scotia School District.

Book preview

Red Cross Kay

My Journey of Service in WWII

Katherine P. Dixon

Copyright © 2009 by Katherine P. Dixon.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

American Red Cross of Northeastern New York

[phone]

www.redcrossneny.org

www.redcrosskay.com

60317

Contents

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

RED CROSS KAY

CRUISING OFF TO WAR

MY HOMES IN NEW GUINEA

THE FUZZY WUZZIES

PAPUAN SING-SING

ENTERTAINING THE TROOPS

A BROKEN HEART

SUNDAYS WITH BOB

PAUL’S STORY

PAPUAN PLANTATION

DOWN TO AUSTRALIA

MORESBY TO MANUS TO MOROTAI

HOSPITAL WRECK

EATING OUT

DOUGHNUTS AND COFFINS

WAJABOELA ESCAPADE

WHOOPING IT UP

FILIPINO FLING

HOMEWARD BOUND

EPILOGUE: MY LIFE AFTER WORLD WAR II

DEDICATION

I dedicate these memories to my dear sister, Dorothy Hall Peddle, known to her Dominican Sisters as Sister Helen Peddle, O.P. She was a much better writer and editor than I ever was.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I never would have been ambitious enough to undertake such an endless project of writing my recollections of the two most important years of my life—being a Red Cross recreation worker in the Southwest Pacific islands during 1944 and 1945—if not for the help and support of the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York and countless others.

I also had good fortune to be introduced to the Academy for Learning in Retirement (ALR) in Saratoga Springs, associated with Empire State College in New York. The ALR was composed of kindred souls wanting to write, learn and critique in order to grow and have fun while doing it. I thank you all.

I would also like to thank my Vermont friend Charlotte, who in 1943, encouraged me to join the Red Cross to help with the war effort. Without her, this journey would have never begun.

I thank my sister Dorothy (also known as Dominican Sister Helen Peddle) for her initial editing of Red Cross Kay.

I would like to thank Christine Powers and Kimmy Tavarez at the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York, who have seen through the publication of my project.

Finally, my hope is that by sharing these stories any proceeds from Red Cross Kay will support the mission and work of the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York. Thank you for your support of the Red Cross.

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AN INTRODUCTION TO

RED CROSS KAY BY ONE OF HER ADMIRERS

In gathering materials for this book, Kay found the following poem among her keepsakes, which was written by a corporal named Harold A. Kaufman. Kay felt that it was an accurate description of her as a Red Cross Girl from the perspective of the GIs.

Red Cross Kay is very gay,

In a sober, modest way;

In those eyes blue as the skies

GIs read: NO COMPROMISE.

Here’s her theory of virtue:

What you don’t do cannot hurt you;

For though displaying great vivacity,

She guards her fortress with tenacity.

Her smile naïve, so sweet and charming,

To would-be wolves proves quite disarming;

And her bright loquaciousness

Leaves him no voraciousness.

She talks to men just like a sister;

(Few, if any, ever kissed her)

She needs no one to assist her,

For she’s plenty robust, Mister.

There’s a kind of girlish grace

Lighting her soft moonlike face;

Her glance says, You won’t reach first base,

And puts a man right in his place.

Kay cannot be classed as brilliant;

(Cerebellum not resilient),

But though her mind is single track,

It is the right track. (Oh, alack!)

She’s consistently congenial

To high or low, to mean or menial;

And I would travel many a mile

To glimpse her warm, wide, winsome smile.

Although she’s solid, she’s quite trim,

Not too plump and not too slim;

And if her blood were not ice-cold

She’s be worth more than Guinea gold.

If I were taller or shorter,

I would vigorously court her;

I would probe those strong defenses;

(See if they were just pretenses.)

The truth is—Kay’s my secret passion,

Though kind words are my whole ration;

Pursuing this maid so delightful

One finds the odds are truly frightful.

Men surround her by the dozen;

Kay treats each like her first cousin;

Energetic, animated,

Her worth can’t be overrated.

Red Cross angel, South Pacific,

How can I be more specific?

Far or near, where’er I roam to,

YOU’RE the ONE I would come home to.

WHERE’ YA’ FROM?

"Where’ ya’ from?

Do ya’ like it here?

How long since ya’ left

The States and good beer?

"I wanna go home,

I’ve been here too long.

I don’t even know

The latest hit song!

"It’s nice to hear music,

Hold a girl in your arms,

Ya’ know, ya’ forget

Those American charms."

We’re hopped and we’re twirled

By the short and the tall,

We smile and we listen

To this, their wolf call.

"Where’ ya’ from?

Do ya’ like it here?

How long since ya’ left

The States and good beer?"

INTRODUCTION

In the fall of 1998, 52 years after the end of World War II, I began writing these stories about my two exciting years (1944-1945) in the Southwest Pacific as an American Red Cross recreation worker. I had lots of tales to tell.

At that time, I was a member of the Writers Circle in Saratoga’s (NY) Academy for Learning in Retirement (ALR). This was my opportunity to relive those exotic tropical days that began when I landed in New Guinea in February 1944 after a month-long crossing of the Pacific Ocean.

With the guidance of Marianne Finnegan and Marion Renning, our ALR mentors, and the critiquing and encouragement of my fellow writers, I began typing.

I had found my old Red Cross wooden footlocker stashed away in the attic, stenciled KAY PEDDLE ARC. It was full of letters, which I had written to family and friends during those war years, and had been saved and returned to me. In addition, there were penciled scribbled notes, pictures, maps, clippings and souvenirs. I had plenty of resource materials to bring back memories to write about.

These stories began when I dropped in at the New York Red Cross office in the fall of 1943 looking for a job. I had heard of the Red Cross sending girls overseas to set up and staff their clubs and provide entertainment for the homesick and war-weary troops around the world. They also served them gallons of coffee, cold drinks and thousands of doughnuts.

When the director read from my application that I was the required age of 25, healthy and available, she smiled and told me that I had appeared at just the right time, as they needed to fill their November quota. I was amazed when she said I would be considered an American Red Cross recreation worker after six weeks training in Washington, D.C.

I was naive and inexperienced, but eager and overjoyed.

Red Cross Kay is a collection of stories, anecdotes and illustrations about my assignments and adventures during those two years in the tropics. It records my service and travels to Port Moresby, New Guinea; Manus Island in the Admiralties; Morotai in the Dutch East Indies; and Leyte in the Philippines. I also had rest leaves in Australia.

This book will tell where, when, why and how I was trying to do my part for the war and the Red Cross—and having a wonderful time doing it. I wrote it for the fun of it and especially for myself, but also wanted to share my experiences with my family and friends. Perhaps, through it, I will also rediscover myself as the energetic, enthusiastic Red Cross girl I once was in the Southwest Pacific islands 60 years ago, and take you along for the journey.

Katherine P. Dixon

RED CROSS KAY

In the summer of 1943, I had been milking cows and pitching hay in Vermont, replacing a farmhand who had been drafted. Fall ended my farm chores.