Portrait of Wallace and Alan Alexander.

Wallace Alexander Born April 4, 1921 in Swampscott.
Rank: PFC. Service: US Army. Dates of Service: 1943 - 1945

Born in Swampscott, Wallace Alexander joined the Army in 1943 and trained as an infantryman but because of a medical exemption, was stationed stateside for the duration of the war. Upon his discharge, he married his high school sweetheart Carolyn Burnham and they had one son, Ron. They were married for 65 years. Alexander has a green thumb and worked in a carnation company greenhouse for 25 years before landing a position in the landscaping and beautification department of the Mass Pike where he worked until his retirement. He moved to Gloucester in 1990.

Alan Alexander was born May 3, 1926 in Ipswich
Rank: Petty Officer 1st Class - Radio Operator. Service: US Navy. Division/Ship: LION 4. Theater: South Pacific - Admiralty Islands. Dates of Service: 1943 - 1946

Like many young men, 17-year-old Alan Alexander sought the permission of his parents to join up in 1943 while still a student at Gloucester High School. The Jr. ROTC Major and bandleader soon found himself in the Admiralty Islands in the South pacific as a radio operator. Alexander remained in the Naval Reserves serving stateside during the Korean War. Following his discharge in 1946, Alexander married his Gloucester High School sweetheart Merriam Torrey, and went to work for Falk Brothers Plasters. He was a reserve police officer in the Gloucester Police Department for 15 years until he opened Alexander Insurance Co. in Gloucester. Together he and Merriam raise three sons: Alan Jr., Scott, and Gordon, and have seven grandchildren (at the time). They were married for 59 years.