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Wednesday
March 17, 2010 Since 1922 |
Columnist inspired Hobart Enoch
By Wanda Orton
Contributor Published October 3, 2009 Most of you probably never heard of Andy Anderson, columnist for the old Scripps-Howard newspaper, the Houston Press, but Hobart Enoch will never forget life-changing effect he had on his life.
That was when Hobart, recovering from horrendous wounds suffered in World War II, was at his lowest ebb at McClosky Hospital in Temple.
Andy not only wrote about helping veterans like Hobart in hospitals over the country, but he put his words into action. He hit the road to visit the U.S. military sick and wounded, and along the way, he came up with fresh ideas on how to rehabilitate the patients physically and emotionally.
Before meeting Andy, Hobart had put aside his writing effort, a collection of poems he had started after he was wounded.
A German sniper during the winter of 1943 had shot off part of Hobart’s skull, leaving him paralyzed and near death. Tenaciously he clung to life through months of treatment in Belgian, Dutch and British hospitals and while convalescing, he began to write poems in his letters to his wife. These poems were the beginning of his book, “Dark Clouds and Bronze Stars,” that would be published a decade later.
When Hobart finally was well enough to be transferred to the hospital in his home state, he said his condition “really struck home.” He sank into a deep depression and felt completely useless.
“I had laid off work on my book and hadn’t even thought about it for more than six months because I just felt like I wasn’t good for anything.”
At times Hobart would jot down a few lines of poetry but threw most of them away.
One verse that he saved reflected his feelings then.
I feel like a ship
Battered and lost on the sea.
I flash an SOS
But no rescue comes to aid
As I wallow beat and lame.
Enter Andy Anderson.
The columnist answered the call to help Hobart and countless other veterans. He raised funds for a golf course especially built for the convalescents and taught them how to use those stiff back and leg muscles. A experienced fisherman, he taught courses in casting and gave them his own particular kind of therapy, the “never give up” philosophy.
Thusly inspired, Hobart returned to writing poetry and got back on the road to physical and emotional recovery.
In 1954, Hobart inscribed the first copy of his book of poems to Andy Anderson because “if it hadn’t been for his inspiration I never would have written it.”
He said, “I’ll never forget Andy. He made us feel like we did have some value gain. He kinda gave us pep talks – made us see that things weren’t as bad as they seemed.”
With a front-page story headlined, “Andy shines through in vet’s hour or darkness,” the Houston Press ran a photo of Hobart presenting his book of poetry to Andy.
Hobart didn’t think the columnist would remember him “out of all the thousands of vets” he helped but Andy did remember. “Sure, he was that dark-haired kid who fought like the blazes to get over the golf course we set up at McClosky – and he was wearing braces.”
Hobart remembered Andy with the inscription in the front of the book:
“To Andy Anderson who can never be repaid for all the many things he has done to assist the veterans – I wish to say thanks from the bottom of my heart.”
After discharged from the Army, the Purple Heart veteran returned to his hometown, spending many years as the tax assessor-collector for the Goose Creek school district and as a well-known church and community leader.
In recent years, he and his wife relocated to California to be near their daughter, Janet Nolen. Both are doing great now, Janet said in an e-mail message.
Andy Anderson died in 1956 two years after Hobart’s book was published.
The Handbook of Texas describes him as a sportswriter and humanitarian but to Hobart and countless other veterans of WWII, Andy was much more. He was a life-saver.
Contributor Published October 3, 2009 Most of you probably never heard of Andy Anderson, columnist for the old Scripps-Howard newspaper, the Houston Press, but Hobart Enoch will never forget life-changing effect he had on his life.
That was when Hobart, recovering from horrendous wounds suffered in World War II, was at his lowest ebb at McClosky Hospital in Temple.
Andy not only wrote about helping veterans like Hobart in hospitals over the country, but he put his words into action. He hit the road to visit the U.S. military sick and wounded, and along the way, he came up with fresh ideas on how to rehabilitate the patients physically and emotionally.
Before meeting Andy, Hobart had put aside his writing effort, a collection of poems he had started after he was wounded.
A German sniper during the winter of 1943 had shot off part of Hobart’s skull, leaving him paralyzed and near death. Tenaciously he clung to life through months of treatment in Belgian, Dutch and British hospitals and while convalescing, he began to write poems in his letters to his wife. These poems were the beginning of his book, “Dark Clouds and Bronze Stars,” that would be published a decade later.
When Hobart finally was well enough to be transferred to the hospital in his home state, he said his condition “really struck home.” He sank into a deep depression and felt completely useless.
“I had laid off work on my book and hadn’t even thought about it for more than six months because I just felt like I wasn’t good for anything.”
At times Hobart would jot down a few lines of poetry but threw most of them away.
One verse that he saved reflected his feelings then.
I feel like a ship
Battered and lost on the sea.
I flash an SOS
But no rescue comes to aid
As I wallow beat and lame.
Enter Andy Anderson.
The columnist answered the call to help Hobart and countless other veterans. He raised funds for a golf course especially built for the convalescents and taught them how to use those stiff back and leg muscles. A experienced fisherman, he taught courses in casting and gave them his own particular kind of therapy, the “never give up” philosophy.
Thusly inspired, Hobart returned to writing poetry and got back on the road to physical and emotional recovery.
In 1954, Hobart inscribed the first copy of his book of poems to Andy Anderson because “if it hadn’t been for his inspiration I never would have written it.”
He said, “I’ll never forget Andy. He made us feel like we did have some value gain. He kinda gave us pep talks – made us see that things weren’t as bad as they seemed.”
With a front-page story headlined, “Andy shines through in vet’s hour or darkness,” the Houston Press ran a photo of Hobart presenting his book of poetry to Andy.
Hobart didn’t think the columnist would remember him “out of all the thousands of vets” he helped but Andy did remember. “Sure, he was that dark-haired kid who fought like the blazes to get over the golf course we set up at McClosky – and he was wearing braces.”
Hobart remembered Andy with the inscription in the front of the book:
“To Andy Anderson who can never be repaid for all the many things he has done to assist the veterans – I wish to say thanks from the bottom of my heart.”
After discharged from the Army, the Purple Heart veteran returned to his hometown, spending many years as the tax assessor-collector for the Goose Creek school district and as a well-known church and community leader.
In recent years, he and his wife relocated to California to be near their daughter, Janet Nolen. Both are doing great now, Janet said in an e-mail message.
Andy Anderson died in 1956 two years after Hobart’s book was published.
The Handbook of Texas describes him as a sportswriter and humanitarian but to Hobart and countless other veterans of WWII, Andy was much more. He was a life-saver.