Housing distant memories forever

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rob Hazelett
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AFB, MO. --  More than 18,000 families were able to find a place to call home before Carol DesCombes, 509th Civil Engineer Squadron, retired here today. 

The housing manager, who has led Airmen to shelter for more than 18 years, is inspired by a father she hardly remembers, her family who have motivated her and customers she'll never forget. 

Mrs. DesCombes began her life in Hawaii during a tumultuous period that today's Airmen have only read about. 

Now she takes the memories of recent housing developments with her, as well as the resonating echoes from a generation of war that have helped shape her character.

A family removed 

She was born in a year noted for the United Service Organization being created, Bob Hope's first USO performance at March Field, CA.,and the completion of Mount Rushmore after 14 years of drilling. 

However, 1941 is most remembered for the attack on Pearl Harbor, a naval base on Oahu, Hawaii. 

Her father, Navy pilot Lt. Cmdr. Eugene Webb, and her mother, Alice, were stationed there that fateful December day, which U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called "A day that will live in infamy." 

She was barely four-months old when the U.S. armed forces were attacked by the Empire of Japan. The losses inflicted were heavy: more than 2,400 people killed, 1,178 people wounded; 188 planes destroyed, dozens of ships seriously damaged and five battleships sunk, including the U.S.S. Arizona. 

Her family was spared. Since the attack spurred America into entering World War II, however, she and her mother were sent to Windsor, Mo., where they lived with her father's parents for the duration of the war. 

"My mother's family was in Alaska, and she was unable to get back to them, so we were returned to where Father's family lived," Mrs. DesCombes said. "I remember staying at my grandparent's house and grandmother made clothes for my dolls while grandfather did woodwork and made a dresser and cradle for the dolls."

The war was in its fourth  year in 1945, and the Webb's were expecting another child. However, Commander Webb was Killed In Action Jan. 12 while flying a Grumman TBM torpedo bomber from the mini-carrier U.S.S. Hoggatt Bay, in the Philippines during the fierce battle to reclaim the island. 

Dennis Webb was born the following day his father was killed. Commander Webb was buried at sea. 

Although Mrs. DesCombes has some recollection of her father, most memories come from stories told by the warriors of yesterday, since she was too young to remember.

"My mother was not able to talk about our dad, probably because my brother and I were so young," she said. "Only in the last 10 years have I been able to find anything about him through the internet." 

She said her mother was recently moved to assisted care, and though time has passed, more memories of her father remain in the form of material possessions, which serve as a vivid reminder. 

"She gave my dad's trunk to me, which was with him when he was killed. It has his uniforms, letters from Mom, and his logbooks," she said. "It was very emotional, so it is something I don't look at very often."

A familiar face

Commander Webb and Navy Capt. W. N. "Jack" Ferguson were boyhood friends. They played basketball and were even in a fashion show together, which particpants names were found in the archives of the Windsor Review  - Mrs. DesCombes said. "Boy, I would have liked to have seen that." 

Jack entered the service in 1940 when he joined the Missouri National Guard in Clinton, Mo., said Larry DesCombes, Carol's husband of more than 41 years. "He was selected for bombardier training where he graduated and was commissioned in 1944." 

As a B-17 bombardier, Jack was shot down twice and held as a Prisoner of War once during WWII. Both times he was shot down in December 1944, less than one month before Commander Webb was killed. 

The first time occurred when Jack's B-17 was flying with the 15th Air Force out of Foggia, Italy. They were shot down over the Adriatic Sea, and rescued. However, many of his crewmates did not survive as the B-17 blew up, Mr. DesCombes said. 

Jack became a POW after his fiftieth and final mission, later that same month, when they were over Brenner Pass inbound to the Innsbruck Marshalling Yard," Mr. DesCombes said. "Their B-17 took a flak hit in the bomb bay. After bailing out, the entire crew was captured and taken prisoner. 

"Jack and some of the others of the crew were wounded. They were held as prisoners at Stalag VII POW camp, Moosburg, Germany until liberated by Gen. Patton's Army in April 1945," Mr. Descombes said. 

When Jack returned home to Windsor, he eventually married Alice and adopted both Carol and Dennis. They had two children together, Jerry and Janice.

Inspiration fulfilled

Mrs. DesCombes grew up in Windsor and attended Christian College for Women in Columbia and the University of Missouri.
 
She has not only worked at Whiteman. Before that, she worked at a bank in Warrensburg in the loan department, and owned a real estate business in Clinton with her husband. 

She said she is happy to be a small part of a big mission here, which makes her proud to be an American keeping America free. 

"Inspiration comes in many forms, but I think the people I work with and for are the number one source," she said. "Knowing that I've done the best I can, and the satisfaction I have knowing I accomplished that job for the people to the very best of my ability, is a rush like no other." 

It takes dedication to do what she's done in the housing office. Especially when it comes to first term Airmen who are new to the Air Force, and the housing office is their first stop, said Iris Carpenter, 509th CES. 

"Working for the housing flight takes a caring individual who loves what they are doing. The majority of inbound families rely on us when they PCS into Whiteman," Mrs. Carpenter said. "These families are basically homeless, and we set the tone for them here. She will be greatly missed in the military family housing community." 

As she heads into retirement, she said she has a few plans. 

"I have a lot of yarn that needs to be knitted, a lot cross-stitch pieces that are crying for completion, and a basement full of 'stuff' that needs to be cleaned out," she said. "Which will come first? Probably not the basement." 

She said she greatly loves her daughter Shannon, son Sean and her four grandchildren; Justin, Madilyn, Noah and Nelson, and looks to spend quality time with them. 

Timeless acknowlegements

As new housing construction is ongoing, Mrs. DesCombes leaves, but doesn't leave her mission unfulfilled. 

"To my father, I would say that I was sorry we did not get to know each other, but I understand you had a job to do, and you did it with honor," she said. "To Jack Ferguson, I'd like to say thanks for marrying my mother, you filled a void for my brother and me and made our lives complete. 

"To Mom, I love you. To my family, ditto. And to the people of Whiteman, I am really going to miss you. There is no doubt my successor will continue to improve services for you," she said. 

Nevertheless, while today's Airmen experience tumultuous periods in their lives with deployments and increased operations tempos that others may only read about. Mrs. DesCombes has the satisfaction that she sheltered more than 18,000 families from the storm.