Hi, I'm Laddie Lodl, born on a farm by Morse Bluff on January 21, 1936. Here I joined three brothers Frank, Roy, and Joe. I graduated from North Bend at the age of 17.

In October I volunteered for the draft. I took my basic at Fort Riley for 8 weeks and 8 more weeks at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. I took 5 weeks of electrical school. From here I flew to Camp Kilmer New Jersey. Here I processed out and was put on a ship to Germany. Here I boarded a train to a camp where I had a two story barricks; very spotless. I thought no more K.P. or guard duty. I thought I had it made, but back to a train to France. I was there 16 months, driving a 5 ton dump truck for the 97th construction engineer at an ammo plant. Two years later I was back home in Morse Bluff.

I got a job loading gravel into railroad cars at a sand pit. Because of a freak accident, I had to have my left leg amputated. Then it was back to school to be an auto mechanic.  I then went to work for Diers Motor Company. At age 55 I retired.

I married in 1960 and have two girls and six grandkids and one great grandson.

Life goes on!