Bill Hooton (left), and two buddies in 1944 at the Little Club US Grant Hotel in San Diego. Bill says that they had just returned to the states from the South Pacific when the photo was taken. None of the three were of legal age to buy a drink, but they looked a lot older than they were.  His friend Bob (on the right) were neighborhood buddies, and went to school together. Bob quit school, lied about his age, and joined the Navy at age 16. Bob was in every major naval battle in the early part of the war, Coral Sea, Midway, and most of the night naval battles at Guadalcanal. He was on Admiral Tisdale's staff - the night battle at Tassaforinga when two admirals were killed. Tisdale assumed command. They were on the cruiser Honolulu, the only ship that was not sunk or damaged that night. Email: Valerie Hooton