Uncle Darrell was just eleven years old when his oldest brother Ronald, my grandfather, graduated from High School.  World War II was raging across the globe and my Grandpa knew he would be drafted.  Rather than being drafted into the army, he took matters into his own hands.

When my Grandpa enlisted in the Marine Corps in June of 1944 and left home, he was the first child to leave.  Darrell must have missed his older brother.  He suddenly found himself the oldest boy at home.

At a time when many of our young men were fighting around the world my Grandpa was in officer training school.  The war ended and he was able to come home safe and sound.  His time at home however, was short lived.

My Grandpa was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in June of 1946 and in November of that year he was leaving home again to serve an LDS mission in New Zealand.  I have no record of the goodbyes, no journal entries, no family photos of everyone hugging before Grandpa left.  But I do know that this was the last farewell between brothers Ronald and Darrell.

to be continued…