The summer of 1947 (I had gotten out of the service in August of 1946) after serving on the USS Wadleigh DD 689 in the Pacific theater I joined the FIFTY TWO TWENTY CLUB.  Uncle Sam sent us twenty dollars for fifty two weeks.  Russ Kostrowski, a friend from Wausau, Wis. and I came North in early May looking for work.  Russ went to work for Bosacki's Boat House to fly their airplane.  I went to work for Lou getting camp ready to open.  Then, I became Captain Bill.  I ran the house boat which was made out of heavy timbers painted white.

I just can't remember how many overnight trips we made with the boys.  There was room for six to eight boys on bunks.  Their punishment was listening to my ghost stories while out at night.  We left the camp during daylight hours.  We chugged around the lake until dusk and then, settled in and back at camp the next day.

I do remember a twelve cylinder Cadillac with the top cut off and a box added.  No licenses plates so it had to remain in the camp.  It was quite a truck.  We used it to haul sand and anything else that had to be moved around the camp.  I've never seen anything like it before or since.  Maybe this is where Cadillac got the idea for a pick-up truck that is now on the market.

Old "Teets"!!  God only made one man like him, so likeable.  In today's world he would be an authentic Northwoods character.  He loved to shovel sand.  I remember Lou gave him a Pendleton shirt, red and black. Lou had to promise him he would bury him in that shirt.  It was always in the box wrapped in tissue paper.  He showed it to everyone who would listen to the story and told them about Lou's promise.  He may have out lived everyone.  Every once in awhile I think about "Old Teets" and wonder if he did get buried in his red and black shirt.  (And, what kind of booze he imbibed that helped him to live to the ripe old age of ninety nine).

"Cooks" We had a situation with cooks due to the short season of eight weeks of camp.  This made good cooks hard to find.  (has the situation changed over the years?). There was always one set cooking, one set leaving, and, one set arriving.  However, one Sunday morning no one was there.  So Herb Hill, caretaker, made the batter and I made the pancakes.  I can't remember if they got anything else or not.

I remember hiding the camp bell with some of the campers.  It was used for the dinner call.  It was about three weeks before someone found it and before we heard it ring again.  Is this a tradition still on-going?

After the camp closed I was invited to travel to Canada with the Ehrenreich family.  We became close friends.  Lou enjoyed visiting the Indian reservations and learning their cultures.  I was interesting to hear about his travel to Israel where he had been asked to help set up the dormitories for the Youth in the fifties.  Lou was a very enjoyable and interesting man but a very private man.

Nancy and I were married in May 1950.  Some time after that I took her to Minocqua to meet "Doc" E.  You turned to the right just off of US-51 before the bridge into Minocqua, a very beautiful home.  We spent the afternoon in Doc E's study.  I learned more about the Catholic Church in one afternoon from Doc than the church could teach me in six or eight lessons.  I believe his bible was written in Greek.  What an outstanding person!

Not sure of the year, but Lou bought the Sinclair Gas Station across the street from the boat house just over the big bridge in Minocqua on the right.  He bought a new Buick about the same time.  It would not run on Sinclair gas.  Detroit wrote to him to saying," Buy Clark Gas."

Nancy and I spent many a fine evening together with Lou Ehrenreich in Minocqua, Wausau, and Chicago or somewhere in between.

Nancy and I with the children, Topper, Ted, Lee, Ann, and Chris moved to Washington Court House, Ohio in 1960.  I retired as president of The Chappell Door Co. in October 1991.  Now, with fourteen grandchildren, "Have gun and do travel."

Sincerely,

Captain Bill,
William R. Black

P.S. I have carried the Kawaga Ideal in my wallet ever since. 1947.  It is still in my wallet.  I rewrote it to include my two girls, to be read by my oldest son at the appropriate time.  I would like to raise one question about the author.  Was it written by the General's father to the General?