White River Junction VA Medical Center, Vermont
Vermont Navy Veteran turns 100
Sailors from Vermont march up to Lysle Chase's front yard during his 100th birthday celebration. Photo taken by White River Junction VA Public Affairs Office.
On a day that was forecasted to be thunderstorms and scattered showers in North Pomfret, Vermont instead it was sunny, ninety and full of cheer. On this day, July 11, 2020, a community came together to celebrate 100 years of life amid these uncertain times.
Lysle Chase was born in 1920 when our nation rejoiced in having our troops home again after WWI. He grew up and attended one-room schools in Barnard and North Pomfret. After school he and his nine siblings would walk or catch the “bus” home.
“At that time the ‘bus’ was a covered wagon drawn by a team of horses.” Explains Lysle.
At nine years old, the Great Depression hit America and at age nineteen, Germany began to invade Poland which marked the beginning of WWII.
On December 7, 1941, over 300 Japanese aircrafts attacked the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. More than 2,300 servicemembers were killed that day as a result. Pearl Harbor’s invasion served as a unifying force for the American people in favor of entering World War II, including Lysle.
Lysle Chase in uniform during WWII. Photo submitted by family.
“When Pearl Harbor was attacked my brother and I decided to join the marines.” Lysle recalls.
When his brother failed the physical in Quincy, Massachusetts and required a medical procedure prior to being able to enlist, Lysle wouldn’t join without his brother. They returned to Vermont where his brother recovered from surgery. In September of 1942 at the age of twenty-two, he took an oath to serve in the Navy for his United States of America alongside his brother.
“I was assigned to the destroyer, USS Badger.” Explains Lysle, “It was a converted ‘four-piper’ from WWI.”
He later served aboard the shakedown cruise of the USS Amsterdam heading for the Pacific. The cruiser was near the USS Missouri in the Tokyo Bay during the surrender of Japan where he was able to hear and observe this historic event from his cruiser. Lysle was honorably discharged after the war in 1945 and rode a train from Los Angeles, California to Boston, Massachusetts. He then rode a trolley to Worcester, Massachusetts finishing the final leg of his journey to Vermont by hitchhiking.
Lysle had a passion for dump trucks leading him to purchase one with his service pay. He began his own business with that truck working on roads and property around Vermont.
“Dad met Mom on a blind double date with his brother Curley.” Explains Jeanna Hamblet, Lysle’s oldest daughter. “Dad did not want to take a chance on it being really blind so he made his brother drive by slowly so he could get a look at Mom [Elaine] before he committed to the date. They were married on January 1, 1949. 71 ½ years ago!”
Elaine and Lysle Chase married in 1949 after meeting on a blind date. Photo submitted by family.
Lysle and his father, Moses, purchased the Galaxy Hill Farm in 1956 which is where he and Elaine raised their five children. In 1973, Lysle retired after winning many awards including Highest Quality Milk by Hood Corporation.
“Dad was always conscientious of proper land use and received the Crop Management Award from the US Soil Conservation Corp.” Explains Jeanna, “He was a member of the Vermont Farm Bureau and The United Farmers Milk Producers. He always said these were his most enjoyable years raising his family, working the land and caring for animals.”
Lysle would then go on to purchase and drive another dump truck, drive school buses for local school districts and a van for a local senior center until the age of eighty-seven!
On Saturday, July 11, 2020 over 50 cars, trucks, dump trucks, fire trucks and tractors formed a line on a dirt road behind 20 sailors and their color guard. Although the world is practicing physical distancing, you could not help but hear the horns blaring and cheers echoing through the woods and farmlands in Vermont that day as they passed by Lysle and Elaine Chase sitting in their front yard of North Pomfret.
“We are just so blessed to have had this wonderful Dad in our lives for so long.” Explains Jeanna, “We thank our lucky stars and great genes that he has had such good health for so long and been able to happily keep active. We are very proud of him and all he has accomplished in life.”
When asked what his secret to a long life is, “Hard physical work, love, doing what you love to do, and being outside.”
Happy 100th Birthday, Lysle! Thank you for your service!
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To watch a video of the Naval Operational Support Center in White River Junction, VT and White River Junction VA Healthcare System present gifts to Lysle Chase please follow this link to the White River Junction VA Medical Center Facebook page.
