We are in Michigan at one of my favorite rv parks. The price is right thanks to Escapees, the owner is a hoot, and the internet is free and works great.
Mom and I decided to travel the GAR Highway (U.S. Route 6) in Northern Ohio. The GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Highway is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to Long Beach, California, and was a transcontinental route.
We were rewarded with old cemeteries, old Victorian houses, wonderful main streets and I have it down as one of the highways I would like to investigate further. One of the cities in Ohio we visited was Clyde Ohio – home to Sherwood Anderson (Author), James B. McPherson (Union Major General), and Rodger Young (Medal of Honor recipient). We also visited the McPherson Cemetery. One of the men buried in the cemetery was George Burton Meek who was killed in action on the torpedo boat, Winslow. He was the first to be killed in the service of U.S. in the war with Spain. James B. McPherson who died in the battle of Atlanta is buried there and the cemetery is located across the street from his childhood home. Rodger Young is buried there as well.
Private Young is an inspiration. He was five foot two, his hearing was poor as was his eyesight due to an accident on a basketball court. Rodger joined Company B 148th Infantry (the Fremont Company) of the Ohio National Guard in January 1938. He died in 1943 a hero.
On July 31, 1943, Young's squad was pinned down by a hidden Japanese machine gun nest protecting the Munda airstrip on New Georgia. Rodger, wounded by the initial burst of fire, spotted the location of the gun. Firing his rifle and attracting the fire of the enemy, he crept forward and was wounded a second time. When he was close enough, he began throwing hand grenades, was hit again and killed. His heroic efforts allowed his squad to withdraw with no additional losses while inflicting several casualties on the Japanese. For this action, Rodger Young was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in January 1944. About a year later this story came to the attention of Pfc. Frank Loesser who, already established as a writer of popular songs, wrote "The Ballad of Rodger Young".
Click here for pictures of McPherson Cemetery, Clyde Ohio.
We stopped at Napoleon Ohio to see the courthouse and walk the main street. It is a beautiful old town. Click here for pictures.
Tomorrow I will post about Archbold Ohio. Until then life is good!!!!
"You must try to forget all you have learned,” said the old man. “You must begin to dream. From this time on you must shut your ears to the roaring of the voices." ~Sherwood Anderson (Winesburg, Ohio)
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