WW II soldiers welcomed into local homes

When the United States entered World War II and Lawson General Hospital for wounded soldiers opened in nearby Chamblee, Effie McGaughey began thinking of ways to help recovering soldiers. McGaughey’s summer home was on what was Spruill Road and later became Meadow Lane. The home was a social gathering spot to a place for injured soldiers to rest and relax, known as Serviceman’s Shelter.

In “The Story of Dunwoody,” by Ethel Spruill and Elizabeth Davis, the authors describe the McGaughey home.

“Using a rustic building on the McGaughey property and colorful festive lanterns, church groups, community clubs, and Atlanta groups took turns at entertaining the boys and furnishing food and dance partners.”

Mrs. McGaughey also donated money for a new mobile emergency kitchen, capable of feeding 2,000 people. The truck could be driven around to different parts of Atlanta as part of the canteen corps of the Atlanta Red Cross. (Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1942, “Canteen Corps Given Mobile Kitchen Here”)

Effie McGaughey and other Atlanta women organized a committee to plan parties for recovering soldiers around Atlanta. At the home of Carroll and Effie McGaughey, soldiers were entertained and treated with a barbeque supper and swimming, while listening to music by the Georgia Tech band, and a movie shown on an outdoor screen. (Atlanta Constitution, July 12, 1944, “Many parties are planned for convalescent officers”)

Mr. and Mrs. Ryburn Clay were on the list of homes opened to officers stationed in and around Atlanta. Their summer home was along the Chattahoochee River off Spalding Drive, and it included a swimming pool, tennis court, barn, horses and riding rings.

In August of 1944, the president of the Girls Battalion Club, Mary Parham Woolfolk, announced a swimming party and picnic at the Clay home, known as Lazy River Farm. The party was held for the officers of the armed forces stationed in and around Atlanta. (Atlanta Constitution, August 10, 1944, “Girls’ battalion gives picnic Sunday”)

The Girl’s Battalion Club was a group of 100 young women, usually from the “society” of 1940s Atlanta, who were organized to furnish hospitality to the armed forces stationed in and around Atlanta. Every Friday, the group sent members to Lawson General Hospital in Chamblee to play Bingo with the patients. (Atlanta Constitution, August 2, 1942, “And now-hospitality for the officers in service”)

Ida Akers and her husband William owned a summer home known as Idalakers along Spalding Drive. She was a member of the Iris Garden Club, named for her favorite flower. In 1942, she was asked by a friend who lived far away to visit a patient at Lawson General Hospital. She gathered 100 gardenia blossoms from Idalakers and delivered them to the hospital for all the patients to enjoy. (Atlanta Constitution, July 1, 1942)

The Anderson family entertained injured soldiers at their home on the corner of Tilly Mill Road and Mount Vernon Road with Sunday dinner, often following services at the Baptist church. Jane and Carolyn Anderson took their visitors around to see the sights of Dunwoody. Other families who entertained soldiers and patients of Lawson General Hospital were the Burell, Martin, and Kirby families.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.