I will interject a new Chronicle into the stream of older editions at this point.

Ingram Chronicle

Volume 7 Number 2

30 January 2009

We had an interesting event in Yuma on Thursday, with the dedication of the new Agriculture and Science Building along with the new "3C" (College Commons Center) building. I have a number of images of these rather startling structures.

The first is the "3C" building, from the area in front of the Sci-Ag building. This is a view along the west front of the Sci-Ag building. The Ceremonies were held in the area under the "3C" building, with a ribbon cutting after the several talks by the rather proud officials and contractors! I have a number of pieces of the ribbon that I was able to cut, alongside Professor Fred Croxen (Geology & Earth Sciences}. I had sat with Professor Sam Colton (Welding Tech) through the talks. It was rather interesting to see and talk to a number of the old staff, both faculty and support. There were several past members of the AWC District Governing Boards present also. I was the principal contributer to the design of the old Chemistry building, years ago. We had been assured that there would be a new Science building "soon" but it has taken many years to see this building rise from the desert and gleam in the sun with its stainless steel exterior and many "green" features, such as solar panels for power production and the reflective skin to reduce thermal heating from the sun!

This next is a view of the south side of the Sci-Ag building along the new, larger parking lot between the campus and 24th Street.

The "skin" of the building is quite bright and shiny, with the large array of shiny metal covering the structure. I will have to see about getting some interior views of the classrooms and laboratories for Geology, Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy. They do have a wide array of highly sophisticated electronic audio-visual, still- and motion-picture systems and computer arrays available to the instructors. I don't think that my teaching methods would be adequate to this new system!

The general contractor was Pilkington Construction of Yuma, and almost all of the sub-contractors, electrical, HVAC, concrete, steel, etc., were local as well. This is the major part of the $70 million bond issue of 2004, with additional structures in Wellton, San Luis, Quartzite, and Parker. I feel that the construction appears to be outstanding, state-of-the-art for 2009!

The NAU-Yuma has also added another building next to the new Sci-Ag one, for their Science courses. A new Kathy Watson Child Development Education Center has also been added recently, so the old small close-quartered campus has really expanded far beyond the old clustered buildings. Such is change!

Ingram Chronicle
Volume 2 Number 7
Today is 10 September, and we have
been back in Yuma for several weeks. The old routine is taking hold on us again. Mother is busy with the Meetinghouse Library again, Rosie is substitute teaching in the schools, and I am back busy with the Yuma Stake Employment Center.
We had a very enjoyable time in Salt Lake City and Jackson, Wyoming. We had a fun time seeing the sights in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, along with trips to the tram up to the top of Renedzvous Mountain from Teton Village and floating down the Snake River from Wilson Bridge to South Park Bridge--about 13 river miles. We saw a lot of bald eagles and other avian species then. We saw quite a number of wapiti (elk) in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone--picture below--but we saw no bears or bison.
The Native Americans were performing their native dances and displaying their fine arts at Teton Village, just north of Jackson. We were well entertained by the small Pow Wow there. They were very special people.
We are preparing to go on our cruise in October, if the hurricanes leave any of Florida there to visit! "Charlie", "Frances", and "Ivan" seem to be (have been) very bad for that part of the country. "Frances's rains as she moved north up the coast really played havoc with the coastal states
The scenery in Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs was as expected spectacular and grand. There wasn't much wildlife in the parks this time--a few wapiti or elk along the roadsides and in the streams.
I am having a lot of problems trying to get any coherency in these Chronicles--there has been a long space between issues.
Aunt Genevieve Bennett fell and broke her pelvis and sacrum while we were in SLC--she is improving, has been home since before we left to return home. Aunt Frances is moving into an Elders Housing place in Dallas--no more lawn-mowing and other outside chores for her. Aunt Anna is suffering further inroads of her decline in health--we are all getting a lot older! And the parts are all wearing out.
I have suffered a torn medial ligament in my left knee--may need orthoscopic surgery in November--we shall keep you informed as to the prognosis and prospects for recovery.

Ingram Chronicle
Volume 2 Number 6
The Sunday before we left—27 June, your mother and I had the opportunity to speak on a patriotic theme at Sacrament Meeting. The Bishopric caught us before we could get out of town. It was a good talk by your Mom. I had found several references to patriotic themes on the Church WebPage <www.lds.org> and the extensive magazine articles by the General Authorities. I don’t mind stealing ideas and thoughts from the best—Pres. Benson, Elder Oakes, etc. Our text was from Ether 2:11, on the blessed nature of this land as a land of freedom, as long as we held to the laws and commandments of God.
I must relate somewhat about our travel from Yuma to Salt Lake City. We started out quite late in the day—I had misplaced my Temple Recommend and had to make a quick connection with Bishop Squires and President Spencer to replace that. We were finally on the road about 1:30 PM, I started off driving the Ford Ranger—Rosie and Becky will return to Yuma in that next week—I was out on US95 toward the College when your mother and the girls caught up with me and took the lead.
All was fine, until we stopped at the Pilot filling station on I-40 and AZ95—after we’d filled both gas tanks, I moved the Ranger off the pump line to park it by the store—your mother couldn’t get the van to start! Not a single peep—nothing! I then tried to jump start the van with the Ranger—no go!
I then made recourse to the AAA roadside assistance. Shortly, a nice fellow showed up with his flat-bed tow truck—and was able use his portable jump-start battery to get the van running. Your mother had found that the battery was from Wal-Mart (ticket and warranty)—and there was a Wal-Mart 20 miles back in Lake Havasu City. I then drove the van to the store—the fellow followed us to Wal-Mart in the tow truck—and around back looking for the automotive department—ain’t none—and the van died there for good. I went through the J. C. Penney store to go into the Wal-Mart and bought a new battery—had to call a roadside service mechanic—no help from Wal-Mart! No mechanics! The new battery checked out ok and the other electrical systems were fine.
We were finally on the road to Mesquite—to follow Rosie and Becky—who’d taken off from the Pilot store while we awaited the AAA roadside service. Mother and I grabbed a quick bite in Las Vegas at the Golden Arches—and arrived in Mesquite just before midnight. The remainder of the trip was nothing off beat, except for the several construction projects—Rosie and Becky stopped in Cedar City to take in a play at the Shakespeare Festival, "My Fair Lady"—they will see another on their way back home next week, "Taming of the Shrew".
On the way into SLC, we stopped off to visit your Aunt Genevieve Bennett, who’s in the rehab center at Highland Care Center, recovering from her fall in the family back yard. She has breaks in her pelvis and saccrum, quite painful and slow mending.
We have now passed over the glorious Fourth of July and all its excitement—fireworks, picnic, and all. Your mother and I, along with Rosalyn and Becky are enjoying the opportunity to visit with all the various family here in Salt Lake City.
We have visited with Bob and Marcia, and their family, briefly on the 3rd, just before they took off for Bob’s tour at San Diego for his Naval Reserve "Cruise" on the beach.
Your uncle Robert Fonnesbeck, along with Jens and Eric passed through on their way to Provo and then returned with Kris and her sister on their way to Costa Mesa—Robert had to be to his Bishopric Meeting at 6:30 AM on Sunday, the Fourth! He is the new Bishop there.
Kathryn came through from helping Michael move into new digs in Saint Louis—and is as busy as ever.
We had a fun picnic dinner with the Torres crowd—Annette and Emerito, Peter and Sarah with little Max, Aaron and Hillery, and Jennifer and Tim. Sarah’s Mom Ann was there with Bishop Brad Stewart and his wife and daughter.
We have made some contacts with others in the family and friends—Aunt Elaine Rasmusson, Julie Halterman, Caroline Ugolini, and Bill Breck. We hope to visit as many as we can—so as to renew our fellowship with the clan. We’ve had some contacts with Brian, thanks to the cell-‘phones that we have.
Hermana Maria Torres is due to return from her mission in Central America this next week, 23 July—to report on that next Sunday in the Parley’s 4th Ward—it will be good to see her again. She has reported such good things to your Grandfather Fonnesbeck.
Also, I’ve been enjoying the notes from Elder Brandon J. L. Ingram from the Honduras Teguchigalpa Mission in Central America. His adventures are quite important to your mother and I. As you may have noted, I’ve tried to share these with you all as they have come in—his dad is now sending them on to the mailing list that I was using.
As you can see, we are doing just fine at the moment. I hope to spend a day or two in the Family History Library here in SLC, doing some more research on the family tree—trying to follow up on a few new leads to pursue the John Ingram line back into England, perhaps to York. The detective work goes on—where it will lead I don’t know, but I am hopeful to find more than I know about them at present.
This will suffice for the moment—May God Bless You All—Dad

Ingram Chronicle

Volume 2 Number 5

Well, May has passed, and June is here, so here is the next issue of the "Chronicle."

Your mother and I have been to Phoenix to the 2004 Convention of the All-Arizona School Retirees' Association (AASRA) and we both had a great time, meeting with all the people from across Arizona, and hearing very good speakers on a variety of topics, ranging from Jana Boomersbach on "Winnie Ruth Judd, the Trunk Murderess," to reports from the legislative lobbyists of the AASRA at the Phoenix State House, to reports from the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) on coming changes in payments and medical insurance--coming attractions. We do have a very good group, with about 100 in attendance at the convention.

We are still looking forward to being able to go away from Yuma for a while--to SLC and Jackson--to see some things that we've seen before, but may see in a new way this time. We have received a notice from ORE regarding our scheduled stay at Jackson, Wyoming at the end of July--a really beautiful location in the mountains of the everlasting hills!

Here are the three cuties with their cakes before the great destruction struck them! We celebrated the birthdays of our of three of our great-granddaughters at the park by the Yuma water tower and the water play spot--lots of fun for the little ones and for the not-so-little-ones--we are enjoying the rare opportunities to see the expanding family as these little ones are added to the family. Ah! How we look fondly on these sweet little spirits as they come into our life!

Here is their beautiful birthday cake!

Today, as I sit in the office, listening to the Reagan Funeral Service, I reflect on the happenings of these past few years, the changes that have transpired in the world. After my experiences in Korea and the experiences of others in Viet Nam, who could really believe that the USSR would actually collapse within the next few years. That the Church would be active and growing in Eastern Europe and Asia! Stakes and Missions in places far beyond our human imaginings! The Work of the Lord goes forward apace! From only 10 Temples in operation, mostly on the Wasach Front, to well over 100 Temples across the World!

I am still working on the family history and genealogy--looking to extend the lines further back--I have found the first Ingram--John or Robert(?) who came to Virginia early, with at least one son, John, who later received land grants from Sir William Berkeley, Royal Governor of the Colony, for aiding the transport of a number of individuals to the Colony. I have yet to find where in England out forebear came, I haven't found what vessel he came to Virginia in or exactly when--by the 1640s--young John was also born somewhere in England in 1618 or 1620.

Ingram Chronicle
Volume 2 Number 4
We are now in The Great Month of April! With Conferences all over the place, Yuma Arizona Stake, General and Yuma First Ward. We were able to participate at many meetings with really great speakers. We are enjoying relatively good weather--a few short rain showers have passed through--just enough to get the freshly washed cars dirty! And not enough to do more than stir up the dust. And not really enough snow in the mountains of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado to recharge the reservoirs along the Colorado River! Maybe more snows next year?
The general health of all here is still good--with a few minor ailments as usual with the onset of Spring--just normal, I presume.
Here is a recent photo of your Mom and I taken at the Wal-Mart Studio here in Yuma.
We are nearing the end of the school year, with final exams just around the corner, and winding up the class in metallurgy. I hope to see more students follow this large class--14 attending classes! We've had some good experiences in the classroom and in the laboratory. There will be continuing growth in enrollments as time goes on--more welders and machinists are needed as the area gains in industrial and agricultural needs, along with the ongoing military establishments. I have a number of men from the MCAS, military and civilian, seeking to improve their understanding of the trades and crafts that they already endeavor to use in their employment. I will lose about three or four of the class before the final exam--they will be deployed to the East Coast in the next two weeks--to service the F-18s and other aircraft in the Carolinas. I'll have to establish a method for them to take the final remotely, before they go on their way, to ensure that they earn their full credit for the course.
I've been using an electronic process for their homework and class and laboratory assignments--to show that they are in tune with the new technology for communicating with the world. I am still getting used to this idea myself, seeking to further ground myself in the technology--there are many glitches in the system--such as images and organization of the work on the electronic page. I hope that I can manage to learn the new along with the students. I'll just have to keep trying to learn the ins-and-outs of the system.
I am glad that Bob has seen fit to forward the letter from Brandon to us--I have shared it with your Mom and Rosy--I will have to add the e-mail address for Brandon to the distribution list for these Ingram Chronicles. We've also received snail mail from Sister Wendy Camerena--who's bound for the Switzerland Bern (French Speaking) Mission--from the Yuma First Ward! She is a niece of Moses Camerena of AWC, daughter of Adam Camerena, who's married to Suzanne Parker. She is a really sweet young lady, a real go-getter, and will be very successful on her mission! Her dad was a student of mine some time back.
Time has flown and I am just getting back to this issue with some small news. I've been busy with the Eagle Scout affairs of the Ocotillo District--I've been the Advancement Chairman of the district for some time, and have been responsible for setting up and holding the Eagle Scout Boards of Review! We've had about six or eight young men complete the Eagle Scout process so far this year. Tonight (11 May) we had Darrell Skousen of Hyder Branch here with his parents--a very fine young man.
We got an e-mail this week from Caroline Ugolini, in Sandy, UT, informing us that my sister Genevieve Bennett had fallen and broken her pelvis and was undergoing physical therapy for the recovery process--she had been helping your Uncle Clyde about the house and fell in the back yard. Times are tough. We all hope that she will recover quickly.

Ingram Chronicle
January 2004 Volume 2, Number 1
Hello to all!
Here it is the second day of the New Year! We just received another four inches of snow last night on top of the previous three feet that had fallen earlier. Here is a view of the neighborhood with the fresh coverage of snow!
This trip has really been an adventure. Your mother and I traveled to San Diego on Friday, 26 Dec 2003 to assist with Robert E. Ingram, Junior’s wedding on Saturday at the San Diego Temple.
After the affairs of Saturday, your mother and I, along with Candice and Brandon, traveled to Primm, NV to drop Brandon off to travel further with his dad to SLC.
I-15 was a royal mess through the area east of Los Angeles, near San Bernardino—a real slow moving parking lot! We were in a real traffic snarl for over 100 miles—all the Christmas Week crowd going home, the New Years Week crowd going out, and the regular Sunday traffic—more than the interstate could properly handle. We took a rest stop in Barstow, visited the Del Taco for lunch, then returned to the road—eventually clearing the mass of traffic before we reached the Cal-Nevada state line, and the casinos of Primm.
We registered Brandon in the casino hotel, and as we were saying our good-byes, Mathew hit the door—Bob and Marcia had just checked in to the other room at the hotel!
Your mother, Candice and I continued on up I-15 through Las Vegas to Mesquite, NV, to the new Ramada Hotel, where I had made reservations for the night for us—a beautiful place without a casino, above the town in "West Mesquite". We had arrived at the Las Vegas Strip area just at the dinner hour and show time! I-15 at Las Vegas was another slow moving parking lot for about 15 miles—the length of the Strip! Gutter to gutter and bumper to bumper with a lot of traffic! We survived the jam, but with frazzled nerves!
Other than that, the trip to Salt Lake City was uneventful—with increasing amounts of snow on the roadsides as we neared SLC. The roads were only slushy or wet—no real snow—the plows had done their jobs well.
On New Years Eve we had a gathering of many of the family here at Grandfather Fonnesbeck’s to welcome the New Year—but most of us folded our tents early and went with the New York New Year celebration on Times Square! Too tired to wait out ‘til midnight in SLC!
On New Years Day, we had another massing of the family here—with the men watching the Bowl Games on TV and the women visiting in the other room. It has been very good to see as many as we have so far—further visits will be made before we leave for our return to Yuma.
I have resumed the epistle near the end of January after our return from SLC, with the gathering of the family to Yuma, again. Rosie is busy substituting at the various schools, she and her mother have the Primary Achievement Day girls each Tuesday. I am back in the Employment Center office and the Family History Center--we just held the annual Family History Seminar last Saturday--some 170 plus participated in many different classes.
I have been remembering the times in Korea--some fifty or more years ago. I was the duty driver for the ship's pick-up and assigned to make the blood runs to Seoul City Air Field and back to In'chon. The route we took was the MSR#1 up the Han River estuary, through the mainly open country, consisting of market gardens and rice paddies. The legal speed limit on the MSR was only 25mph, which I would do going up to Seoul, taking about 2 1/2 hours. With the several cases of chilled whole blood in the bed of the truck, I had to make the return trip in under one hour--to be able to get the blood to the ship in good condition--the dry ice and regular ice would be gone at the legal pace! I would usually get flagged down in one of the little villages along the way, where the Army MP Battalion had a speed check point. After a short discussion with the MPs, I'd resume my way at my usual 45-50 mph to get to the beach as quickly as possible. I would then turn the "tickets" over to the Officer of the Deck for processing. Once, the CO of the MP Battalion was at the speed check point, and tried to read the riot act to me. I simply told him to sign the ticket and let me get the whole blood to the Haven! That really ticked him off, but he had to let me go on, since I was able to show him the manifest for the blood cargo I was carrying--I reported that stoppage to the OD and was then sent to see the Haven's Captain, Capt. Hamblett.
After I had explained the reasons for the series of speeding tickets, he wrote a letter to the CO of the MP Battalion, with a copy to the CG of the First Marine Division and the UN HQ in Tokyo (MacArthur!). After that, the MPs simply flagged me on through on my return trips!
I was always encountering some units of the 1st MarDiv, and was careful to inform them that I was from the Haven--and got very kind treatment from them--I just didn't tell them I was an ET and not an HC (corpsman/medic).
It was very interesting to be at In'chon, where the tides ranged over 45 to 60 feet between high and low water. The ebb and flow was very strong there--once the Captain's Gig of the HMS Newcastle tried to cross over to the Haven for a visit, but couldn't make sufficient headway against the ebbing tide--so our launch had to go and tow them back to us, rather than their being swept out into the Yellow Sea!
I am looking into my other medals from the Republic of Korea--I have received my ROK Korean War Service medal and should soon receive my individual medal for the ROK Presidential Unit Citation to the Have. I hope to put them together in a "shadow box" frame for display at home--if I can find a bare spot of wall for hanging the frame!
I just received some pictures of my Dallas sisters from my niece, Macia Melaun Hurni. We have Anna (Marcia's mom and my oldest sister), Charlotte (Marcia's sister), and Frances (my sister). The next one is of Marcia and her husband.
I will have to include some more pictures from the SLC visit later.
Love
Dad

Ingram Chronicle
February 2004 Volume 2 Number 2
This picture is of a miniature casting of the sculpture by Robert Merrill, of the LDS Church, for the final casting of the full size (9') statue of a Mormon Battalion member to be erected in the West Wetlands Statuary Area, near the Colorado River, to commemorate the passage of the Mormon Battalion through the Yuma area around 1 January 1847. There have been 100 of these produced, to be sold at $3000 each to raise the $200K needed to complete the project. There will also be medallions in gold, silver, copper, and bronze, along with plaques of the armamentaria of a soldier of the period for sale as part of the fund raising by a group that calls itself the "Army of the West."
Here we are near the end of February, and I am just now getting thoughts in order for this edition of the Ingram Chronicle. I went to the monthly meeting of the Yuma County Retired School Employees Association yesterday, to visit the new Yuma City Hall at One Civic Plaza--at the end of Orange Avenue and Giss Parkway. This statue was on display in the office of the Mayor of Yuma, Brother Larry Nelson. This reminds us of the small statue of Parley P Pratt that is on display in the Ward building that was being shared by the Parley's 4th Ward during the refitting of the Rosslyn Heights building (around the corner from Grandfather Frank's). That full sized statue is placed at the junction of South 23rd East and East 21st South in front of the Albertson's Store.
We are enjoying the usual fine weather of a usual Yuma Winter, with occasional rains but otherwise good, comfortable weather. We've had some rain through the area, but we'd rather the moisture end up in Wyoming, Colorado or eastern Utah, to fill the reservoirs on the Colorado and Green Rivers--to store the water for our later use here in the Yuma area! The rain has forced me to replace the wiper blades on my Ranger and Rosie's Ford pickup trucks.
School is progressing as usual, with the students striving to keep up with the lectures and laboratories--I am enjoying another session of the Metallurgy class at AWC. I have the largest group of students ever--16 enrolled and 15 attending classes. We are in the midst of the Heat Treatment/Hardness sequence of laboratory tests--we will be testing the Rockwell Hardness as soon as the metal has been finished by the class members for that procedure--sanding and polishing to 0.3 micrometer finish! Then we will etch the metal to see the grain structure of the metal as altered by the heat treatment and different quenches--oil, brine, water, air, and furnace cooling.
The AWC Student Chapter of the American Welding Society went to San Diego for a meeting of the Southern California Section of AWS at the plant of High Technology Welding, Inc. where we were shown some high tech examples of welding research for the USN--on exotic metals for construction of fast ships. We all enjoyed the meal and the talk and demonstrations there.
I have completed the shadow box for my medals from the Korean War Era….and have it hung in the living room. I am not trying to brag, I think, but I feel that I should be allowed to display them there, unobtrusively. The medals are the National Defense Service medal, for service between 31 October 1950 and 28 August 1954, the Korean War Service medal with several bronze combat stars, for service in the USS Haven (AH12) from October 1951 to January 1953, the United Nations Korean War Service medal for the same service, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation medal for service to the ROK Army and ROK Marines in the USS Haven, and the ROK War Service medal, for service in Korea during the Korean War.
I was able to prepare a shadowbox for the Purple Heart medal that Bob Denman, jr., earned in Viet Nam, and present it to him so that he could display it in his home. I hope that my listening ear has helped him overcome some of his post-traumatic shock affliction from that period. We can sit and share a few war stories with each other, like a pair of old veterans refighting the old wars all over again. He also has called on me for "advice" or encouragement with his involvement in various hazardous material incidents--he had been a student in my HazMat classes for the Fire Departments (Yuma, Rural-Metro, and MCAS). It is still interesting to go out on an incident scene and share some insight into the proper handling of the materials.
I was out to the Yuma Unit of the Arizona State Prison a few Sundays ago, with Bob DeShazo, an old crop-duster pilot, and got to swap lies about flying in the old days--when I was in the CAP Cadets of the Dallas Squadron of the Texas Wing of the U. S. Civil Air Patrol. When we flew real airplanes--old Piper L4 and Stinson L5 two-seater planes, and I got to ride with the USAF Captain (USAF laiason to the Texas Wing) in the AT-6 on search missions--those were the days--I had about 35 to 40 hours of actual flying time (at the controls) along with several hundred hours as an observer on searches and flood surveys of the Trinity River at flood stage. Bob was telling me of his earliest experiences with flying helicopters to do the crop-dusting in Yuma and Imperial counties. And flying the peace officers on searches of the desert for various miscreants. We had a good time shooting the breeze as we usually do.
I will have to complete this later--before the end of the month--didn't get it done--it is now early March--will have to go with this part now-
-Love to all,
Dad

Follow-up on the Chronicle!


Ingram Chronicle
March 2004 Volume 2 Number 3
Here it is, March, and another month is about over! How time flies! I've been in contact with the old USS Haven (AH-12) crew--there is to be a Crew Reunion in Seattle this summer--I am not going to be able to make that trip--but I have run into some rather interesting items on the web page <http://www.usshaven.com/> with some interesting facts and photos of the old boat.
USS Haven (AH-12) underway at sea.
The Haven at In'Chon, Korea with barges rigged for helicopter landing platforms.
The Haven at anchor with a boat boom on port side, streaming the launch and gig.
Here follows a segment from the history of the Haven ". . . this is my story", an account of the voyages and service of the Haven in Korea:
"On 4 February 1951 an urgent message was received, ordering the vessel to Pusan to augment the medical facilities of USS CONSOLATION (AH-15). Casualties were very heavy during the Communist offensive, and about 700 patients were admitted during the nine days the ship was in port. From Pusan, the ship was ordered to Inchon, arriving on 16 February. There were only a limited number of United Nations personnel on duty in the Inchon area. The Communists controlled the hills surrounding Kimpo airfield, thereby preventing ambulance planes from ferrying patients to where they could be evacuated to HAVEN. These two factors kept the ship from much medical activity during her six-week stay. When HAVEN returned to Pusan on 26 April, the Communists offensive had reached terrific proportions, and HAVEN's daily patient load reached 500. On 22 September she underwent a change of command, when Captain C.B. Hamblett, USNR, took command. Captain G.G. Blodgett, MC, USN, had previously taken command of the hospital, relieving Captain C.D. Riggs, MC, USN. HAVEN's first cruise in the Far East ended on 16 October 1951 when she set course for home, after having admitted over 8,500 patients while treating an additional 23,000 outpatients.
"HAVEN left San Francisco on 7 January 1952 to begin her second Korean tour, which covered a period of nine months. Operating in Pusan and Inchon, she received patients by train and helicopter from the front lines. She returned to Japan three times for the short stays necessary to evacuate patients and to effect repairs, receiving and treating a total of 3,367 patients. Fifty-four percent of these where subsequently discharged from the ship and returned to duty. The efficiency and worth of the ship is reflected in the low death rate, only one half of one percent of all cases handled. Her signal success can best be appreciated by taking into account the fact that a large proportion of her cases were serious battle casualties, requiring immediate and specialized care. Stationed at In'Chon in August 1952, HAVEN found her facilities and personnel put to a rigorous test as the results of the bitter Bunker Hill fighting, which had just begun. Over 1200 patients were treated in a single month. In recognition of her valiant support of the United Nations battle for freedom, President Syngman Ree awarded the ship the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. On 16 September, just prior to her departure, General Lemuel Shepherd, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corp, visited HAVEN personally to render his thanks for what he termed the "loving care" given to his troops in Korea. "
I was aboard her for that second deployment to Pusan and In'Chon in Korea. We were very busy with the aid of the USS Consolation (AH-15) and USS Repose (AH16) as the major hospitals in Korea for the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Air Wing and the many other Naval units in Korean waters. While in Pusan, I was able to make a few small trips into the Korean countryside, to the Korean Naval Academy at Chen'Hae and to some small fishing villages a short distance from Pusan.
While the Haven was at In'Chon, the ship was moored at anchor in the Han River estuary, due to the 60-65' tide range--and all movements were by boat to and from the ship. The harbor basin at In'Chon was not large enough to accommodate the larger ships. It was still being rebuilt from the damages suffered in WW2.
As the ship's motor vehicle driver, I made trips to Seoul City Air Field to collect and deliver quantities of whole blood for our patients--and also collected a series of speeding tickets on returning from Seoul--the speed limit on the Main Supply Route (MSR) was at 15 mph, which would require about four hours travel time with the blood! I would do about 45 mph, get stopped briefly by the US Army MPs along the way, accept the citation, then resume my course and speed to the Haven at In'Chon. Meeting the boat at the water's edge, the blood was transferred to the ship and to the ship's refrigerated storage, for supplying the injured Marines and others.
We are in the midst of the school year, with the Yuma County Fair next week--30 Mar through 5 April--with the opening "dollar" day on Tuesday. Rosalyn has some of her cross-stitch works in the show--she should get ribbons for her efforts. We will be going to see the show then.
There are plans afoot for a tour to Florida for some of the family--Karene and Tom and extended family are hoping to go to Orlando to visit the Disney properties there. Mother and I shall not be included, although we do have a trip to Fort Lauderdale at some time soon--for a short cruise to the Caribbean--Miami to Cotzumal and return--five days and four nights at sea! We shall see how that turns out. I remember my parents making a number of ocean cruises, to the Eastern Mediterranean and other places--much to their enjoyment and pleasure.
We are having "unseasonally hot" weather at present--several days of 90+°F temperatures--a continental high pressure system has taken early root in the southern Nevada-northwestern Arizona-southwestern Utah region, playing havoc with the regular seasonal flow of cool weather systems into this area--just as you'd expect for the desert southwest! So we are going to have another "usually HOT" summer again!
The College course in Material Science and Metallurgy is going well--I have my largest enrollment of 16--with 14 participating--and have had them respond to my assignments over the Internet. This is getting them involved with more modern technologies as a part of the College out-reach and instruction through all facets of technology. I even have to turn in my course grades by the Internet accesses. Such changes--no more hard copies!

The BIG INNING

This is my first stab at this process of "blogging" and I am not sure what will become of this effort. I contemplate uploading some of my old Ingram Chronicle Files as the basis of this great effort! We shall see what happens down this road. I hope to attract the family and friends to peruse these items as time permits.

Here goes a possible disaster--who can tell the end from the beginning!

Ingram Chronicle
December 2003 Volume 1, Number 1
Dear Family,
I have been thinking that I might follow the example of your Grandfather Fonnesbeck and begin to write a family letter and share some of the thoughts that come to my mind at times. There have been some things that I might put on paper for you.
Here it is the first of December 2003 and we had a very enjoyable family gathering in the park for Thanksgiving dinner. Your mother and I joined with Karene and Tom and family to have a rather fine time together. Pictures are here:

We have been considering our movements over the next month, what with the Robert E. Ingram, Jr. marriage in San Diego just after Christmas and the semiannual visit to Salt Lake City--with all that that entails--we are going to need cloning to cover everything at one time!
We also went to the lighting of the "Friendship Tree" at the Ray Kroc complex--as this picture will show:

I've been taking a class, MFG 191 Machine Tool Operations, in the Technology area at AWC, with some success. I will have to show you my first and second projects products--there are some things that I can now do to be able to show you--but Sam Colton, the teacher, said I shouldn't quit my daytime job just yet, if I am trying to be a machinist.
I have had some success with the Family History searching--I now have linked my mother and father--they were always pretty sure that they had to be related in some way--with the grandfathers both coming from the same county in North Carolina! They were fourth cousins-once removed!
Vernon Dewey Ingram was the son of Robert Lee Ingram, who was the son of George Washington Ingram, who was the son of George W. Ingram, who was the son of Joseph Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, Sr. the common ancestor.
Genevieve Ingram was the daughter of Charles Coppage Ingram, who was the son of Allen Burns Ingram, who was the son of Allen C. Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, who was the son of George Ingram, who was the son of John Ingram, Sr., the common ancestor.
I have reached the Virginia Shores with Robert Ingram, our first immigrant ancestor from England--but I cannot find when or on what ship he came with his son, John Ingram, both being noted as born in England…so the search goes on.
I have found some land grants by the Royal Governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley, to John Ingram for the providing the fares for several indentured servants (poor immigrants) in the early colonial years--so there was some success as agriculturists--or other moneyed successes.
Our Thanksgiving dinner reminded me of some of our family gatherings, when I was still in high school, with Elliott and Dorothy, Anna and Hugh, and Frances, returning with their children to the old home on Denley Drive. We had to work out the order of seating carefully, that some would not feel slighted, not having room for all at one table! I was often relegated to the second table, if not to the second shift, along with the older nieces and nephews. Yes, we had quite a crowd at these affairs.
I was reminded of the old Dallas Branch the other day, when an article appeared in the Church News about the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the Turtle Creek Chapel for the Dallas First Ward, and as the Dallas Stake Center. There was a mention of President Erwin Atkerson, as the first Stake President of the Dallas Stake. He had been the District President of the North Central District of the Texas-Louisiana Mission, when I was baptized. There are not many left from the old Garrett Street (Dallas) Branch of that Mission. There are many Stakes organized in the area of that old Dallas Stake! And a Temple!
And look at Yuma--We have a total of eleven units now, having grown from the earlier three wards from the old Stake--and the El Centro Stake and Blythe Stake also! There may be additional divisions ahead. The Sixth Branch (Winter Visitors) is so large, that there may need to be a division there. There is a new building in San Luis, AZ for the San Luis Branch, which is growing as well. There may be a new building out toward the Foothills-Fortuna Road area because of the growth in the AWC area as well as the Foothills area. Zion is growing and doing quite well here in this portion of the Vinyard!
We had a Scout District Camporee recently and the District Scout-O-Rama, too. There were many interesting Scout displays and activities there--with a fine barbecue to raise funds for local Scouting needs. Being one of the most senior of the local Scouters, I was asked to provide the History Station for the Camporee round of Scout Skill Stations--I tried to explain that I was not that old, I was only three when Baden-Powell died! I did know and understand the necessary facts for the young men to be tested on the basic information on the bringing of the Scouting movement to the US in the 'teens of the last century.
I was not at Brown Sea Island for the very first Scout Camp! I have been to Baden-Powell House in Hyde Park, London. I have been Scouting, man and boy, for some 50 plus years! I have been involved with Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Exploring, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing, along the way. I have been a unit Committee Chairman, Scoutmaster of Troop 57, and Scoutmaster of National Jamboree Troop 881, District Commissioner, District Round Table Commissioner, and presently serve as District Advancement Chairman and Eagle Board of Review Chairman. I have been to Wood Badge as a participant and served on two Wood Badge Staffs as a Patrol Advisor.
I have been honored with the District Order of Merit Award from the Ocotillo District, Desert Pacific Council and the Silver Beaver Award from the Desert Trails Council. I have received the On My Honor Adult Award for Scouting Service from the Church.