My Family Photo Album

Larry Bray in Hawaii late 1943.

The newlywed takes a time out for a little R&R. Larry received jungle training in Hawaii, help build a training facility and train Rangers (who would get credit for much of the work Larry and his outfit did). Most of the 20th infantry were from Missouri and were enthralled with the idea of swimming in the ocean, but inexperienced in the pounding surf and tides of the Pacific. A fellow soldier, Zeke MaCaskil (sp?), was caught in an undertow and pulled down and out into the raging ocean. Larry, singlehandedly swum out, caught Zeke and brought him back to the safety of the beach. Two years later when they were waiting to go home (based on a point system, so many points for medals etc, the more points the sooner you got home), Zeke said, "Larry you should have gotten the Soldier's Medal for saving me from drowning." What Larry did get for his efforts was every time they needed someone to swim across a rain swollen tropical river Larry got the call because he was, "The strongest swimmer in the outfit."

Larry wasn't the only one waiting for him to return as this faded picture attests. This small photo creased from the folded hands that held it as Bee fervently prayed for her husband's safety. For Bee holding this photo, taken shortly after their marriage, would be as close to touching him as she would get for over 2 years. Every crinkle and wrinkle is a testimony of her undying love for her Larry, a love that lives still in the eternities.

The Smith Brothers (No cough drops or beards)

Will, Dan, and Jake Smith 1947.

The Home Front
House where Dan Smith (and probably others) were born. Weedville, Elk County, Pa.

The Brays 1978

Back row (L to R): Phyllis, Alyce, Aladeen, Fran
Front row (L to R): Larry, Pearlee, Walt, and Nellie
Not pictured: Lyle (Butch and Lloyd, Sr.

Elsie, Dora, Gladys, and Dorthy

Pennsylvannia Smiths

The Pavilion at Priest Point Park, Olympia, Wa. Dan Snith was the caretaker of the park. Dan and his family lived on the top story. Robert Grant Smith in a photo below was standing at the top of the long main stairway. Many of the photos of the teenage Pearlee Smith were taken at the park. This swiss chalet style building was originional built as the Olympia Brewing Company's pavilion for the Lewis and Clark Centenial Exposition in Portland Oregon in 1905. It was donated to the City of Olympia for use at Priest Point Park by the brewery's founder, Leopold Schmidt. The Pavilion sat on top a high point of the park overlooking Ellis Cove and Budd Inlet of Puget Sound. It had spectacular views of Olympia, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, including Mount Rainier. The Pavilion was a popular locale for major social events in the Olympia. It was here that Larry Bray would be bounced on politicians' knees and where he learned,

"If a politician has his mouth open, he's lying."

Larry spend a great deal of time at his grandparents' home. He used to wrestle with a bear cub at the little zoo in the park (until the bear got too big). The park was noted for its peafowl. Eventually, Olympia sold the zoo animals to the Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Wa. and the Pavilion was torn down in the 1960s.

The Bray family early March 1943, Burien Washington just before Larry left for the US Army.

Back Row L to R:

Aladeen, Walt, Pearlee (holding Lloyd), Larry, and Fran.

Front Row (Left to Right):

Lyle "Butch," Nellie, Phyllis, and Alyce (twins).

Henry and Hannah Amelia Smith

Parents of Will, Ed, Dan, Jake, et al.

Mariel, Laura, & Francis Smith, Jake's children

Logging Smiths of Pennsyvannia
(Left to Right)Jake Smith, Cecil, and a Smith from Sinnemahoning.

Pearlee Smith, 8th grade graduation, Olympia, Washington

Walt and Pearlee, mid-1970s at farm in Cederhome near Stanwood, Wa.

Larry and Bee Bray, 1971 Pacific, Wa. Larry was the Chief of Police of the City of Algona.

Larry's Heaven on Earth, fishing surrounded by the North Cascades (The American Alps), on Baker Lake. Mount Baker (10,410 ft elevation) is in the background. Larry used to say,

"When God perfected His creative powers, He finished-up in Puget Sound."

Back from a patrol in New Guinea, Larry's squad of Intelligence and Reconnaissance, Headquaters Company, 20th Infantry, 6th Division, US Army, late 1943.

(Larry 2nd from the right).

July 1943 Larry Bray on furlough from Camp Roberts Ca at home in Burien, WA

Larry Bray, nature boy at Woodland, Washington. This wasn't the last time that Larry would be naked in the woods. The Ifagao tribe in northern Luzon in the Phillipines asked Larry to go with them on a night headheading raid against the Japanese. Larry was permitted to take only his knife and shoes. They were naked to distinguish themselves from the enemy. If a body was clothed, they killed it. This prevented them from killing each other.

Pearlee Smith and Walt Bray and friends on the beach by Puget Sound. Pearlee wrote,

"In the Spring a young man's fancies lightly turn to thoughts of love."
Walt is dressed in his uniform as a member of the Coastal Artillary Corps. He was stationed at nearby Camp (now Fort) Lewis. He had been previously stationed at Fort Casey on Whidby Island, Washington.

Larry Bray at Highline High School south of Seattle, 1941.

2 of Dan Smith's grandchildren

Larry and "Tyke" Tyke was Larry's nickname for his younger sister, Stella Aladeen Bray. Aladeen was the first of 5 younger sisters for Larry. Larry was the oldest surviving child of Pearlee. The oldest, Benton Daniel Bray died in infancy. Larry passed away on Feb. 9, 2006. He would have been 82 on May 6th.