Oregon Coast History Connection to World War 2 Spotlighted

Published 10/26/2014

(Tillamook, Oregon) – A local son returns to the Oregon coast from the battlefields of World War 2 on November 8 – sort of. In a literal sense, authors Karen Nudelman and Kim Varner will bring it all home as they give a talk on the war accounts of Charles Hunter of Tillamook.

In 1942, Charles “Chuck” Hunter, son of Alice and Frank Hunter and younger brother to local legend Helen Hunter, enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Stationed in the South Pacific, Chuck delivered supplies to the troops and spent much of his time 10,000 feet above the islands. The Hunter family received devastating news via Western Union telegram in October of 1945. They had lost their son when his plane crashed into a Japanese mountainside.

Their unimaginable loss was felt throughout Tillamook.

Seventy years later, and three thousand miles from Oregon’s coastline, Karen Nudelman, a Washington D.C.-based author and self-proclaimed history buff, received a package of wartime letters. The letters were all addressed to Alice & Frank Hunter and ranged in date from 1942-1945. They were signed by their loving son, Chuck.

This unique collection of letters offered a personal perspective of the wartime experience, as well as an intimate and touching peek into the relationship between parents and son. “Legacy: Reconstructing the Life of Tillamook son and WWII veteran Charles W. Hunter” will be the topic of the Great Speaker Series at the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum on Nov. 8th.

Ms. Nudelman is co-writing a book of her experiences tracking down Chuck’s story with freelance writer Kim Varner to highlight Chuck’s wartime stories, as well as the impact the war had on the community of Tillamook, Oregon. Both women will be on hand for the Great Speaker Series to explain their journey so far. They also hope to speak to local residents who remember the Hunter family.

The Pioneer Museum will host Karen Nudelman and Kim Varner for a presentation of their unique story, research methods and unexpected findings on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014 at 1 PM. This event is free and open to the public. For more information please visit the Museum’s website at www.tcpm.org or call 503-842-4553. Tillamook County Pioneer Museum. Downtow Tillamook, Oregon.

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