Early years Roy Marlin Voris

a photograph of butch voris taken @ oakland, california in 1941 upon entering navy s flight training program.

voris born in los angeles raised in aptos, , later santa cruz (where attended high school). briefly considered career mortician, instead decided enroll in salinas junior college, receiving associate degree there in 1939. youngster, voris (whose hobby building model airplanes out of balsa wood , tissue paper) thrilled exploits of eddie rickenbacker , other world war aces, , spend hours watching big planes come mines field (los angeles airport).

it therefore no surprise in 1941 twenty-two-year-old voris answered call of recruiting poster , enlisted in navy. related story in april, 2004 interview: when war clouds rolling in, living in san francisco. walked past big recruitment sign said fly navy pilot looking off wild blue yonder standing on wing of plane. voris passed series of exams , called duty in oakland month later. voris entered navy s flight training program, , still in flight school when imperial japanese navy launched attack on pearl harbor.

he received commission, promoted rank of ensign , got wings of gold (which identified him naval aviator) @ nas corpus christi in february, 1942. voris flying combat missions off aircraft carrier uss enterprise in south pacific.