William F. Mode

Dad was born on 21 October 1932 in Knoxville, Tennessee and passed away on Friday, 5 August 2022 at our home in Knoxville. He attended Old Knox High where he was active in R.O.T.C. At the age of four, he lost his father, and worked from the time he was able to work, to help support his mother, until after retirement. At the age of seventeen, and shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, he joined the United States Marine Corps. His mother had to sign for him. Dad completed boot camp at Parris Island in October 1950, Platoon 103. After boot camp he served with A Company, 2nd Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Geiger and Stone Bay located at Camp Lejeune. He attended Voice and Field Radio Code Schools at Norfolk and San Diego. He undertook Cold Weather training at Pickle Meadows. Landing at Inchon, dad served with the Kimpo Provisional Regiment as a Voice and C.W. or Code Radio (MOS 2531 and 2533) Operator while stationed in Korea at the DMZ, leaving with the rank of Corporal. He made Sergeant, but was busted back down to Corporal. He served from August 1950 to August of 1954. He was proud of his Marine Corps service, and wore the title well. A day never passed that he did not display his American flag. After returning from Korea, he went to work for South Central Bell as a lineman, moved to Installation, and lastly worked in the TSPS division, ultimately retiring from AT&T in 1991.

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