My grandfather, Irving Roland Swall, and his parents lied about his age when he was a teenager so he could enlist in the U.S. Navy early.

He served in World War II and Korea and stayed enlisted in the Navy Reserves through his life.

He retired as Master Chief, the highest enlisted rank in the Navy.

I love this picture of my grandfather from when he was a teenager. It was taken at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma during Aviation Metalsmith School.

His face had not yet lost the glow and fullness of youth. This is before he met my grandmother and their 50 years of marriage. It is before fighting two wars and raising three boys; I have always wondered which was more difficult. I assume the latter. ~shared by @lexey