Dennis Phillips

I chose to interview Dennis Phillips. He is a World War Two veteran and he is also my grandpa. I've always known him to be a very hard working, kind hearted person. He grew up in Elliott County, Kentucky although he moved back and forth from Ohio to Kentucky many times. He was born in 1927. He grew up with five other brothers and sisters and he was the only one who didn't finish the eighth grade. He stopped after completing his seventh grade year. He worked with his dad up until 1946 when he was drafted into the army. He completed his basic training but he never learned to swim but he did qualify. "I did qualify going across the pool because it wasn't very far across that you had to go, but many others could swim across and back with no problems and I just peddeled underneath like a dog and then once I made it across I would just give out". He was in the infantry and also worked as a dispatcher in the motor pool. After returning from the war, he started right back to working with his dad. He married my grandmother, who is now deceased, in 1949 and together they raised 500 baby chicks to get a little extra money from selling the eggs. He said he regretted not going to school, but no one was there to pressure him. His dad was ready for him to not go so that he could help him work more and his mom never pressured him but she would have rather he went. He also said that his biggest influences were his parents. At 85 years old, he still enjoys being outside and would choose it over being stuck inside anyday. He loves to cut and split wood, work in the garden and mow the lawn and he always enjoyed packing up all thirteen of the grandchildren, including me, in the back of his truck and taking us to the zoo!