THE PROPOSAL --- Three Weeks After The USO Dance

Next week back to Cerro Gordo and Martha. Played canasta all weekend at Wally & Cleo Miller's home. Back again the next week, same routine. Marvin's new home-away-from-home was Cerro Gordo and it looked like this was going to be more than just dating. Martha wasn't complaining either, and looked forward to the weekends with Marv.

Dad's Story:   On our 3rd weekend date I asked Martha if she would marry me and she said "no". Looked at her and asked again and she said "yes". We set the date for December 3rd (three weeks later) and we only waited that long because I would pull my monthly paycheck on November 30th.

When I asked Martha to marry me I wrote my mother and told her I had met someone and was getting married but she decided not to travel from Kenosha to the wedding. I'd been married before and was just divorced in August and Mom thought I was rushing things. She was right, Martha and I had only known each other for three weeks.

Marvin Wood, 1949, Iwo Jima

BACKSTORY:  Marvin joined the Army October 15, 1945 (World War II), he had just turned 17 in July. He was stationed as a cook at the 79th Field Hospital in Galesburg, Illinois where he met and married Mary Nelson.  After returning from the Army they started a small restaurant in Galesburg. The restaurant business was tough and Marvin decided to return to military service (this time to the Air Force) in April 1948. Mary wasn't going along with this decision and their marriage ended while he was in Iwo Jima in August 1949. When he returned from Iwo Jima he went to Mary and retrieved his belongings and his mother's engagement ring. Marvin was sent to Chanute AFB in Illinois for technical training.

Mom's Story:  I'd been dating a farmer but he wrote he couldn't come to Cerro Gordo to visit (he was from Gibson City). So Marvin was coming on the weekends and I guess I'd broken up with the farmer but I hadn't quite let go. Told Marvin I wasn't interested in getting married for years when we met at the USO dance. He said the same.

Sitting on the couch at my parents and Marv was standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders and asked "what would you say if I asked you to get married?" I said "you'd be a damn fool". Next thing I knew he asked and I said "yes"! I think I floored him ... he couldn't back out ... he had prepared the path. I hadn't been thinking about marriage, if I had I would have said "no" but my mouth just opened and I said "yes".