Carl Mahler  

Birth: He was born in 1922 at Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

Family Information: Son of Ludwig "Louis" and Mrs. Hulda Mahler.

Brother of Hulda, Wayne, Martha, Esther and Joe Ann Mahler.  

Description: In 1943 he was 5'10" tall and weighed 153 pounds with a ruddy complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.  

Pre-Colony History: In April 1932 the family came to the colony from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

Home in Colony: In May 1932 the family were living in a house recently vacated by the Kilroy family.  

Job in Colony: In 1933 Bill Page and his "diminutive assistant", Carl Mahler, were driving the roustabout wagon to the hotel kitchen with provisions.

In November 1933 he was among a group of boys including Ray Campbell, Sylvester Watson, Ray Long, Gene Hewitt, Bill Busick and Robert Peecher who were stacking the veneer sheets as they were shaved off the log.

In 1934 he was taken to the Gila location by George Pickett, along with his brother Carl, Harry Morgan and Mrs. Van Nuland. He helped with the garden work after school hours. Also, he and his brother carried cobs and wood to the kitchen, bakery and laundry.

In June 1934 he was helping his father hoe the potatoes and with irrigation and he was "as busy as an old hen with one chick." The next month the two were in the cabbages with a "Cali Dust Gun" gunning for green aphids.  

Other Info: In July 1934 Ward Shoemaker wrote a letter from Gila to the boys at Newllano stating: "Fishing is good here. The rivers are full of fish. They are so thick you can kill them with rocks. Carl Mahler and I went fishing one Sunday. Carl caught four and I caught thirty-one, the smallest about eight inches long. We fish about every Sunday."

In November 1934 some of the Gila colonists went on a trip to the "Lodge" which was about 50 miles up the river, but to get there it was necessary to cross the river about 150 times. Among those going were Zelma de Fausell, Huldah, Wayne and Carl Mahler, Isom and Ward Shoemaker, A. Van Nuland and Mr. Goodwin.

In December 1934 Hulda and Carl Mahler each gave a reading at the Christmas program. Mr. Mahler won the men's checker game; Violet Reynolds the lady's game; and Isom Shoemaker the dominoes.  

Post-Colony History: In March 1936 the Mahler family were the only colonists left at the one-time Gila unit, the people having scattered to the 4 winds as best they could. Mr. Mahler has so far succeeded in finding enough employment to keep them in the same location.

In 1940 he was living in New Mexico with his parents and siblings while he was employed doing NYA campus work.

In 1941 he attended Sea School at Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. A few months later he was a Private in Company A, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor and was possibly still there during the Japanese attack in December 1941. In April, July and October of 1942 he was attached to the USS San Francisco.

In December 1942 he was listed as Wounded on the US Navy's Casualty List.  

Death:  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": April 9, 1932, May 7, 1932, April 15, 1933, June 10, 1933, November 25, 1933, January 20, 1934, April 14, 1934, May 5, 1934, May 12, 1934, June 16, 1934, July 7, 1934, July 14, 1934, November 10, 1934, January 5, 1935, March 7, 1936; US Census: 1940; US Draft Registration: WWII; US Navy Casualties Books: New Mexico; USMC Muster Rolls; "Albuquerque Journal": December 31, 1942; The National Archives (Archives.gov): WWII Casualties of New Mexico (Wounded)