After a stop in Chicago, Mike continued to make his way out west to Los Angeles. I believe he wanted to be just like Bobby Jones – play golf, rub elbows with celebrities, and become famous.
Question: Did Mike have a job at Wilshire Country Club waiting for him?
Answer: Unknowable.
Mike probably arrived in Southern California in the summer or fall of 1940. Mike told me he had to wait a year to work because of the new anti Okie laws, which were set up to protect California natives and discourage more Dustbowl settlers from coming in.
The Dustbowl of the late 30’s was depicted in the novel ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ by John Steinbeck. Farming and living had become nearly impossible in the horrible conditions, and families migrated west.
By 1937, it was actually illegal to bring poor people into the state of California. And Okies were looked down on horribly. Most of the immigrants were farm workers.
Not much is known about Mike in the 1940’s. He probably did work at golf courses however.
Question: Did Mike Austin serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force?
Answer: No.
Some of Mike Austin’s most entertaining stories were about how he served in the Air Force in North Africa in the early 40’s. He recalled one story the day I met him in person:
‘My plane crashed in a swamp. I was sitting there and a huge snake swam right up between my legs. My blood absolutely congealed!”
Mike claimed to have contracted ‘Fever X’ overseas, a previously unknown malady that left him unable to bear children. There may have been such a thing, X for mysterious or previously unstudied.
A fairly detailed search of the RCAF, which did in fact have a squadron in North Africa in the early 40’s, yields 4 men with the last name Austin, but none of them Michael or a Mike. The data is complete and well kept, so it appears that Mike’s war stories were completely bogus, just like the tales of his college experience.
This claim is particularly irksome to me, because of the dishonor of stolen valor. We may never know what Mike was doing in the early and mid 40’s, but it probably wasn’t as exciting as flying reconnaissance planes over North Africa. More likely he was working at local LA golf courses.
Question: Did Mike Austin sing opera professionally?
Answer: Absolutely yes!
While some of Mike’s feats were made up in his own mind, or embellished, this one is confirmed. Mike did sing opera professionally.
Many witnesses report, including this author, Austin singing beautiful opera in multiple languages. He would be inspired at the drop of a hat, or the sight of a pretty young girl. He could sing arias in Latin and Italian.
Professionally, Mike appeared in the Los Angeles Civic Opera’s performance of “Desert Song’ in 1947. The LACO was at one time a very prestigious group, attracting troupes from San Francisco and New York.
I continue to pursue more information about the Civic Opera during this era, as I believe there to be experts on its history.
The next time Mike surfaces is in 1950. Stay tuned!