William Delbert Herndon, born on June 5, 1920 in Ash Grove, Missouri, to the parents of Leonard and Mary Amanda. He moved to Springfield in 1924. He attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO from 1937-38. He joined the Enlisted Reserve Core on March 20, 1940 were he completed basic training and served for two additional years. He was stationed at the Jefferson Barracks located outside of St. Louis, MO. During November 1942-March 1943 he was promoted from Private to Staff Sergeant within three months. He retired from the Army as a Military Police Officer in 1946.
Delbert moved to Coffeyville, KS in 1944 and married his first wife Leola Caliman and had 2 children, Ronnie and Virginia Ann. Years later he moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he later met and married Etta Mae Reed. They had 3 children, Mary, Sharon and Jeff.
He retired from the Southwest Waste Water Treatment Plant after 25 years and he was a member of Washington Ave. Baptist Church for over 70 years.
He was very active in several local military and community organizations, such as;