Carl Theodore Butzbach, Jr. was
born in Flushing, NY, on December 27, 1922. He lived in College Pt.,
NY until 1932, when the depression hit, terminating his father's job at the
rubber company. At this time, he and his family went to live on his
uncle's farm in the Catskill Mts. of NY. While he lived with his
uncle, he remembers attending a one room school house, arriving on a milk
truck, but having to return by walking the four miles. He also
remembers he, his sister, and his cousins running across the fields, picking
up baby bunnies before the hay mower got to them. He admits that he
learned more at the one room school house than he did at any other school he
attended. When his father's job was reactivated they moved to Butler,
NJ. In 1934, my Grandfather began working at the local 5&10 where he
got $0.50 for sweeping at night. At the age of fourteen he began
working after school and on Saturdays for $7.00 a week. He finally
saved enough money, $40.00, to buy and maintain a 1931 Ford Roadster at the
age of 16. My
grandfather graduated high school in 1941, then enlisted in the Coast Guard
in 1942. He first sailed convoy duty to Prussia, then landings in
North Africa, Italy, and D-Day, off of Omaha Beach in a destroyer. He
then served in the Pacific Island landings where his ship was hit at Iwo
Jima. Seven men were killed and he blew out his ear drum. On his
way back to the United States his convoy stopped at Pearl Harbor in an
attempt to repair but they could not help and returned to San Diego when the
war was over. Finally, on September 21, 1945 he was discharged and
returned home to see his wife and his less than year old son for the first
time.
Following the war, Grandpa B
went to work for the United States Rubber Co., and later transferred to
Uniroyal, where he worked for 39 1/2 years. He started at Uniroyal as
a laboratory assistant, was promoted to lab technician, and finished as a
department manager. Finally in 1983, Grandpa decided to call it quits,
and retired from his job. My grandfather now enjoys working in his
garden and with cars, and also spending time with his grandchildren. |
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