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Show Huge Crowd Greets POW Ray Church on Friday! ....... JCrj!, K ' ' tl t J ' 1 z , , t. "i ;- X- i . T'-i ' , ' V t .? V" . . 1 Uppen picture shows a part of Lower picture Here's Ray, on mother is at the left, his father the hundreds who met Ray the first course of the family at the Tight, by his sister, Sarah atTrnoon! wi tl Ray sTandg in Friday afternoon, at the Finlinson. surrounded by some the fire truck. home of his brother. Grant. His of his nieces and nephews. Pvt. Ray Howard Church, USMC, returned to Delta Friday afternoon, just five years exactly since he left to Join the service, and since Dec. 12, 1941, at Guam, he had been a POW of the Japanese, until liberation lib-eration early in September. He came home by way of Guam by plane, and then by ship to San Diego, where they docked a week ago Friday. Saturday he phoned his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Church the first time they had heard his voice since Jan. 1, 1941, when he was home on furlough for several days. Huge crowds greeted the returning return-ing veterans at San Diego, with bands, banners, speeches and even beautiful movie stars to kiss their cheeks. And Ray was prepared for a small gathering at the Delta station, as he had read a Chronicle while he was waiting at the naval hospital in San Diego, the very one that told of the plans afoot. But even the crowd itself was unprepared un-prepared for the hundreds of friends frie-nds and neighbors and high school mates that surounded the Church family, waiting to welcome Ray home on the 2:33. Servicemen with tjie Colors were there; the D H S band was there, the firetruck was there; and men women -and children child-ren packed from the station along the tracks for a block, all jubilant over the safe arrival home of this young Marine. When he stepped from the train he was immediately capsized by a wave of embraces and handclasps. In a few moments he was lifted onto some stout shoulders and carried car-ried to stand on the fire truck, where all could see him and shout their welcomes. The parade was formed then, led by the Colors and guard, then the band, then Ray, and followed by cars and marchers. The streets were lined by Deltans, to the First Ward church corner. Here they halted where Ray spoke a few words, after which he joined his family, and the procession brokeup. All the family gathered then at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Grant Church, where dinner was served, and Ray was plied with food till his tunic could stand no more. Friday night after a good visit they went to their homes early. Saturday at 4 a. m., his brothers,, in heartless fashion, snatched him from his bed to go deer hunting. And so he went, and got a buck with four points. Sunday all the family that are here spent the day with Ray at the home of the parents, for dinner and a general good time. They attended at-tended church in the Delta Third Ward. Ray is home on a 30-day conval escent leave, at the end of which he returns the San Diego. He was thoroughly checked there in the hospital before his leave, and will be checked again on his return there. His weight now is about 175, lose to his normal weight of 180 to 190. He had lost 42 pounds while a prisoner, but gained rapidly as soon as he got where there was food. He has enjoyed every bite of the home-cooking since his return, as much as those preparing it enjoy seeing him attack it with such relish. rel-ish. There is no sign of weakening on either side up to date. And neither has any rice been served. It will be remembered here that Ray has an unusually fine baritone bari-tone voice, often heard in school and church programs. It was not neglected during his imprisonment, . as singing was one of the prisoners' prison-ers' few diversions. On Christmas last year in their camp in Osaka, the prisoners got their first Red Cross parcels, lifting their spirits so that they sang and sang, finally all joining on God Bless America. A rule was laid down then no more singing by groups of more than 10. The program at the Delta third ward meeting next Sunday night will be given by the Church family, fam-ily, and Ray is slated for some singing then. |