They were known as the Barefoot Boys.Five men grew up poor in the Carolinas during the Depression. The running joke was that they joined the U.S. Navy to get a pair of shoes.

Five men grew up poor in the Carolinas during the Depression. The running joke was that they joined the U.S. Navy to get a pair of shoes. What they gained from the military was much more than footwear - an education, a career and friendships that lasted a lifetime.

What they gained from the military was much more than footwear - an education, a career and friendships that lasted a lifetime. "The Navy saved his life," Michael Joplin said of his father, Dock. "It gave him a stable world to live in, which he did not have as a child or even as a young adult, poverty stricken in the worst part of North Carolina. It removed him from all that, gave him the opportunity to succeed. And when he passed away, no one could say he wasn't a success."

"The Navy saved his life," Michael Joplin said of his father, Dock. "It gave him a stable world to live in, which he did not have as a child or even as a young adult, poverty stricken in the worst part of North Carolina. It removed him from all that, gave him the opportunity to succeed. And when he passed away, no one could say he wasn't a success."As children, Louis Tew, Devere Pyatte, Dock Joplin and Bill Shipman worked on their family farms in North Carolina. Allen Carl Bryson was in South Carolina, where his family used mules to carry supplies into the mountains.

As children, Louis Tew, Devere Pyatte, Dock Joplin and Bill Shipman worked on their family farms in North Carolina. Allen Carl Bryson was in South Carolina, where his family used mules to carry supplies into the mountains. They would not cross paths in the South, however. They met years later when they were stationed on ships homeported at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton.

They would not cross paths in the South, however. They met years later when they were stationed on ships homeported at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton. "Of course we were poor, but we really didn't know it because everybody else was the same," said Pyatte, 82, now of Jacksonville, Fla., in a telephone interview. "The county I came from, Avery County, was considered the poorest of the counties in North Carolina. It seemed like no one had money."

"Of course we were poor, but we really didn't know it because everybody else was the same," said Pyatte, 82, now of Jacksonville, Fla., in a telephone interview. "The county I came from, Avery County, was considered the poorest of the counties in North Carolina. It seemed like no one had money."Tew, 84, stopped going to school in the seventh grade to grow food and tobacco.

Tew, 84, stopped going to school in the seventh grade to grow food and tobacco. "My uncle told me I had enough schooling so I worked on the farm," said Tew, who lives in Gales Ferry.

"My uncle told me I had enough schooling so I worked on the farm," said Tew, who lives in Gales Ferry. Join the Navy, see the world

Join the Navy, see the worldSome of them joined the Navy to escape poverty and their rural upbringings; others did not want to be drafted into the Army during World War II.

Some of them joined the Navy to escape poverty and their rural upbringings; others did not want to be drafted into the Army during World War II."The Army had maneuvers in the swamps where I lived and I knew how many snakes were in them swamps," Tew said.

"The Army had maneuvers in the swamps where I lived and I knew how many snakes were in them swamps," Tew said.Bill Shipman grew up on a "very poor tobacco farm," and "he didn't like farming all that much," said his son, Tom.

Bill Shipman grew up on a "very poor tobacco farm," and "he didn't like farming all that much," said his son, Tom.Pyatte said he enlisted because he thought, "there has got to be a better way."

Pyatte said he enlisted because he thought, "there has got to be a better way." Joplin hitchhiked to Charleston, S.C., the day after he graduated from high school in 1941, to join the Navy. His possessions at the time consisted of overalls, a T-shirt and a dime.

Joplin hitchhiked to Charleston, S.C., the day after he graduated from high school in 1941, to join the Navy. His possessions at the time consisted of overalls, a T-shirt and a dime.He joined because the Navy would feed him, said Michael Joplin, who is president of New London Development Corp.

He joined because the Navy would feed him, said Michael Joplin, who is president of New London Development Corp.Allyn Donath said her late father, Carl Bryson, joined because "the Navy offered food and an income, and the sub service was of course better paid, so that was his choice."

Allyn Donath said her late father, Carl Bryson, joined because "the Navy offered food and an income, and the sub service was of course better paid, so that was his choice." Bryson, who would become well known as the last survivor of the USS Squalus sinking, sent part of his paycheck back to his family in South Carolina. His mother had been working in a textile mill since she was 8 years old, Donath said.

Bryson, who would become well known as the last survivor of the USS Squalus sinking, sent part of his paycheck back to his family in South Carolina. His mother had been working in a textile mill since she was 8 years old, Donath said. Close friendships formed

Close friendships formedTew came to Groton in 1950 when the submarine rescue ship he was serving on, the USS Tringa, relocated from Key West. Pyatte, Joplin, Shipman and Bryson served on Groton-based ships at various points in their careers and they met while living and working in the area.

Tew came to Groton in 1950 when the submarine rescue ship he was serving on, the USS Tringa, relocated from Key West. Pyatte, Joplin, Shipman and Bryson served on Groton-based ships at various points in their careers and they met while living and working in the area. "The submarine service at that time was very small, and in the New London area there weren't more than 1,000 of them, so it was very hard not to bump into everybody," Michael Joplin said. "You were relieving somebody, or on a boat together, or on a boat beside them, or your kids were in school together. It was a tight group."

"The submarine service at that time was very small, and in the New London area there weren't more than 1,000 of them, so it was very hard not to bump into everybody," Michael Joplin said. "You were relieving somebody, or on a boat together, or on a boat beside them, or your kids were in school together. It was a tight group."Having grown up in similar surroundings, the men soon formed close friendships. They shared childhood stories with other sailors, who dubbed them The Barefoot Boys.

Having grown up in similar surroundings, the men soon formed close friendships. They shared childhood stories with other sailors, who dubbed them The Barefoot Boys. "Barefoot Boys, it fits us for sure," said Pyatte, who went barefoot as a child to save his shoes for school. "I never had a pair of shoes as good as the first pair the Navy gave me."

"Barefoot Boys, it fits us for sure," said Pyatte, who went barefoot as a child to save his shoes for school. "I never had a pair of shoes as good as the first pair the Navy gave me."The Barefoot Boys retired with more than 20 years of service each. Several took college courses through the Navy. They all became officers.

The Barefoot Boys retired with more than 20 years of service each. Several took college courses through the Navy. They all became officers."Many people from our area did make a career of the Navy or other military organizations because there was just not a lot of work for people to do," Pyatte said. "You could stay there and farm, just barely make a living and exist. I guess we all decided, very similarly, that hey, we can stay in the Navy and have a better life. That just looked good to me."

"Many people from our area did make a career of the Navy or other military organizations because there was just not a lot of work for people to do," Pyatte said. "You could stay there and farm, just barely make a living and exist. I guess we all decided, very similarly, that hey, we can stay in the Navy and have a better life. That just looked good to me." Bill Shipman frequently said joining the Navy was the best thing he ever did.

Bill Shipman frequently said joining the Navy was the best thing he ever did. "If he stayed in North Carolina, he would have probably been a tobacco farmer," Tom Shipman said. "His world would've been completely different."

"If he stayed in North Carolina, he would have probably been a tobacco farmer," Tom Shipman said. "His world would've been completely different." This Veterans Day, Pyatte and Tew are the last of the Barefoot Boys. Joplin died at the age of 65 in 1988. Shipman, 89, and Bryson, 91, both died in 2008.

This Veterans Day, Pyatte and Tew are the last of the Barefoot Boys. Joplin died at the age of 65 in 1988. Shipman, 89, and Bryson, 91, both died in 2008. "None of us knew each other in North Carolina, but we came together while we were in the Navy," Tew said. "We all had inquiring minds and we liked to have information and educate ourselves. We did the best we could."

"None of us knew each other in North Carolina, but we came together while we were in the Navy," Tew said. "We all had inquiring minds and we liked to have information and educate ourselves. We did the best we could." "They're certainly men who served their country well, and who had a deep and abiding commitment to being Americans and serving the Navy to the best of their ability," Donath said. "That's the bond they shared."

"They're certainly men who served their country well, and who had a deep and abiding commitment to being Americans and serving the Navy to the best of their ability," Donath said. "That's the bond they shared."

Origin of Veteran's Day

The first celebration using the term Veterans Day occurred in Birmingham, Ala., in 1947. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized "National Veterans Day," which included a parade and other festivities, to honor all veterans. The event was held on Nov. 11, then designated Armistice Day. Later, U.S. Rep. Edward Rees of Kansas proposed a bill that would change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming Nov. 11 as Veterans Day.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs