Source: Family Records

Herbert Diedrich Ernest Blum

b: Saxonburg, Town of Mishicot Manitowoc County, WI; 7-Apr-1909

d: 31- May-2000 (buried in Neillsville City Cemetery--Neillsville, Clark Co., WI).

William and Meta (Wenholz) Blum (his parents) were born and lived their entire life in Manitowoc County.

Although not in the military, he was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corp They planted trees, made reservoirs and fish ponds, built check dams, dug diversion ditches, raised bridges and fire towers, fought blister rust and pine- twig blight and Dutch Elm disease, restored historic battlefields, cleared beaches and camping grounds, and many other tasks and improvements.

In the month's after Roosevelt's inauguration, Congress and the country were subjected to a presidential barrage of ideas and programs unlike anything known to American History. On adjournment on June 15, 1933 the president and the exhausted 73rd Congress left a record of fifteen bills passed to help bring back prosperity and put men to work. The third bill, on March 31, established the Civilian Conservation Corps (also known as CCCs or Three Cs). The Corps enrolled unemployed mail citizens between the ages of 17-25.

The Corp was sometimes referred to as President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Army. They lived in camps in a aquasimilitary environment. They were under military jurisdiction until they got on the trucks and were driven to work. From then on they were under the Forestry Dept. or the Agricultural Dept. depending on the work they were doing. As soon as we returned to camp the military again took over and provided food, clothing, housing, educational programs and amusement.

Nine years and three months after its enactment, in 1942 when the country became involved in World War II the CCC's ended.

By Herbert E. Blum submitted by Ellen R.