Family and Early Life
Delos Leon Sims was born on October 18 of 1925, to parents Nora Belle Tullos Sims and John Jefferson Sims. He lived in Pass Christian, MS, on 214 Woodman Avenue for the entirety of his life. Since then, that plot of land has been ravaged by many hurricanes, with Delos’s home being destroyed in either Hurricane Camille or Katrina.
His father, John, and mother, Nora, had many children, from previous marriages and their own marriage: Delos Leon Sims, Essie Helen Sims Easterling, Lamar W. Easterling, Grace Jewell Sims Franklin, Levon Louis Sims, Mamie Mae Sims Woodcock, Millie Elizabeth Sims Steube Light, Winstead James Sims, and Pearl Marie Sims Owensby. Leon’s mother Nora was also married to Henry Easterling before she had married John Sims, and they had a child named Essie. Essie happened to marry one of her step-father’s sons, Clifton H Sims, who was her step-father’s son through a different marriage. Therefore, Delos, who preferred to go by his middle name Leon, had nine other siblings, from his parents’ marriage and his parents’ other marriages. Leon was educated until the age of eighteen and did not go to college. He graduated high school, and it is unknown what he did in the time period from graduating high school and going to war. Leon entered the military on February 15, 1944 and enlisted as a private in the U.S. Air Corps for the duration of the war or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law. Leon enlisted at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. It is known that his brother Levon served, but it is unknown if any of Leon’s other brothers served. |
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