A Man in Uniform

[Updated  July 18, 2009]

This is the story of how Robert “Bob” CharlesDucklow and his future wife Betty Brown Ducklow first met.

In August of 1945, our country was in a good mood.  Three months earlier Germany had surrendered, signaling the end of World War II.  On the 15th  of this month Japan had surrendered and now servicemen were coming home from both Europe and the Pacific.

At this time Betty Brown and her good friend Mary Ellen Pomeroy Ducklow were working at the Appleton Post Crescent newspaper as young reporters.  They were both from Appleton and both had studied journalism in college, Mary Ellen at UW Madison and Betty at Lawrence College in Appleton. 

Left: Betty Brown Ducklow

Photo from Pete Ducklow Collection

Mary Ellen was a newlywed.  A year and a half earlier she had married William “Bill” Thomas Ducklow, a young man she met while at college. Bill joined the Navy after attending school in Madison.  He served as a gunnery officer on the USS Monssen during the war.  In August of 1945 he was still on active duty, but was on leave spending time with his wife in Appleton.

Bill’s younger brother Robert “Bob” Ducklow was also a military man.  He was a highly decorated B25 pilot in the Air Force who flew many dangerous missions in the Mediterranean Theater. And in August of 1945 he too was able to take leave to go home and visit his parents in Wilton Wisconsin and then spend a few days with his brother Bill and sister-in-law Mary Ellen in Appleton.

When hearing that his brother was coming to Appleton, Bill felt like they should plan to celebrate.  He asked Mary Ellen if she could find a date for Bob so the four could go out and raise a toast or two.  Mary Ellen decided to ask her friend Betty Brown if she would be willing to join them as Bob’s date. Now this all seems straight forward, but the twist is that Betty happen to be engaged!

Betty must have felt in a bit of a bind.  She was a very social person and loved a party.  And there certainly were lots of reasons to celebrate with servicemen returning home and a nation’s victory at war.  But on the other hand, it must have been odd to consider going on a date with someone other than your fiancé.  Mary Ellen must have been very persuasive as eventually Betty agreed to go. It seems likely that as part of the bargain, Betty insisted that it be made perfectly clear it was not to be a romantic evening out.  She naturally planned to wear her engagement ring as a visual reminder that she was spoken for.

It is not clear if First Lt. Bob had civilian clothes to wear when he was stateside, but seems likely that his attire was rather limited. What is understood is that he wore his pilot’s uniform, complete with battle ribbons including the "Flying Cross," when he joined Bill, Mary Ellen and Betty for the evening out. Bob was a handsome man and especially so when wearing his military best. 

At some point, Bob joined up with Bill, Mary Ellen and Betty.  And when Betty saw Bob for the first time she swooned on seeing this attractive man in uniform.  She immediately turned away.  Not necessarily because she was flush with excitement, but rather to perform a discrete adjustment of her jewelry.  At that instant she made a very important, and ultimately life changing decision. She slipped off her engagement ring!   She realized that the ring might become an impediment to getting to know her handsome date for the night!

Not too much time later, Betty broke-off her engagement with her original fiancé and shortly after became engaged to Bob Ducklow.  They were married in Appleton at the First Methodist Church on May 25, 1946 and went on to share 48 years of marriage together before Bob’s death in 1994.  Betty Ducklow passed away in 2006.  Their two children Perri Ducklow and Peter Ducklow are active citizens living in Appleton.

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The pedigree of Robert Charles Ducklow and William Thomas Ducklow is:  Robert & William > William > Charles > Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow.   Charles was Thomas and Elizabeth's 7th child.

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