Otto Vernon, born December 19, 1918, was the 8th
child born in Medina, North Dakota, to Inga Lydia (Olsen) and Carl
Christopher. His other siblings are: Glenn Arthur, (January
7, 1904); Alfred Clifford, (March 24, 1907);
Roy Willard, (Aug 10, 1910); Ruth Lillian, (Aug 10,
1912); Lauren Ivan and Lester Carl, ( Aug 5, 1914); Kenneth Orvin, (Sept 7, 1916); Robert Norman, (March 29, 1921); Doris Esther, (June 10, 1923); and Donald Edwin,
(Sept 10, 1925).
Otto was always known as Vernon O. Christopher. About 1933, he moved with his parents, younger brother Donald, and sister Doris to Pequot Lakes, MN, where he is remembered as helping the Olsen and Erikson relatives on their ranches. His older brothers, Lauren, Lester, Kenneth, and younger brother Robert settled in Arlee, Montana, so the rest of the family moved to Arlee around 1936. He was known as the talented one, the family artist because he could draw like crazy. Also, he was an avid hunter and fisherman.
Vernon began high school in Arlee then moved to Martinez, California with his brothers to work in the shipyards
there. He completed high school there. He became a Petroleum Storage Technitian and a welder.
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Later, on October 5, 1942 he married Genevieve Sylva in Martinez where they lived until Vernon joined the United States Army Air Corps
on Oct. 11, 1943.
After about 6 months
there, he was sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for training. Only five days after his arrival, on May 2, 1944 he was
killed as an out of control army truck crashed into his squadron while
they were marching along a military road. He is buried at the National Cemetery in
St. Bruno, California. In his short time in the Army, Private Vernon O. Christopher had already
earned recognition as an expert marksman.
Vernon and his brother Roy are remembered on the Arlee, Montana War Memorial:
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