Basilone Homes veterans housing (San Fernando: transfer to, high school, living)

[casam9497]

My family lived in Basilone Homes from about 1948 (I was born in 1947) until we moved to Northern California in April 1954. We were the Green Family (Dad: Durwood; Mom: Ena Mae; Twins: Butch & Dutch; my sister Judy and my self, Jackie. The family we were closest to were the Caro Family: Sal, Angie, Sal (Butch) and Dennis. We went to the school that was just on the other side of the "ditch". We could wait until the first bell rang and then leave for school. I remember the adults tying a volleyball net between the apartments and playing for hours on warm evenings. I have a few pictures and I tried to download one but I'm not sure I was successful. It is a group shot of about 15 kids. I think I remember a couple of girls named Eddebee and Ernestine. I remember our time there as good. The download did come through so maybe someone will recognize themselves in it. I am the baby sitting on the lawn right in the middle.

[aeteach2u]

I incorrectly identified the writer of the paper as an architect, he is actually an archaeologist

[Sharon Emory]

My family lived in Basilone Homes in the early 1950s. We lived there at the time of my birth, July 1950. I have three memories of this place, three traumatic ones. My mother tried to leave me at the children's center while she went to church--I cried. Mrs. Booker pierced my ears--I screamed. My sister Rose and our friend Paulette Booker were pretending to eat chocolate on a stick. I begged for some. They gave it to me. It was dog ****. I hollered. We were forced to move from Basilone Homes around 1953. We were told they were going to build a golf club at this site. The golf club was built but not until almost two decades later. We moved to Ramona Gardens, a project in East Los Angeles. I hated it. The city of Pacoima was being built at this time--the mid 1950s. Our family moved back to the Valley, to Pacoima, in 1957, not far from Basilone Homes. We moved to a street called Woodcock. I want to thank all the Jim Crow white folks for building this part of the Valley for Negroes. We were not allowed to move to any other part of the San Fernando Valley at that time. Pacoima is close to beautiful mountains. It was a wonderful place to have grown up. My sister Rosalyn Emory passed away last year, 2012. We had a wonderful childhood and I feel very blessed for these fond memories of Pacoima and Basilone Homes. Sharon Emory.

[hanarifka]

Hi my name is Anita Imazumi and I lived in Basilone Homes from 1948 to 1950. Right now I am searching for the Carter family. Millie Carter took really good care of me and I am looking for her son Red, as we called him. I found out about this housing project through a friend of mine, who also lived in Basilone homes around the same time I did. She lives in the bay area and we are amazed at the similarities of our lives.

[hanarifka]

Hi

My name is Anita. My maiden name was Halperin and we had neighbors by the name of the Carters. One of their sons was nicknamed "Red" and he was my friend. He and I would walk to school and then back home. His mother Millie curled my hair and fed our family when my mother was recouperating from a very serious accident and I felt as if I where her daughter. She was very pretty and very very kind.

The reason I am writing this is because I was talking to a friend and I mentioned that I lived in Basilone Homes, and until that moment in time, I had no idea that she lived there also at the same time I did. What are the odds of someone else living there,which meant that she and I have some kind of Karmic connection. When I met her, I thought that she was awesome, dignified and very gracious. As it turned out I also knew her husband through a networking group from about three years ago. We met at a water aerobics class some time ago and all of this is truly amazing and a bit surreal.

Anyway all that being said made me realize that we cannot escape our past, and now at my age, I can go back in time with joy and awe about all of this. What a huge and great feeling I have and appreciate my parents efforts to give me and my brother a better life.

It started in Basilone Homes in 1948, after moving from Arizona to California. The connection I have with my friend goes beyond words and the connection to my past is very important to me. I would like to know if my friend "Red" is out there and if anyone knew the Carter's. At least I can now tell my story of a time when life was easier, when one parent could work and the other take care of her children and all we had for entertainment was either a radio or books. Nothing seemed complicated, and this is strictly a childs point of view and it was wonderful.


Anita

[hanarifka]

Hi:

I lived in Basilone Homes from 1948-1950 or so. My maiden name was Halperin and wanted to know if there is a man out there who's nickname was "Red" I remember his Mother Millie Carter and she used to curl my hair and make me look pretty for photo's. She drove my mother Beatrice Halperin and me Anita and my brother Leonard to Hollywood, since my mother tried to get us into the Movie Industry. Didn't work out, but it was fun and a great memory.

Also, my father's name was Albert. Both parents are deceased, and I miss them. They made me and my brother feel safe and worked hard to move to a house in North Hollywood.

Hope to get an answer.

Anita

[gdjqt123]

thanks for the memories. I lived there from 52 -54. Left at age 4

[wash1ngt0n]

My family lived in Basilone homes from 1947 through 1949. My father was a veteran of WWII. First Marine Division, same as John Basilone. I have several photos I will post when I get them all together. I remember the snow storm. I don't know if the story rates a book but it would be nice if it got the attention. Maybe the neighborhood council in that area.

[Susan Gramentz]

Mom dad's friend drove us from from Tucson, Arizona to Signal Hill, Ca grandma and grandpa had a huge tent on top of this oil field hill. Next stop was moving into Basilone homes after the WW2 1948 until 1951 or 52 then moved to San Fernando for a short period lived on Hubbard St. Only to move to Pacomia on the good side of the tracks. I didn't get out of there until I was 15 made it to North Hollywood. The pictures seems strange to me for that's not how I remember it. To get to school we had too jump over a very small creek, sometimes I would get my shoes wet. I loved it back then the freedom to just go play and be a kid hiking up the side of the Hanson Dam to be able to go swim. One day while playing and running I stepped on top of a snake and the men from across the street standing by their cars removed that snake. I just remember screaming and being fearful. Exciting times even remember the earth quake also the snow back then. I met my sister that was two years older than me for the first time I didn't know who she was all I knew is I wanted all her pretty dolls and nice dresses she had "who was this girl anyways"? My sister had been living with our grandparents "Wilson" which I didn't even know them yet. The most fun I had is when dad hung a rope outside the upstairs kitchen window and here came the soda pop and goodies to have a back yard party everything came down in a bucket totally awesome. Pop's Willow lake was another great joy. Riding our bikes holding onto the ice cream truck for a free ride. How many of u remember the ice truck for mom's old refrigerator to keep our food fresh? What about the bakery truck? O.K. this one tops it all; because I truly do have many get memories seeing the UFO I think that was in April of 1951 maybe 52. I was with my sister the UFO just stood still in the sky didn't move at all and woof it took off over towards Hanson Dam without a sound mom said; I was white as a sheet. I miss my youth of course and siblings we had hard times these men came from a war so the picture wasn't always pretty, but I try and focus on the good memories. I now live up in Northern Cal El Dorado County where gold was first discovered my kind of town never was a city girl country all the way.

[Stacymckenna]

The LAPL Photo Collections have many images of both Basilone Homes and the Roger Young Village for any interested. A simple search should bring up multiple pages worth of either.

[url]http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/photosearch_pageADV.jsp[/url]