Meet Mr. Case

Forest Neil Case.
Mansfield, Ohio, circa 1941.

The shy unassuming fellow on the right is Forrest Neil Case. If you read my prior post titled "Baby Boy Case", and examined Exhibit "A" (my birth certificate) closely as you were instructed to do, you should instantly recognize the name. Mr. Case was, to use a phrase from today's vernacular, "a real piece of work".

He was the youngest of four boys born to Mary Elizabeth Au and William Ernest Case of 241 Franklin Ave (now 241 South Franklin St.), Mansfield, Ohio. Being the youngest he must have been doted on considerably. He was constantly told by his parents, relatives, neighbors, and teachers how handsome and bright he was. Unfortunately he believed them. Low self esteem was never an issue for Neil Case. However, inflated self esteem did make his life more difficult at times, and in ways that he probably never understood as we will see in later stories.

At the time this picture was taken young Mr. Case was set to conquer the world, not to mention the heart of Miss Kathryn McLean Johnson, his high school sweetheart, whom he would marry on Saturday, September 26, 1941. Two days earlier, on September 24, Japanese Naval Intelligence ordered their agents in Hawaii to send reports concerning the disposition of American warships in the harbor at Pearl Harbor. Nine weeks later on December 7, 1941, "a day that will live in infamy", events at Pearl Harbor would change his life forever.

But of course Neil didn't know anything about Japanese Naval Intelligence or a place called Pearl Harbor. He was at that wonderfully scary point in life where he must soon leave home and "seek his fortune". Tomorrow would bring whatever tomorrow would bring, but tonight all was joy and happiness 'cause he was stepping out with his "baby" in a "new set of threads". Just like the couple in the video below.