The Permanent Family Record
EMD from the Saintly City: “This is a photo published (circa 1943) in the St. Paul paper of my grandmother, Margaret (Ruddy) DeLay, writing to her six sons, who were serving during World War II. Left to right: Harold, Bernard, Paul, Gene, Jay, John.
“My grandmother felt a duty to serve her country, as well, and was a Gray Lady with the American Red Cross, St. Paul chapter. She volunteered at St. Joseph’s Hospital, making surgical dressings.”
BULLETIN BOARD NOTES: EMD sent along photocopies of two articles — one from either the St. Paul Dispatch or the St. Paul Pioneer Press; the other from a Nebraska (Omaha?) newspaper.
St. Paul:
“St. Paul Woman Has Six Sons
“In War, Five Of Them Officers
“It’s going to be hard on Jay when the six DeLay boys come marching home from war.
“He’s the only one of the six who doesn’t wear a bar on his collar, which means he’ll have to take orders from all of them and daren’t (officially, anyway) give any back.
“Three of his brothers are naval officers — Bernard, 32 years old, a lieutenant junior grade in San Diego; Paul, 24, a lieutenant junior grade in the Pacific area, and John, 30 an ensign in Norfolk, Va.
“The other two are first lieutenants in the Army — Harold, 34, in Washington, D. C., and Eugene, 26 in England.
“Jay, 28, is an Army private in Madison, Wis.
“All are sons of Mrs. Margaret DeLay, 1831 Portland ave., and they comprise her entire family.
“Paul, youngest of the brood, was the first to go, signing up for the Navy before Pearl Harbor. Two of them are married — Bernard, who has two children, and Jay, who has one.
“Not content with giving six sons to the war, Mrs. DeLay occupies her spare time as a Red Cross Gray Lady and at making surgical dressings.
“At 8:30 a. m. Friday, with other war mothers, she will be honored at ceremonies in the St. Paul Armory.”
Nebraska:
“6-Star Mother
“Pays a Visit
“Mrs. Margaret De Lay of St. Paul, Minn., former resident of Norfolk, Neb., who has six sons in the services, has been an Omaha visitor for a week of her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Corcoran.
“From the east coast to the west and from England to the south Pacific, the De Lay brothers are scattered. Their mother is en route home after visiting two of them in the east — 1st Lt. Harold, in the army transportation department at Washington, D. C., and Ensign John F. De Lay, who is with the navy amphibious force at Charleston, S. C.
“A third, Lt. (j. g.) Bernard De Lay is to arrive in St. Paul Monday from his base at the navy supply depot in San Diego to visit at home. Lt. Eugene E. De Lay is in England with the army quartermaster corps; Ensign Paul R. De Lay is on south Pacific duty in navy communications, and Jay J. De Lay is at Sheppard Field, Tex., a private in the air force finance department.
“Two of the six have families. Bernard’s is with him in San Diego, and Jay’s is residing in Remsen, Ia.”
Bulletin Board 