In 1930 Thurston Drake, a commercial refrigeration mechanic, moved from Charleston SC to Alexandria to take work with the Mutual Ice Co, bringing wife Edna and two sons and two daughters.  They briefly rented a house on East Windsor before buying the handsome house at 101 East Windsor, now considerably expanded.  Younger son Douglas had been born in December 1926 and attended Alexandria public schools, graduating from GWHS.

On 10 December 1943, his 17th birthday, he joined the Navy and trained as a submariner at New London, CT.  He was sent to the west coast where he was assigned as a torpedoman 2nd class to the USS Gar.  In 1944 he was promoted to seaman 1st class and transferred to the USS Muskallunge.  In August she sank a Japanese cargo ship but was heavily depth-charged in response.  She then put into Freemantle, Australia for a month-long refit in September.  On September 28 Douglas was struck by a train and killed instantly.  His remains were returned to the US in 1948 for interment in Arlington National Cemetery.

World War Two Losses

Douglas R Drake