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Wally Stephens

Wally Stephens (born in 1919) was an American dancer and soldier in World War II.

Biography[]

Wally was born in Los Angeles in 1919. In 1939, he met Betty Douglas who he fell in love but their relationship wasn't approved by Betty's father Ward Douglas. Wally wanting to impress Betty, stole his father's car with his friend Dennis DeSoto but they ended crashing into the sea and being arrested by the police. On Saturday, December 13, 1941, a 10th Armored Division M3 Lee tank crew, consisting of Sergeant Frank Tree, Corporal Chuck Sitarski, and Privates John Foley, Mickey Reese, and Walter Henshaw, were having breakfast at a cafe where Wally and Dennis both worked. Wally was planning to enter a dance contest at a club that evening with Betty. Sitarski instantly disliked Wally, particularly his civilian attire, and tripped him, causing a fight.

At the Santa Monica oceanside home of Betty and her friend Maxine Dexheimer, who have both just become USO hostesses, told Wally that they are only allowed to dance with servicemen as they were the only male patrons allowed in the club. Wally was forced to hide in the garage when Ward, who still disapproved of Wally, appeared. Sgt. Tree and his tank crew arrived and inform Ward and Joan that the army wanted to install an anti-aircraft battery in their yard; Sitarski began flirting with Betty when Wally fell from the loft where he was hiding. Wally and Sitarski recognized each other from the cafe, and Ward and the soldiers picked up Wally and dumped him into a passing garbage truck.

Later that evening, outside the USO club, Sitarski literally kicked aside Wally and dragged Betty into the dance. Wally eventually sneaked in by knocking out a member of the Shore Patrol and stealing his uniform. He snatched Betty from Sitarski, and they ended up winning the dance contest whilst evading Sitarski, whom Maxine was relentlessly pursuing. As the contest ended, Sitarski finally punched Wally, setting off a brawl between soldiers, sailors and zoot suiters. The free-for-all spilled into the street and became a riot.

Sgt. Tree arrived with his crew and broke up the melee, just as L.A. went to Red Alert with unknown aircraft sighted over the city. Moments later, Sitarski was dragging away Betty, when Wally arrived, rescued her and knocked him out cold. Wild Bill Kelso, who has crash landed his plane on the street, informed Wally and the rest of the sub near the amusement park. Sergeant Tree, knocked silly during the melee, instructed Wally to go after the submarine. Wearing an Army uniform, Wally commandeered Tree's tank and headed toward the amusement park. The tank fired at the sub and then sank when the pier collapsed and Wally, Dennis, Tree and the crew jumped into the ocean. Kelso who had stolen a motorcycle which he drove off the pier. He swam to the submarine, where he was captured by the Japanese.

On Sunday morning, December 14, 1941, General Joseph Stilwell and soldiers arrived at the remains of the Douglas home. Ward delivered an inspirational speech to everyone present, vowing that their Christmas will not be ruined by the enemy; to symbolize his point, he nailed a Christmas wreath to his front door, jarring the unstable house so that it collapsed down the hillside.

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