The Boys
Arthur Emory
Arthur Emory was one of eight children born to Charles and Essie Emory in Savage, Virginia. In 1935 his family was on relief. "We didn't know where our next meal would come from lots of times." Arthur joined the CCC.
"I signed up to be a cook. And they gave me a shovel." Arthur soon found himself on the gang at Crescent Rock Overlook laying stone for a sidewalk. The work leader was looking for someone who could operate a large truck loaded with rocks. Although Arthur had driven a dump truck before, he didn't want the job because he and a friend had been injured in an accident and he was afraid. But another friend who knew he could drive the truck volunteered him. As soon as the work leader realized he had the skill he took Arthur's shovel saying "You don't need that anymore; you're a truck driver."
On cold, snowy days when he couldn't drive, Arthur would work in the garage. Eventually, he moved to the garage full time. If the trucks were needed in the field he wouldn't be able to start work on them until after they were brought in for the evening. Once when he had worked on a truck all night he didn't get up at Reveille. The other boys didn't think it was fair so they carried his cot, with him in it, to the flag raising. "The sergeant reported to Lieutenant Curtis: 'Six men absent, 193 present, and one in bed!'" But when the Lieutenant found out Arthur had worked all night he made the boys carry him back inside the barracks. Arthur also taught typing and worked on Skyline Drive giving visitors information on the weekends.