Hello Enjoyed your video. Unfortunately you may not have noticed that in 2014 a Veterans Monument was erected next to the building on the north end of the cemetery and was dedicated on Memorial day that year. It honors all five of the military services. The cemetery places Flags in ALL of those flag holder during memorial day weekend. That plus flowers make the cemetery beautiful. Many families place them on their family graves year round. I maintain a list of of veterans buried at Waukomis. As of April 12, 2019, there are 365 there. I've just received an update of veterans buried there since that date up to now and have yet to update my list. As a side note, I was pleased that you mentioned Lt. Col. Vance in your video, but the highest ranking officer buried in the cemetery is my wife's dad, Col. Melvin T. Coffin who was a Silver Star recipient. If you'd like to chat more about this, my name is Dick Yuhnke and my cell is 714-357-7025
That is very interesting and you're right I did miss that Veteran's Monument. That would have been neat to see. I could tell there were quite a few veterans in there which I always love to see. Very nice to learn about your father in law being the highest ranking in the cemetery. I love that you keep track of the veterans in there. We need more people that do what you do. Thank you for sharing more on this beautiful cemetery.
A lot of very amazing history you just gave here Rhetty. Thank you! So many young and truly valiant brave men we lost in WWII. It is absolutely heartbreaking.
It is interesting to see. They used to photograph these giants with smaller men to add to the illusion. You could be on to something with the Happy Camper. Maybe someone will know for sure. Thank you for watching my friend.
Great story about Vance and so sad he made it thru one crash and died a month later. The tall fellow vies with that one that has the Guiness Bk of Records, think his name is Waddle or something. Great video and interested facts as always.
Greetings from Lodi, OH. Now I know where Vance AFB got its name. Remember the movie Twister? The older womans house that was destroyed in the movie was in Waukomis. Never heard of that big Okie guy until now. 🤔
I did not know that was where that house was that got destroyed. I knew there was one that did but I was thinking it was in a different area. Wakita or something I thought. I never got the chance to visit it. But yes the base changed it's name after Vance was killed. Thank you for watching.
@@RhettyforHistory James Grover Tarver "The Texas Giant" He actually played the giant in an early silent movie adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk in 1917. I think i have seen it around youtube before
He lived to a really good age. Most of those tall men don't seem to make it out of their 30's if they even make it that far. That's very interesting and I appreciate you sharing!
@@RhettyforHistory he lived to enjoy retirement. From what i know he was pretty good friends with his circus crew. I think the guy that was billed as their smallest man was his best man at his wedding
@@RhettyforHistory I wanna say back in 2000ish the county renamed the roads for the new 911 grid. Instead of a rural route address. That's when Happy Camp Rd came along. For years I've tried to figure out if was a person's name or something else.
Puff ball. It's called a puff ball, tho i don't know the latin name. Im sure there are a few varieties; i found one that was a 5 pounder a couple of years ago.
An US half dollar has a diameter of 1.205 inches. A US quarter dollar has a diameter of 0.955 inches. Gotta admit I was surprised that a quarter just now easily fit thru my finger ring. That a quarter inch larger coin fit thru Lewis' ring, as unbelievable as it sounded, is perfectly believable.
At least he has a marker though. He was lost at sea. He also has a street named after him. What can be better than a whole Air Force Base named after him? Difficult to get a bigger memorial tham that.
It's good to know this giant man had so many friends and is buried next to his family. Most giants have a benign tumor on the pituitary gland that causes the production of too much growth hormone.
It is a tragic story. To know he was happy he made it thru something horrible and was probably happy to be going home makes it really sad. Thank you for watching!
I had never heard of them being called anything but that name would sure make sense. Thank you for watching. Always great to see another Oklahoman on here!
I’ve read the names and information on veterans grave markers out loud when I see them ever since I was a little boy. Nobody ever encouraged me to do this it’s just something I’ve always done. I do encourage my kids and their friends to do this because these men and women deserve to have their names said out loud from time to time. Hopefully someone will do the same for me some day. I like seeing and hearing you do the same thing. You have a big following on RU-vid, maybe you should encourage the practice too. I want to tell you again how much I enjoy your material on here.
I'm glad you all do that and it's nice to hear others into the same thing that I am. I believe that everyone deserves to be remembered. Veterans have always been near and dear to me. We need more people doing what you all are doing. Thank you for watching!
When I saw you were in Wakomis I was wondering if you were going to show Happy Camp's grave. My mother worked for the Republican Caucus at the OK Legislature when Happy was a member and he was one of her bosses. I was just a kid but I remember him and when he ran for Congress my mother volunteered to work for his campaign.
Thank you for these videos. I am from Ponca City and have been to that town. But I had no idea about the Giant man or the Medal of Honor winner. I will go by there to show my respects next time through there.
I'm glad to hear you are learning about some people you did not know about. I love finding these lesser known people and making them a little more well known. They were famous in their time. Thank you for watching!
those are called Giant Puffball Mushroom (Langermannia gigantea) while the flesh is still white, it may be cooked as slices fried in butter, with a strong earthy, mushroom flavor. here is a web site with more information en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffball Great Video I pray that you stay safe and healthy until next time Peace Out
Very interesting and thank you for sharing some additional information on the mushrooms Jamie. I had no idea you could eat those. I appreciate you watching!
This was very interesting! You were in my part of the state. I remember "Happy" Camp (I don't know that I ever heard his real name before). I have been to this cemetery. My aunt and uncle are buried there. Thank you for taking me down Memory Lane with all those names that I heard growing up!
You're welcome. I definitely have more to cover up your way. This cemetery was so well cared for and I love to see that. It's always comforting when there are loved ones in cemeteries as great as this one. Thank you for watching Raynona!
Just remember Eleanor Bishop is an OSU graduate and always has Pistol Pete on her desk....so I'm going to sa at that there's at least a writer with OK ties.
So glad I found your site. It's like having a American history lesson. I might be from Australia but enjoy learning your history. Thank you so much for making such interesting videos. Have plenty now to keep me occupied as here we are still in isolation stage 2 of the Pandemic. I live in a retirement village & have security at our one & only entrance. Details are taken of those who enter as well as temperature. Those15 & under are not allowed to enter. I hope you are keeping safe & I pray for your country with all the sadness you are experiencing. 🇦🇺🐨👍🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Australia
I'm glad you found the channel as well and I'm glad you're enjoying the history. This has been a rough year for everyone all around the world. I'm hoping we can pull thru a lot of this soon. I'm ready to move on to greener pastures. I had no idea that Australia was in some sort of lock down. Stay safe over there!
This was very Interesting, my mother when young, was a waitress in Bellevue Ohio, she said she served an 8foot young man, he worked for them as a moskot for shoes, she said he was a nice Gentlman, he died young at the age of 26..
@@RhettyforHistory I think that guy she is talking about was "Waldo" (last name). or something like it. He went all over the country for some some shoe company. My dad told me about him, said he met him in a shoe store in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (I am not sure about the name!)
My dad was in WWII and his said Army Air Corp as the Air Force wasn’t designated until after WWII. It was called Army Air Corp and was specially trained under same AAC. They all make me so proud our military’s!
Yes you are correct. My grandfather on my paternal side was a belly gunner in the Army Air Corps during WW2 and the other on my maternal side was a fighter pilot during WW2. My maternal grandfather went on and made a career of the military. He made the transition from the Army Air Corps to the Air Force when it changed in 1947. It is common for it to be called Army Air Force as well. It's sort of where the Air Force name originated as you had ground forces as well.
Why’d the government military write that? I don’t remember did he die in that war? Otherwise if he stayed in during the Korean ( War ) then that would’ve changed it to Air Force. I will ask my retired bro in law. He retired from the Army a Major.
Those are indian gourds or bear gourds. They grown like squash in colorado. Start out looking like a gourd/squash. Really neat but no known use. They say you can make jelly, but...
Just what I needed on this cold winter morning in Australia Sitting in a warm bed with a hot cup of tea , watching Rhetty , it’s going to be a good day 😀
Vance was a true hero. His name lives on in the base named after him. I hope they teach people who are stationed there about him. Thank you for watching!
Great history ! What a terrible way to die. It sounds like everybody cared and loved about him. So I would call him the gentle giant. Bless his heart. And so many military Graves.
There are a few interesting characters from Waukomis. There is a mural downtown that shows them. It includes the giant. There is a restaurant downtown called "Mo's Place" that has lots of pictures of Waukomis history. INcluding one of the Giant.
I’m from Brazil and I have been studying English and I do love to understand you speaking , is clear to me. You could do same videos of wester films location spots and (places were western movies was filmed)
I would love to do that. There aren't many filmed where I am at so I would need to travel to those locations. I've always thought they should film in Oklahoma. Thank you for watching!
@@RhettyforHistory The actor Ben Johnson was a real cowboy that worked on a ranch in Oklahoma. He was in western movies, who knows, maybe some made in Oklahoma.
Thanks Rhetty, another great one. I am enjoying going back and catching up on all your videos, I’m an hour and 20 minutes out of Sydney so in a 2 week lock down right now. I enjoy all the history you bring to me, it’s so fascinating. 👍❤️🇦🇺
Thank you so much for going back and watching some older videos. I'm happy to hear you are enjoying them. I had no idea there was another lock down going on over there.
@@RhettyforHistory 2.30 am here and I can’t sleep. Sydney has an outbreak of the fast spreading delta variant of COVID, as Wollongong is only 1 hour 20 minutes away, we have been included as apart of greater Sydney area. Wollongong is in the Illawarra (not Sydney) and the Illawarra and Shoalhaven area combined have 400,000 residents out of that number there is 160 COVID cases so far, 125 of those were acquired overseas. Very scary times, I hope your family is doing well.
@@RhettyforHistory you can leave your home to go to work, go to the supermarket, or exercise (no gym or anything like that) outdoor walk, run or bike ride. No visiting anyone unless you are looking after them. My daughter is in her 3rd at University and hasn’t been in there since she completed her first year, it was supposed to go back soon and now it’s off again. She is sick of doing it online. I think the yearly fee should be a lot cheaper as they aren’t getting any help from teachers when they are stuck on something. It’s terrible that the fees are the same.
That is sad to hear on all of it. I agree that the fees for your daughter's university should be less. Definitely not the best schooling experience she could have. There is really no telling when she will go back either. Is there a possibility of transferring online to somewhere else?
Rhetty for History no worries. Some are edible but they have to be pure white inside the yellow ones are either imposters or spoiled. They are good sautéed in butter.
I had not heard of this man before. It is good to hear the names of our war heroes, too. Also, those mushrooms are giant puffballs, and if harvested young, are quite good to eat.
