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Rider Story: Bill Oser
I left the "Mount" as we use to call it when I was 18
years old, to live in New York City. I tried to survive by
working at various jobs that did not pay more than
$12.99 per week, but found it very difficult trying to
make ends meet in the big city.
At eighteen, I was a very skinny young man with red
hair, also an introvert, being shy did not help me in
New York City. In those days it was hard for a young
man attempting to go it alone, to say the least.
At times I would visit the Catholic Guardian Society
on Madison Ave. in New York City for advice and
counseling. The priest and the people who worked
there were a great help to me.
Times were tough and since i was just about existing,
I decided to take my chances and joining the
C.C.C.'s (Civilian Conservation Corp.) as thousands of
other young men did at that time. This program was
sponsored by the U.S. Government. The work was all
outdoors (which I enjoyed), and it consisted of helping
to put out forest fires, planting and cutting down
tress, and installing farm fences.
years old, to live in New York City. I tried to survive by
working at various jobs that did not pay more than
$12.99 per week, but found it very difficult trying to
make ends meet in the big city.
At eighteen, I was a very skinny young man with red
hair, also an introvert, being shy did not help me in
New York City. In those days it was hard for a young
man attempting to go it alone, to say the least.
At times I would visit the Catholic Guardian Society
on Madison Ave. in New York City for advice and
counseling. The priest and the people who worked
there were a great help to me.
Times were tough and since i was just about existing,
I decided to take my chances and joining the
C.C.C.'s (Civilian Conservation Corp.) as thousands of
other young men did at that time. This program was
sponsored by the U.S. Government. The work was all
outdoors (which I enjoyed), and it consisted of helping
to put out forest fires, planting and cutting down
tress, and installing farm fences.
In the C's a young man had three meals a day and a place to sleep. We wore green
uniforms, made of material that was similar to the U.S. Army uniforms. Our pay was $30.00
per month, of which the Government took part out and deposited the money in the bank in a
savings account. I personally thought the C's was a good program, most of the young men
ended up in the armed forces when W.W. II broke out.
Just prior to my entering the C's my prayers were answered and I finally located my sister
again. Marge was married and had a baby daughter named Barbara. (They were living on
119th Street and Lexington Ave. in New York City).
It was a great reunion. I will never forget that evening. My new brother-in-law, George, and I
got along very good, right from the start.
At the time, I had already signed up for the C's, so there was no backing out now. After
spending one year in the C's I had an opportunity to work for the old New York Central
Railroad. I didn't hesitate to take advantage of the offer, especially after I learned my weekly
salary would be approximately $30.00. World War II had started for the U.S. in 1941, and I
joined the Army. In 1942, I returned to my job on the railroad. After working 42 years in the
railroad industry, I retired on May 1, 1983. When I retired I was General Supervisor in the
Mechanical Department for Amtrak Corp. at Grand Central Terminal, New York City.
Today, my present wife and I try to enjoy our retirement with our family and many friends.
God has been good to us, in that we both have good health and a modest retirement pension
to enjoy out twilight years. Life has not always been so good. For example, in 1971, my first
wife passed away, and I was left with 3 sons to care for. The youngest was Billy, who was
ten years old, John who was eighteen (he had just joined the Marines and was waiting to be
called into service), and Larry who was twenty one and had just finished college in Kentucky.
The years 1971 to 1976 were difficult ones, however, on August 1, 1976, I remarried a widow,
named Anne, who had one daughter Lynn, who was twenty-six at the time and working as a
nurse. The new family consisted of four grown children. They are all married today except for
Billy. They have given us five beautiful grand-children, ages ten to seventeen. As I await my
70th birthday, I can thank God for keeping an eye on me. As I look back and think of the
many low points in my life, I sometimes wonder how did I make it? Then I look up to the sky
and say, thank you Lord!
Also, I guess we orphan kids are a special breed of individuals. As orphan we asked for just
the basic things in life, along with someone to guide us, so when the time came to go out
into the world we had a chance to survive and eventually make it. We asked for little, and
when the hour approached to start the race through life, the record shows, there was no
stopping us and no limits to our dreams of success.
Today, I still talk to my mother, usually at night when it is quiet and peaceful in the house. I
still have a problem not sleeping sound and waking up early in the morning. Now, when I talk
to Mom, if tears appear in my tired eyes, they are tears of joy and a fee ling of
accomplishment, not of sorrow and despair.
uniforms, made of material that was similar to the U.S. Army uniforms. Our pay was $30.00
per month, of which the Government took part out and deposited the money in the bank in a
savings account. I personally thought the C's was a good program, most of the young men
ended up in the armed forces when W.W. II broke out.
Just prior to my entering the C's my prayers were answered and I finally located my sister
again. Marge was married and had a baby daughter named Barbara. (They were living on
119th Street and Lexington Ave. in New York City).
It was a great reunion. I will never forget that evening. My new brother-in-law, George, and I
got along very good, right from the start.
At the time, I had already signed up for the C's, so there was no backing out now. After
spending one year in the C's I had an opportunity to work for the old New York Central
Railroad. I didn't hesitate to take advantage of the offer, especially after I learned my weekly
salary would be approximately $30.00. World War II had started for the U.S. in 1941, and I
joined the Army. In 1942, I returned to my job on the railroad. After working 42 years in the
railroad industry, I retired on May 1, 1983. When I retired I was General Supervisor in the
Mechanical Department for Amtrak Corp. at Grand Central Terminal, New York City.
Today, my present wife and I try to enjoy our retirement with our family and many friends.
God has been good to us, in that we both have good health and a modest retirement pension
to enjoy out twilight years. Life has not always been so good. For example, in 1971, my first
wife passed away, and I was left with 3 sons to care for. The youngest was Billy, who was
ten years old, John who was eighteen (he had just joined the Marines and was waiting to be
called into service), and Larry who was twenty one and had just finished college in Kentucky.
The years 1971 to 1976 were difficult ones, however, on August 1, 1976, I remarried a widow,
named Anne, who had one daughter Lynn, who was twenty-six at the time and working as a
nurse. The new family consisted of four grown children. They are all married today except for
Billy. They have given us five beautiful grand-children, ages ten to seventeen. As I await my
70th birthday, I can thank God for keeping an eye on me. As I look back and think of the
many low points in my life, I sometimes wonder how did I make it? Then I look up to the sky
and say, thank you Lord!
Also, I guess we orphan kids are a special breed of individuals. As orphan we asked for just
the basic things in life, along with someone to guide us, so when the time came to go out
into the world we had a chance to survive and eventually make it. We asked for little, and
when the hour approached to start the race through life, the record shows, there was no
stopping us and no limits to our dreams of success.
Today, I still talk to my mother, usually at night when it is quiet and peaceful in the house. I
still have a problem not sleeping sound and waking up early in the morning. Now, when I talk
to Mom, if tears appear in my tired eyes, they are tears of joy and a fee ling of
accomplishment, not of sorrow and despair.