Pfc. J. B. Ashley, USA, WWII

 

STORIES FROM KOREA INDICATE OKIE PARTY WAS BIG SUCCESS
Hobart Democrat Chief
Thursday, September 12, 1946

Stories coming out of Korea about an Oklahoma party recently staged there indicate not only that it was a huge success, but two former Hobart people had a lot to do with making it so.

First Miss Hermione Stillwell, who is in Red Cross recreational work near Seoul, wrote he parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Stillwell about a party which was staged under her supervision. And she gave a lot of credit to the boys who helped, including Pfc. J. B. Ashley of Hobart who “rounded up” one of the two bands which furnished music for the occasion.

Ashley also wrote his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ashley, about the party, mentioning that a former Hobart girl had been in charge.

Writing about the party, Miss Stillwell said “We had a huge tepee in the middle of the club, linoleum block printed booklets for Okies to sign. We served ice cream, coffee, and cookies. The sign at the snack bar said “Get your Kickapoo Joy Juice here” and a sign at the pass out bar said “Tie your horses outside and park your pistols here.” Brass and GI’s mixed and were so busy signing books and discovering mutual acquaintances that we couldn’t stop them long enough to eat. One GI said “Gee, this beats anything the Red Cross has ever had” and another asked “When are we going to have this again?”

The Oklahoma party, she writes, was to be the first of a series of state get-togethers.

In Ashley’s last letter, he told his parents he expects to soon be starting home. In the Army since March 18, 1945, he has been overseas since October 1945.

A brother, Sgt. Virgil Ashley has recently arrived back in the United States, his parents said, after serving with the atomic bomb expedition in the Pacific. He expects to soon be home on furlough. Their other son, Ira Ashley, was also in the service but has been out for three years and is now employed with the Southwest Ice Company here.