Aaron Julian McDaniel Jr.
My Brother
Aaron Julian McDaniel Jr. was born on the 16th of March in the year 1952 in Los Angeles, California. He was the third born son of his parents, Aaron Julian McDaniel Sr. of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and his mother Joy Callista Robison of Los Angeles, California... there were 4 sons total born of the couple, and then 22 years after his birth, his mother had his only baby sister from her third and final marriage in 1973, just after he came back from serving in the Viet Nam war.
Because Aaron's parents divorced when he was real young, the majority of his childhood years he grew up with his mother and his brothers. His mother worked up to 3 jobs on average throughout his childhood years so to provide the nest living she could as a single mother of 4 sons back during This era!
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By about Junior high, because of his two elder brothers, Aaron was ultimately paired off with his younger brother Bobby Jo and sent to live with his father and grandparents down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina so that the 2 eldest could reside outside state custody and believing that to be with their mother. Aaron completed the 7th grade, and did start the 8th, but decided to not continue for his own reasons, mainly because of the things going on in his family.
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At age 12, (in 1965), Aaron would come to find out that his eldest brother Glenn Lee had died in California, and that his second eldest brother was incarcerated in state custody... but it wouldn't be right away. At age 13 after striking a deal with his grandmother to take "care" of baby Bobby Jo, he set out on his own and quickly got a job working and traveling throughout the south with the carnival. By the time he would learn of the travesties to have hit his family (almost a Year after), he would also learn too that it wasn't long after he set out on his coarse that baby Bobby had too, found his way into the state custody but of South Carolina.
In 1970 Aaron Junior would enlist into the US Army, and set out for battle in the "War" in Viet Nam. He's shared with me many stories and memories and recollections and such over the years, but not as many Yet as I hope to learn about his experiences... good, bad and indifferent... because it's Important TO know... his Reasoning Behind willingly entering into combat was 1,000% honorable and golden and all what he went through and experienced was for THAT, not for the government's right or wrong position for sending him there, but why HE Personally was enduring what he was and did... THAT is what weight soldiers like him are to be measured upon and I believe THAT is how men like my brother Will be found as honorable and just in their measure as having been human beings, especially in a world where human beings have Forgotten and been Disconnected from what it means to Be human being, meaning the Being part of human.
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Anyway, my brother served and earned all of what he did including medals he flat Refused to accept, and then he honorably discharged. From then on, my brother struggled and continues to struggle hard with the mental PTSD trauma resulting from the experiences he endured as the soldier and hero he was being in that war. Thankfully for All of us, he had our uncle Bill, who had served in WW2 in the Navy to help him through and eaze his way out of the shell shock as best as he thus far has been able to come out and rejoin us in the world with what rights we have left thanks to men like his efforts in situations like that.
Aaron made his way, through good and bad situations and decisions, but overall he continues to prove himself the smartest and most succesful potential wise out of all mother's kids. Ultimately he continued on with more schooling and ultimately gained credentials in photography, photo journalism through Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Class of 1978
electronic engineering And graduated from the San Francisco School of Arts after receiving his BFA in fine arts photography and Ceramic Sculpture and additional related sculpture and continues to prove himself to the World as a very gifted artist!
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While in combat, he had our mother send him a guitar and a music book and literally taught himself to play. Since he has and continues to write songs as well as perform his and other artists who've inspired him throughout the years... and his southern Twang from South Carolina is a one of a kind jewel that I treasure and Enjoy every time he sings to me!
In 1988 my brother married Debra. A week or so after they got married, I moved in with them for a few months in Pacifica, the first of Many Times I've since bounced in and lived with them~
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Debbie decided that she doesn't want children so they always have at Least a pair of cats that they spoil to the point they get so big they can't even stand of move! They're plan is to remain in the bay area until Debbie retires and then go up to the pacific northwest and live out their golden years with our family.
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