“Bonnie Gillespie is a man whose service to his country didn’t end with his discharge,” remarked Jackie Gilles, adjutant of the Bloomfield American Legion Post 382.
“Bonnie continued to serve both his country and his community through his long-term involvement in the Bloomfield American Legion,” Gilles continued.
During his years of Legion membership, Gillespie held virtually every office, and served as adjutant for many years.
“When I joined the Legion,” Gillespie says, “I gave it all I had. We were a very active organization, and raised a lot of money to help the community.”
“Bonnie has been a stalwart piece of this organization,” remarked member Jerry Elder. “The Bloomfield American Legion might not be here if not for Bonnie’s involvement.”
Considering the Legion celebrated its 100th anniversary in March, Gillespie’s 70-year membership seems that much more remarkable. To commemorate Gillespie’s long-term Legion affiliation, the Bloomfield post honored him at a dinner on April 26. The veteran was recognized by both the national organization and the Missouri State House of Representatives.
Gillespie’s son Dennis also paid tribute to his father.
“Two fundamental ideals that my father instilled in us from an early age were: ‘Don’t burn your flag, and don’t hate your country,’” the younger Gillespie recalled.
In addition to a deep sense of patriotism, Dennis adds, his father also modeled a strong work ethic and support of family. two traits Dennis says he has strived to achieve in his own life.
Gillespie’s entrance into the service began in 1944. From his induction at Scott Air Base in Illinois, he travelled to Denver, Colorado, for basic training.
“It was summer in Colorado,” recalls the veteran, “and where I was stationed there were cactus as high as my waist.”
He goes on to say, “When we were out for training, and the order came to drop, we dropped. Cactus and all! I’ll never forget it.”
Gillespie was assigned to Army Airways Communications System, and following completion of basic, was sent to Madison, Wisconsin, for radio school.
“When we finished training, we were called together to get our assignments,” Gillespie remembers. “Our squadrons were assigned numbers, and then they began calling the numbers that would be infantry, sent to Germany.
“Well, at that stage of the war, infantry was a death sentence,” he observes. “My number was called, and my heart just sank, but then, there came an announcement that my squadron’s number was not assigned to infantry.”
Gillespie goes on to say, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know why my squadron didn’t go, but I do know that I most likely would not be sitting here today, if things had turned out differently.”
From Wisconsin, his squadron boarded a troop train and headed to Wichita Falls, Texas. Following the stint in Texas, he was again reassigned, but this time his destination was not disclosed.
“I travelled to Louisiana by troop train, and then boarded a plane. They still had not told us where we were going,” he recalls. “There weren’t enough parachutes for all of us, and our seats lined up along the walls of the plane.”
Gillespie says that to pass the time, some of the men got out of their seats and were playing penny-ante poker in the tail of the plane.
“The pilot knew we were going to hit some turbulence,” Gillespie recounts, “and as we did, he turned the plane upside down! That got us back in our seats pretty quickly.”
Once they touched down, the men discovered they were in Natal, Brazil.
“There were eight of us, stationed off the base about four or five miles,” Gillespie says. “We were in the jungle, and it was hot all the time.”
Gillespie remembers they were housed in a long building, that not only served as their living quarters, but all their equipment was in there, too.
“We had 11 machines,” Gillespie says, “and our electricity was supplied by a gasoline engine and a diesel engine.”
Sgt. Gillespie acted as the chief operator during this assignment, supervising six other operators in the 156th squadron. They were in Brazil for eight months.
“We installed, maintained, and repaired all types of standard and special equipment that was used by the Army Airways Communication System,” Gillespie explains.
Gillespie says that one event from this experience particularly stands out in his memory.
“One night I was by myself, and the big diesel engine went out,” he recounts. “It was dark, and I was nervous because we were in the jungle, and the natives were wary of us.
“I was trying to get the gasoline engine going,” he explains, “when I look up and a group of natives is approaching. Luckily, our houseboy Frankie, who was Brazilian, just happened to show up and sent them packing!”
Gillespie says that when his service in Brazil was over, his departure was delayed because there were no parachutes.
“Coming over, it didn’t matter if we didn’t have a parachute,” he laughs, “but to go home, I had to have one!”
After his discharge at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, Gillespie returned to Southeast Missouri.
“Because I had had to quit high school to help at home,” Gillespie explains, “I was allowed to use my GI schooling, and finished up my last two years at Dexter High School.”
After returning to civilian life, Gillespie worked at a variety of careers.
“I farmed with my daddy, up near Sturdivant,” he says. “I worked in carpentry, I ran a gas station at Aquilla for 18 years, I farmed, and sold Moorman feed.”
Gillespie was the fifth of 12 children born in 1925 to Saint Elmo Augustine Gillespie and Edna Clodfelter Gillespie. He will turn 94 on Aug. 13. He has two children, Angie Barnfield of Bloomfield, and Dennis of Brentwood, Tennessee.