Everett Taylor: Taylor's Yarns

Organizations for military veterans of America's armed services tend to largely concentrate on the men who served in wartime or otherwise.

But a look at the summer 2007 edition of "The Register," published by Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, Inc., provides a reminder the nation also has a very large contingent of women veterans.

Featured in this edition is a story about plans for the 10th anniversary celebration of The Women's Memorial dedication in Washington, D.C., in 1997.

This event is scheduled Nov. 1, 2 and 3, and the report said it "Promises a terrific time for service women, past and present, and their families and friends." It will be at the National Building Museum.

The "official" 10th anniversary celebration is scheduled for early afternoon, Saturday, Nov. 3.

Since the 1997 dedication, more than 1.5 million visitors have been to the Memorial and over 234,500 names have been entered in the Register with 24,000 names of eligible women who do not yet have their names listed. The organization is also trying to contact thousands of other "probable women veterans" to establish their eligibility.

A section titled "In Memory Of" lists some notable members who died in recent years. Included was an article about a personality familiar to many Tyler residents - Sarah McClendon, who was 1/Lt. WAAC/WAC and died on Jan. 8, 2003.

"A pioneer WAAC, Sarah was ordered by name to report to the Pentagon to help establish the WAAC Public Affairs Office," the report said. She later became the first woman public affairs officer assigned to the Army Surgeon General; her job was to prepare the nation for the return of World War II handicapped veterans."

The article also notes that she went on to fame as the longest-ever-serving White House and Congressional correspondent well known for her strident call, "Mr. President. Mr. President!"

She always was an advocate for service members and veterans, the story adds, and "Defense Secretary Melvin Laird credited her with spurring the decision to promote the first women to General Officer rank."

Like most other veterans organizations, the women's group is losing members so fast it is difficult to keep up. From April 2002 through April 2007, the organization learned at least 16,355 of its members had died.

"Regrettably, we know the total is far greater as we are being informed of the loss of other women almost daily," a report lamented.

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Fans of the Texas History Movies cartoon booklet that history students in the state were exposed to some years ago keep turning up bits of new information.

John Minton, of Tyler, who remembers the booklet as a great learning tool, is the possessor of a book that features a reprint of the original series with additional historical notes and comments.

The original version was distributed by Mobil Oil and a few weeks ago Bob Leath of Tyler treated us to a look at the copy of the booklet he had when in public schools here, a little worn but still intact. The copyright date of the first booklet was 1926.

John's book was published by Graphic Ideas, Inc. of Austin and Dallas, about 1970. The additional text was by O.O. Mitchell Jr., and cartoons by Jack Patton.

A check of the Internet did not find their names, he said.

Getting mention, however, was a new book titled "New Texas History Movies" recently published by Texas A&M Press, and mentioned in an earlier column. This new version is being distributed by the Texas State Historical Association.

Something John did notice is that the material on the Internet refers to the original version as being considered by some as "racist."

The 1970 edition now is listed as "highly collectible," and has 224 pages covering Texas history topics "from the early Spanish explorers to statehood."

Everett Taylor
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