My Favorite Masonic Story

R.W. Bro. Bernard Hann PDDGM London West 1971-72

This is a story I've told many times but I think you stand it once more. In August of 1966 we bought a little travel trailer and hooked it up to a black 1962 Ford Farelane and headed for the west coast, Canada all the way out and the US on the way back. Our kids were about 9 and 13.

My Favorite Masonic Story

This is a story I've told many times but I think you stand it once more. In August of 1966 we bought a little travel trailer and hooked it up to a black 1962 Ford Farelane and headed for the west coast, Canada all the way out and the US on the way back. Our kids were about 9 and 13.

Coming back on US 19, this was before the days of inter states we stopped in a little place called Bliss Idaho the bleakest little town I had ever seen. While I gassed the car at a Sinclair station the family went over to a grocery store and I sat on a stool and had an interesting talk with station owner. We each noticed our Masonic rings and he told me about an event that happened a few days ago. A young US soldier was standing on the road hitchhiking and not having much luck. It started to rain and he asked the service station man if he could come in out of the rain. The reply was of course you can and he told the Sinclair man his story. He was serving in Vietnam and he had been given a compassionate leave to visit his dying mother in Michigan. When he hit the US his luck ran out as the airlines were on strike and he was afraid he would not see his mother before his time ran out. He happened to be a newly made mason and his new friend called the nearby air base where the commanding officer had just been made a master mason.

From here on in things happened quickly, the C.O. told the Sinclair man to get him in a taxi and get him over here as fast as possible. Give the sentry at the gate the password in the third degree and he'll be just in time for dinner. He found that the air force fed their people better than the army. In short order he was aboard a US transport plane bound for Detroit and soon was at his dying mothers beside.

Now you might wonder how we found out about this little drama, the young soldier hitchhiked a hundred miles out of his way to come back to Bliss Idaho to thank the Sinclair man who started the Masonic “chain” rolling. That was back in 1966 and I wonder if any of the characters in the story are still alive today, the young soldier went back to Vietnam and quite a lot didn't come back. Thought you might like to hear my favorite Masonic story.

R.W. Bro. Bernard Hann PDDGM London West 1971-72

THIS NOTE WAS ATTACHED to the Editor:

This is a yarn I’ve told many times in lodge. The picture of me is a bit of a ”fib”, it was taken 33 years ago. I’m not looking that good now, I’m 82.