Veterans Day

I grew up in upstate New York in Wilmington and attended Au Sable High School until 1945. At age 17, I enlisted in the Navy rather than take my chances in the draft. Later that year, I left for boot camp in Sampson, N.Y. Shortly after that, although the war had ended at this time, I attended RADAR school in San Diego, then shipped out to the Philippines island of Manicani. The trip took 30 days.

For a number of months, I worked as a security guard for, among other things, the beer refrigerated unit. I was never shot at, or had to take a shot, which is amazing considering I was stationed to guard most of the beer reserves on the island. I was discharged in Lido Beach Long Island in late 1946.

After the service, I enrolled at Champlain College in Plattsburg, N.Y. for one year on the GI Bill and finished my education at Harper College which has now been consolidated as Binghamton College. I spent 34 years as an account executive for Georgia Pacific, selling safety paper for the Western United States.

Currently, I live at the Redwoods Retirement Center in Mill Valley, Calif., which is an eclectic town 10 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I play many instruments including guitar, banjo and the harmonica. I am active in Seniors for Peace, and every Friday we gather at the busy intersection in town and hold signs and play music for the crowds. I am divorced and have two boys and one girl.