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Memories of World War II
An Intergenerational Project Involving Teens and Veterans in Littleton,
Colorado |
LaVerne Sarber
by Carrie Wagner, 14years old
 LaVerne
Marie Novak Sarber was born in Warsaw, Indiana on July 19, 1922. She graduated
from high school in 1940 and went on to study music at Capitol University
for a couple of years. La Verne and William Sarber were married in December
1951, after meeting on a blind date and dating for roughly two years.
The two have raised three children and have three grandchildren.
LaVerne enlisted in the US Marine Corps Women's Reserve.
She was trained at Camp Lejune, North Carolina, and served in Washington
D.C. for a month's mess duty, then at the Recruit Depot, Marine Corps
Base, in San Diego, California. During her time at Camp Lejune, taking
orders, discipline, and working with others were a few of the skills she
mastered. While at the Marine Corps Base, she worked at the Reclassification
Redistribution Center handling service record books, which recorded where
Marines served after leaving the base. Because women in the Marines did
not go into combat, she stayed at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego for
the remainder of her time in the service. LaVerne also felt lucky to be
able to join the Marine Corps Base Drill Platoon, which was a group of
women who performed unusual marching routines at Base parades or when
visiting admirals or generals reviewed the troops. During her time with
the Marines, she grew up from a small town girl to a mature woman who
could endure the pressures of serving in the military. Within the Marine
Corps ranks, she went from PFC to Corporal. She was discharged from the
Marines on February 7, 1946 and received a Good Conduct Medal, an honorable
discharge, and a special commendation from President Truman for serving
her country in a time of war.
LaVerne returned home by train and was thrilled to see
her mother, father, brother who returned from the Navy, and two married
sisters. She had no difficulties adjusting to life back home. After the
war, LaVerne worked for about five years at Power King Tool Corporation
in Warsaw, Indiana, as the manager's assistant, until her marriage. She
currently lives in Littleton, Colorado, and is an active member of St.
Mary's Catholic Church in Littleton. She and her husband, Bill, will be
celebrating 50 years of marriage on December 1st, 2001. In retrospect,
even with all of the joys and disappointments of serving during wartime,
LaVerne feels enormous pride and a sense of fulfillment in serving the
United States during World War II.
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LaVerne Sarber
and her husband Bill with Jessica Nygren, who interviewed Bill.
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The author of LaVerne Sarber's
biography, Carrie Wagner, has requested that her biography and photograph
not be published on the Internet.
Carrie Wagner writes, "I thought that
this project was a great way for my generation to learn about World
War II from people who have actually experienced it firsthand. This
project reminded me of the realization of war and how many fought
and even gave their lives for our freedom. It also reminded me to
honor all those veterans who selflessly fought for our country's
freedom." |
More Biographies:
- Bob Bailey, by Nathan Cyr
- Herb Berner, by Eric Lomas
- Bud Goodwin, by Meaghan Kormondy
- Harry Johnson, by Jessica Nygren
- Harry Nuce, by Holly Velarde
- LaVerne Sarber, by Carrie Wagner
- William Sarber, by Jessica Nygren
- Norm Stangl, by Brad Morrell
- Bill Stofer, by Eric Lomas
- Lou Trujillo, by Holly Velarde
- Paul Hixenbaugh, by Aimee Luallin
- Ralph Mollica, by Alli Meers
Memories Project Home Page
Send comments about the Memories of WWII pages to Phyllis Larison
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