User:WilliaminTK/sandbox

William L White Esq

Willie aka William or Bill was born in Boley, Oklahoma in 1923. He was the only son with 3 sisters. After both parents died in the same year at the at of 13, his Uncle living in Long Beach, California took him and his older sister back to California with him. He attended and graduated from Long Beach Poly Technical High School and became the first African American Student to make the honor role. However, at this time, America was just joining the wartime effort and we went to work at the Long Beach Shipyard and worked as a Journey man(electrician) outfitting the naval ships that would soon be deployed into the war. Of course the call for troops came and he was drafted in the the U.S. Army. It was during this time that he a fellow soldier talked about if they made it back alive, they would go to university.