In 1943 my paternal grandmother, Frankie Ruth Fuller Pyatt Dourte, was living in St. Helena, California. At that time her only son (my father, Earl E. Pyatt) was in the Philippines at the start of the WWII, was part of the Bataan Death March and was being held as a POW. At the start of this diary, she had yet to receive word about his status. He was only 20 years old. She was married to my Dad’s step-father, Harley O. Dourte. They both worked at the Mare Island Naval Station. Harley had 3 sons of his own who were in the military. They moved to St. Helena because they were sure that when their boys came back they wanted to be near to where they would most likely return to the U.S. Her short, brief diary entries give a little glimpse of what her life was like during this time.
On the days she has an entry I will post it.
March 27, 1943 – Saturday
“Very nice day. Laid off work for first time from the island as Harley was sick with flu. Went to St. Helena to a show. Decided to stay with Carl as didn’t have to work Sunday.”
Carl was Harley’s brother who lived in St. Helena at the time.
Kathi O'Neill Genealogy 
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