VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II
US ARMY


Services for Harry James Day, 93, of Lompoc, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 9, 2005, at the Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery, with the Rev. David Horning, of the First United Methodist Church, officiating.

A native of Lompoc, Harry was born May 9, 1912, spending his whole life in the Lompoc Valley, except for several years in the military during WW II. He always preferred ranch life to the city and spent much of his youth with his grandmother and uncles at Huyckville (near Surf), and continued that life on the Fred H. Bixby Company holdings at Cojo and Jalama Ranchos.

He descended from the founders of Lompoc - great-grandfather Andrew L. Huyck, grandfather Edgar Huyck, of Huyckville, and great-grandfather Henry W. Fabing, early blacksmith and horsebreeder who built the Historical Society's present home, the Fabing, McKay, Spanne House. His great-grandfather, James W. Hendricks, also came to Lompoc in 1874. Harry's parents were Arthur and Etta Huyck Day.

While still in high school, Harry worked for Carlin & Holland in the Lompoc Milk Company, first washing the bottles, then driving the route to stores and homes. After his 1932 graduation from high school, he was delivering milk to the Owl Cafe where Dutch Wilson asked him if he wanted a job for a few months. Dutch picked him up at the Milk Company, took him home to get his clothes and they went out to Cojo where Harry worked the hay season, and stayed until 1942 when he went into the military. He then found himself in Attu and Kiska, Alaska, in the Army, keeping powerplants operating. Joining up with the 104th Combat Infantry, he sailed from Kodiak to Scotland and by train to London, where his outfit built Quonset huts for the victims ofthe bombings. When D-Day happened at Normandy Beach, France, Harry landed in one of those front-end-opening crafts. He also participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Harry said he wouldn't take a million dollars for his experiences, but nothing could get him to go through them again.

Out of the service in 1946, he worked with Link Wilson farming the Ramajal on the Jalama, thenback to work for the Bixby Company, staying until retiring in 1978 at the age of 65.

He had team driving skills that put him in many parades throughout the state, including all the local area parades and Santa Barbara Fiesta Parade, Santa Barbara Horse Show and every year made the California Fair Circuit - Del Mar, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Monterey and Sacramento. He was a familiar sight driving the Carlsberg Deluxe Beer wagon pulled by the big Clydesdales, Belgians or Percherons of the Bixby company.

Harry was the last of his immediate family - his parents and brother, Howard, died some years ago. Of the many cousins that descended with him from the Huyckville family of Edgar and Minnie Huyck, there are three survivors: Lorean Horn Brooks, Myra Huyck Manfrina, both of Lompoc, and Verta Huyck Johnson, of Tacoma, Wash. Harry is also survived by his dear friend, Barbara Walsh, and her family, Nita and Bob Parker, spending time at their store in Gaviota Beach in the 1980s through the 1990s, sharing stories of his past, including his experiences at the Honda Naval tragedy at Surf. Spending time at the Lompoc Swap meet in his later years was another favorite past time. Harry's greatest influence in his life was his mother and grandmotheras, well as his religious beliefs in trying to follow the Ten Commandments. His favorite scripture was John 3:16. It was his wish to be remembered as an honest man who always tried to be fair with others.

Harry died Tuesday, July 5, 2005, at Lompoc Hospital.

Memorial may be made to the Lompoc Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 88, Lompoc 93438.

Services are in the care of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary.

Lompoc Record
Obituaries 7/7/2005