. ▁ ▁O dd ▁jobs ▁and ▁war ▁ ▁Unable ▁to ▁afford ▁an ▁education ▁at ▁U CLA ▁during ▁the ▁De pression , ▁Gran nis ▁dropped ▁out ▁and ▁found ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁car p enter , ▁j unk yard ▁de - t inner ▁and ▁spent ▁some ▁years ▁at ▁Standard ▁O il . ▁He ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁( now ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁flying ▁supply ▁lines ▁to ▁troops ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁remaining ▁on ▁active ▁reserve ▁until ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Several ▁fellow ▁sur f ▁club ▁members ▁were ▁employed ▁with ▁Pacific ▁Bell , ▁and ▁Gran nis ▁joined ▁them ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Peace ▁and ▁new ▁opportun ities ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁already ▁begun ▁to ▁vent ure ▁into ▁phot ography , ▁and ▁several ▁of ▁his ▁pictures ▁were ▁featured ▁in ▁photo ▁pione er ▁and ▁close ▁friend ▁John ▁He ath ▁" Doc " ▁Ball ' s ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁book ▁California ▁Sur fr iders . ▁He ▁sur f ed ▁the ▁occas ional ▁contest ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁gradually ▁sett ling ▁into ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁assist ing ▁Ho ppy ▁Sw arts ▁at ▁the ▁controls ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Sur f ing ▁Association . ▁The ▁tele phone ▁company ▁job ▁had ▁given ▁him ▁an ▁ul cer ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁and ▁his ▁doctor ▁ad vised ▁him ▁to ▁take ▁up