Mystery Monday: Japanese Passport in Nolan Lane's WWII Scrapbook

Last week I shared some information about my Uncle Nolan who served in WWII with the U. S. Navy Seabees.  My Treasure Chest Thursday post was about his WWII scrapbook.  Not only does this scrapbook contain some amazing photos of WWII, it also contains  a mystery--one that I hope someone can help me solve.

Japanese Passport found in WWII Scrapbook
of Nolan A. Lane

Among the pages of the scrapbook, I found a Japanese passport.  The passport is in good condition except for some frayed edges around it's dark green cover.  Inside is a clear black and white photo of a young woman, and I assume the passport belonged to her.  Dates throughout the passport are all from 1931.  Okinawa, Japan, and Argentina are about the only words I can decipher.  The rest of the writing looks to be Japanese.

Inside Pages of Japanese Passport

The mystery, to me, is why did my uncle have this passport?  Who is the young woman in the photo, and what happened to her?  Most importantly to me, however, is how can I find this woman's remaining family and return the passport to them?

I've taken my first step toward solving this mystery by sending the passport to a former colleague who teaches Japanese at the high school where I used to work.  He and his wife, who happens to be Japanese, have agreed to take a look at the passport and tell me what it reveals about the young woman.  While they are doing that, I hope to do some additional research myself about my uncle's WWII service.  How might he have come to possess this passport?

I'll keep you posted about our findings. In the meantime, I welcome any suggestions and/or information anyone can offer about this mystery.

Family Recipe Friday: Betty Jo's Butterscotch Pie

Betty Jo Williamson
c. 1960

My cousin, Betty Jo Williamson McManaway, used to make the MOST delicious Butterscotch Pie!  Though I  sampled this pie several times while I was growing up, I gained a true appreciation of it's awesomeness when Betty Jo made it for me once on our shared birthday (January 13).  She brought the pie, still warm from the oven, to our house on this cold, gray afternoon, and it was such a treat.  Below is her recipe which, according to Betty Jo's daughter, Joy, is the recipe used by our Granny, Martha Pierce Lane.








Butterscotch Pie

2 1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. water
4 C. whole milk
9 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 egg yolks, beaten
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract


In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, salt, and water over medium heat.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1/4 C. of the milk with the cornstarch.  Add the rest of the milk to the mixing bowl and blend.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan of heated syrup and cook until thick.  Cook 15 minutes more.  Add the beaten egg yolks to the saucepan and stir.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Cool.  Pour into pie shell, cover with meringue, and brown in the oven.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Nolan Lane's WWII Photo Album

After my Uncle Nolan died in 1983, my mom, Betty, inherited a few of her big brother's personal items.  These items were then passed to me when my mom died in 1992.  Among these items is another one of my family treasures--Uncle Nolan's WWII photo album.

Front cover of Nolan Lane's WWII photo album

Inside WWII photo album

Both historical and very personal at the same time, this album shows me a part of my uncle's life that he rarely discussed.  As the album progresses you see the young men in the photos go from looking healthy, excited, and proud in their crisp, clean white sailor suits to appearing tense, haggard, older.  And WWII, an event I only studied about in school, becomes real.  

Nolan Lane (center) and buddies during WWII

WWII, c. 1944

Nolan Lane (right) and Frank Gores during WWII
c. 1944

My post this coming Monday will be about something else I found in this photo album. Please visit the blog then and help me solve a WWII mystery. 

Nolan Andrew Lane

Nolan Andrew Lane
c. 1916

My Granny and Papaw Lane had their fifth child, Nolan Andrew Lane, on July 22, 1911, in Clairfield, Tennessee.  He was named in part after Papaw's older and much admired brother, Andrew Lane. Nolan spent most of his childhood moving with the family from one mining town to another throughout Claiborne County, Tennessee.  I know very little else about his early life, but by age nineteen he was working as a baker in Lafollette, Campbell County, Tennessee.

Nolan A. Lane (right)
c. 1930

He met his first wife, Mildred Rhea Jacobs, in Lafollette, and they married there on April 26, 1935.  They had their first and only child, a daughter, in 1939.  Rosemary Lane was a beautiful little blonde, and by all accounts was the apple of her daddy's eye.

Mildred Jacobs Lane and Nolan Lane
c. 1937

Nolan Lane and daughter Rosemary Lane
c. 1941

Some time before 1943, Nolan received vocational training and became an electrician.  As I mentioned in my recent Miltary Monday post, he enlisted in the United States Navy on October 15, 1943.  He became one of the Navy's Fighting Seabees and saw active military duty in the Pacific during WWII, mostly in Okinawa, Japan.  Uncle Nolan was honorably discharged from the Navy on November 27, 1945.

Naval Service Card of Nolan A. Lane

At some point after returning home from the war, Uncle Nolan and Mildred divorced.  Rosemary continued to live with her mom in Lafollette, while Uncle Nolan took a job with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and moved to Lenoir City, Tennessee.  For reasons that I don't know, Uncle Nolan sadly would never see or speak to his daughter Rosemary again.  He attempted to do so, but Mildred first and then Rosemary herself chose to break all ties to him and eventually to the Lane family.

In 1956 on October third, Uncle Nolan married Martha Marie Sims in Cumberland, Tennessee.  Uncle Nolan and Aunt Marie lived in Lenoir City where Uncle Nolan continued to work for the TVA for about the next twenty years.

Nolan and Marie Lane
1961

After he retired from TVA, the two of them moved to Brooksville, Florida, where they lived the rest of their lives.  They never had children of their own.  Marie died in Florida on November 29, 1982, and Uncle Nolan passed away soon after on March 17, 1983.  Uncle Nolan had battled heart problems for a number of years, and his death was due to a massive heart attack.

Nolan and Marie Lane
c. 1980

I remember my Uncle Nolan well as a tall (about 6' 4"), rather quiet, and gentle man. He was an animal lover who always had a cat or dog as a pet, and he would often send us photos of them and talk of their antics.  Fishing was his favorite pastime, and he pursued this diligently especially during his retirement years in Florida. He was adored by his family, and as I was growing up I heard countless wonderful stories about him from his sisters, Betty (my mom), Ruth, Gladys, and Edith.  I remember his deep, gruff voice and a sweet, slight smile which crossed his face only occasionally. Spending time with Uncle Nolan was always a joy.

Big Catch
Nolan Lane
c. 1980

Nolan Lane and best buddy
1958

A Visit to Florida
Nolan Lane, Beth  Lee, Marie Lane
1978

Sources:

1920 U. S. Federal Census
1930 U. S. Federal Census
1940 U. S. Federal Census
Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002
Florida Death Index, 1877-1998
U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

Wordless Wednesday: Nolan Lane and Ruth Lane Williamson

A Big Brother and His Adoring Sister
Ruth Lane Williamson and Nolan Lane
c. 1940

Military Monday: Nolan Andrew Lane

Nolan Andrew Lane
c. 1943

My uncle, Nolan Andrew Lane, was the fifth child of William B. Lane and Martha A. Pierce.  He was born in Clairfield, Tennessee, on July 22, 1911, and died at age 72 on March 17, 1983, in Brooksville, Florida.  Today, I remember Uncle Nolan's military service during World War II.  He served in the Pacific Theatre as a Chief Electrician's Mate in the United States Navy Seabees, enlisting on October 23, 1943, and being honorably discharged on November 27, 1945.  Thank you, Uncle Nolan.

Nolan Andrew Lane
c. 1943

Family Recipe Friday: My Family's Favorite Potato Soup

It's 8 degrees here in Lexington, Kentucky, this morning.  Snow is on the ground, and more is predicted throughout the weekend.  Most importantly, the Super Bowl is almost upon us!  Sounds like the perfect weekend for this warm, delicious soup.  I've made this for years, and my husband and our two sons LOVE it.




Potato Soup

6 slices of uncooked bacon
1 C. chopped onion
3 C. potatoes, cubed
1-2 C. water
2  10.5 oz. cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 soup cans milk
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese

In a dutch oven or large saucepan, cook the bacon until it's crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and set aside.  Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from your pan.  Add chopped onion to this same pan and brown.  Add to the pan the potatoes and water.  Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Blend in the Cream of Chicken soup, milk, salt, and pepper.  Heat through on low heat.  My boys like to top their bowls of soup with crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.