I have two grandfathers who served during WWII, one as active duty, the other as a civilian.
My paternal Grandfather, James Parvin Halliday, Sr, served in the Signal Corp. He was an avid Ham-Operator all his life, with friends and colleagues from all over the world. He spoke several languages, and was quite fluent in Mexican-Spanish. I remember as a child, a family he knew visited him from Mexico City, Mexico. I had the thrill of accompanying them and their grand daughter to Disney World. I could not speak any Spanish, she any English: we got on fabulously none-the-less. After the War, James worked for Sound Studios in Burbank; California. One of the television shows he worked as a Gaffer for was the original Perry Mason Show. I remember staying up late to watch the show with him everytime it aired, not really understanding why he loved the show so much. It was not until later I realized what being a Gaffer was, and how intimately involved he was in the behind-the-scenes shooting of the episodes he worked on.
My maternal grandfather, Joseph Wycoff, was not able to enlist due to medical reasons. Yet, he was determined to ‘do his part’ during the War. So, he served the Navy by designing kitchens for their ships! He received many awards and commendations for his work by the Military, and felt proud to have contributed to the effort, even if he could not be on active duty. After the War, he founded a successful Design company and designed many commercial kitchens for hotels and restaurants, as well as restaurant chains. My father worked in the business for several years before moving on to other Design companies.
I lost all touch with my Grandparents following my mother and father’s divorce. However, I have fond memories of them and how proud they were to have served their Country – whether it was by Active Duty or as a Civilian Contractor.
