+Shantung Edingburg Zuber, "Military Tribute to my Dad"

There were over 2.5 million African American men who registered for the draft as well as many black woman who also volunteered.  During their service to their country they experienced prejudices and segregation but they met the difficult task and carried on.  They served their country with honor, made contributions to the war effort, and earned compliments and accolades for their endeavors and sacrifices.
This is a Tribute to my Dad .

Shantung Edingburg Zuber

 B: November 28, 1923 Chattanooga

Hamilton County, Tennessee
Branch: Army
Enlistment date: Dec. 2, 1942
Released date: Jan 6, 1946

                                                         

Shantung Edingburg Zuber

     

  

   His enlistment records shows Residence Tennessee, Hamilton Co. enlisted: Dec 2, 1942, enlistment city: Camp Forrest
branch: Air Corps, Grade Code: Private.

My dad didn't talk very much about the war part but he talked mostly about his travels during the war when he had leave.  He said that all of his spare time was spent touring the cities where he was stationed, seeing as much of the country and native people as he could possibly  squeeze in.  He never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes so he used what money he didn't send home to his mother for his travels.  One time he said that he hitchhiked all over Italy when he was off on leave. The native people would  always pick up a soldier in uniform or even an American for that matter.  He had no problem getting anywhere he wanted to go.

This is a letter my dad wrote to his brother (Theodric) who was 3 years younger than my dad.  
It says:
Hello Brother,
Received your letter and answering in return as soon as possible.
So you remember what you said on your letter well you are right exactly but don't say anymore about it.  To send your picture in your chosen outfit  I know it's hard. 
I've gotten too large for everything of mine.  Don't know exactly how tall I am but anyway it's six something. I'll be back to fill  in as I left but this time in the real manner.  Don't send the watch.  Thanks a Take care of yourself and don't over do it.
Tell everyone hello.
                                                   Brother
                                              Shantung E. Zuber

Some of this letter didn't make any sense to me but I'm sure they knew what they were talking about.   I remember my dad saying that after he got in the Army he started growing like a weed, just getting taller and taller.
I'm thinking that the outfit in the photo he's talking about might be his own, because Theodric didn't have a uniform, he was till living at home.

When my dad passed away, he left behind his wallet, I have that wallet now and what amazed me was he had about 10 little papers folded up neatly that he had kept since his Army days.  I've scanned them and will now list them on this post.  I know for sure that I took that trait after him, I'm not a pack rat but I do save things that have meant something to me no matter how long ago it was.

This was one of the items front and back.

It shouldn't surprise me that he kept some of this stuff.  He even brought back two army blankets which I have now, that he used while in the Army, the blankets look like they have seen better days, I even use them as throws sometimes when it's cold.

Apparently  he was in the hospital I don't know for what reason. 

Here he's granted a Liberty Pass for the day.  I'm sure he took off on his tour where ever he was.  He loved traveling.

The City Tour is his tour of Naples and Volcano.  He wrote to his mother a  letter telling her all about Italy and it's art and buildings. As you can see he really enjoyed seeing his surroundings.

Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology Rome 
Ticket d 'input for the 
Catacombs of St. Callisto 

the price  15

Another item in the wallet.  these items didn't take up any space at all the paper is really thin except for the business looking cards. 

 Translation:
MVSE Galleries 
Ponticie Library Apostolic 
Vatican 

lire six

War Department Finance Dept. The amount of $200.00 being sent to Georgia E. Zuber, Shantung's mother. 
I know from what my dad told me, he sent his mother as much money as he could and only kept what he needed to live on and do his sightseeing and travel. 
This next one is another letter my dad wrote to his brother:

It reads:
Dear Brother,
received your letter on the 28th.  "Say" you asked me if I've seen any one that you know, "Well" no haven't seen a person I know since the day I left home ? in 42.  Now you know that's strictly hell no stuff
   Boy I'm falling off, I weigh 175, three pounds lost, hot weather no good. These scales were
wrong I'm 6 ft tall.  I know you're taller
than that aren't you. 
I'd like to have a fruit cake send one if you can thanks
No activity just the same old thing head down and ass up.
Well boy, I'll knock on back before long, tell everyone hello fro me
So long
                                    Shantung E Zuber

My dad talked a lot about shooting rifles, and I know for a fact that he loved to target practice.  He taught my brother and I how to shoot very early, I was 7 I remember.  He was so good at it, I use to say he could shoot a strand of hair sitting on top of a coke bottle and of course the chip off the old block that I am, I still love to shoot targets.  He was just as good at shooting bow and arrows.  Which he also taught me as well.
It appears that he and his brother had a language all their own from the letters I've read. 
Next is a letter that he wrote to his mother while in the service in Italy and Algeria, Africa.

Post marked December 18, 1944,
it reads:
Dear Mother,
My birthday has passed promoting me to the great age of seventeen going backwards now advancing one year and subtracting two.  I'm somewhere in Italy, so therefore I ran into it here, and was rather cheerful  ? to location.  I had the opportunity to visit Oran while in Algeria also Naples here in Italy visited the volcano Vesuvius.  If you remember the Vesuvius erupted back in the year of two thousand (ad) and destroying the entire city of Pompey, but now has been dug completely from under solid  rock which 2000 year ago was hot lava.  Oil paintings by famous artists were still there as if they were painted yesterday their population was 2500 having killed 5000 after erupting three days, went through the rooms and parlors of the King and Queen, and their friends parlors and belongings.  Some of the tools of their bakery shop are used
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today their wash basin is large concrete trough receiving it's water from the mouth of  a statue and the part of the concrete that they rest on to drink is worn out, can be seen good after all of these years.. They really believe in their architectural 
building, high columns a face or statue about every where you look.  The gates of the city closes at twelve 9 PM) and person that comes later are left out side until morning, collected souvenirs from everywhere having some lava enclosed in glass.  The lava from the small volcano is constantly bubbling up to my estimation it's more dangerous than the larger one because the larger has erupted twice while the small one hasn't erupted at all, and not much higher than sea level, the larger was heard over on thousand and four hundred miles and seen over  200.  You should have seen the reins Cathedral  those large columns are  marble the platform is solid gold, beneath and below the pulpit of an angel rich with diamonds reflecting to all corners of the church, it's really beautiful, I wish you could see it, and to

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the left is Christ on the cross, and Mary standing below with her hands clasped, his flesh has been scraped to the second layer at the end of ?  scar is rolled back ?, and blood is streaming off the entire body is mangled up and looks the same all over, the spikes looks nasty pierced through his hands leaving the flesh open.  Thrones pierced i his head and  blood running down his face. This artist really knew his job, had his statues to the left of his work, his paintings were all over the church in every little corner that could be seen, also statues that presided and shepherds and their sheep.
  The churches in Naples run from the eleventh century up and made on the same order, The total amount that is looking from the port ????? hundred or over,  In touring the city I find it's very interesting, but so badly bombed.  Some buildings are so old they've lost their architectural  corm and looks more like a bank. The Italians as a whole are very congenial due to their country having been riddled and treated so brutal.  Come to think of it this is Caesar's home.  Naples is

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somewhat of a city the best yet since I've been in the Army bit of entertainment, gobs of clubs, movies, and dances, the blocks are arranged as in the states, go and come, and never get lost.
There's no monkeys, and apes in North Africa.  the people there  are as those in the states only they don't have their desired clothing, but live good considering, Africa there is said to be a century behind speaking only of there.  So Africa could be more yet but anyway they live up to that century using mostly horses and wagons, very few factories that could manufacture auto's and other convenient necessities most of their heavy trucks run by steam add by cold & wood and steam to the ofset of ours that you very seldom see in old USA.

This is the envelope this letter was in. not all the letter is here but enough to tell a pretty nice story of his army live over in Africa and Italy.


I remember my dad telling me all about the museums in Italy he enjoyed touring Naples so much. He was really into the artwork over there, being an artist himself I can see why.  As far as Africa goes he always said that Morocco had some beautiful women, he thought they were the most beautiful women he had ever seen.  I also know that my dad had to leave school early, so when the military service was over he went back and finished his schooling then went on to college to study art.  

Shantung Edingburg Zuber

This is his Honorable Discharge papers side one..the back of this has his information which is next.

He was discharged Jan 6, 1946, and married my mother, Naomi Cleopatra Banks on March 20, 1946 in Rossville, Walker Co. Georgia.

He departed his life:
July 28,1983 Parlin, NJ.

I doubt a day goes by that I don't think of my dad, we were like two peas in a pod,  He was the person I went to talk to about anything. He was a good listener and was always fair in his judgments concerning me. Thank you for being the best father ever, thank you for your service to our country I miss you greatly, and will love you always.















Sources:
Ancestry.com