Early Life Through World War II
Willis Lee, a distant relative of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, was born in the rural town of Natlee in Owen County, Kentucky, on May 11, 1888. The son of Judge Willis Augustus Lee and Susan Arnold, he was known as "Mose" Lee to family and friends.
He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1904. While at the Naval academy, his Chinese-sounding last name, compounded by his fondness for the Far East earned him the nickname "Ching" Lee.
Following graduation, Lee joined the academy's rifle team twice. He was assigned to the battleship Idaho (BB-24) from October 1908 to May 1909, before returning to the naval academy and re-joining the rifle team. From November 1909 until May 1910, Lee served aboard the protected cruiser New Orleans (CL-22), and then transferred to the gunboat Helena (PG-9). Upon being detached back to the United States, Lee re-joined the Academy shooting team a third time. In July 1913, Lee re-joined the Idaho, and later transferred to the battleship New Hampshire (BB-25) to participate in the occupation of Veracruz.
During World War I, Lee served on the destroyers O'Brien (DD-51) and Lea (DD-118).
Read more about this topic: Willis Augustus Lee
Famous quotes containing the words early, life, world and/or war:
“Make-believe is the avenue to much of the young child’s early understanding. He sorts out impressions and tries out ideas that are foundational to his later realistic comprehension. This private world sometimes is a quiet, solitary
world. More often it is a noisy, busy, crowded place where language grows, and social skills develop, and where perseverance and attention-span expand.”
—James L. Hymes, Jr. (20th century)
“It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make man better be,
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May
Although it fall and die that night;
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see,
And in short measures life may perfect be.”
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637)
“While yet it is cold January, and snow and ice are thick and solid, the prudent landlord comes from the village to get ice to cool his summer drink; impressively, even pathetically, wise, to foresee the heat and thirst of July now in January,—wearing a thick coat and mittens! when so many things are not provided for. It may be that he lays up no treasures in this world which will cool his summer drink in the next.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“In peace the sons bury their fathers, but in war the fathers bury their sons.”
—Croesus (d. c. 560 B.C.)