James (Jim) Truitt Harrelson:  

Life; "In a flash": I didn't go to school in Cumby; BUT beginning my Sophomore year, I had many Cumby friends and living in Dallas, after HS we continued to run around together. I served 2 years in the National Guard at Sulphur Springs while in HS. After living and working in Dallas for about 9-months, I Enlisted in the Navy and after completing Boot Camp, I burned my cotton sack for a Navy career and "Too see the World"; Well, just a little of it. I lived in Hawaii 1.5 years on two different occasions, Spain 1.5 years and in Guam, 2.5 years. I sailed in the Arctic, North and South Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans and in many seas but I only got close to the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. I transited the Panama canal in each directions but only passed the entrances to the Suez canal fron the Mediterranean Sea. I made visits to all continents with the exception of Antarctica. I had received my Rabies shots (14 of them) at a very young age, that has keep me from going crazy but one might disagree. I was diagnosed with cancer, the first time, when I was 31 years old, and the last time in 2006, from exposure to Radiation &/or Agent Orange but have been cancer free since 2007. I've been told that I'm without a heart; therefore, without a heart there can't be any heart problems; I must be lucky in that respect. My most enjoyable pass time was spent attending bull fights in Spain. Oh Yes: Retirement is still the "Best Job" that I've ever had! I'm getting pertty dang old, you know George Washington was born in '32 and I came along in '33. But I'm looking forward to the next 50 years, and then, the rest of my life; and I think I'll be 18 next year. H S School: I was very lucky to get out of HS with a diploma. That facility provided me with no foundation to continue my education, since my reading ability had stalled at the third/forth grade levels due to dyslexia. That problem is still present but was minimized about ten (10) years into my NAVY career. But now that problem has returned, following CHEMO in 2006-2007. College: When possible, I enrolled in courses at various colleges during my off-duty hours. English became my most enjoyable subject, perhaps that was because that's where I had the most to learn, or was it because that was the classes where all the women were enrolled? I've forgotten! After retiring from the Navy, while working a 40 hour week, I completed my undergraduate work, earning a BA and BS degrees with some post graduate work. at the University of TEXAS, at Tyler. And I still have much to learn. Workplace: Working in Oil and Gas Experation as an Electronics Engineer in Tyler, Texas. Was very interesting and satifying work. I was able to work, travel, and visit many new and interesting places in a seven state region. Military: Following Basic training in San Diego, CA, I was assigned to a ship Home Ported in San Diego. I began my Navy career in Ordna...Expand for more