He Served

He was a farm boy from McLean, Illinois. When I hear stories about his childhood he reminds me of a young Tom Sawyer character. They tell of his love of fishing that continued through out his whole life. He had more fish tales than anyone I know and most was true. He had a sling shot that he fashioned himself and became so good at flinging the little rocks he picked up, that the whole town talked about it. As he sat with a few old fellows that was hanging out in front of the country store, one of them bet him a nickel that he couldn’t shoot the hat off the guy walking on the other side of the street. He drew back his little sling shot, squinted one eye and let go. The hat went flying and he came home with a nickel in his pocket. He told how he was playing with the barn cats that was forbidden by his father because the cats hung around the back door if they got even a slight invite. As he heard his Dad coming home, he tried to shoo the cats back to the barn with no success. He had to think quick, so he decided to take drastic measures. He grabbed a dull ax and hit each of the cats on the tail and sent them howling back to the barn. It was always a puzzle to his Dad that all of the cats had tails that were perfectly straight accept for the tip that seemed to dangle like a flag waving from a pole.

This little boy grew to be a man and was called up to go to war. It was during WW2 that he left his little country home to fight in a foreign land. This war torn country once could have resembled his home in Illinois but now there was only destruction. He was captured in the Battle of Tunisia in Africa and was a prisoner of war in Germany. This broad shouldered man of large stature dropped to 135 pounds as he ate soup made of greens and who knows what else. During his twenty six month captivity his mother and father both passed away and two brothers suffered from shell shock.
He was considered missing in action for months but was finally freed after the war and was shipped home. His family was gone, the family farm had been lost and he was left to start his life anew.

He became a Railroader working for the Illinois Central Railroad. He loved fishing and hunting and was even known to make a few sling shots. He married Verna Camp and raised three sons and a daughter, that daughter is me. He was my Dad and I honor him today for fighting and suffering to keep this country free. God Bless America and those who gave their all to their country.

He found the Lord later in life and attended church as long as his health allowed. He now is at home in heaven and I am sure he has a fishing pole in his hand and maybe even a sling shot.

Jeanie (Tyson) Nihiser
Daughter of Thomas Marion Tyson