I’m gonna just go ahead and backdate this, so it looks like I posted it in a semi-timely manner 
Category: Life
From a letter written home to Kaye, while Bud was stationed at Camp Croft, SC. This is one page of several, from a box of saved letters from 1942 and 1943. The notes are written on large (10 x 14 ?) thin translucent sheets, like vellum or tracing paper, folded and stuffed into small envelopes, sent nearly daily from the soldier to his wife.
From Better Living Magazine, July – Aug 1952 issue
Show Business
World’s Fair Demonstrators Now Handle Variety of Du Pont Jobs
Most coveted of all summer jobs for college students in 1939 were at the New York World’s Fair. Whether it was demonstrating television or electronic cooking, just to be a part of the vast extravaganza was an exciting experience.
At Du Pont’s “Wonder World of Chemistry,” 24 college boys and girls were engaged for those glorious months before the clouds of war darkened New York’s brightest scene. For gaping crowds they demonstrated chemistry’s new miracles.
September, 1939, sent some back to the campuses; war soon scattered others around the globe. But today, 13 years later, eight of these people have found opportunities and careers with Du Pont. Their pictures as demonstrators in 1939 contrast slnaxply with their onthe-job portraits today, seen here.
[Photo Caption] WORLD’S FAIR SHOWGIRL Katherine Mitten, now married to Artist Bud Brubaker of the Du Pont Atlantic City Exhibit, is an aide at the Boardwalk Exhibit.
Here’s a photo of Bud, from the World War II days. I believe this would have been taken in Santa Monica, CA, where he was stationed with the 1030th AAFBU. Written on the back is some info about the surrounding buildings, and the date, 1941 (the last digit is half obscured, but I’m fairly certain it is “1″…)
The Palisades. The hotel on Bud's left is the Grand Hotel, where he works. The building at his head is an amusement place where they play chess and checkers. The other building on the left of the picture is the trolley stop or a restaurant. 8/21/41
I was doing some research for a Veterans Day post and came across this great story about Uncle George on the Delaware National Guard website. I never ended up completing the Veterans Day post I had in mind but, like Kathy said, there’s always next year!
Read the full story at delawarenationalguard.com >
Wherever he goes, Eucharist is home for Delaware Guard Chaplain
By Jane Harriman, Staff reporter
Jan 11, 2005 – 7:11:28 AM
MILFORD — Father George Brubaker is a man of many ministries, ones that lead beyond the rectory and into worlds and experiences unknown by the average priest.
His work has taken him to Catholic Relief Services projects in Africa and Central America, from refugee camps in Rwanda to combat areas of Kuwait, and from a military hospital in Germany to the U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan.
But no matter how foreign the location, Father Brubaker brings with him the home of all Catholics, the Eucharist.
No doubts about faith
Like many priests, George Brubaker began to test his vocation as a small boy playing at a make believe altar on the front porch of his parents’ house. He was born in 1947 in Ventnor, N.J., an oceanfront town near Atlantic City, where his parents worked for the Du Pont Co. exhibit on the boardwalk.
His mother, a Catholic, made sure he and his two sisters were raised in the church; their father, Amos Brubaker, a Mennonite originally from Lancaster, Pa. helped. “He didn’t talk about his Mennonite background very often,” says Father Brubaker. “He would test us on our catechism questions, though. I’m sure my mother put him up to that, but he did it. I think he enjoyed what we were learning and was very strict about it.”
In 1955, Du Pont closed its boardwalk exhibit and transferred the Brubakers to Wilmington; George entered Christ Our King School.
Read the full story at delawarenationalguard.com >
AAFBU logo by Brubaker
“First asked to create a humorous logo for a Naval Reserve Squadron stationed at Floyd Bennett Field in New York, the Disney Studios quickly found itself inundated with requests to draw emblems for other military units as well.”
“Before the war had ended, Disney had created some 1,200 cartoon insignias for all of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as for many Allied troops. Reflecting the esprit de corps and bravado of the unit, the cartoon character patches were worn with pride. With the exception of Bambi, virtually every Disney character appeared at least once on a logo. The most requested character was Donald Duck, beloved by troops for his quick temper and fighting spirit. Pluto and Goofy and even Grumpy of the Seven Dwarfs appeared on decals. Mickey Mouse was never linked to a combat unit. His affable, nice guy image made him better suited for the home front defense industry.”
Visual impressions from a fun family visit
Thank you to all the brave men and women who have served our
country.
Photo c/o foreversouls
I did some writing over at my community website this Veterans Day, which can be seen at http://TegaCayTalk.com/page/happy-veterans-day
Ralph Maxwell
Ralph Maxwell, who was in the Army Air Force with my grandfather Amos Brubaker, wrote up his recollection of how he came to own the Brubaker painting “Dancing Figure”
On a delightful Sunday afternoon in the spring of 1945, I was happily basking in the sun on the Santa Monica beach. Next to me was Jenny. She was a young, glamorous blonde who worked as a civilian secretary at the 1030th AAFBU where your granddad and I were stationed.
Jenny was from Ohio. She had won a local beauty contest back there, and as was inevitable, she was showered with congratulations and suggestions that she should go to Hollywood and become a movie star. The idea appealed to her and she headed west.
1030th AAFBU logo by Brubaker
The problem, she soon learned, was that Los Angeles was flooded with attractive young women who had come there with the same goal. And like practically all of them, even though Jenny had exceptional personal attributes, she had no acting background or any insider film-industry contacts. Her dreams of stardom soon faded, and facing up to reality, she settled for a job with the Air Force, where I got to know her.
We weren’t exactly on a date. The previous day I had suggested that we meet on the beach in front of the Grand Hotel to “soak up a few rays”.
Well, anyhow, there we were reclining side by side on the sand – me a dumb, skinny, buck sergeant from North Dakota, and she a pulchritudinous beauty queen. I was in seventh heaven.
Then an acquaintance of mine suddenly strides up and says to me, “Did you hear about Brubaker?”
I said, “No, what about him?”
He said, “He’s in the city jail.”
Here are some more photos I found in the Ventnor house.
(Click to enlarge.)
Written on the back of this last one: “POST ENGINEER SIGN SHOP AAF – RS #3 SANTA MONICA CALIF. MARCH 1945″