Carter, E.K.

U.S. Army, Van, Tx.

“I was born on November 30, 1928, in Sims, Arkansas, located west of Hot Springs. I had seven brothers and sisters, three sisters,

(Kathleen, Eunice and Buena) and three brothers, (Eulas, Darel, and Steryl). Eulas “Bo” Carter served in the Army in Germany.

Daryl Steryl

Daryl and Steryl served in the Navy where both served in the Pacific during World War II.

My parents were Riley and Leslie. My dad Mike Riley Carter was in the Army and served during WWI.

The family lived on a 160-acre farm in Sims, Arkansas. We raised cotton and peanuts mostly. In 1935 we left Sims and moved to McCamey, Texas where my dad dug the oil pits with 12-horses. They didn’t have tractors back then.

E.K. bottom center, Kathleen on right

In 1941 we moved to Bakersfield, California and dad, again, worked in the oil fields and then retired after that. I received my GED in Bakersfield and later went to college in Waxahachie Assembly of God for two years and later took classes in Tyler.

with Pastor Shelby Davidson

I was a Pastor at four churches. One in Kerns, Sealey, Emory and the last one was here in Van, where I pastored for 31-years at the First Assembly of God. I retired in 1989.”

Military Career:

“I started my military career in August 1946. By Buddy Leo Nelson and I went in together. We were hunting Geese, illegally on the Levy, and instead of getting caught we went, and we volunteered and joined the Army,” laughed EK.” “They did come to the house, but my mom told them they joined the Army. We were sitting on the fender of dad’s car and shooting the geese while he was driving along. The Game Warden found out, so we joined the Army. I even told a small fib and said I was 18, but it was in August, and I was still 17.” EK continues to laugh at his story.

“We were not thinking of any other branch of the military, so we just joined the Army. Later, I wished I had gone into the Navy. I was in Yuba City, California when we joined.

We went to Boot Camp at Fort Ord, California. I went to Boot there twice, again when they called me back from Reserves in 1950 during the Korean War.”

The Korean War lasted from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. It began when North Korea invaded South Korea, leading to a military response from the United Nations, primarily the United States, to defend South Korea.

“When we finished my basic at Fort Ord, almost everyone was going to get orders to go to Korea,” said EK. “Boot camp lasted about six-weeks.

Ft. Meade Army Base Maryland

I was then sent to Ft. Meade, Maryland for overseas duty. Instead of going overseas they attached (attached, meaning we were independent) to the 4-11^th Postal Unit.” There were seven of us in that group. To this day, EK does not know why he was sent to Maryland instead of Korea. “I just went where they told me,” laughed EK.

“Leo, my childhood friend, was sent to Germany and they were going to send me to Panama,” EK said shaking his head.

“I handled all the military postal mail and delivered it to the company headquarters. I was working in there with two or three girls, and we separated all the mail. My job was all located there on the base.

During the 1950s, the U.S. Army maintained a network of Army Post Offices (APOs) and Army Postal Units (APUs) to handle mail for soldiers stationed overseas and in the U.S. The Washington, D.C. area was a major hub for these operations, especially during the Cold War and the Korean War (1950–1953).
APUs were mobile or semi-permanent mail processing units deployed to support U.S. Army units overseas. They were staffed by Army postal personnel and equipped to sort, process, and forward mail to and from deployed troops. While most APU records are held in the National Military Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri, some unit-level records and correspondence may be found in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

APOs were fixed postal facilities assigned to specific Army units or commands. In the 1950s, Washington, D.C. hosted several APOs, including those serving the Army Medical Command, Army Ordnance Command, and other major installations. These APOs handled both domestic and overseas mail for their assigned units.

Source: National Archives

“It was September of 1950 when I requested a deferment to go to Ministry College and was approved for a six-month delayed entry. However, when I returned to the barracks the Lieutenant said I was still going to Korea. They sent me to Lederman General Hospital in San Francisco where I met with a General there, and they realized I did have a deferment, and they let me out to go to Bible College in Waxahachie. I finished my first six-months on deferment and the Army renewed it for another six-months.

I spent two years the first time I was in the Army and discharged in May 1948 and was sent to the Army Reserve. In September of 1950 I was recalled back to full time Army. This was when I received a second deferment to return to Bible College. I was still being paid to go to school under the GI Bill. Had I not gone to school they would have sent me to Korea. After the second deferment I finished my obligation with the Army and was permanently discharged. With the deferments I spent four years in the Army. I lucked out, I guess,” frowned EK. “I had a General who was a Christian, and fortunately he liked me, and he let me go with an honorable discharge.

I enjoyed every minute of my time in the military. I enjoyed the 4-11^th Postal Unit in Ft. Meade, Maryland where we also ate at the company mess hall. There was good food where I ate. I would eat a good meal, go to the postal job and come back and eat again. I had a “CUSH” job,” laughed EK.

One time I decided I wanted to do something different in the military, so I applied to be a cook. I went out to the swimming pool and ended up with a severe sunburn. So bad it caused blisters for 3-4 days, and when I slept and got up the skin came off my back. I was burned bad. It made my Major mad and he threatened to court martial me. I never made it as a cook,” he laughed.

I was a private in the Army when I got out and enjoyed serving every minute of it. If I had the chance, I would go in again. The military taught me to obey the orders, and whatever they asked me to do, I did it. I remember I lost a piece of mail belonging to a General, but a lady who worked there with me found it and that saved my hide,” laughed EK.

“My friend, Leo, went thru Korea and came back to Sacramento, California working as a sharpshooter. He was sent to Vietnam and told his wife; this was the last time I am going over there. He had five children. He and three of his military buddies went out to a Vietnamese Restaurant and a bomb went off under their table killing him,” said EK.

Becoming a Pastor:

“After I got out of the Army I went to Roseburg, Oregon and was saved at the First Assembly of God. I then started preaching on corner streets, where I only knew one scripture, John 3:16. I was happy and rejoiced and have been a Christian ever since. I would go down on “B” street on a Saturday night and would draw a good crowd including all the winos. I had so many people show up they sent two policemen to keep the winos off me. That is where I first started preaching. God used me.

Along with my pastoring on the streets I also got a job fallen the big trees in Yuba City, California. I used a double man saw. I would fall em, and other guys would “buck em.” Some of them used a “Choker” to pull them out of the woods. That was work. I would work for about 3-4 hours and then come out. I spent about a year up there as a Lumberjack and then went back to Texas and married my first wife in Irving. There was when I started preaching in Kerns, Sealy and Emory and eventually in Van. The rest of my life was spent in the Ministry.

After I got out of the military I got into buying, fixing them up and selling houses. I did that in here in Van. I did that with about eight houses, and I bought one and ended up living in it for forty years. That is where I made my money.

I also served as the Mayor of Van and PTA President, the Van Zandt County Children’s Shelter and I now work at the Food Bank at Van Community Ministries called the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. I have been doing that for at least 15-years.

The Food Pantry is located behind the old post office. I work from 7:30 till 2:00 and sometimes later. I hand out all the meats. We have about 160 people come thru the Pantry.

We start serving at 1:00 and they come thru individually. I work there on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

Brookshire’s gives us all the meats to hand out. They also give us bread and milk. We also buy some canned goods stuff.

I don’t have anything on my bucket list. I have been very blessed, and someone asked me the other day to go somewhere, and I said, no… I am happy right here.

E.K. Carter, thank you for your service to our country

while serving in the United States Army.

Your dedication and sacrifices will not be forgotten.

NOTE: Meet Our Veterans from Van Zandt County by going to the top of the page, www.meetourveterans.com and click on Our Veterans.

“Every Veteran has a Story to Tell” Phil Smith

God Bless Our Veterans and God Bless America.