1940s to 1970s
1941
November/December
Sam Saburo suspected the Japanese were planning an attack, and he and Joe
Finneman tried to warn the authorities.
December 7th
Pearl Harbour was bombed, killing Sam Saburo ["East Winds, Raining"]. Soon
after, Joe Finneman drafted into the Marines ["The War Hero"].
1942
Whit was drafted into the Navy, when very close to completing his college
education [CG].
July 20th
Whit finished training as a signalman.
August 27th
Whit arrived on USS Irongate.
August 28th
Whit helped find Lieutenant Reginald Duffield, a British coast watcher.
August 30th
Whit assigned to Operation Digout.
August 31st
Operation Digout. Whit and Reginald Duffield risked their lives to save
a transport full of men. Whit lost the top part of his ear and was wounded
in the leg. Reginald Duffield was shipped back to the British Navy. [All
above from "Operation Digout"].
Whit was in hospital for a while, and his piece "Making Waves in the
Navy" appeared in "Stars and Stripes" [CG].
1943
During the Battle of New Guinea, Sergeant Joe Finneman helped rescue a
group of children for which he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Medal
of Bravery. However, he refused the medals, since he had been deserting
at the time ["The War Hero"].
April
Whit received the Purple Heart for his actions in Operation Digout [CG].
1945
August
A flu epidemic hit Odyssey ["Arin's Judgement"].
September
Wade Mullins supposedly visited Marus ["Arin's Judgement"]. Whit was discharged
from the Navy [CG].
Whit lived in Pasadena, California and apprenticed as a carpenter
while completing his college education at the University of Southern California
[CG].
1946
Spencer Barfield worked as a maintenance man at the Fillmore Recreation
Centre. He was shot and hidden in the basement of the Centre in the wake
of a bank robbery ["The Case of the Secret Room"].
1947
Whit received concurrent bachelor's degrees in philosophy and literature.
Whit and Jenny Morrow married. In the summer, Whit received his librarian
certification and started work at Pasadena Library in the Fall.
1950
Whit had a book published for the first time, entitled "The Long and Short
of It" [CG].
1951
Jeremiah (a.k.a. Jerry) Whittaker born. Whit had another two books published
between now and 1952 [CG].
1953
Whit gave up his job as a librarian and used funds from his books and outside
backing to start the Universal Press Foundation, in Chicago. Jana Whittaker
was born. [CG]
Summer
Kyle and Anna went to visit their Grandparents in Odyssey for a month,
and supposedly visited Marus ["Darien's Rise"].
Over the next few years, Whit travelled the world doing research
for "The Universal Encyclopaedia", as well as writing and inventing [CG].
During the 1950s a radio station aired from the Fillmore Recreation
Centre ["Kids Radio"].
1956
Wade Mullens became a pilot in the Air Force ["Annison's Risk"].
1960
The Whittakers went to their cabin by Lake Michigan, along with Leonard
Plateman (a.k.a. Plato), a friend of Jerry's ["Memories of Jerry"].
1965
Wade Mullens was killed in Vietnam ["Annison's Risk"].
1966
The Mullens family moved to Virginia, because Odyssey reminded them of
Wade ["Annison's Risk"].
1971
July 7th
Jerry and Jason Whittaker went camping by Lake Michigan.
July 10th
Plato turned up at the Whittaker's cabin and wanted Jerry to go to Canada
with him to escape being sent to Vietnam.
July 12th
Jerry left for Vietnam. It was the last time his family saw him.
November 7th
Jerry sent his last postcard to home.
November 12th
Whittakers received news that Jerry had been killed defending others in
battle ["Memories of Jerry"].
1972
In an attempt to try and rebuild their relationships, the Whittaker family
moved to Odyssey [CG]. Whit spent more time with Jason, since he was close
to draft ages, but didn't rebuild his relationship with Jana ["A Member
of the Family"].
Timmy Riley and Alice supposedly visited Marus while on camp ["Passages"].
Timmy became a Christian that summer ["Malachi's Message"].
1973
Whit received an education certificate, and started teaching English at
McCallum Junior High School, and over the years received several awards
[CG], some of which were awarded to him by Tom Riley ["Recollections"].
Timmy Riley died in a boating accident while saving the life of his
friend, P.D. ["Greater Love"].
Universal Press Foundation was approached by a Government intelligence
agency about the creation of a computer program. Whit has involved in making
the program, "Applesauce"["The Battle"], and worked with Tasha Forbes in
using it to make TA-418.
1974
Tom Riley's first wife died ["The Other Woman"].
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Last updated 11-Apr-01 by Caleb Woodbridge 
