Matthew Lafayette Aaron ("Fate" Aaron)

Caption by photographer (Andrews): "Born Jan. 10, 1919 at Callands, Va. Grew up on a tobacco farm, enlisted in the Army in 1941, fought as an infantryman through North Africa, then as a Ranger through the Sicilian and Italian campaigns. Discharged November, 1945. Wounded three times in what he called "three years of continuous combat." As a Ranger he was usually at the forward most front of the fighting. He has suffered since his discharge with severe PTSD and alcoholism. In spite of that, as well as his physical wounds, he was a successful tobacco farmer until he retired in 1994. He lives on the same farm where he was born. Up to this time I have not been able to convince Mr. Aaron to agree to an oral history. When I made this photograph, he said, "I was a nice fellow when this picture was made (the portrait of himself he is holding), before I went overseas. Since then, I don't know, I just never been the same." This is part of the disabled veterans series."

Print number: JA_POR_77-19