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Harold Bray was born on December 15th, 1927 and grew up in a small northern Michigan town and joined the ROTC during his teenage years, eventually becoming his squadron leader. Eager to fight in World War II, he enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17 in 1944 and attended bootcamp in Great Lakes, Illinois. Assigned to the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in Mare Island, California, Harold witnessed the ship's repairs and refitting after a Kamikaze attack at Okinawa Island in March 1945, which resulted in the deaths of nine crew members. In the summer leading up to the ship's final mission, Harold trained rigorously, learning various Navy tasks and adapting to Navy life. He lived in barracks and commuted to the ship daily. Harold developed a strong affinity for California and, after his Navy service, settled in Benicia. There, he raised a family and became a valued member of the police department and the local community, where he still lives. [1]
