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Leonard F. Garrett Dallas, OR QCWA # 38192 |
Leonard Franklin Garrett
May 24, 1927 - September 13, 2021
Len was born in Butterfield, Missouri, to Cecil E. Garrett and Delphia Pool Garrett on May 24, 1927.
In 1940 Len was living with his older brother, Clarence Henry Garrett (b. Feb 16, 1826), in a Baptist Children’s Home in Bridgeton, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Although Len apparently told Linley Gumm that his mother was widowed, there is very good evidence Cecil E. Garrett, born September 23, 1905, died in California on Feb 24, 1994. In either case, Len’s mother and father split in about 1940.
Len’s mother was offered a job as a cook in Woodland, WA. She couldn’t afford to take the whole family with her so she left Len and his older brother in a Baptist orphanage in St Louis, MO. After two or so years, the man who hired her sent train tickets for the brothers to come to [Woodland] WA. Len said they cashed the tickets, used the money to buy an old car and started west. Several states west, the car, being driven to hard by teenagers, died. They proceeded to hitch hike the rest of the way to Woodland. His mother married the man who hired her, Harry B. Walkenmeyer, on Dec 28, 1944.
Len attended Woodland High School probably leaving Woodland High, before graduation, in about 1944.
Linley continues: At about 16 years of age Len, having a FCC commercial First Phone and also a Second Telegraph license, lied about his age and signed on as the radio operator of a civilian freighter in WWII (1944?). They sailed from the west coast to the South Pacific. Len spoke of being on deck and watching a torpedo churn by just off the ship’s bow.
Records show Leonard F. Garrett, returning from the Philippines aboard the C. K. McClatchy, landing in San Francisco on September 15, 1945. WWII was over by then, so he was pretty safely free from military service.
Len registered for the draft ten days later in September, 1945, in Woodland, Washington, at age 18½.
He continued his life at sea as 2nd Class Radio operator, leaving Yokohama, Japan, and arriving in Tacoma, WA aboard the Marine Marlin in January 1946
