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Walter Mason Byrum attended Fairview High School from 1940 - 1942. He was in the US Navy from 1943 until 1946 as a Seaman First Class. Byrum was stationed on an island off Guam, the Marianan Island, and an island off the coast of Japan. He was a gunman on the USS Houston and the ship was in a number of actions with the Japanese in the South Pacific. They shelled a number of islands and their main duty was to escort and protect their aircraft carrier. The ship was hit with two torpedoes and they had to abandon ship, although it did not sink. Byrum's second tour of duty was in the Philippines and he was on shore patrol when the war ended. He was awarded "Point System" Medals, Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, American Area Medal, and the Victory-World War II Medal. Byrum married Lorraine Helms and has four children -- Marion L. Byrum, Jan Byrum Nash, Ricky D. Byrum, and Reggie D. Byrum. He worked for fifteen years for the Pet Milk Company in Charlotte and then went into business for himself on a seventy-five acre farm raising poultry for Holly Farms (now Tyson Foods) and farming for about thirty years. Byrum is also a home builder/contractor and kept very busy doing construction projects. He retired in 1998 and is currently enjoying retirement with his wonderful family, traveling when they can. |