King Neptune was 'one terrific pig'

Born of humble lineage on a farm near West Frankfort, Ill., and raised in Anna, Ill., he ascended to royalty. Not bad for a pig.

King Neptune, the U.S. Navy's "unofficial" mascot during World War II, brought home the bacon for the war effort, raising more than $19 million by being repeatedly auctioned off on fund-raising tours.

King Neptune's contributions to the country are memorialized at the Interstate-57 rest stop just north of Anna. On a specially inscribed tombstone are the words: "Buried here -- King Neptune, famous Navy mascot Pig auctioned for $19,000,000.00 in war bonds during the era 1942-1946 to help make a free world."

A photo of the tombstone on a recent Faces & Places page of the Southeast Missourian reminded area residents of King Neptune and the celebrity status he attained.

"I have seen this memorial marker many times while traveling in Southern Illinois," said Tom Giles of Cape Girardeau. "From what I can remember, I believe King Neptune was used as a recruiting tool for the Navy during World War II." Giles also asked if King Neptune had an earlier memorial.

King Neptune Park

He did. For years, the memorial marker was just east of I-57 along Illinois 146. A plaque remains there in King Neptune Park.

Bill Jackson of Anna said he is also familiar with King Neptune's history.

"The pig will have a story in the new Union County history book, which is now being prepared," Jackson said.

How King Neptune was saved from being pork chops is an interesting story.

A number of years ago, I had an opportunity to talk with King Neptune's owner, a retired Navy man. The late Don C. Lingle had joined the Navy to see the world but ended up stationed in Anna as a Navy recruiter. And he was hungry for pork.

But in 1943, pork, like many other things, was rationed. A friend of Lingle's -- the farmer from West Frankfort -- told Lingle he would give him pork.

Expecting pork chops

Lingle expected pork chops. What he got was a squealing, squirming piglet who also happened to be the runt of the litter. Lingle named the pig King Neptune, an appropriate name for a Navy pig -- King Neptune is the mythical god of the sea. He told his friends he would sell the pig for money to help buy a destroyer.

Shortly after Lingle acquired King Neptune, he contacted L. Oard Sitter, an Anna auctioneer, to sell the pig. A war bond rally was scheduled at Marion, Ill., the following week, and as a gimmick, Lingle tossed a blue Navy blanket over the pig's back and put him on the auction block.

King Neptune -- all parts of him -- went fast. Bidders pledged a $100 bond for a leg, $500 in bonds for a ham, $300 for a shoulder. When the figures were in, a total of $11,200 in war bonds had been sold.

Although he had been sold, bidders returned King Neptune to Lingle. The pig was on his way to fame.

The next time King Neptune went on the block, he was dressed not only in his Navy blanket but wore a gold crown made by a local women's club and silver earrings. Even his toenails were painted.

At that sale, Neptune brought in more than $50,000.

His third appearance brought in more than a half million dollars.

He was, as Charlotte of the children's book "Charlotte's Web" would say, "one terrific pig." Neptune was so terrific that he became a card-carrying member of the Harrisburg, Ill., Elks. He was the only animal ever to become a member of the Elks.

Better than Grable

By the time the war was winding down, King Neptune had "porked out" to a pleasantly plump 500 pounds and had raised more than $19 million.

He surpassed Betty Grable in promoting the sale of war bonds.

Following the war, Neptune retired to a comfortable pig pen at Lingle's farm near Anna. He died in 1950 and was buried with full military honors on the Lingle farm at an area designated as King Neptune Park, with a monument at the grave site.

In 1963, plans for I-57 were announced. Construction of the interstate forced the relocation of Neptune's grave to a spot of land Lingle donated on Highway 146 east of I-57. The marker is still there, but a new marker was installed at the I-57 rest stop, which is visited by hundreds of travelers every day.

The king won't be forgotten.

Santa Claus on fire truck

Cathy Blyze was surprised during a recent visit to Cape Girardeau from Columbus, Ohio.

"I opened the Faces & Places page and there I was, along with several of my old classmates," said Blyze in reference to a photograph on the page.

Many of the people were familiar with the photo, which was taken about 30 years ago.

"It was a fire drill," said Margaret Strack. "My husband was on the fire truck." Warren H. Strack, a firefighter for 10 years and a fire inspector for 15 years with the city of Cape Girardeau, portrayed Santa Claus for more than 40 years. "He was Santa Claus to many people," said Margaret Strack.

A number of people recalled the fire drill in the photo, taken at Trinity Lutheran School. "I was a student at the school then," said Donna McClard.

Debbie Hinkebein said her daughter was a kindergarten student at Trinity when the photo was taken. Keith Huckstep spotted his brother in the crowd. Wanda Steffens said she was a teacher at Trinity at the time. Dave Hente said he remembered the annual fire drill events as well.