My late husband, Harris Gonsalves, served in the Signal Corps, in the Pacific area during WWII.

In 1945 he was stationed in Manila, where he taught typing to Filipinos. One day he went to headquarters to get some material for his class, and as he walked up the long way to the officer in charge, the officer looked familiar. It was none other than Col. Paul Woodring, who taught at Western Washington College of Education, as it was then known.

Paul recognized my husband as one of his former students and offered to have him transferred to his outfit. My husband declined because he had almost enough points to go home to Bellingham.

The Woodring School of Education at WWU is named for Paul Woodring.

- Dorothy Gonsalves, Bellingham

Reach DEAN KAHN at dean.kahn@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2291.