Las Vegas
Carole Lombard was a fierce patriot, and knew that her actor husband, Clark Gable wanted to get into the war. Lombard knew that Clark Gable was officer material. Still, at the time, he had other obligations, so he waited. That wait came to an end, a few months after Lombard was killed on January 16, 1942, when the plane on which she was a passenger, flew into a cliff. Lombard’s flight, TWA Flight 3 was a on a twin-engine Douglas DC-3-382 propliner, registration NC1946, operated by Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA). It was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from New York, New York, to Burbank, California, in the United States, via several stopovers including Las Vegas, Nevada. On January 16, 1942, at 7:20pm PST, just fifteen minutes after takeoff from Las Vegas Airport (now Nellis Air Force Base) bound for Burbank, the aircraft was destroyed when it crashed into a sheer cliff on Potosi Mountain. It was determined that n error in compass heading and the blackout of most of the beacons in the neighborhood of the accident made necessary by the war emergency caused the crash. Lombard, renowned for her roles in screwball comedies such as “My Godfrey” and “To Be or Not to Be,” and for her marriage to Gable was just 33 years old.
Gable and Lombard met in 1932 during the filming of “No Man of Her Own.” At that time, Gable was beginning his as one of Hollywood’s top leading men, while Lombard was a talented comedic actress striving to prove herself in more serious roles. Both were married at the time. Gable was married to a wealthy Texas widow ten years his senior, and Lombard to actor William Powell. Initially, neither showed much interest in the other, but when they met again three years later, Lombard had divorced Powell, and Gable was separated from his wife. Their relationship then took a different turn. Much to the media’s delight, the new couple was open with their affection, calling each other Ma and Pa and exchanging quirky, expensive gifts. In early 1939, Gable’s wife finally granted him a divorce, and he married Lombard that April.
In January 1942, shortly after America’s entry into World War II, Howard Dietz, publicity director of MGM film studio, enlisted Lombard for a tour to sell war in her home state of Indiana. Gable, who had been asked to serve as the of the actors’ branch the wartime Hollywood Victory Committee, remained in Los Angeles, where he was set to begin filming “Somewhere I’ll Find You” with Lana Turner. Dietz advised Lombard to avoid airplane travel due to his fears about its reliability and safety, so she completed most of the trip by train, stopping at various locations en route to Indianapolis and raising approximately $2 million for the war effort.
It was a good trip, but Lombard was tired and didn’t want to wait for the train for the return trip. Instead, she boarded the TWA DC-3 in Las Vegas with her mother, Elizabeth Peters, and a group that included the MGM publicity agent Otto Winkler and 15 young Army pilots. Shortly after takeoff, the plane veered off course. Warning beacons that might have helped guide the pilot had been blacked out because of fears about Japanese bombers, and the plane smashed into a cliff near the top of Potosi Mountain. Search parties were able to retrieve Lombard’s body, and she was buried next to her mother at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, under a marker that read “Carole Lombard Gable.”
Overcome with grief and alone in the empty house he had shared with Lombard, Gable resorted to heavy drinking and struggled to complete his work on “Somewhere I’ll Find You.” He was consoled by concerned friends, including the actress, Joan Crawford. In August, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Gable decided to enlist in the US Army Air Force. He spent the of the war in the United Kingdom and flew several combat missions (including one to Germany), earning multiple decorations for his efforts. He would marry twice more, but upon his death in 1960, Gable was interred at Forest Lawn, next to Lombard…his one true love.
Gable’s military service was marked by his dedication to aviation and combat operations. He was assigned to the 351st Bombardment Group as B-17 Flying Fortress gunner bomber pilot. His service was characterized by a combination of flying combat missions and supporting morale efforts. One of Gable’s notable contributions during the war was his involvement in the production of a documentary titled “Combat America” (1943). The film, produced and narrated by Gable, aimed to document the experiences of American bomber crews and underscore the importance of the war effort. This documentary was a significant endeavor and demonstrated Gable’s commitment to promoting the Allied cause.
While it was distinguished, Gable’s military service was not without its challenges. He faced the dangers of
combat missions and experienced the stresses and hardships of war. He was not mollycoddled because he was an actor. Over there, he persevered to be “just one of the men.” Despite these challenges, he remained committed to his duties and earned the respect of his fellow servicemen. Major Clark Gable’s military career was marked by his bravery and dedication to the war effort. He received the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His personal life might have been in a shambles, but his wife would have been very proud of his service.
My nephew, Matt Miller Has been with my niece, Michelle Miller since they were in 8th grade. Theirs was to be a lifelong friendship that blossomed into love. Now they have been married for a little over three years and things keep getting better and better for them. This year, they have done quite a bit of traveling, and Matt, brave (or maybe crazy) guy that he is decided, along with his dad and aunt, to jump off the stratosphere in Las Vegas! Yikes!! Of course, that is a tourist attraction these days, but they truly do jump off of the building. They are hooked to a bungee cord, and it’s a controlled jump, but I’m pretty sure I would lose my lunch doing that. Nevertheless, Matt, his dad, and aunt, all had a great time doing it.
Matt and Michelle also did a lot of camping and hanging out with our dogs at his parents’ pool. On August 14th, they celebrated their 3rd anniversary up at the cabin on Casper Mountain, where we got married. Their third year of marriage also seemed like the perfect time to buy a house, so they took that logical next step. They are so excited about their new house, but like many people these days, they bought a fixer upper, and so the work begins. I know it will be very rewarding when it is done.
The home purchase is kind of a funny too. They knew that the home was going to need a lot of work, but when you get a good deal, you have to go for it. So, they moved into the lower level of the house, and they’ve been very busy remodeling the top floor entirely. You just never know what you are going to run into, and this remodel has been crazy. It ended up being a total gut job. They took it all the way down the nothing. Nevertheless, they are very excited to start rebuilding. It wasn’t that the “bones” of the house were bad, it’s just that everything in the house was from the 70’s era. It was completely outdated. To make matters worse, the previous owners smoked in there for 30 years, so it has taken a lot of work to clean it up. Still, when it’s all done, it is going to be an amazing house, and it will have their stamp on it, making it even more special.
While Matt and Michelle have been very busy with the new house, they still managed to take a little time out for a Broncos game. A guy can’t be expected to give up his sports, you know. Matt is an avid hunter, fisherman, and of course, his loves football, so I’m glad they got to go to a game or two. That will also make it easier to get back to work on the new house. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I know it’s going to look amazing. Today is Matt’s birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Steve Spethman is a man of many talents. He is quite crafty. In addition to forging knives, he made reindeer this year. He also does metal art and made a dragon. Steve has always kept busy. He is an honorable man and has taken very good care of his family. He and my niece, Jenny Spethman have taught their children the importance of hard work and integrity. They have also taught them the importance of having God and the most important part of their lives. No matter what happens in life, you can get through it with God. Steve and Jenny know this firsthand, because their first daughter, Laila lives in Heaven, and they look forward to seeing her again when they go home.
Steve and Jenny have five children, Xander, Zack, Isaac, Laila, and Aleesia. They have always had a full house, because not only did they have their children there, but they also had their children’s friends. The Spethman house was the place to hang out…from friends, to girlfriends, everyone wanted to be at the Spethman house. Of course, in life, all things are subject to change, and this year has really been a year of change for Steve and Jenny. This summer Xander and his girlfriend, Alli Simpson moved to Colorado so she can go to college. That was really hard, because the kids were at Steve and Jenny’s every day. Their son, Zack graduated from high school and got his first full-time job. Their son, Isaac is buying a house and will moving out within the next couple of months. While Steve and Jenny aren’t officially “empty nesters” yet, they are feeling that status knocking at the door. Still, they have led very busy lives with all those kids, so they are seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel, bittersweet as it is, after having five kids.
These days, they are actually spreading their own wings a little bit. They decided to take a little getaway this year and took a trip to Las Vegas…just the two of them. I’m sure that felt strange. They have been doing a little gardening this year, and that has been a pleasant experience. They are both pretty artistic, so their gardens are beautiful. Things are different in a number of ways, but one of the biggest is that Steve is used to having his boys there to help him with things, but now the boys are having him help them. Oh, how the tables have turned. Today is Steve’s birthday. Happy birthday Steve!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Thanksgiving…a day of reflection on the events of the year that has passed and the blessings we have been given. Many people think of Thanksgiving as just a day to eat a big meal, and watch the parade or a football game, but that isn’t its real purpose at all. None of us goes through life without trials and troubles, but by the grace of God, we have come through another year, and that is something to be thankful for, even if your year had very few trials.
We have been very blessed this past year. Our daughter, Corrie Petersen graduated from nursing school, and we got to go to Las Vegas for her graduation ceremony and spend a week there celebrating. We had a wedding for Athena and Josh, and anniversary for Karen and Chris, and two new great grandsons, Axel and Cyler arrive…to join the great granddaughter, Cambree (who started Kindergarten this year) and two great grandsons, Caysen and Justin, that we already had. My daughter, Amy and her daughter, Shai came out from Washington for the wedding. I also got to go out and spend two wonderful weeks with Amy and her family, Travis, Shai, and Caalab in Washington state. Amy and Shai changed jobs, moving from Rice Insurance to Brown and Brown Insurance. Amy and Travis also got to finally take their anniversary cruise to Alaska. They had a great time, and even got to see the Aurora Borealis. It was a good move for them. Bob and I spent a relaxing week in the Black Hills, as well as our anniversary trip to Thermopolis, which are two of our favorite places.
As with any year, there were a few tougher times, but they were few and far between. All in all, our year was awesome, and we can honestly say that God has greatly blessed our family. As we celebrate the blessings of God, I want to give thanks to Him who is the Father of all blessings. We would not be where we are without our gracious God. We have been healed of all our infirmities and strengthened for all we have undertaken. Our God is truly an awesome God!! I pray that everyone had a year filled with God’s greatest blessings. Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family and friends! God bless your next year! I love you all!
The Hoover Dam was built completed in 1935 and was considered was the greatest concrete project ever recorded, using more masonry than the Great Pyramid at Giza (4.5 million cubic yards) and equal to the amount needed to build a two-lane highway from Seattle to Miami, or a 4-foot-wide sidewalk around the Equator. It is the highest dam in the Western Hemisphere. The dam stands 726 feet above the Colorado River. It measures 1,244 feet across at the top, 660 feet thick at the base, and 45 feet thick at the top. It weighs a whopping 6.6 million tons, or at least the sum of its parts weighs that.
The Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge came along 75 years later. It is an arch bridge that spans the Colorado River between the states of Arizona and Nevada. Located in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area approximately 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, it was designed to reroute US 93 from its previous routing along the top of Hoover Dam and removed several hairpin turns and blind curves from the route. The new bridge, which opened in 2010, carries Interstate 11 and US Route 93 over the Colorado River. It was the most important part of the Hoover Dam Bypass project. It is jointly named for Mike O’Callaghan, Governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1979, and Pat Tillman, an American football player who left his career with the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the United States Army and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 by friendly fire.
While the original design of the Hoover Dam seemed like a great idea, it was shown to be dangerous as early as the 1960s. The dam was also inadequate for projected traffic volumes. Work on a different design began in 1998, and in March of 2001, the Federal Highway Administration selected the route, which crosses the Colorado River approximately 1,500 feet downstream of Hoover Dam. The construction of the bridge approaches began in 2003, and construction of the bridge itself began in February 2005. The bridge was completed in 2010 and the entire bypass route on October 16, 2010…opening to vehicle traffic on October 19, 2010. The Hoover Dam Bypass project was completed within budget at a cost of $240 million; the bridge portion cost $114 million. The bridge was also strategically placed to help prevent a terrorist attack, because it kept visitors away from the dam itself.
As a kid, I remember going to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Lake Mead. I particularly enjoyed Lake Mead, because the water was warm, unlike most lakes. At the time, and for many years afterward, I really didn’t know much about the lake, its origins, or its secrets. These days, I maybe know too much about its secrets. In fact, some of them are really creepy. Many lakes sport hidden ghost towns, underground ranches, and various sunken boats. There are probably more bodies in them that we know or want to think about too, but when a drought occurs and we find ourselves hearing about body after body being found in a lake that is close to one of the big mob-controlled areas of the nation, it makes you wonder exactly what happened here and just how many more bodies will surface. Well, in the case of Lake Mead, the answer is a total of five bodies…so far. Who knows how many more will surface.
One body was found in a barrel, with a gun nearby, causing speculation of a mob killing, and possibly making people who might have been the perpetrators of mob murders…if they are still alive, to become a little nervous about their crimes being found out. Of course, the police aren’t telling us much, but it is said that the body in the barrel, discovered in May, had been shot in the head and after being stuffed in the barrel it was thrown overboard, in the hope that it would never be seen again. It was the type of killing that was classic mob style, or so we’ve been told in the movies. Las Vegas was, and maybe still is, a big mob crime city, and this type of killing was a trademark in the 1970s and 19802. So, it is entirely possible that the killer is still alive and could be brought to justice.
Shortly after the body in the barrel was found, another body surfaced, and then in July a third body was found. Days after the body in the barrel surfaced, another corpse was reported. A third was discovered in July. Now, the skeletal remains of two more people were found just this month in the Swim Beach area. It makes me wonder how many more bodies will surface, if the drought continues and the lake level continues to drop. The lake level has dropped nearly 200 feet due to two decades of drought. Right now, the lake is very close to the level it was when it was originally filled after the building of Hoover Dam. I guess the old saying about the truth finding you out is true. the bodies, some long hidden, are coming out to tell of their demise.
My grandson, Caalab Royce has been making a few changes in himself lately. Most people have a tendency to let life get in the way of taking care of ourselves sometimes. It’s easy to do. Caalab has decided to get back in shape, so he’s been working out and getting buff. His sister, Shai Royce says he looks like he’s 19 again. I’m not sure if he would call that a compliment or not. Guys his age don’t want to look younger, hahaha!! Being an exercise enthusiast myself, I think he looks great. Caalab has always been a bit like me when it comes to our love of the outdoors and long walks. When he moved to Washington state with his family, though, he got to where he could outwalk me by quite a way. I was amazed at how far he walked. We both love being able to get out in nature and walk, while enjoying the beautiful scenes around us. Of course, these days, I think I have more time for it than Caalab does. Retirement does that.
Caalab and his dad, Travis Royce have long been playing guitar together. They don’t play professionally, and
you can call me biased, but I think they are really very good. These days, Caalab and Travis and a couple of friends get together every Wednesday for band practice. It is really fun to sit in the “audience” during practice sessions. It’s always nice to have that talent in your own family.
With Caalab turning 25 years old, Amy and Travis are taking him to Vegas with their friends Burt and Amy and their kids. It’s going to be a great time. Caalab went to Vegas when he was 21, and they all enjoy going, so it will be fun to go again. They have been planning this for a while now, but Covid stopped it until now. They tend to do well on the slots, so I hope they will win and have a great time. Of course, there is lots to do in Vegas, besides gambling, so I know they will have plenty to do.
Caalab has always been such a happy kid. Always full of smiles, and mischief. He loves a good joke and never
forgets the punchline. He is a teaser from way back, something his sister had to learn to accept, and finally agree was funny. Caalab loved being the “funny man” and never missed a chance to make people laugh. He has grown to be a wonderful man, but sometimes I miss the little boy he was, and since he lives far away from me, I miss having him around too. Today is Caalab’s 25th birthday. Happy birthday Caalab!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My niece, Liz Masterson is a journalism teacher for the Natrona County School District, teaching at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, Wyoming. She is an excellent teacher and is loved by faculty and students alike. One of the perks that being a teacher has given her is summers off, and things like Spring Break, and other school holidays. That fits in quite well with Liz’s love of travel. In the working world, people get only so many vacation days a year, and I don’t know of any other occupation that gives summers off and yet pays you for a year’s work…not that teachers really get paid what they are worth (most of them anyway.) Some teachers are paid far more than their worth, unfortunately. Liz isn’t one of those, and we, her family, are all very proud of her ability, drive, and dedication. All Liz ever wanted to be was a teacher, and she is an amazing teacher.
This week is spring break, and so Liz and her cousins, Jessi Sawdon, Lindsay Moore, and Kellie Hadlock decided that they all needed a “girl’s trip” to Las Vegas. So, they took Jessi and Lindsay’s daughters, Adelaide Sawdon and Mackenzie Moore to stay with their grandma and grandpa, Allyn and Chris Hadlock, and then the girls took to the air, flying to Vegas. I’m sure they are having a great time, as especially since Liz’s birthday falls in the middle of their trip, it’s a great was to celebrate. Liz has traveled to, to some amazing places, like Rome and several other places near there. She has also traveled to many places in the United States. Liz loves to go to New York City, Rapid City, and places in Texas, as well as many other places in the United States.
She has lived an interesting life for sure, but her favorite thing is her fur babies. Liz has three dogs and a cat, and they vie for her attention much of her time at home. She would love to take all three puppies for a walk, but they all want to go different directions. That just doesn’t work, so whenever Liz goes for a walk, only one dog gets to go, unless she puts them in the baby stroller that zips closed, so they can’t get out. The worst problem with that is that they love to bark at all their friends (dog friends) along the trail.
Liz is an excellent photographer and has a side gig in photography. She has actually taken many of the senior pictures for her students. As a journalism teacher, Liz has been in charge of the yearbook at Kelly Walsh. She also takes all the sports and club pictures…and of course the graduation pictures…quite different in 2020. I don’t know how they would have ever managed the yearbook all these years without Liz’s expertise. She has been an important asset to the school and to everyone else who knows her. Today is Liz’s birthday. Happy birthday Liz!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grand nephew, James Renville got the “travel bug” early on in his life. The first trip he took was when he was just when he was just 3 weeks old. His parents, my niece Toni Chase and her then husband, Jim Renville to their newborn son to meet his grandpa in North Dakota. Many babies don’t do well on long trips, but James was calm throughout the seven hour drive. He was such a good baby for them. The only times he fussed was when he was hungry, and then it wasn’t much fussing. Really, from that point on, James was at his most calm when he was traveling. His mom says that he “knew what vacation meant from the start.”
Toni read somewhere, and many of us have always thought the same thing, that when you are an “only child,” like James is, that “you are likely to mature early and manifest adult behaviors an attitudes.” I’m sure it is because they around adults so much. That was never made more clear to her than when they went on the first trip that James was old enough to really know what was going on. They took James to the water park in South Dakota. He really had a blast, but he refused to go on any of the “kiddie slides” or “baby slides,” as he called them. While that was great for James, it meant that since James really was a “kiddie” or “baby” himself, he also couldn’t go on the big slides without an adult. So, his mom and dad had to go up and down the steep hills, carrying James most of the way, in the 90° heat to get to the slides. The plan had been to let the kids…James and his cousins…play for a while, and then head home in the afternoon. Well, when everyone else was ready to go…the cousins had already fallen asleep, James definitely was not. He wasn’t one bit tired, or as his mom puts it, “Not even a yawn!” They ended up staying until the park closed.
Last August, James took a trip with some friends of his. It was a chance to say goodbye to summer, and to one friend who was leaving to start his career in the Air Force. For James, it was also a way to “say goodbye” to
being a kid. College was over, and everything was going to be different now. The friends went to Denver to cut loose a little bit. They went to Eliches, went clubbing, and checked out some of the breweries. Toni began to think of what was coming next. She wanted things to be good for James, and he did love to travel. He had taken tips to the Netherlands and Spain, and she wanted to do something fun for him.
Toni and her husband, Dave Chase began to plan their own travels and some trips for James too. Things started off really well. Toni and Dave took him to a concert at Red Rocks in Denver. It was to be the first of several fun trips the family would take, including a trip to San Diego with Toni and Dave. The San Diego trip was amazing too. They spent 5 days there. They planned activities for every day. They went to an air show that Toni is sure James only went to “for her.” Then afterward, James said it wasn’t what he had expected. He said he had a great time. Then they went to a festival in La Jolla, several beaches on the ocean, the Cabrillo National Monument and the surrounding area, and the brewery district in the San Diego area…then relaxed at the resort.
After these trips, the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, and the whole world went into turmoil. For James that meant no trip to Las Vegas with his dad, Jim and the rest of their pool team for his first pool tournament, and trip that was to be the “Shangri La” of them all, James’ long awaited trip to the western coast of South America. He had planned to take that one last year, but couldn’t get the time off from his job. Now, it is all on hold, until the trips can be rearranged, and who knows how long that will be. Still, James really was born with the “traveling bug” and he has been building his skills for years. He is very driven and never wants to miss a thing. His past trips have included the Rocky Mountain Region (Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Colorado), the deserts of Nevada, the lakes of Arizona, the beaches of Florida, the ocean surrounding California, the eastern shores of Virginia and Washington DC, the costal plains of Alabama, the French Quarter of New Orleans nd Louisiana, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, and far beyond the northern hemisphere to see parts of the Netherlands and Spain. While some of his trips were cancelled or postponed this year, there is always next year. For James…well, next up is Peru, and it will be amazing!! Today is James’ birthday. Happy birthday James!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My brother-in-law, Mike Stevens loves all things sports. He really needs a dedicated sports television. I would like to say that the man cave he now has is that dedicated sports television, but my sister, Alena tells me that he “takes control of whatever television he is at.” Mike’s favorite teams are the Colorado Rockies and the Denver Broncos…smart man. Those are my favorite teams too. Mike also loves to watch NASCAR, golf, basketball, bowling, well…the list could go on forever. If it’s sports, he will watch it…or play it.
Mike loves to golf, and has golfed in Buffalo, Wyoming; Cheyenne, Wyoming; North Platte, Nebraska, and he has played in some of the nicest courses around the country when he has been on business trips. Mike’s business trips have afforded him a few other opportunities as well. He got to sit in a suite while watching the Dallas Stars play hockey, and was served catered “snacks”…which were amazing, from what I hear…and of course, the whole thing was free of charge, because they like to treat these guys well on the business trips. He has also gone to Avalanche hockey games.
While watching the games is great, Mike is a sportsman in his own right. He has bowled for years, and gone to many bowling tournaments over the years. They have also traveled for other sporting events, going to Las Vegas and Bristol, Tennessee for NASCAR, and of course, Denver for baseball and football. He played softball, in the position of short stop for many teams, but mostly for the Salt Creek Mudders. He played basketball on a City League for years. Mike’s love of all things sports has spilled over to his family, or maybe they just learned to love sports because there was nothing else on television. I doubt that was the case, because he isn’t a meanie, after all, they just got caught up in his enthusiasm, and learned about the sports too. Every year, the Stevens family has a horseshoe tournament during their annual family reunion at Boysen Reservoir. Mike is so good at horseshoes, that he is usually the champion of the tournament. He is so good that he used to get into tournaments in Midwest, Wyoming where he earned money for his ability.
Probably the biggest news for Mike this year, however, has been his new pickup. Mike has never has a new vehicle, and he has wanted a new pickup for years. This past year, that dream became a reality, when he got to buy a 2016 Ford F250 pickup. He is so excited about it, and his family couldn’t be happier for him. Getting a brand new vehicle is a very big deal. His daughter, Michelle tells me that the picture of his pickup has be his phone’s screen saver since his got the pickup. It wasn’t a birthday present, but it was exciting anyway, and his family thinks it was a vehicle that was well deserved. Today is Mike’s birthday. Happy birthday Mike!! Have a great day!! We love you!!