Edward Helton:  

I was born in, and grew up mostly in Bakersfield, CA during the 1940's, 50's & early 60's, except for a half year in Boulder, Colorado at Base Line Jr. High School, when my dad was on a team at the National Bureau of Standards, that invented the process to mass-produce liquid hydrogen for a classified project. Having studied accordion when I was in grammar school, jazz and rock music later became my passion as a teen. At Golden State Jr. High School I expanded my ability to read music and participated in both the Band and Orchestra on all the various percussion instruments. At BHS, I played Tenor Drum in the Driller Band for 3 years, and also performed as a Pit Orchestra musician for the Drama Department (The King and I), and with the Bakersfield Philharmonic Orchestra. As my capabilities continued to grow, it allowed me to perform professionally on drum set for several local groups, such as The Celtics, Kenny and the Ho-Daddies, The Fourth Dimension and The Titans II. After graduation from BHS, I continued my interest in music performance throughout my military and business career, and still play today -- having added Latin Percussion to my repertoire. It has been a long time ago, since I left Bakersfield, CA for the last time...when I was drafted into the Army on Oct. 27, 1966 during the Viet Nam War. I also left behind an ex-wife and a son, John Edward Helton. I was sent to basic training, and was assigned, along with many other guys from home, to Company C-2nd Battalion-1st Training Brigade at Ft. Ord, CA. We were in the 1st Platoon under SFC Robinson (mostly Draftees). Because I accepted a technical school assignment when I entered Basic Training, I incurred an additional year obligation to serve in the Regular Army. When I graduated from Basic Training and left Ft. Ord in January 1967, I went to Radio Repairman School at Ft. Gordon, GA -- and while there, applied for Officer Candidate School. After I graduated from the electronics school, I was placed on OCS Hold. I was assigned to the school initially as an instructor, and subsequently reassigned to assist in the HQ's Company supply room in their preparations for the Battalion's Inspector General (IG) inspections. I received my orders to Field Artillery Officer Candidate School (FAOCS) at Ft. Sill, OK in February of '68 and graduated 8/6/68 as a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery. After 30 days leave in Oceano, CA (near Pismo Beach) at my parents home, I was sent to South Korea. I spent 13 months there in the 2nd Infantry Division, and then 13 months at Headquarters, Eighth Army (United States Forces Korea) in Seoul. I married for the 2nd time; to a Korean woman I met in South Korea. We had a son, Alan Robert on 11/19/70, who subsequently traveled with us a...Expand for more