Paris Goes To War

War came Paris, Texas on December 7, 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declarations of war of the Axis countries of Japan, Germany and Italy against The United States brought World War II literally to the doorsteps of Paris.

The U.S. response to war hit Paris like a tidal wave and the results were everlasting.

This small East Texas town responded as hundreds of small towns across America did. Its sons, daughters and citizens joined the war effort.

But Paris began to develop its own uniqueness with the opening of Camp Maxey just a few miles north of the city limits in 1942. Two major divisions, the 102d Infantry Division and the 99th Infantry Division, trained there. It is estimated that over 200,000 troops and civilians trained and worked at Camp Maxey during its short 4 years of existance.

Camp Maxey was also selected as a site, as were many other training camp sites in Texas, to house German prisoners-of-war. More than 6,000 Germans were hosted there until well after the last shots of anger were fired in Europe in 1945.

Paris, as was the whole country, was like a stirred pot. The young men and women who came to Camp Maxey to train spent their leaves in town. Many of them met, courted, and married local men and women. Likewise, Paris sons and daughters who left were meeting their future spouses. The long historic ties that had held Paris together as a tight community were stretched around the world.

To and from Paris the letters streamed in and out from friends and families: from the battle fronts, from far-away hometowns, from Washington D.C., to Europe, to The Pacific and literally all points of the globe.

Sad news of soldiers being killed, exciting news of the birth of a new baby, common news about town gossip all swirlled around this small town of Paris. Paris was making its contribution to march the country toward victory.

In 1941 Paris Goes To War.


How To Add A Story & Pictures To Paris Goes To War

If you have stories, pictures or items of interest to contribute to these web pages, please email them to steelyfamilias@yahoo.com. You can send written articles in doc or pdf formats and pictures are preferred in jpg format. Contributions will be posted according the their relevance to Paris, Lamar County, Camp Maxey and World War II. All contributions may be used on these blog web pages as well as any future publications that may appear on the subject.

Friday, May 11, 2018

In Memory of Imogene Larson, Army Nurse Corp., Camp Maxey & ETO


Imogene Larson, age 93, died Thursday, September 12, 2013 in Mason City. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30am, Monday, September 16, 2013, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams Ave., Mason City. Interment will follow in Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, where full military honors will be provided by the Iowa Funeral Honor Guard and the Mason City Veterans.

The CDA Rosary will commence at 2:30pm on Sunday, September 15th followed by visitation from 3-5pm, with the wake starting at 5:00pm at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd Street N.E., Mason City, Iowa.

Imogene was born on September 3, 1920, on the family farm, the daughter of Fred A. and Leocadia (Coyle) Cahalan. She was the 5th of 11 children. She attended country school in Cartersville and graduated in 1938 from Rockwell High School. She entered the Mercy School of Nursing at Loras College in Dubuque on her 19th birthday and graduated in 1942 as a Registered Nurse. She entered the Army Nurse Corp on February 23, 1943 and served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Camp Walters and Camp Maxey in Texas; Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, and was stationed at 105th Evacuation Hospital in Bournemouth, England, for 2 ½ years. She returned to the United States to O’Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, before being honorably discharged on August 18, 1946. Imogene worked at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, during the polio epidemic of 1946, before becoming a private duty nurse for Park and Mercy Hospitals in Mason City. In 1947, she began her career at Mercy Hospital in Mason City working mainly in the Nursery and Obstetrics units. She retired after 35 years as Head Nurse from Mercy in September 1982 assisting in over 20,000 births.

Imogene took great pride in being a WWII veteran and member of the VFW Honor Guard. She had the privilege of participating on the Honor Flight in 2010, to Washington, D.C., that recognized WWII Veterans. Imogene was a woman of great faith and conviction which sustained her throughout her life. She was a member of the St. Gregory Circle at Holy Family Catholic Church and the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a founding member of the RIBB club and a member of the neighborhood 500 card club for over 60 years. She was the recipient of the KIMT Giving Your Best Award reflecting her volunteer work in helping others. Because of her kind and giving nature, she had many lifelong friends. She will be remembered by her family as the “commander” who ruled with the point of a finger and loved with the tenderness of a hand on your back. Her legendary chip dip and RKT’s have been part of every family celebration.
Imogene married Vernon A. “Boots” Larson on April 3, 1948 at Holy Family Catholic Church. There were 7 children born to this union: Jeanne Marie; Thomas Vernon; Timothy Joseph; Jane Ann; Mary Elizabeth; Sue Ellen; and Janice Margaret .

Imogene is survived by her children; Jeanne Lessor of Mason City; Tom (Susan) Larson of Monte Vista, Co; Mary Beth (Don) Nelson of Mason City; Sue Sumners of Lakewood, CO; and Janice (Jeff) Barnes of Littleton, CO. She is also survived by her siblings, Mary Hoffman of Mason City; Bernadine (Adrian) Ferreira of Peru, IN; and Sally Cover, of Middlebury, IN. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and special friend Janet Clemons.

Imogene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and her son, Tim and daughter, Jane Ann; her brothers; Patrick, Ambrose “Jiggs” , Daniel, Jerry, and John Cahalan; and sisters; Rose (Campbell) and Bridget LaVonne “Bonnie" (Spahn).
The family would like to thank the staff of Good Shepherd Health Center and Hospice of North Iowa for their heartfelt concern for our mother and the dignity and respect they showed our mom and our entire family. 

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