“Remembering Little DENNY Jr.”

Jan 21st “Remembering Little DENNY Jr.”

“DENNY McClarren, Jr., makes first long distance TRIP – alone” In other words… “all by himself!”

One of the Newspaper clippings about my brother, DENNY McClarren, Jr. travelling to OHIO from St.Louis… all by himself and was wearing a “NAVY Sailor ” outfit, just like his DADDY!

This was during the years of WWII when every family was making sacrifices … for the good of all AMERICANS!

“Those were the Days”

Just talking with someone about the WWII years and things happening that the young people of today… know nothing about! During those years we had “Air-Raids” – signal – lights searching the sky for “enemy planes ” – “Blackouts” and sirens blowing!

With the lights out, in the house, my brothers and I went outside to the corner of our block, not a bus running, no automobiles, no traffic of any kind… it was if … the world stood still! This was a good time for me to practice my cartwheels and somersaults – the intersection streets of Carter and Linton Avenue made a terrific and large “stage” for us kids to have fun!

My Daddy, had already put in three (3) two-year stints in the Army, but now he was being ‘called up’ for the Navy – to work in the shipyards – doing welding work. I wanted to go with him to California, but I had the “mumps” … my brothers were now well, and I couldn’t go anywhere!

Tommy was the “Lucky” one, to get to go to California with DADDY and then our Grandparents living in Ohio wanted for little Denny, Jr., to come up and stay with them on their farm! So, when all the arrangements were made little Denny would be wearing his little ‘Navy’ outfit which really looked good on him… he looked so very Patriotic… specially with the “WAR’ going on!

Denny, a little 4 year old chubby lad wore a well marked identification tag around his neck with full instructions to and for all of the bus station operators and drivers … concerning his destination to Circleville, OH on a Greyhound route direct to Columbus, and then transferred to Circleville OH.

Denny arrived well and happy on Tuesday at ‘Noon’ … since and after Mom and I were at the station on Monday evening to put little Denny Jr., with his luggage safely on the bus.

The Newspaper Reporter… stated, that little “Denny made the long distance travel record…. all by himself! ” How could you not notice a cute “Lad” full of Freckles and “RED” hair? “Everyone just fell in LOVE with “LITTLE DENNY Jr.!”