Grand Junction Father and Son’s World War I & II Photos

Please take a moment to reflect upon a handful of images captured by two lifelong Grand Junction residents, a father and son, during their tours of duty in World War I and World War II.

The photos below are from the personal collections of father and son, James and Robert Grant. James L. Grant of Clifton served in the United States Navy during World War I. Years later, his son, late Daily Sentinel photographer Robert Grant, would serve in the United States Army in World War II.

After recent events, I've been busy going through generations of photos and negatives, scanning them and sharing them for posterity. With Memorial Day approaching, I thought it would be fun to share these images.

In some cases, James and Robert Grant are in the images. In those instances, they either used a timer or someone else operated the camera. Regrettably, I don't have information as to the identity of the other photographers.

Looking through these photos, I can't help but think several of the sailors and soldiers pictured are 16 or 17 years of age at best. I know for a fact James Grant was 16 when he joined the Navy.

Considering some of these photos are more than 100 years old, I'm delighted to have found them in such good condition.

Please enjoy a handful of photos of my great-grandpa James, and my grandpa Robert, both residents of Western Colorado, with these World War I and II images.

Here's hoping you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Let's not forget the reason behind the holiday. Memorial Day is the occasion for honoring and mourning the military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

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