I was born in Meridian MS January 21, 1923, the son of Robert Wear McArthur and Pearl Stainton McArthur. I was their eighth child. I attended Highland Elementary School in Meridian grades one through six; Kate Smith Junior High School grades seven and eight; Meridian High School grades nine through twelve, graduating in 1940. I attended Meridian Junior College for two years, graduating in 1942. I had my own bicycle shop, Irvin McArhur's Bicycle Shop which was located in a converted garage built onto the side of a large barn. This was about 1938>1940. While in Junior College I worked part time the local J. C. Penney store clerking in the Men's Dept., the Piece Goods Dept. and the Boys Dept. I was put in charge of the Boys Department for a brief time when older employees began to be called to the Armed Forces In World War II.
In the Fall of 1943 I enrolled at Maryville College, Maryville TN in their Junior Class. In December of that year in Knoxville I enrolled in the Army Reserve and was allowed to finish my year at Maryville before reporting for active duty at the Reception Center at Camp Shelby MS, near Hattiesburg, MS. A short time later I was loaded on a train for Anniston Alabama and received my basic training in the Infantry for about several months.

I was born in Meridian MS January 21, 1923, the son of Robert Wear McArthur and Pearl Stainton McArthur. I was their eighth child. I attended Highland Elementary School in Meridian grades one through six; Kate Smith Junior High School grades seven and eight; Meridian High School grades nine through twelve, graduating in 1940. I attended Meridian Junior College for two years, graduating in 1942. I had my own bicycle shop, Irvin McArhur's Bicycle Shop which was located in a converted garage built onto the side of a large barn. This was about 1938>1940. While in Junior College I worked part time the local J. C. Penney store clerking in the Men's Dept., the Piece Goods Dept. and the Boys Dept. I was put in charge of the Boys Department for a brief time when older employees began to be called to the Armed Forces In World War II.
In the Fall of 1943 I enrolled at Maryville College, Maryville TN in their Junior Class. In December of that year in Knoxville I enrolled in the Army Reserve and was allowed to finish my year at Maryville before reporting for active duty at the Reception Center at Camp Shelby MS, near Hattiesburg, MS. A short time later I was loaded on a train for Anniston Alabama and received my basic training in the Infantry for about several months.