Early Life
Dewey Glenn Hooper was born on February 22, 1919, in Caswell County, North Carolina, the son of Ugar LaFayette Hooper and Rosa Della Rainey Hooper of Mebane. According to a letter written by his siblings Myrtle Dellinger, C. V. "Pete" Hooper, and C. Woodrow Hooper to a Mr. Don H. Johnson of Queensland, Australia dated October 28, 1991, Dewey was the 8th of 10 children raised on his family’s farm. The farm grew tobacco, corn, wheat, rye, barley, and oats, and had a variety of livestock. Dewey received his education in local schools while performing duties on the farm and volunteering in the local community and church. This upbringing shaped his character; in the letter, his siblings said of him:
“He was first of all a gentle person, who liked to learn, committed to truth, and met his death doing that he believed to be right. Dewey was aware of the dangers before him on the day his wings was awarded; this was expressed to a member of his family.”
After attending Prospect Hill School in Caswell County, Dewey enrolled at Elon College, but then transferred to North Carolina State College (now University); it was at State that he received his first military training. In 1939, he received a discharge as a Private in Company A of the 120th Infantry of the North Carolina National Guard, due to a change in residence. Previous service was listed as one year of ROTC at NC State College. His commanding officer wrote in the remarks section of his enlistment record: "Service honest and faithful".
