Smith Family: Captain (Ret) Grant Joseph Walker

(1) Grant & Mary Jane Scoles Walker (2) Captain Walker (3) In retirement

I started genealogy late in life. By the time I started most of the people I wanted to talk to had passed
away. In the case of Mary Jane Scoles, a cousin of mine through William Custer Smith, her husband, US Navy Captain Grant J. Walker, was still alive in his 90s with a clear mind and a pleasant way.

I worked through one of his daughters to get an interview with him and I spent about an hour taking him through his life and that of his family.  He told a great story and had a fascinating military life. He was very generous to tell his tale to a complete stranger and I really connected with him.  When I asked him what he was doing these days, he said in a totally self-deprecating way, "Well, I used to play poker, but everyone died."

I learned this week that he passed away at 96, surrounded by his family. 

I will direct you to the published portion of the interview here.

Thank you for your service, Captain Grant, and may you rest in peace.

Captain (Ret) Grant Joseph Walker, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 23, 2021.

Grant was born in Ramey, PA to the late Grant Joel Walker and Cecilia Knappage Walker, on December 16, 1925. Grant was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Jane Scoles Walker; second wife, Dorothy Guyton Walker and brother, Walter Walker. 

Grant’s strong sense of values and his emphasis on family has left a lasting impact on us all. He was survived by 4 daughters, 2 step-children, 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-granddaughter and close friend, Fran Morris. 

Grant had a successful career serving in the U.S. Navy for 33 years and retired in 1976. He attended Pennsylvania State University, Georgia Tech, and Columbia University. 

He instructed at the CIC Officers School in Glenview, IL and at the U.S. Navy War College in Newport, RI. He served aboard the USS Chandeuler (AV-10), USS Rockingham (APA-229), USS Yosemite (AD-19), USS Newport News (CA-148), USS Cecil (DRR-835), and served as the commanding officer of the USS Joseph K. Taussig (DE-1030), USS Waddell (DDG-24) and the USS Coronado (LPD-11). His final tour was Commanding Officer, SURFLANT, Inactive Ships, Norfolk, VA . 

Grant will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and his church family at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. He was an active member and attended St. Andrew’s for over 50 years. He served in leadership positions, sang in the choir, and was a life member of the United Methodist Men. Grant was also a proud member of Osceola Lodge #515 Free and Accepted Masons of PA. 

Grant’s legacy of love, loyalty, and laughter will live on through all who knew and loved him. A viewing will be held at Smith & Williams Funeral Home, 4889 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, from 5-7:30pm. Due to Covid restrictions, a Celebration of Grant’s Life will take place this summer. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Andrews United Methodist Church, 717 Tucson Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. 

Trailblazing Women: Marjorie J Bennett, Army Nurse Corps

Commissioning Photo 1950

Sideroad: Munson/Woodington Family

Marjorie Bennett was the daughter of Arthur Bennett (1891-1934) and Emma L Otto Bennett Cohoe (1894-1988) born 15 Jan 1919 in Cassville, Grant County, Wisconsin. When she was 15, her father died and her mother moved the family to Lancaster in Grant County. Marjorie had two brothers who both served during World War II: Robert Henry Bennett, who served in the US Army Air Corps and Arthur Richard Bennett who served in the US Navy.

Marjorie completed her undergrad degree at Plattsburgh State Teacher's College in Wisconsin, then attended Finley School of Nursing in Dubuque, Iowa. She then attended the University of Wisconsin for public health training. In 1945, she began her work as the Assistant then Public Health Nurse for Grant County. While attending school in 1944, she had joined the cadet corps for the Women's Army Corps Reserves and asked to be activated in 1950. She left soon after for Ft Sam Houston, where the Army nursing course was held and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. She graduated in July 1951.

8167 Tokyo Army Hospital 1950s

After her training, she was sent to the Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan where she served briefly before being assigned to the 8167th Tokyo Army Hospital during the middle of the Korean Conflict, supporting soldiers whose injuries were severe enough to have them transferred from the Korean theatre. She then did war duty in Korea, assigned to the 11th Evac Hospital. This was fast-moving, tactical medicine, but they were also among the first nurses to help patients with hemorrhagic fever on a first generation artificial kidney machine. The work of the doctors and nurses of the 11th would influence future improvements in renal failure treatment for the world. Only between 500-1,500 nurses served during the Korean conflict (funny how they didn't really keep track), but the women who served suffered the same hardships and trauma as their male counterparts, without the resources to identify at treat conditions like PTSD, especially in women. I'm sure all those who served saw too much.

11th Evac Hospital, Korean War
Looks amazingly like a publicity shot for the
TV show M*A*S*H*

After her tours overseas, she returned to the States and was assigned to Fort Benning Georgia's Army Hospital. She spent 3-1/2 years there before heading overseas again, this time to Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu. That had to be a sweet assignment.

Her last assignment was in Georgia, once again and she moved her mother to her home after her stepfather's death. Marjorie retired as a Lt Colonel in about 1970 but stayed in Augusta, Georgia. Brother Robert lived nearby in Columbus, Georgia. Her brother died in 1976. Marjorie remained in Augusta until after her mother's 1988 death, residing in Marshall, Wisconsin until her death in 1995.

Marjorie was an active member in the Retired Officers Association, Retired Army Nurse Corps Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans. She picked a career path completely apart from other women of her day and served with distinction in peace and war.