Update: Walter F Layer, Colonel, USMC, Arlington Cemetery

About a month ago I posted about an old Zeiss Ikon Contessa camera I bought with a man's name written inside the leather case.  I promised to do a little research on ancestry.com and find some information on him and update you when I did.

If you don't read anything else, jump to the last paragraph.  

Walter's Camera

I've found out a little more but not a lot.  Here's what I know if I've found the right man. (But how many Walter F Layers are there that were in the Marines in the 40s?)  First I checked military records. 

Military Records

Walter Francis Layer
Born March 22, 1907 in PA
Died April 21, 1965
He was a career marine.  It turns out he is buried in Arlington Cemetery, Section 35, Site 647, next to his wife Mildred Dorothy Reber who was born the same year and died in 1989.  I found their marriage record in 1932.  I found military records starting in 1940 (age 33) and going all the way until 1958 in VA.  On his tombstone in Arlington it says he served in Korea in WWII.  He is not far from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Census Records

In a 1930 census he's living in Philadelphia, with his parents at age 23 and one sister. His father was a fireman. 1940 he is now married to Dorothy, still living in PA with one son, Robert and it says he is a foreman at an oil refinery.  This is dated April 11, 1940. 

Mystery, what happened from April 11, 1940 at the refinery and being a first lieutenant in the USMC by November of that same year to where he was actually signing the enlistment reports. Okay, history of the war I need to brush up on.  (My friend Russell would not be happy with me.) 

History Lesson

Basically, Hitler has been invading countries all over Europe for the last two years and it looks as no end is in sight. The summer of 1940, Denmark surrendered to Germany, Germany invaded Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Paris and the Chanel Islands. USSR jumps into it.  Italy declares war on Britain and France.  

By July, Germany is bombing Britain. In September, Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Act. From what I understand, this pact was aimed directly at, then "neutral", America to hopefully make them think twice about entering the war.  Think again!!   In October, Italy invades Greece and Germany invades Romania.  IT WAS A MESS!  No wonder men were signing up.  Nine months (Aug 1941) after Walter joined the USMC the US and Britain signed the Atlantic Charter (delcaring joint opposition to fascisim).  Four months after that...Pearl Harbor. 

All I can say is he must have been a very dedicated American.

Here is the neat part of the story.  

As it turns out I'm going to be in Baltimore over July 4th weekend for my nephew's wedding.  I arrive early on Friday, the 4th, and have most of the day to myself.  Guess what is 37 miles from the Baltimore airport?  Yep, you guessed it....Arlington Cemetery.  What better day to visit Colonel Layer and pay my respects to him and all our fallen war heroes than July 4th! I will be taking both my digital and my B&W film camera for photos.  Yes, I will post them. 

I know it will be crowded, but, there is a reason for all this.  I don't know what it is, but I'm just going with it.  

Post Script:  It seems Layer is of German derivation. :)