George L. Ratliff
AR1940, 2765, Fechner, ASCS-1,
On April 20, 1940 a hundred young men had just arrived from the fair state of Arkansas. Among this somewhat bewildered group was the young gentleman you see pictured above. His name, George Ratliff.
It was no new experience for George to be on the soil of a new state for he had covered many in his seventeen years. He was born in Van Oss, Oklahoma on Dec. 22, 1922, and resided there for three years. At this tender age his family moved to Whittier, California and little George, naturally, went along. He received his formal education in the public schools of Whittier. He lived here for thirteen years and then his family moved back to Arkansas. George resided in the "land of opportunity," for six months and then heard the clarion call of the CCC. He heeded it and as mentioned before became a member of company 2765 on April 20, 1940.
His labors in the Corps have been varied. His first three months in camp were spent doing carpentry work. The educational building is a testimonial of this work. He then labored in the field for about six months and then was called in to assume the camp carpenter's duties. He labored with saw and hammer for thirteen long months and then went to work for the SCS as pick up man. His work in both places was of the highest caliber and it quickly won the admiration of everyone. In recognition of these labors he was given an assistant leader's rating on March 1, in the field. Here too, his work and that of the men entrusted to him has been tops.
Aside from his duties in camp George has taken an active interest in athletics being a member of two softball teams. Swimming however has been his main hobby and he holds an instructor's card garnered by taking a two weeks course at Excelsior, last summer. He acted as a lifeguard at Bear Butte lake for the past two summers and also taught two classes, one at Camp Este and the other at Camp Larimore, N. Dak. It may be truly said that he was the most outstanding of that hundred young men who stepped off the train that chilly April morn.
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