Perhaps this is a story that my cousins, Ray, Kelly, Pat or Christine should tell but here goes. (I know they can correct the mistakes and fill in the blanks and I hope they do.) My Uncle Rusty was always bigger than life to me and my siblings. He popped in and out infrequently since we were in Ohio and he was in Washington. He and my dad would sit and tell hunting and fishing stories for hours. So here's a little I know about him:
Eugene Morrow Mohney was born on August 20, 1923 in West Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. I found a paper saying that he weighed 7 pounds at birth. Eugene was the 4th son and 5th child of Valentine Edward and Margaret Annetta (Book) Mohney. I'm not sure where his first name came from but Margaret's mother was Sierra Nevada Morrow Book so I'm sure that's where his middle name came from. His brother Warren Silas was named after their paternal grandfather, Silas Warren Mohney. The next of the boys was James Book, named after Margaret's father, James Preston Book. A sister, Gladys Maxine, came next and the source of her name – I haven't yet figured out. Next was Wayne Valentine, whose middle name came from both his father and his Mohney great-grandfather. Eugene was followed by Grace Marybelle, the first name for her father's aunt Grace (Mohney) Stauffer, and Marybelle for her mother's sister, MaryBelle (Book) Anderson. Dorothy Aileen was the next sister, followed by Willis Robert – I'm not sure where either of their names came from. Margaret Ethel (named for her mother and her great-grandmother Margaret Jane (McCamey) Mohney) was next, followed by my dad, Donald Edward. I'm assuming the Edward was for his father's middle name but I'm not so sure about the first.
On the 1930 and 1940 censuses, the family lived in Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, and the children attended Lowellville schools. See Uncle Rusty”s (as Eugene was known to all of us) various school age pictures below.
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| Rusty and friend Hubbard in July 1949 |
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| Rusty, One of his boys ?, Max in 1953 |
Valentine worked for the Baltimore and Oriole Railroad as a flagman out of New Castle, Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio. His family could get passes to travel by train anywhere while he worked for the railroad. Rusty had gone to Spokane to work with his uncle Red Anderson (Husband of his mother's sister, Marybelle) and fell in love - both with the area and with a girl. He married and stayed in Washington state. (His brother, Willis and his family also moved there. Val, Margaret, Don and Margaret used passes to visit Willis and Rusty there. Margaret took Don on a last trip before their railroad passes ran out after Valentine's death. My parents packed up the family and Grandma Mohney when I was about 5 (ca 1964-5) and off to Spokane we went. My dad wasn't able to find work so we returned to Ohio.)
He married on 17 April 1943 in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, Maxine Freda Alexander. Below are some pictures of the two of them, and some of them with family members. Both Eugene and Maxine were in the service and I have a plaque that was given to his mother with their names and his brother, James', documenting their military service.
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| With Sierra Nevada Morrow, his grandmother |
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| Wedding Photo |
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| With Maxine's mother |
Recently, my cousin Dennis Chaberd, sent me some family photos, etc. Included among them was a letter written to his mother, Grace (Mohney) Chaberd, from Maxine. A photo of the letter is below, but here is a transcription.
May 4th, 1943
Spokane, Wash.
Dear Sis,
Boy, it was sure swell to get two letters from you at once (especially two with Miss on one & Mrs. on the other). It's rather hard getting used to the Mrs., bur I love it!
Am really surprised at what a good correspondent Rusty turned out to be. He writes me at least twice a day and sometimes oftener. You certainly hit the nail on the head when you said I was probably walking on air. I still am! You were certainly right about me missing Rusty, too.
Isn't love amazing! Always thought love was something about as repulsive as measles. Boy, has my mind been changed! Guess Rusty and I could be described as blissful! Sure hope nobody else reads this letter. They'd probably think I was a romantic fool! Hope you don't! Golly, I'm sure getting to be an expert in the line of letter writing (especially one kind of letters). Write two and sometimes three a day to Rusty.
Golly, on reading over this letter, I find that my mind sure has been wandering. Hope you can find your way through the preceding paragraph. Guess I haven't fully recovered from the Wedding yet. Rusty was sure nervous and I was, more nervous than he. It's sure amazing! (Guess I said that before.)
Wrote mom and dad a letter Sunday. Hope they don't mind being called that! I don't mind it a bit being called sis, as a matter of fact, I love it. Rusty calls my folks “mom – sis or brother.” I think it's nice that way.
Well, in about a week and half Rusty will have his first furlough (I hope.) It'll sure be wonderful to see him again. If you want me to, I'll kiss him “hello” for you and all of the rest of the family! That'll amount to quite a number of kisses, won't it! Oh, good!
Am having some pictures taken tomorrow and I'll be glad to exchange with you. Probably won't get them for about a month, but I'll send you one as soon as I get them. As soon as Rusty gets time, we're going to have a wedding picture taken. We'll send the folks one of those, too.
My mother sure dotes on Rusty. He's just like another son to her. My brother & sisters think he's swell, too. Me- I think he's just about the most wonderful person in the world! I can hardly wait to see him in his uniform and short haircut. Bet he looks cuter than a bug's ear. He sent me a lock of his hair as a keepsake (or maybe as a memory of when his hair was nice & long.) I think I'll like his hair short, too.
Tell Dorothy and the rest of my new brothers & sisters “hello” for me. How about sending me a snapshot of the family, so I can become better acquainted with everyone. I'll send you one of my folks if you send me of your's. Is it a deal?
Well, I guess I'd better close now. The rest of my class is starting to tease me again! Boy, do I take a beating! Don't forget to toss me a line, soon. Anchors aweigh for now.
Loads of Love,
Sis Rusty, Warren, Dorothy and Maxine with Henry the Car in 1946
In December of 1943, Rusty was, according to U.S. World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949, assigned to the ship Tulagi. He continues to show on the muster rolls for the Tulagi through 1 Jul 1945. The ships history is below. I don't know for sure which of these times, Rusty was actually aboard.
USS Tulagi at anchor off Norfolk, Virginia on 18 May 1944
USS Tulagi (CVE-72) was an Casablanca-class aircraft carrier active in World War II in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. She was awarded four battle stars for her service. Below are highlights from her missions.
She participated in Operation “Dragoon,” the invasion of Southern France. The Allies attacked German forces in and around Cannes and Toulon, with Tulagi’s aircraft flying on 68 missions. Her planes attacked gun emplacements, railway stops, a convoy, and three German transport aircraft.
Next, in the Pacific, Tulagi was part of a fleet that saw a great deal of action in January 1945 near the Philippine Islands. She shot down a kamikaze that was intent on destroying her, and launched numerous missions near Lingayen Gulf.
Supported the assault on Iwo Jima with air and anti-submarine patrols.
While anchored at Kerama Retto, Japan, on April 6, 1945, she was again singled out for attack, this time by a plane that changed course at the last minute and crashed instead into a nearby landing ship. Tulagi prevented two subsequent planes from inflicting further damage on American ships in the harbor.
Next, she commenced antisubmarine operations off the coast of Okinawa.
Tulagi was decommissioned in 1946.
The letter was the main point of this story but I thought I would add the military service as well.
Donna Mohney
17 January 2022
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