The Summer of 1947
This December 7th will mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Most people who were alive at the time could tell you for the remainder of their lives where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news of the attack. The nation changed that day – from a carefree nation to one more serious, from one looking primarily inward to one looking outward.
I have always had an interest in World War II, but I can’t say that I ever gave a great deal of thought as to how it might have affected the average soldier. But that changed last November at the care group at our church.
My friend, Steve DeViney, was relating how he had run across some letters that his father and mother had written to each other in 1947 and how subsequent investigation into these led him to a helping a Texas woman piece together a life-long family mystery.
Steve’s father, Bob DeViney, served as a radio operator in the Navy and was part of the force that attacked Iwo Jima in February 1945. Bob DeViney came through the battle unscathed and ended up being on one of four ships that were given the honor of being in Tokyo Harbor for the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
But this particular story is not about his war years, but about what happened after the war with Bob DeViney and five other young men who took a trip in the Summer of 1947.
Bob DeViney was discharged at the end of March 1946 and took the train back to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Like many veterans that came out of the war, he decided to go to college. He was thinking about going to Bob Jones University and becoming an evangelist and had, in fact, been accepted. One day when he was at his parent’s home, a man appeared at the front door and asked his mother “Is your son Bob here?” He introduced himself to Bob as Alec Bahnson and informed him that he was at the mission around the corner. “I’m looking for someone to lead singing and I was given your name. We have been asked to help support this crusade that’s going to be down in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s being led by Jack Wyrtzen.”
Bob joined Alec and during the next few days as they worked together, both Alec Bahnson and Jack Wyrtzen’s sermons convinced Bob that the need for missionaries was greater than that for evangelists and Bob chose to join Alec and two other boys – Jim Birkitt and Whit Craft in enrolling at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. (This particular school was chosen because of its renown for training missionaries.)
Once they arrived at PBI, Jim Birkitt was paired with a man named Dave Dowling, and Bob noticed a picture of a girl on Dave’s dresser. When he inquired as to who she might be, he found out she was Dave Dowling’s cousin, Esther Neiswender, and she happened also to attend Prairie Bible Institute. Bob was intrigued by this girl but rarely got to see her as the policies of the school were quite strict. Men were not to associate with women there in any manner. (Fortunately for Bob, he had a blood-relative of Esther as an acquaintance and, as such, was able to gather bits of information about her.)
After the first year of school, three of the Carolina Four decided to take an evangelization trip across the United States. Bob DeViney, Alec Bahnson and Jim Birkitt were joined by Dave Dowling and another classmate Howard Peach and they set off.
They went from Calgary up to Edmonton, over to Vancouver, then down to Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and southeast to Bandera, Texas, where they picked up a sixth young man – Joe Stevens, who was an army vet that Alec knew from World War II in Italy. From there, they went east through Louisiana and on to the Carolinas.
A few excerpts from the trip indicate the mindset of the young men and give a flavor for the times:
The road trip lasted all summer. They had started out in April and since school didn’t start until after harvest, they were able to wait until the first or second week in October to return.
— This column will be continued in the next Wanderings —
I have always had an interest in World War II, but I can’t say that I ever gave a great deal of thought as to how it might have affected the average soldier. But that changed last November at the care group at our church.
My friend, Steve DeViney, was relating how he had run across some letters that his father and mother had written to each other in 1947 and how subsequent investigation into these led him to a helping a Texas woman piece together a life-long family mystery.
Steve’s father, Bob DeViney, served as a radio operator in the Navy and was part of the force that attacked Iwo Jima in February 1945. Bob DeViney came through the battle unscathed and ended up being on one of four ships that were given the honor of being in Tokyo Harbor for the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
But this particular story is not about his war years, but about what happened after the war with Bob DeViney and five other young men who took a trip in the Summer of 1947.
Bob DeViney was discharged at the end of March 1946 and took the train back to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Like many veterans that came out of the war, he decided to go to college. He was thinking about going to Bob Jones University and becoming an evangelist and had, in fact, been accepted. One day when he was at his parent’s home, a man appeared at the front door and asked his mother “Is your son Bob here?” He introduced himself to Bob as Alec Bahnson and informed him that he was at the mission around the corner. “I’m looking for someone to lead singing and I was given your name. We have been asked to help support this crusade that’s going to be down in Charlotte, North Carolina. It’s being led by Jack Wyrtzen.”
Bob joined Alec and during the next few days as they worked together, both Alec Bahnson and Jack Wyrtzen’s sermons convinced Bob that the need for missionaries was greater than that for evangelists and Bob chose to join Alec and two other boys – Jim Birkitt and Whit Craft in enrolling at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. (This particular school was chosen because of its renown for training missionaries.)
Once they arrived at PBI, Jim Birkitt was paired with a man named Dave Dowling, and Bob noticed a picture of a girl on Dave’s dresser. When he inquired as to who she might be, he found out she was Dave Dowling’s cousin, Esther Neiswender, and she happened also to attend Prairie Bible Institute. Bob was intrigued by this girl but rarely got to see her as the policies of the school were quite strict. Men were not to associate with women there in any manner. (Fortunately for Bob, he had a blood-relative of Esther as an acquaintance and, as such, was able to gather bits of information about her.)
After the first year of school, three of the Carolina Four decided to take an evangelization trip across the United States. Bob DeViney, Alec Bahnson and Jim Birkitt were joined by Dave Dowling and another classmate Howard Peach and they set off.
They went from Calgary up to Edmonton, over to Vancouver, then down to Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and southeast to Bandera, Texas, where they picked up a sixth young man – Joe Stevens, who was an army vet that Alec knew from World War II in Italy. From there, they went east through Louisiana and on to the Carolinas.
A few excerpts from the trip indicate the mindset of the young men and give a flavor for the times:
“When we began the services in Sellwood Baptist Church on Sunday night we were met with much resistance. Saints were cold and indifferent about the whole idea of having revival. But slowly during the week as the word was given forth in the Spirit, God made them soften and interested. Precious souls were saved every night although we spoke mostly to Christians.”
“We were given a big ham supper that night after the service. Dave, Alex, Jim and I had the privilege of washing all the dishes for 110 people. I wonder if He’s preparing us for something ahead? I’ve learned in everything give thanks — even for dishes to wash. The Lord has made Matthew 20:28 real to me as we travel from place to place.”
“The Lord let us go out to a prison camp yesterday and there I met a young boy who had chains shackled on his legs because he had escaped and they weren’t taking any chances on him running away again. The Lord let me help him to get right and also Dave won a prisoner to Christ.”
“The Lord has been letting me help out by singing in the large choir at the revival meetings and Dr. Clark, the song leader, has made me sing and help him to introduce choruses to the 2,000 to 3,000 people who have been attending the services. Dave and I sang over the radio yesterday morning. Dr. Clark, the song leader, wrote “I will make you fishers of men”, “He Careth For You” and several songs and choruses that are famous.”
The road trip lasted all summer. They had started out in April and since school didn’t start until after harvest, they were able to wait until the first or second week in October to return.
October 2016