Jillian Janis
2nd Hour World History
Oral History Project
Larry Janis was born July 12th, 1939 in Aleria Ohio. During infancy, however, in Cameto Michigan, then for most of his childhood resided in Waterford, MI. In Waterford, his house was positioned on a lake, where he spent most of his time fishing and swimming. My grandfather cites this as a very happy time in his life.
My grandfather, “papa” as he is referred to by almost everyone in the Janis family, then went on to join the Navy in nineteen fifty-six, at the age of only seven teen. He was stationed in Providence, Rhode Island, far away from family, friends, and his wife, my grandmother. While in Rhode Island they positioned him on a Radar Picket Ship.
These types of ships were only around for ten years and were specifically made to be able to see enemies on radar, which, I guess is where they got their name, so says google.
On the ship, my grandfather was the barber. Which I’m sure must’ve been riveting. He never saw any real combat, which I suppose I’m glad for. It could’ve changed the course of history if he had.
While the ship was sailing, they traveled to Cuba, and went through the famed Bermuda Triangle. He came out, though, alive.
He does also say that he wrote letters and made as many phone calls home to everyone as often as he possibly could to the family in Michigan and Tennessee.
My grandfather says in his short, typed answers that this was the time in his
Life where he really “grew up and became a man”.
He also says that this experience in the Navy taught him not to take anything for granted. This I can understand, I can barely take a week of band camp, let alone two years or so in the Navy on a ship with complete strangers.
He also says that the Navy taught him the life long lesson that you have to work hard for everything in life. Thirdly it also taught him to be more patriotic, and that you have to protect your country, I suppose.
These values are very apparent in my grandfather today, as well. He’s a very strong, silent type that does a lot of work for his elderly mother-in-law who can barely see, down in Tennessee, where most of my family is. He also is an avid hunter and fisher to this day. “Papa” is not exactly the picture of a grandfather you probably have in your mind, either. He’s very mobile and strong, and tanner than I could ever be, from all the hours of work he puts in on the houses and cars he fixes. He’s a very honest and straight forward person, who hates to beat around the bush.
He currently lives three-fourths of the year in Tennessee, working in stocks for Dolly Wood along with my grandmother. For that other fourth of the year, he lives in Lapeer, Michigan; which is a small town way out in the sticks that I lived in as well until I was eleven. It’s a pretty nice place, despite its isolation, I miss it.
But back to my grandfather, on the inside, he’s a pretty good guy, once you get past a few minor things, I guess. But family is family, no matter their beliefs and what not.
Blood is thicker than water.
shazaam.x Community Member 
|
|
