Charles Serr was born on July 12, 1918, the fourth child of seven to Emil Bernard Serr and Sadie Eldora (Grabinski) Serr at Kennebec, Lyman County, South Dakota. Following the death of his father in 1931, Charles worked odd jobs around town to help support the family. He graduated from Kennebec High School in 1936. Shortly afterward he worked three days on Mount Rushmore carving on the face of President Lincoln. He quit and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp 792 at Roubaix in the Black Hills.
Wanting to be a pilot, having been impressed by barnstormers who came through town in the 1920s, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 20, 1938 at Omaha, Nebraska. Following boot camp at Great Lakes Training Station, Illinois, he was stationed aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He was at his battle station, a 3-inch 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on December 7, 1941, the day Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1943, as a rear seat gunner on an OS2U Kingfisher, Serr was injured when the plane was shot down.
In late 1943 he got orders to go to flight training and eventually earned his wings in Pensacola, Florida and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Antietam where he served until leaving active duty on Dec. 7, 1946. He settled in San Diego, California, where his mother and most of his siblings had moved.
On July 24, 1948 he married Mary Garde in Lancaster, California. Three children were born to this union Susan, Jon and Carol. Susan preceded her father in death.
Serr owned an equipment rental business and later started an ornamental iron works business called Dakota Iron Works. After suffering a serious work accident in 1962, he sold the business and went to college at San Diego State College where he recieved a Bachelors degree in Industrial Arts, and in 1971 a Masters degree. Serr taught crafts and photography at Helix High School until retiring in 1983.
Wanting to be a pilot, having been impressed by barnstormers who came through town in the 1920s, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 20, 1938 at Omaha, Nebraska. Following boot camp at Great Lakes Training Station, Illinois, he was stationed aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He was at his battle station, a 3-inch 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on December 7, 1941, the day Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1943, as a rear seat gunner on an OS2U Kingfisher, Serr was injured when the plane was shot down.
In late 1943 he got orders to go to flight training and eventually earned his wings in Pensacola, Florida and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Antietam where he served until leaving active duty on Dec. 7, 1946. He settled in San Diego, California, where his mother and most of his siblings had moved.
On July 24, 1948 he married Mary Garde in Lancaster, California. Three children were born to this union Susan, Jon and Carol. Susan preceded her father in death.
Serr owned an equipment rental business and later started an ornamental iron works business called Dakota Iron Works. After suffering a serious work accident in 1962, he sold the business and went to college at San Diego State College where he recieved a Bachelors degree in Industrial Arts, and in 1971 a Masters degree. Serr taught crafts and photography at Helix High School until retiring in 1983.
Charles Serr was born on July 12, 1918, the fourth child of seven to Emil Bernard Serr and Sadie Eldora (Grabinski) Serr at Kennebec, Lyman County, South Dakota. Following the death of his father in 1931, Charles worked odd jobs around town to help support the family. He graduated from Kennebec High School in 1936. Shortly afterward he worked three days on Mount Rushmore carving on the face of President Lincoln. He quit and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp 792 at Roubaix in the Black Hills.
Wanting to be a pilot, having been impressed by barnstormers who came through town in the 1920s, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 20, 1938 at Omaha, Nebraska. Following boot camp at Great Lakes Training Station, Illinois, he was stationed aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He was at his battle station, a 3-inch 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on December 7, 1941, the day Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1943, as a rear seat gunner on an OS2U Kingfisher, Serr was injured when the plane was shot down.
In late 1943 he got orders to go to flight training and eventually earned his wings in Pensacola, Florida and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Antietam where he served until leaving active duty on Dec. 7, 1946. He settled in San Diego, California, where his mother and most of his siblings had moved.
On July 24, 1948 he married Mary Garde in Lancaster, California. Three children were born to this union Susan, Jon and Carol. Susan preceded her father in death.
Serr owned an equipment rental business and later started an ornamental iron works business called Dakota Iron Works. After suffering a serious work accident in 1962, he sold the business and went to college at San Diego State College where he recieved a Bachelors degree in Industrial Arts, and in 1971 a Masters degree. Serr taught crafts and photography at Helix High School until retiring in 1983.
Wanting to be a pilot, having been impressed by barnstormers who came through town in the 1920s, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 20, 1938 at Omaha, Nebraska. Following boot camp at Great Lakes Training Station, Illinois, he was stationed aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania. He was at his battle station, a 3-inch 50 caliber anti-aircraft gun on December 7, 1941, the day Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1943, as a rear seat gunner on an OS2U Kingfisher, Serr was injured when the plane was shot down.
In late 1943 he got orders to go to flight training and eventually earned his wings in Pensacola, Florida and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Antietam where he served until leaving active duty on Dec. 7, 1946. He settled in San Diego, California, where his mother and most of his siblings had moved.
On July 24, 1948 he married Mary Garde in Lancaster, California. Three children were born to this union Susan, Jon and Carol. Susan preceded her father in death.
Serr owned an equipment rental business and later started an ornamental iron works business called Dakota Iron Works. After suffering a serious work accident in 1962, he sold the business and went to college at San Diego State College where he recieved a Bachelors degree in Industrial Arts, and in 1971 a Masters degree. Serr taught crafts and photography at Helix High School until retiring in 1983.
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