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 4, 2018

In Memory of Robert Arthur DeLap, 1267th Combat Engineers

Robert Arthur DeLap was delivered safely home on Feb. 24, 2015, after a long and remarkable life.

Born May 14, 1923, in Sioux City, Iowa, Bob was raised together with his older brother George by his mother, Lillian Vanvick, in a family home that also included his grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins.

As Bob started college, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the U.S. entered the Second World War. With guidance from his Lutheran pastor, Rev. L. E. Tallakson, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Army, but was allowed to continue his education at Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.) for another year and a half. He was then assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program for technical training in the Army Air Corps. During this program, he studied chemistry, taught by his future father-in-law, Professor J.H. Jensen, at Northern State Teachers College (now Northern State University) in Aberdeen, S.D.; and Bob met his future spouse, Marjorie Lucille Jensen.

Because of increasing Army needs for infantry, Bob was subsequently sent to Camp Maxey in Texas for training. His unit, the 1267th Combat Engineers, served with the 23rd Corps in Germany near the end of the war in Europe, building bridges to help supply the Allied Army and provide relief to starving people in Germany during mop-up operations.
In mid-1945, Bob's unit was sent to the Philippines to maintain roads on mountains near remaining Japanese holdouts. Bob was discharged and returned home in the spring of 1946.

Bob and Lucille were married on June 27, 1946. After completing his college studies at Augustana followed by graduate work in New Mexico, Bob joined The Dow Chemical Co. in Midland as an analytical chemist. He worked at Dow from 1949 until his retirement in 1982.
Over their years together, Bob and Lucille provided a loving home for their five children, Amy Jendrzejewski (Andrew), Robert J. DeLap (Linda), Patricia Fineman (Robert), Ronald DeLap (Donna Marie) and Elizabeth Lenington (Kenneth). Bob and Lucille were faithful members of Trinity Lutheran Church. Continuing to reside at their home in Midland in retirement, they enjoyed many activities together, including walking, bicycling, cross country skiing, bridge and square dancing. Bob also enjoyed softball and bowling in his younger years, and was a regular golfer with other Dow retirees for many years.

Lucille passed away on June 22, 2011, having been tenderly cared for by Bob through her final illness, with help from daughter Patricia. Patricia also lovingly attended to Bob's care when he resided in Haslett, Mich., as he came to the end of his time in this world.
Bob and Lucille are survived by their five children; twelve grandchildren, Ingrid Jendrzejewski, Rachel Jendrzejewski, Margaret DeLap, Benjamin Fineman, Matthew DeLap, Andrew DeLap, Rebekah Zuniga, Micah DeLap, Sarabeth Deter, William Deter, Neal Wagner, Eric Lenington; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Bob will take place 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2015 from the Trinity Lutheran Church, with Pastor Gerald Ferguson officiating. Interment will take place in the Midland Cemetery at 2 p.m., with military honors presented by the Midland Area Veterans and the U.S. Department of the Army.

Bob's family will receive friends at the church on Friday, from 10 a.m. until time of the service. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Trinity Lutheran Church or the donor's favorite charity. Funeral services have been entrusted to the care of the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home.
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