yesterday's tennessee

O. C. Jordan II

By Lillye Younger

Life's A Little Less Hectic Now

PARSONS, Tenn. — "It's been quite difficult adjusting to civilian life after serving 14 years, three months and 20 days in the armed services," says O. C. Jordan II.

As a city letter carrier with the Parsons postoffice, Jordan still considers himself "still with Uncle Sam."

But it's a little less adventurous now, since he decided to give civilian life a try March 16, 1963.

For example, Jordan recalls the time he and his wife spent a week in Rome, Italy — not by choice — when he was in the U. S. Army Air Force.

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan and their firstborn, O. C. Jordan III, were forced to remain in Rome during a transfer from an Italian to a Libyan base.

"We couldn't get a visa on account of our newborn," Jordan recalls. "The exorbitant hotel bill was shocking as well as the high cost of food. After six days we set out for Tripoli."

Jordan began his military career shortly before World War II when he served a stretch in the Merchant Marines. After boot camp, he rode a coal-burning train from New York to San Francisco for six days.

He signed on a cargo ship and later transported fuel along the eastern coastline. His time was soon up and he returned to Parsons.

In September 1946 he volunteered in the U.S. Army Engineer Corps. He was stationed in Korea 13 months, and after 18 months of service accepted his discharge and returned to Parsons to finish high school.

But the lure of the military was too great and in March 1951 he joined the U. S. Air Force and was stationed at Sewart AFB, Tenn. It was -about this time that he married Miss Nina Brewer of Hohenwald, Tenn.

Jordan aid his wife were later transferred to England and they remained there for two years, where he commuted to and from the base by bicycle.

After this stretch the Jordans returned to the States and accepted another discharge. But after 90 days as a civilian, he re-enlisted and was stationed at Elgin AFB, Fla.

After two years he was transferred to Udine, Italy, located 15 miles from the Austrian and Yugoslavian border. While in Udine, Mrs. Jordan had to be evacuated by air 350 miles to the nearest air force hospital to give birth to O. C. III.

In July 1957 the Jordans were transferred to Tripoli, Libya and they remained there "six long months." "We were forced to keep at least three days supply of food in case of a sandstorm," he recalls. "One day a restaurant worker broke an egg on the sidewalk and the hot sun fried it in a few seconds."

After the stint in North Africa, the Jordans again were transferred to Sewart until his discharge.

But — you guessed it — he reenlisted once more and was stationed for two years at Elgin. He received special training at Wichita Falls, Tex., and was transferred to Formosa. Trouble with his knee put him in a hospital for 64 days.

Meanwhile, two children, Cindy and Robert Steven were born.

He was transferred to Panama City, Fla., for two years upon which he returned to Parsons and decided to try a stretch at civilian life.

The Jordans live in his grandfather's house at 301 Bible Hill Road in Parsons, which he bought and modernized.