Wendell LaVerne McNay (1907-1995)

5th grade, 1917/18	1922 LHS freshman class	1922 LHS basketball team
1923 LHS sophomore class	LHS junior team, 1923

Leave for camp Knox

Lowell is furnishing her quota of young men for Camp Knox this year. The following young men left Tuesday evening for that camp: LaVerne McNay, Maurice Miller, Keith Gordon, Fabian Henry, Elwyn Belshaw and Archie Buckley. The boys will stay in camp for thirty days.

Transferred to other camps in the U.S. -- Major LaVerne McNay from Missouri to Florida where he awaits sailing orders, and Walter Dickerson of Cedar Lake, from Texas to a camp in Alabama.

Robert Schmal, son of Fred Schmal, writes his father that he has been promoted from the rank of Lieutenant to that of Captain, which, says Bob, gives him a different slant on life from an army viewpoint. Capt. Schmal, who enlisted in the army two years ago last February, is the third Lowell boy attaining that rank. The first was Capt. LaVerne McNay, formerly of Lowell and the other Capt. Abbott Dinwiddie.

Writes from Iran

The following is a portion of a recent letter received by Mrs. Hattie McNay, from her son, Capt. W.L. McNay:
Somewhere in Iran
June 2, 1944

I had to make an inspection tour of my detachments and by chance, a one-week trip had to be extended to two weeks, so I had some time to kill, which was very pleasant.

Now I have traveled from one end of Iran to the other by plane, train and auto. These roads are something, to say nothing of the trip over the mountains. I really did things up brown this time. Spent two days in the mountains hunting boars and bear. Total bag -- one fox (another fellow got that one). I got a shot at another fox, but being a prairie man, I didn't allow for distance above the fox which was at the bottom of a cliff and I missed bagging him. Another day we sneaked up into the Shaw -- in Shaw's (King's) private hunting grounds for a little trout fishing. My catch of three trout were too small, so I threw them back. We did catch five which we brought back.

While in Teheran, I had enough time to visit all the places of interest, which included the King's palace. The Peacock Throne is a sight for sore eyes. It is studded with thousands of jewels of all descriptions. The walls of the throne room are lined with cabinets, which contain the treasures of Iran. To me this business of being a king is one big Xmas party. The rulers from all over the world shower each other with gifts trying to out-do the other fellow. There were all kinds of hand-painted dishes, swords, ivory carvings, vases, vanity boxes, etc. There were also three rather expensive rugs hanging on the wall, a matched pair about 3x4 feet woven out of gold and silver wire, and instead of wool they use all kinds of pearls and other jewels. Those rugs were priceless. On another wall was a rug, 4x4 feet which they said was the pride of Iran, it was a regular floor rug of wool, made by hand. The stitches were so fine it looked like broadcloth. They claimed to have refused an offer of $53,000 by the world's largest museum.

The high spot of my trip was my night at the Iranian Officers' club where a table tennis tournament was in progress. The guests of honor were the King and Queen. She is 21 and he is 23 years old.

Am looking forward to being home in November or December.

LaVerne

Arrives in New York

Mrs. Hattie McNay received a telephone call Sunday from her son, Capt. Wendell LaVerne McNay, stating that he had arrived by plane in New York. He said he would leave on Tuesday for his home in St. Louis, where his wife and three children reside. He was called home by the illness of his wife. LaVerne has been overseas the past 14 months, serving in Iran and the Persian Gulf area. He said he would try to get his furlough extended so he could visit his mother and other relatives here.

Mrs. Hattie McNay spent last week with her son, Captain LaVerne McNay, and family, at St. Louis. LaVerne reported to Camp Houston, Texas, August 23rd for further assignment. He has spent nearly two years in Iran before returning home recently.

Capt. LaVerne McNay, son of Mrs. Hattie McNay, has been honorably discharged from the service after four years and will soon resume his former position as engineer with the Grasselli Chemical Co., in East Chicago. LaVerne, who was here visiting his mother last week, will move his family to the north end from St. Louis, Mo., as soon as suitable quarters can be found.