'Charlie' was delivered at home by a mid-wife, Mrs. Walker on January 12, 1928. At 2 yrs old,he remembers his father,Charlie, Sr., rode a motorbike and bought him some new shoes. His favorite pet was a German Shepherd named "Bob". He remembers sitting on his grandad's , Tony Holloway, knee and drinking coffee. On his first day at school, he remembers eating Johnny cakes, and having a Black Cow candy bar...supply fee was $1.50.  While he was in the second grade, his parents went to NY and left he and his brother with Mrs. Walker for 2 yrs.in 1934.  In 1936, his father came back from NY and took he and his brother, Tony back with him to NY.  They lived 2 yrs in a 'bad' neighborhood in Harlem; then moved back to NC into a house on Kilgore Ave, in West Raleigh NC.  Growing up, he attended Washington school, played softball, rollerskated,has after jobs- cutting wood, toting coal at 7yrs old for Liza Grant, Josephine Wall, Mrs. Walker.
When he became older, he used to walk to downtown Raleigh; to the movies theater-nicknamed 'The Rat Box'..some weekends with his cousin Billy  Holloway to see serial westerns, Wild Bill Hickock, Lash LaRue, Hop-a-Long Cassidy, The Phantom, Spy Smasher, and The Iron Claw for $.10 admission!(imagine that!) One of his favorite sweet shops was Bambi Bakery on Wilmington Street. Some of his childhood friends were: Chris Debnam, Henry Ford, 'Jimbo' Peebles, Sara Evans, J C Lyons, June, Allen, and 'Pinkie'  Gough, P G Kelly, and Mattie Webb. When he was a child in West Raleigh the neighborhood has some interesting people...Peter Trice had a pet goat on a chain, that hw used to run away from; Henry Lucas, used to carry a burlap bag around with an axe inside it; there was the Umbrella Man; Tommy Robinson-the blacksmith, the Ice Man, and Latta House. Charlie's favorite holidays were, MayDay, Halloween, Christmas day.His best Christmas gifts were:new shoes from Britain's shoe store, knickers, monopoly and dominoes, candy and apples. He remembers his best Christmas dinner growing up as turkey and ham, sweet potatoes, butterbeans, spinach, macaroni and cheese, cornbread and rolls, jello, cake, pies, ice tea and lemonade. One of the guest at his home during Christmas was Uncle Judd. 
In 1940, he attended Crosby-Garfield Elementary school--in the 10th grade, he attended Berry 'O Kelly High school...his first girlfriend at 16 was Mary Louise Reid.  In 1945 he joined the Navy , going to basic training in Bainbridge, MD. 
The USS John  Bliss, a destroyer was his first ship, the USS Chickasee, a cruiser...ship Commander Officer Gibson. His best buddy was Stacy from Ohio. The best locations he was stationed were Hawaii-; Wake Island in the Pacific;Bikini Island..none of the men were allowed leave on Bikini Island.
Charlie witnessed atomic bomb testing with animals on test ships 5 miles away. He was honorably discharged in 1948.
While in the Navy and home on leave in 1947 on Halloween; he met Molange Guinyard at Chavis Park by the swimming pool gallery.