“Enemy aircraft closing at 105 knots” continued the report. NOW, what do you do? Naturally, the Captain ordered General Quarters, and readied his gunners for anti-aircraft fire.
Enter into the scene Lt. Bremner, who was Officer of the Deck during GQ. He just happened to be in a position of preventing a huge blunder that the new Commanding Officer was about to make - one that could easily cost American lives as well as the C0’s reputation, As the Captain raised the microphone to order the gunners to begin fire, Bremner reached down and pulled the wall plug that connected the microphone to the loud speakers. Why? Japanese aircraft can’t fly that slow. It had to be an American PBY. About 60 seconds later, the watch officer came on again: “Friendly craft flying across our bow; looks like a PBY.” Bill and the chagrined Captain did not even exchange glances. This was war!
In 1942, Bill was awarded his Navy Commission and his college degree from Northwestern in the same ceremony. Within weeks he was in the South Pacific aboard the USS Mustin, a communications craft helping to direct a fleet of aircraft carriers during the war “to end all wars”. Four years and many battles later, he met his future wife Barbara at the Officers Club while on R & R leave in Seattle.
Bill was born in Glenn Ellyn, Illinois, and Barbara in Seattle, WA. While Bill was stopping enemy aircraft and torpedoes in the Pacific, Barbara Jean Fuller was attending the University of Oregon and entering beauty contests. At home, her doting mother had taught her all the graces and manners of high society. She would choose her company and friends very carefully.
In a patriotic act, Barbara had joined a group of women students dedicated to helping entertain US servicemen at Officer’s clubs in Seattle. But no dating was ever allowed. Besides. her mother wouldn’t approve. When Barbara and Bill met they had two dates anyway. Then Bill went back East to see his parents, and Barbara was sleepless in Seattle.
When Bill returned to San Francisco to report to his ship, Barbara just HAD to see him again, but her mother at first refused to let her go. When Barbara insisted, her father wrote the Dean of Men at Northwestern University asking him to attest to Bill’s character. What was supposed to be one-week’s additional leave before it was anchors away for Bill, turned out to be 4 weeks, during which Bill spent four years of his Navy pay amorously wining and dining his bride to be in San Francisco.
Barbara and Bill were married three days after his ship again docked in Seattle and Bill was also did some sailing.
Besides being a mother and outstanding hostess, Barbara joined her sorority alum group and the Jr. Women’s Club. She also did some modeling, became a secretary, and worked as a P.R. executive at the world famous Huntington Hotel in Pasadena.
While at the Huntington Hotel, Barbara became acquainted with Andrew McNally III of Rand McNally fame. When she told him she was moving to Nipomo he wanted to know where that was and went to look at his California map and there was NO Nipomo. A year or two later Bill and Barbara visited McNally at his headquarters in Skokie, Ill He proudly took them into the map room and pointed to Nipomo on the Calif. map. Barbara had literally put Nipomo on the map.
Since moving to Black Lake, Barbara has continued her busy ways. She was involved in organizing the original Activities Committee in Crown Pointe. This group started several activities at Black Lake that continue in one form or another to this day. Barbara also joined the Black Lake Women’s Club and is now a member of the Half Rounders Women’s Golf Club. Bill and Barbara are also members of the Nipomo Newcomers and she is chairman of one of the potluck groups and a couples bridge group.discharged. They set up their first home in Inglewood, CA. Their older son Terry was born while living there. One day when Barbara was out shopping with Terry and she ran into an old high school girl friend. The two of them got three more couples together and formed what was to became “The Poker Club”. This group met the first Saturday night of every month for the next 50 years: even after they moved to Black Lake.
When their second son Brad came along Barbara and Bill had moved: first to Monterey Park and later to three different locations in San Gabriel. Bill managed Little League teams for his boys for nine years, worked as a stock broker and played golf almost every Sunday. He also did some sailing.
Besides being a mother and outstanding hostess, Barbara joined her sorority alum group and the Jr. Women’s Club. She also did some modeling, became a secretary, and worked as a P.R. executive at the world famous Huntington Hotel in Pasadena.
While at the Huntington Hotel, Barbara became acquainted with Andrew McNally III of Rand McNally fame. When she told him she was moving to Nipomo he wanted to know where that was and went to look at his California map and there was NO Nipomo. A year or two later Bill and Barbara visited McNally at his headquarters in Skokie, Ill He proudly took them into the map room and pointed to Nipomo on the Calif. map. Barbara had literally put Nipomo on the map.
Since moving to Black Lake, Barbara has continued her busy ways. She was involved in organizing the original Activities Committee in Crown Pointe. This group started several activities at Black Lake that continue in one form or another to this day. Barbara also joined the Black Lake Women’s Club and is now a member of the Half Rounders Women’s Golf Club. Bill and Barbara are also members of the Nipomo Newcomers and she is chairman of one of the potluck groups and a couples bridge group.
Bill has a new claim to fame. He won the Black Lake Gold Coast Seniors 2004 President’s Club Tournament. In this 54 hole match play, Bill’s 42 handicap allowed him to defeat even the lowest handicappers. Way to go Bill ! ! !
