I asked dad to give me all the details of his adoption and here is the information he sent to me, via email. I have added a few bits of information that I had asked dad to clarify for me in order to help piece this story together so that all of us would understand.
Jill,
Here is the Reader's Digest version: My father Roland Hulslander worked for the Western Union before WWII in Johnson City, New York., he was then transferred to Washington, D.C. after the war broke. However, soon after arriving to Washington, he was drafted into the Marine Corps. He was wounded on Iwo Jima in the Battle of Tinian, on February 26, 1945 and received the Purple Heart decoration. He returned home shortly after his wounds healed but came back a nasty alcoholic and "ran around" on my mother. It was shortly thereafter that my mother divorced him and in the process destroyed all pictures of him. I have no pictures and/or recollection of him at all, something that I always have resented. He died on October 15, 1966 I believe at the age of 51, like I said he was an alcoholic and ended up dying from a major heart attack. I have gotten most of this information from various relatives but it seems that no one really knew him, he seems to have been a recluse.
After high school, I wanted to go into the Navy. I had been using the name Robinson but it was unofficial. I had the choice of joining the Navy as Jack Hulslander or Jack Robinson. My mother asked me to change my name to Robinson (which I regret). I was officially adopted (by my stepfather Lester) and had my name changed and went into the Navy as a Robinson.
Love you,
Dad
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