This is the story I remeber reading in The New York Times in 1946.

During the World War II years, Memphis, TN, was dominated by a political boss named "Crump". After the War, a returning veteran, one Estes Kefauver, decided to run against Boss Crump's candidate for Tennesee Senator. (Some may remember that Kefauver later ran for President wearing a coonskin cap like Tennesee's hero, Davy Crocket.)

Veterans all over the state campaigned for Kefauver. But word circulated that Crump's goons were going to steal the ballot boxes in Memphis and around and tamper with the election.

According to the story, hundreds of veterans marched into Memphis, with rifles, pistols and hand grenades, blew away the wall of the County Jail, seized the ballot boxes of votes hidden there, and gave them to Federal authorities for counting. Kefauver was elected, and the "Crump Machiine was finished.

Now, for the "funny part". When I decided to use this story a year ago, I was surprised to find that it had vanished as completely as votes in a fraudulent election. I could find no account of it in books of various libraries of Fairfax County, Virginia. And, in a year of Online search, I haven't found it. Yet I remember many many people who knew the story also.

One was our friend, Betty Duggan, a native of Tennessee. Betty not only had heard and read about this historical event, but said smaller actions of veterans against crooked politicians had taken place in Tennessee about the same time. But I can find nothing about this.

In 1946, I talked to many many veterans who knew the story and said so during our "Veterans'March on Albany", the capitol of New York State.

We were tired of cramped housing accomodations, low pay for jobs that had paid well during the War, and long delays in fulfilling "The G. I. Bill of Rights", which Congress had passed.

Not only did others speak about the Tennessee event in private conversations, but it was mentioned several times during our Public Meetings in Albany.

After the Meetings were over, and some of were on the train back to NYC, word came of dozens of veterans occupying the State Legislature Chambers in "sit-down strikes". On the train, and back in NYC, this evoked comment from nonveterans about "the scary tactics of veterans" and a comparison with the Tennessee "March".

I vaguely remember reading more accounts over the succeeding months that indicated that many politicians were fearful of what veterans might do if their promised "Rights" not forthcoming.

Have you hear this? Have you read it anywhere? Id their a "coverup" regarding all of this?