JENKINS, Ike Jr., Livingston and St. Helena Parish, Louisiana File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate. ************************************************ Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ From "St. Helena Vets Remember World War II: Personal Interviews With World War II Vets", published by St. Helena Historical Association, 1995. Compiled and edited by Inez Bridges Tate and reprinted with permission. Ike Jenkins, Jr. was born in Natalbany and lived there until he moved with his parents to Natchez, Mississippi when he was seven years old. In 1931 the family moved to a farm in Grange- ville. Ike assuemd a lot of responsibility on the farm as the oldest son because his Dad was confined to a wheelchair. After graduating from Greensburg High School in 1937, he continued to work on the farm. Ike was drafted on March 15, 1942. He recalls that Clyde Morgan was among the 13 who left Greensburg on the White Eagle bus that day to report for duty. He later became his brother- in-law. They proceeded to Camp Livingston near Alexandria, Louisiana for a few days then to Camp Beauregard also near Alexandria. At Camp Beauregard they took aptitude and other tests. As a result, Ike was assigned to 95th Heavy Bombardment Bomber Group of the 8th Air Force. As this outfit was in the formative stage, he was sent home for two weeks. The other guys he left Greensburg with were sent elsewhere. Upon his return, he reported to Shepard Field, near Wichita Falls, Texas for basic training. Advanced training was at Wright Field, Salt Lake City, Utah for two weeks then on to Camp Stone- man, California for three months. Finishing second in the class, he was able to enroll in training for mess sergeant which lasted four months. Completing training he was involved in setting up mess halls. Camp Stoneman was an embarkation camp where many were sent overseas to the South Pacific. Next assignment was at Elfreda, Washington and Geiger Field, near Spokane, Washington where they began their first phase of overseas training with the 95th Bomber group. The second phase was at Rapid City, South Dakota. As a point of interest, Ike met the son of the man who carved the four presidents' faces on the Black Hills Mountains. On April 1, 1943, they traveled by train to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, then to Hudson Bay, New York where they boarded the English ship, Queen Elizabeth, the luxury liner being used to transport troops. This was on May 4, 1943. Due to the number of German submarines, they had to travel at least an extra 700 miles to out-maneuver them. They landed at Glasgow, Scotland. He recalls with fondness his trip by train across Scotland. It was spring and everything was fresh and green. He remarked how small the train was and how much more advanced everything was in the States. They reached the base in England near Flamingham. This was at a time when Germany had occupied France and was bombing Eng- land day and night. The airbase was located seven miles off the English Channel. They were forced to be moved farther back from the English Channel to an Air Base near the village of Eye, a safer spot. He said the Germans would drop fountain pens booby- trapped ready to explode when picked up. You dared not pick up anything. Later during the War when the Germans started sending the Buzz Bombs to London they were stationed in what was called Buzz Bomb Alley. Ike was part of the ground crew. He managed mess halls. It is noteworthy that the first 30 planes to bomb Berlin were from his outfit. On this first raid, four of the 30 planes were lost, nine others were damaged. Those crew members expressed sadness over the bombing as they were instructed to bomb the streets of Berlin and they knew civilians including children were killed. His air base served as emergency landing field for planes pulling gliders loaded with men and equipment for the Normandy invasion. After the war ended with Germany in June 1945, Ike flew home on a bomber, one of the same ones that had been used to bomb Germany. He was given a 30 day furlough and had reported to the Air Base at Sioux City, South Dakota when the war ended with Japan. Ironically he was supposed to leave the next day for Okinawa. There was little sleep following that news, and much happiness. Traveling to Camp Shelby, Mississippi Ike received his dis- charge on September 19, 1945. He expressed thankfulness that he received no injuries. Medals or commendations were issued to the outfit as a whole. Ike attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He recalls seeing the devastation of the cities of Germany when they were permitted to fly-over. Returning to St. Helena, Ike worked at several jobs before beginning employment with Jahncke Services, New Orleans, La. After 22 years with Jahncke, he accepted employment with Gifford Hill Company, north of Amite. He retired in 1983 but was not content. After a few months he began work with Crawler Supply Company, Baton Rouge and is still employed by them. On December 31, 1948 Ike and Miss Mona Mae Westmoreland were married. They have three children and six grandchildren. Deep- ly committed to their church, Pine Grove Methodist, Ike teaches Sunday School, is Chairman of the Board, and is a Lay Speaker in the Methodist Church. He is involved in civic organizations as well, is a member of Amite Rotary, a Mason and serves on the Commission on the Zachary Taylor Parkway - a highway proposed to begin at Bogalusa and extend to I-49 near Alexandria. Ike and Mona live near Pine Grove and enjoy gardening and activities in their community. ---- Newspaper Clipping: 24 Dec. 1943 Sgt. Ike Jenkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ike Jenkins of Grangeville, is now stationed somewhere in England. * * *