Hi All!

Well, the job search is SO frustrating! :) Figured I'd take my mind off it and write a bit. A story about a soldier and a nurse during WWII.

Alexander Davidson was born and raised in Glaouster City, NJ. He and his 11 brothers all played baseball in town and every one of them was VERY good. Al was a pitcher and so good he was drafted to play semi-professional baseball in Louisiana. However, Uncle Sam got him first and Al was sent to Pine Camp for soldier training. The Army, knowing how good he was at baseball immediately signed Al up to pitch for them while he was training. According to Al, the other soldiers weren't very fond of the ballplayers, b/c they got special treatment, but Al was different...he had a car. Al lent his car out to other soldiers while he was practicing or soldiering and the other soldiers were forever trying to set him up on double dates, so they could see their girls.

Sgt. Al Davidson was in the 8th Armored Division as a truck driver. He was friends with "a greek guy from National Park, NJ". This guy was dating a nurse in the WAAC up the road and in one of their only two stints in K.P. said he wanted to fix Al up with a friend of his girlfriend. Al said no, he wasn't interested. Just wanted to do his time and play baseball. Al finished his time in the kitchen and headed to get his mail.

Billie Burchell was born in Manchester, KY. Billie's father had alot of land in town and had held many prominent positions in Manchester. Around the time of WWII, Billie left home and joined the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (later change to Women's Army Corps) and was sent to Camp Campbell, KY. Billie was training to be a nurse while with the WAAC. As part of their "duties", the women attened dances sponsored by the USO. It was at one such dance Billie met Pvt. Al Davidson. Billie and Al had a wonderful time at the USO dance, but Al informed Billie he was supposed to be sent overseas shortly afterward. (Not alot is really known about the length of "relationship between Pvt. Davidson and Billie.) Billie wrote Pvt. Davidson a letter and sent it on to Pine Camp.

Al got to his mailbox and found a letter, addressed to him from Billie Burchell at Camp Campbell in KY. he returned to his "greek friend" and said, "The women your girlfriend wanted to set me up with, her name wasn't Billie Burchell by any chance, was it?" "Yeah, how did you know? I never mentioned it." Al explained he had gotten a letter from her. He opened it up and read it. He knew right away the letter wasn't meant for him, but Al became excited by the fact Billie named people in the letter he had known in training and never knew what happened to them. He told his friend to go ahead and arrange the date, Al wanted, if nothing else, to find out what had happened to his friends.

Billie hadn't heard from Al Davidson and became disheartened. As it was a small unit, everyone knew who you were going with, and they all knew Al hadn't returned Billie's attempt at communication. A friend of Billie's approached her and told her her boyfriend was coming up to go out and he was bringing Al Davidson! Billie was so excited, she couldn't wait for the day!

The big day arrived and Billie was aflutter. She almost ran down to the waiting area to see Al. when she got to the room, her heart sank. The man sitting on the couch was NOT PVT. Al Davidson! The man sitting on the couch was SGT. Al Davidson and he was holding her letter! Billie almost backed out of the date, she was so heartbroken, but being a woman of her word, she trudged along.

It turns out, PVT. Davidson must have been shipped out just before SGT. Davidson arrived AND none of the men in Billie's letter were the ones SGT. Al Davidson knew. In hearing this story, it's amazing these two people...the city mouse and country mouse, or rebel and yankee as they're affectionately known...ever got together. How many things had to fall into and out of place to align these stars? Hearing this story renews, just a little, the old saying "everything happens for a reason". It inspires us to believe that things work out the way they are supposed to and there might, just might be that little thing called Fate and Destiny we all try and believe in.

No one knows what happened to Pvt. Davidson, or if the "greek guy from National Park" and his nurse ever worked out, But 55 years later, Al and Billie are still going and loving, although a little slower and a little different due to age. And everytime our family gets together, we ask my grandmom and grandpop to tell the story of how they met. And every time, we smile a little brighter, love a little stronger, and believe.