Oswald Dow Taylor ~  June 16, 1917 - February 17, 1954

Oswald, or "O.D." as I always called him, was the best big brother any little girl could ever have. O.D. was very musical and played the flute, the guitar, the harmonica and the drums. He also had a beautiful singing voice.

After the family moved back to Beaver Dam, Ky. around 1933-34, O.D. quit high school in senior year. He was failing and wanted to go to work anyway. Mom and Dad had a fit, but he didn't graduate.. Got his GED in service though and got some college, too. I don't know how much.

In 1940 O.D. married Virginia Dare Brown, a fourth or fifth cousin. In Beaver Dam, Ky. Virginia was very sick with TB when they married. Doctors had only given her a year, at the most to live, O.D. said he wanted to spend that year with her. They moved into a small apartment in Beaver Dam and seemed to enjoy every moment they had together. Virginia felt well enough to be up and about for several months but her health got much worse after the first of the year and she died at home on June 16th of that year; on O.D.'s birthday.
O.D. enlisted in the Air Force within the next few weeks and was made Master Sargent in record time. He received an award for his fast rise in the ranks. When the Second World War started in 1941,He went into instructing in aviation mechanics for a few months and then asked to be released into the fighting force. He was sent to Italy and spent most of the war years there as Crew Chef on B-32 bombers. His crew won a Presidential Award for returning a damaged plane to service in record time. O.D. flew many bombing missions as mechanic.

One of his favorite stories was of refusing to allow Capt. Jimmy Steward permission to take a certain plane up. The movie star asked O.D. "Do you know who I am?" O.D. replied, "yes Sir! You're a hot shot pilot trying to get a medal and I'm crew chief on this plane and I say she's not going up until she's been checked out as repaired!" Jimmy Steward said, in his best movie star drawl," Well I guess maybe your right, Sargent." and took another plane.

Another of his stories was about Frank Sinatra coming to entertain the troops and when he stepped off the plane, all of the dirty old mechanics screaming "Oh Frankie" like bobbysoxers and pretending to swoon!

After the war O.D. came out of the service for about a year. He bought a small house trailer and went to Boise, Idaho, where he had been stationed for a while when he was in service. He came to San Francisco to visit me for a week while John and I was there. He went back to Kentucky and married Betty Gilstrap, who had a little girl. They lived in Beaver Dam for a while then O.D. went back into the Air Force. He was stationed in Florida for several years and then was sent to Puerto Rico. He had his first heart attack and was in the Army hospital for two weeks. He was pronounced O.K. and was dressing to go home when he dropped dead.

His body was sent home to Beaver Dam, Ky., he was buried at Sunny Side Cemetery, on Feb.24th. 1954.

Both occupants of the car were found unconscious as a result of the wreck. They were both conveyed to the office of Dr. McKenney where the condition of Davidson seemed rather critical, having a broken jaw bone and cuts and bruises about the head and chest. Taylor received cuts about the face and a stab through the hand. They were both conveyed to their homes where they were confined to their rooms.

From the OHIO COUNTY MESSENGER...12 JUNE 1936

Note: The old man was a neighbor.. he died soon after from the effects of the accident.. O.D. always felt responsible.