Seventy-five-year-old Harold Dean Satterwhite was born in Centerville (located in Faulkner County) just east of Greenbrier, Arkansas. He was born in his home on July 31, 1924 and had a normal childhood development. He grew up about a half mile from what is now Lake Bennett by Wooley Hollow. His home was a six-room house that had two bedrooms. However, they also used the living room as a bedroom in order to accommodate the size of their family. Their house had what they called a dogtrot. This was a new word to me. It was described as an open pathway separating the bedrooms from the rest of the house. Harold was the youngest of eleven children; he had five brothers and five sisters. His oldest sibling was twenty-nine years older than he was but died during infancy. Because of the age difference between the children, they never all lived at home at the same time. Harold described it as "having two families". By the time he was born, his oldest brothers and sisters had all married and moved out of the house. Thus, there were only five children living at home when Harold was growing up. He remembers his nieces and nephews coming to visit that were older than he was. Despite the number of siblings in the home, Harold said that they all got along pretty well. Of course they had their arguments. He said that it was not unusual to see one of them chasing another with a stick. Sibling rivalry never changes, does it? Yet, the children all were very appreciative and respectful of their parents. Unfortunately, this has changed with kids today. Harold said that his mother did not hesitate to discipline the children, and they knew that she would. Therefore, they acted right when they were expected to.
Harold was the youngest of eleven children; he had five brothers and five sisters. His oldest sibling was twenty-nine years older than he was but died during infancy. Because of the age difference between the children, they never all lived at home at the same time. Harold described it as "having two families". By the time he was born, his oldest brothers and sisters had all married and moved out of the house. Thus, there were only five children living at home when Harold was growing up. He remembers his nieces and nephews coming to visit that were older than he was.
Despite the number of siblings in the home, Harold said that they all got along pretty well. Of course they had their arguments. He said that it was not unusual to see one of them chasing another with a stick. Sibling rivalry never changes, does it? Yet, the children all were very appreciative and respectful of their parents. Unfortunately, this has changed with kids today. Harold said that his mother did not hesitate to discipline the children, and they knew that she would. Therefore, they acted right when they were expected to.
Harold's mother also did much canning. She canned fruits and vegetables. He remembers that their storm cellar was stocked full of canned fruits on shelves from floor to ceiling. When they had to go down in the cellar for a tornado, the kids would always want to eat some fruit. So, in order to do this, they would pull on the rubber seal to make the jar spew and then tell their mom that it needed to be eaten. Of course their mother knew what they were doing, but she always willingly let them have a jar of fruit to eat anyway.
Harold was reminiscing of how, although they had a car, his family still walked most places. They frequently walked to church, which was a mile away. His father lived to be ninety-seven years old, and Harold laughingly contributed this to his father's insistence to walk everywhere.
His father drove into town (Conway) only two or three times a year to buy supplies such as flour, sugar, lard, and coffee. He bought not only for themselves but for the rest of the family also, those members who had already married and started families of their own. Harold stated that his father often did not get paid for the supplies he gave out, but that was just his way of helping out because times were hard. There was a store nearby where they lived; this is where they got supplies throughout the year. But major trips to town were few and far between.
There were three people that Harold said had a significant impact on his life. His mother and father and his older brother, Sam. Harold described his father as being well respected in the community-a good man. He taught Harold how to hunt and fish, and influenced his life a great deal. Harold described his mother as being a "good Christian woman". He said that she always guided her children and wanted them to do right. His parents were a good influence on his life.
His brother Sam, who was twelve years older than Harold was of great influence in his life. When Harold came back from World War II, he lived with Sam and his family. Sam guided Harold, gave him advice, and was not afraid to speak up if he thought Harold was going in the wrong direction. Sam encouraged Harold to start working after he came back from the war and go on in life.
One of Harold's major life events included his service in World War II. He and his brother, Jack. Both served in the army. Harold's service in the war lasted twenty-seven months. His brother had volunteered his services for the war but told Harold to wait until he was drafted, so he did. Unfortunately, Harold's brother was killed while serving his country, and Harold had a very interesting story pertaining to his brother's death. While Harold and his brother were in the war, their mother had a service flag with two stars on it. The stars represented her two sons that were in the war. The day that she got news of her son's death, one of the stars just peeled off. Harold still has this flag.
Harold served in the Pacific; he went to the Philippines, Japan, and New Guinea. He was of the first troops to enter the Philippines and liberate them. What an experience! While there in the Philippines, they got cut off while they were up on a hill. They were surrounded by Japanese troops, and they could not get in or out. They also were not able to get supplies, including food. He said that their C-47 planes would fly over and drop supplies down to them, but they just went everywhere and the Japanese ended up getting more of the supplies than the Americans did.
After their rations had expired, they were forced to live on the land for seventeen days. Harold and his troops ate green coconuts in order to survive. They obtained their water from that which was standing in big caribou tracks. Before drinking the water, they would dissolve a tablet in the water to purify it. Harold said there were times that he thought he was going to die, but he made it. As a result of their entrapment, many of the troops, including Harold, suffered from malaria, dysentery, and jungle rot. After their work in the Philippines was finished, they were prepared to go invade Japan. However, this was when the atomic bomb was dropped, and Japan surrendered. Thus, they went on to Japan as occupational forces, but they did not have to go and fight.
After their work in the Philippines was finished, they were prepared to go invade Japan. However, this was when the atomic bomb was dropped, and Japan surrendered. Thus, they went on to Japan as occupational forces, but they did not have to go and fight.
Overall, Harold feels that he has aged very successfully. He and his wife have accomplished in life what they wanted and have had a good family life. Yet, when asked what he would change if he could, Harold replied that he would have better prepared for retirement. He never anticipated getting sick. He said that he had always thought he would work 'till he died. But in summary, Harold stated, "I'm satisfied with what the Lord has given me." According to Erikson's psychosocial stages, I feel that Harold has aged very successfully. In stage seven, generatively vs. stagnation, he definitely achieved generatively. This is seen through his numerous children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Harold has also done many things to contribute to his church and society for the benefit of others. Regarding stage eight, e.g. integrity vs. despair, Harold has achieved e.g. integrity. He loves to reminisce with others about his life and pass on the wisdom he has learned throughout the years. He knows that his life has been full and has accomplished many things. Harold Satterwhite is a wonderful, Godly man whom I feel has led a very full and healthy life. The Lord has blessed him in so many ways, and Harold is always thankful for that. It was a blessing to me to be able to visit with Harold and Ida this afternoon. There is always much to learn from those who have gone before us, and I feel that because of the conversation we had today, I am a little wiser.
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