Low, David (Interview transcript and video), 2021

Smither, James (Interviewer)

WKTV (Wyoming, Mich.)

David Low was born in Hebron, Illinois, on October 29th, 1927, and his family moved to Muskegon, Michigan before settling in Wayland, Michigan as he started high school. When Low was 14, he helped make powdered eggs for the military at a local factory, where he worked alongside German prisoners of war. Near the end of his sophomore year of high school, Low decided that because he was going to be drafted, it made more sense to join the Marines outright. Low arrived at Parris Island for boot camp shortly after enlisting and received four weeks of training in boot camp instead of the typical six weeks because of pressure surrounding the invasion of Japan. Fortunately for Low and his fellow soldiers, the atomic bomb strikes led to Japan’s surrender just before they were to depart. Following this confusion and sudden change of plans, Low was sent to Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Here he worked as a projectionist due to his past work experience. Low was able to meet celebrities like Louis Armstrong due to his work helping the USO entertain servicemembers and enjoyed the time he spent living in the theater. Afterwards Low was required to requalify at the rifle range, and shot at an expert level, gaining him a position on a Marine team that was sent to shoot at a national competition. This led him to Quantico, Virginia, where he was able to live near Washington D.C. and enjoy the local sights and events. Low was eventually able to return home to Wayland, MI, where he resumed school and work, he was able to find a position at General Motors and worked there for a while, but grew tired of the repetitive work and desired something more enjoyable. To solve this problem, Low attended Parsons Business College in Kalamazoo, MI, studying business administration and accounting in order to further his career. Though he did not enjoy accounting work as much as he hoped, Low was able to find work in sales after finishing school and enjoyed it significantly more, working for Kessler’s Undies and Woolies for ten years. Reflecting on his time in the service, Low feels that he gained a greater sense of discipline due to his experience.

2021-04

In Copyright

Grand Valley State University Libraries, Special Collections & University Archives, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401.

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

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